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Checotah splits with Eufaula in Hoops action
sports
December 20, 2023
Checotah splits with Eufaula in Hoops action
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR,

The Checotah Wildcats edged out the Eufaula Ironheads 40-39 in a nailbiter with a packed crowd at Eufaula’s Perry Anderson Gymnasium. It was a battle from the opening tip with Keaton Parish drawing blood as he hit a long three pointer to give Eufaula the lead. RJ Womack had one of his best games as he grabbed multiple rebounds and forced steals for the Wildcats, who trailed 6-4 after the first period.

The second period started off with another steal by Womack but Dusty Eby hit a long three-pointer to give the Ironheads a 9-4 lead. The Wildcats would go on a five-point run to tie the game at nine apiece.

Maddox Bridges would shine in the second period as he scored

seven points. The Wildto cats began to play aggressively as Tyler Orman tormented the Ironheads defensively. Kamden Miller got hot in the paint and Elijah Thomas was hitting short jump shots to make the game 19-17 with 1:27 to play.

Womack again forced a turnover and passed it to Miller who made a layup to tie the game 1919 at the halftime time break.

The third period was a defensive battle as neither team scored in the first two minutes of play. Checotah began to outrebound Eufaula and converted them into points as Miller gave Checotah a 21-19 lead. Thomas scored the game’s next six points as the Ironheads had a hard time covering him, giving Checotah a 27-19 lead.

Maddox Bridges hushed the crowd with a three-point bucket that made the game 27-22. Womack then grabbed another rebound and scored. The Ironheads began to score from the perimeter as Bridges and Keaton Parish combined for five points to make it a 29-28 game. Womack scored again from the foul line making it a 30-28. Dacen Hunter then scored and got fouled to make it 30-30. Eufaula grabbed the rebound but Womack made the block and steal and passed it to Aum Patel who hit the hoop from long distance to make it a 33-30 game to end the third period.

The final period was score for score with Eufaula getting the edge as Bridges and Jentry James hit three-pointers and Draven Gragg made a layup to give the Ironheads a 37-35 lead with 3:54 yet to play. Orman continued to play a big part in the game as he used his athleticism to drive the ball up court.

Womack tied the game at 37 and grabbed another defensive rebound by Bridges made the steak and scored as he drove to the goal. In the next play, Miller was fouled by Jaxon Lange. Miller made one of his two free throws to make it a 39-38 game with 1:56 on the clock. Both teams turned the ball over on the next couple of plays and with 58.1 seconds Eufaula head coach Rob McKinzie called a timeout.

On the next possession, Thomas made the steal and scored to give Checotah a 40-39 lead with 32.5 seconds left to play. James took the Ironheads next shot but missed and Bridges grabbed the loose ball but traveled, giving the ball back to the Wildcats.

On their next possession, Aum was called for traveling. Eufaula drove to the paint with just 16.3 seconds on the clock and missed, Womack grabbed the rebound. Eufaula then made a play with .5 seconds and missed the Hail Mary lob as the horn sounded and the Wildcats jumped in jubilation as they edged their rival 40-39.

“This is exciting and it’s all about the team. They played hard and never gave up. I told them to believe in themselves and they came out and executed the offense like we wanted to. I’m so proud of these guys. RJ made some big plays for us on both ends of the court. That last rebound was huge for us but I’m just so excited and happy for the team right now,” Checotah head coach Malcolm Warrior said.

“This is just one of many for coach Warrior. We played hard and I’m so happy for the team. Those are my brothers out there and we played like family tonight. We never gave up,” Checotah guard Tyler Orman said.

Elijah Thomas led Checotah with 18 points, Miller nine, Patel six and Womack finished with five points.

Eufaula was led by Maddox Bridges with 18 points, Parish 11, James and Sparks each had three points.

Jefferson Highway keeps on rollin’
A: Main, news
Jefferson Highway keeps on rollin’
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
June 11, 2025
Long before Route 66, there was the Jefferson Highway. Route 66 was a federally funded, 2,448-mile highway that crossed the country going east and west from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, Californ...
A: Main, news
Jacob Foos re-hired as Eufaula City Manager
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
June 11, 2025
It was a surprise hire, but not a total surprise as former Eufaula City Manager Jacob Foos was rehired as Eufaula’s city manager. The hiring took place following an executive session at a special meet...
A: Main, news
Complications of finding a city manager
June 11, 2025
Jeb Jones resigned as city manager in April. He was hired in 2022 to replace Jacob Foos, who had resigned months earlier and became assistant city manager in the City of Shawnee. Andrea Weckmuel-ler B...
A: Main, news
LEA Poker Run Saturday
June 11, 2025
The Golden Eagle Poker Run, one of the most popular events on Lake Eufaula, is Saturday, June 14. This year’s theme is Pirates & Parrots, so get your crew and costumes ready for a day of high seas adv...
McIntosh County Democrat wins Sequoyah Award
A: Main, news
McIntosh County Democrat wins Sequoyah Award
June 11, 2025
The Oklahoma Press Association presented its Better Newspaper Contest Awards during the OPA Annual convention June 6-7, at the Grand Casino Hotel and Resort in Shawnee. The top award a newspaper can r...
A: Main, news
Commissioners getting an increase in road spending
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
June 11, 2025
Rep. Tim Turner, R-Kinta, announced some good news and some bad news at the Monday morning Monthly County Commissioner meeting. First, the bad news, at least for those who oppose wind turbines in the ...
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Bridge dedicated to World War II veteran
A: Main, news
Bridge dedicated to World War II veteran
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
June 11, 2025
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation recently honored the late veteran William “Bill” Antrum Fox Jr. by naming a bridge after him. The William A. Fox Jr. Memorial Bridge is on SH 9 East at Nine M...
A: Main, news
Ten Mile Yard Sale this weekend
June 11, 2025
Bring an umbrella Bargain hunters set your alarms. The annual 10-milelong yard sale begins at 7 a.m. Sunday, stretching from the east end of Eufaula, down SH 9 east through Longtown and past Enterpris...
Preliminary set for 2 suspected of killing Eufaulan
news
Preliminary set for 2 suspected of killing Eufaulan
June 11, 2025
Two Muskogee men charged with killing a Eufaula resident were ordered to appear at a preliminary hearing in district court at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 3. Suspects Kyren Omari Boulware, 19, and Michael ...
2 dead, 4 injured in pileup
news
2 dead, 4 injured in pileup
June 11, 2025
Two people from Marshall, Texas were killed, and four others were injured in a harrowing four-vehicle pileup on U.S. 69 half a mile south of the Muskogee City Limits at about 2:20 p.m. on Monday, June...
Fink inducted into OPA Half Century Club
news
Fink inducted into OPA Half Century Club
June 11, 2025
Managing Editor Jerry Fink of The Eufaula Indian Journal and the McIntosh County Democrat was inducted into the Oklahoma Press Association Half Century Club on Saturday, June 7 at the Grand in Shawnee...
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