Three area athletes kick off All-State Week with Day 1 events
Jul. 26—Muskogee's Klair Bradley added an exclamation point on the end of her high school swimming sentence of sorts.
Bound for Minnesota-Mankato this fall, Bradley won both the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle at the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State Games pool event at Mitch Park in Edmond.
"The 200 isn't something I normally do but I stepped in to help my team," Bradley said.
She didn't do a relay. But she was active in it from out of the pool as a cheerleader — which was a fun moment in itself.
"Just cheering for the others on the East team both boys and girls who weren't on my high school team but swimmers I've developed a relationship with," she said.
Now it's on to the Great White North, with one last reflection on her high school journey, which saw her qualify for state every year.
"Being on the high school team has helped me develop as an athlete and personally and prepared me as best as it can for the upcoming years as a collegiate swimmer," she said.
Back to the start
Fort Gibson's Dalton Ross swam the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke and the backstroke for the medley relay. But in the spirit of the event, as part of the 400 relay, had a little fun, which caught his coach's eye.
"The boys made it into a fun relay where they doggy-padded the last 25 meters," she said.
Indeed, in all likelihood, going out the way they all first went into the pool.
"We wanted to go out as high school swimmers doing something fun," he said.
Ross and the East won that race. He was second in the medley and both individual races. The state runner-up in the 4A 100 freestyle and member of the runner-up Fort Gibson squad in February goes to William Jewell (Mo.) to swim this fall.
The West boys won overall as did the East girls.
Tiger arrives
Bren Dunlap made it.
The sixth-place finisher in Class 2A this past spring was a late add to the OCA All-State Golf team, getting the call Friday. He and the East team won 25-23. He and teammate Tyler Collier won their match over Ryan Carlisle of Arapaho Butler and Conner Compton of Bethany 3-1.
Dunlap made the most of it. His highlight was a tee shot on a par-3 175-yard hole and dropping it within six foot for a birdie putt during best ball in a format that included low ball, scramble and shamble, an form of alternate shot.
"I got added late last week. I'm glad I got the opportunity," he said. "All I wanted to do was just go out there and have fun, and I did."
The Oktaha standout had a 77.5 stroke average with a pair of tournament wins in the spring. His future plans are up in the air.
Add-ons
Wagoner linebacker Gabe Goodnight and Eufaula lineman Ty Dodd were both on Monday's add-on list for Friday's football game at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee.
Hilldale's Cason Albin was added in the spring. They'll pair with Jaxon Perdue of Fort Gibson; Khelil Deere of Eufaula and Fred Watson, Wagoner.
Meanwhile, for wrestling on Wednesday, Fort Gibson's Toby West will join the East team which also has Checotah's Kyler Pouncil.
Up next
Tuesday's events, tennis and volleyball, do not have any area athletes this year. The next thing on the agenda is girls basketball on Wednesday. Samantha Shanks is on the Small School East team and Fort Gibson's Scott Lowe is an assistant coach on the Large East.
