TUPATALK: Bartlesville area has been cradle to incredible athletes

Now and then, I marvel in remembering some of the extraordinary athletes I’ve had the chance to write about in the Bartlesville area.

Someone who doesn’t receive nearly enough attention is former Bartlesville High wrestler Tim Hamilton.

From 2010-12, Hamilton won three consecutive state wrestling titles — something I believe no other local grappler had or has achieved.

Hamilton made his sledgehammer run with his first crown as a sophomore (2010). As a junior, he outlasted Weston Slater (Mustang), 5-3; and the next year he made it three-in-a-row by overwhelming D. Bailey (Broken Arrow), 7-2.

Tim’s younger brother Mike Hamilton also won a state title — and, if not for injury, probably would have seized two.

These young grapplers exemplified the best of toughness, intelligence and effort.

In the previous decade, a pair of Bartlesville High/Splash Club swimmers elevated the city’s presence to a national level.

Gary Marshall might arguably be considered the top male swimmer in the 2000’s to emerge from the Bartlesville area; but Michael Wolfe might deserve to be right up with Gary.

Both were multiple-time qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.

One of them finished just one place away from representing the United States in the Olympics.

That was Gary Marshall, who came in fourth in the 200 breaststroke in the 2003 trial finals. The top two finishers (Brendan Hansen and Scott Usher) made the Olympic team for Athens and Marshall earned the alternate spot in the event.

Marshall burst onto the scene in the late 1990’s as someone who would deserve a spotlight in the pool. He would qualify in 2000 for the U.S. Olympic Swim trials and again in 2004 and 2008.

In 2000, he set Oklahoma state records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and earned 2000 All-American recognition nationwide.

Coming out of high school, he began his collegiate swimming career at the University of Virginia — where he won five All-American titles and set an ACC meet record.

Marshall transferred his last years of college to Stanford. To cap the 2003-04 season he placed third in 200m breaststroke and fourth in the 100m breaststroke at the NCAA championships.

Part of his national competition resume includes competing for the U.S. at the 2001 World University Games, won two titles in the Junior National Champion competition and won the national title (200m breast) in the 2003 U.S. National meet. He was ranked No. 12 in the world in 2003 in the 200 breaststroke.

Wolfe came along just a few years after Marshall and also became a nationally-prominent swimmer, including competing in the 2004 and 2008 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.

He sparkled in college swimming for the University of Tennessee.

At the 2008 NCAA championships, he finished third in the 800 freestyle relay, sixth in the 200 butterfly and sixth in the 400 medley relay.

That same season, Wolfe claimed the SEC championship in the 100 backstroke and also participated on the conference title-winning 800 freestyle relay.

Back at Bartlesville, he earned All-America honors in three events.

His freshman and sophomore years at college also were full of noteworthy achievements. In 2005-06, he won the 200 backstroke at the 2006 Speedo Champion Series in the Eastern Section.

A Bartlesville High athlete who left both a golden legacy in high school and shone in college was Eric Rolfs.

Eric starred in football and baseball in high school. His punting on a miserable, wet night in Miami helped the Bruins escape with a 7-6 non-conference win.

In addition to his contributions to Bruin baseball, he also became one of the top producers of his generation in Bartlesville American Legion Baseball.

He advanced his sports and academic pursuits to the Naval Academy.

Despite fierce competition, he won a first-string spot as a kicker. In the 2003 Army Navy game, Rolfs booted a field goal.

During his three seasons playing for Navy, he booted 58-of-60 extra points and 12-of-16 field goals.

Even more importantly, he has gone on to a distinguished military career.

There are so many more truly outstanding student-athletes this area has produced during my time here and perhaps I’ll have a chance to remember them.

They’re accomplishments have not been done in a corner. Reaching such heights is largely due to parents or guardians, coaches, preachers, teachers, community reinforcement of positive behavior and opportunity.

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BLAST FROM THE PAST

(Following is an excerpt of an E-E article from 2000.)

Eric Rolfs is going to be a well-traveled young man this week.

His breath-sucking itinerary includes spending some time in the South Pacific to hopping back to play some baseball in Bartlesville, Bixby and perhaps other parts unknown.

In the upcoming school musical production of ‘South Pacific’, he will helping some fellow soldiers sing “There ain’t nothin’ like a dame.”

But, the theme for this Bartlesville High School junior shortstop could just as well be “There ain’t nothin’ like a game.”

“This season, I really have enjoyed it a lot because of my teammates and especially because of the coaching staff,” said Rolfs during a phone interview late Monday night after returning from play practice for ‘South Pacific.’

“I think they (the coaches) have put a whole lot more stuff in it,” he continued. “I really like our team and its characteristics.”

Rolfs is a major part of the Bruins’ team character.

He anchors the infield perimeter at shortstop and also has one of the team’s best hitters — especially in the clutch.

One doesn’t have to peruse many Bartlesville game summaries to discover Rolfs’ offensive contributions.

— In a game against Yukon on April 10, Rolfs ripped a first-inning double and scored a run to help the Bruins off to a 2-0 lead, which held up for four innings. Unfortunately, Yukon rallied with six runs the last two innings to win.

— In another game against Bishop Kelley, Rolfs hit singles in his first three at-bats, accounting for two RBIs and two runs in a 13-3 win.

— In a 2-1 victory against Ponca City last week, he started the sixth-inning, two-run rally by reaching base on an error and scoring a run.

— In the Bruins’ first game of the year at Broken Arrow, Rolfs drove in three runs in the 7-4 victory. His first RBI single scored the Bruins’ third run. A two-run single in the top of the sixth gave the Bruins their three-run cushion. In that same game, he made two defensive assists in the bottom of the seventh to prevent Broken Arrow from scoring even while loading the bases.

— In Bartlesville’s second game of the season, also against Broken Arrow, Rolfs scored the lone run in the 9-1 loss.

— Bartlesville wreaked some justice on Broken Arrow on April 1 as Rolfs drove home a run and scored another in the 9-1 Bruin victory.

— Perhaps he produced his most memorable hit, so far, at Ponca City in early April. After Ponca City had gone up, 3-2, Rolfs slammed a two-run homer in the top of the fifth to give the Bruins a 4-3 lead. They never trailed again, going on to win, 9-4. Later in the same game, Rolfs hit a RBI double.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: TupaTalk column