Flashback to 2020: Stigler Spartans win championship
Editor's Note: The Stigler Spartans won the 12U OK Kids State Championship on July 16 of this year in Weatherford against the McAlester Buffaloes. They also defeated the Buffaloes in the 2020 championship game at the same location. Below is the story from 2020. In this week's issue (July 21) of the Stigler News-Sentinel is the story about their 2022 championship and a photo.
The Stigler Spartans 10U team won the OK Kids Baseball Association State Championship in Weatherford on Saturday, July 25 by besting the McAlester Buffs.
“The Spartans bought into not only winning the game but winning each pitch all year, said Coach Adam Engle. “Having that mindset is what made us champions.”
“Some games of the tournament were nerve wracking, but we really worked together as a team and made the tough plays. It was a fun week with my team, and it feels good to be a State Champion,” said team member Grady Kettles.
In the championship game, Bryer Mayhall had all the right stuff, allowing zero runs, and the Stigler team won 12-0.
The Spartans got things moving in the first inning, when an error scored one run for the local team.
Kaden Ross led the team to victory by driving in four runs. He went 2-for-3 at the plate, and drove in runs on a single and a home run in the fifth.
The team notched ten runs in the fifth inning. Batters who contributed to the big inning included Clint Harless, Kaden Ross, Blake Goff, Landon Blizzard, Kasen Drewry and Grady Kettles. All sent runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.
The Spartans 10U totaled nine hits in the fifth inning. Cade Eakle, Major Engle, and Kaden Ross each collected two hits.
Kasen Drewry led the team with four stolen bases, as they ran wild on the base paths with 12 stolen bases.
The Spartans’ road to the State Championship
In the Ok Kids Baseball Association State Tournament in Weatherford, the Stigler Spartans defeated the Oklahoma Savages 1-0, defeated the Dibble Dirt Dawgs 11-1, fell to the Stilwell Indians 5-7, defeated the Vian Wolverines 6-5, defeated the Stilwell Indians 8-6 and defeated the Stilwell Indians 8-0.
In the championship series against the McAlester Buffs, the Stigler Spartans won the first game 13-0 and lost the second, 5-6. In the championship game, the Spartans defeated the Buffs 12-0.
By Anita Reding, Staff reporter
File photo - from the July 30, 2020 issue
The Stigler Spartans are the OK Kids Baseball Association’s 10U State Champions. Pictured are team members and coaches. On the front row, left to right, are Kasen Drewry, Grady Kettles, Bryer Mayhall, Daylen Howard and Clint Harless. On the second row, left to right, are Andy Eakle, Major Engle, Cade Eakle, Landon Blizzard, Blake Goff, Kaden Ross and Adam Engle. On the back row, left to right, are Barney Harless, Chad Blizzard and Bud Mayhall.