Message from Coach MAC
It’s Playoff time once again in Oklahoma! The Middle School teams both were in State Tournament action this week. The High School Boys coaches rankings are submitted this week to determine their playoff schedule. And many of the teams will play in a season-ending tournament at MidMoore that is becoming a fun tradition. But it is the journey that is important in athletics. It’s the time spent together suffering, and laughing, and learning. The time that goes into an athletic team can seem daunting when you total it up on paper. This High School boys group started together back in June with Camp, but no with only 3 weeks left in the season it has seemed like a snap of the fingers. Then rinse and repeat for next year’s teams. But the journey that happens each year and with each team is a chapter that is filled with drama, comedy, highs, and lows. We never know how the story will end, but the suspense of each chapter is certainly worth it. Go Griffins Go!
Weekly Sports Recap
The Middle School Girls basketball team faced an overwhelming 1-seed Southwest Covenant on Monday night in the First Round of the HCAA JH State Tournament. The girls were unable to get very many good looks in a hard fought battle losing 42-8. “That same (SW Covenant) team beat Destiny 40-5 in the regular season. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. I’m proud of every single one of them tonight for their effort tonight and their work over the season.” said Coach Jody Wickersham. 8th grader Cora Shutt led the team in scoring with 4 points. The girls fought through a lot of adversity this year with a lot of cancelled games or missed practices due to Volleyball season being extended to late October, injuries, and Covid quarantines. Commenting on the future of the program, Coach MAC said, “I’m extremely proud of the girls and the staff. This was a tough year because of all the starts and stops to the season. If these girls continue to work hard and put in the individual practice time at home, the future is bright for the girls program!” Several of the 8th graders will continue through end of February with the JV Girls team. Their next game is February 9th.
On Tuesday the MS Boys outlasted a pesky Wright Christian team at Liberty. Led by an outstanding point guard, the Wildcats battled through early foul trouble inside and only trailed our Griffins by 3 at the half (20-17). But The ACADEMY boys had a terrific 2nd half defensively causing a slew of turnovers and missed shots for Wright, pulling away for a dominating 50-26 victory. Austin Irons anchored the defense posting a near triple-double with 8pts, 9 steals, and 10 rebounds. Isaiah Payne was glued to Wright’s best player for most of the 2nd half, wearing him out and frustrating him into many turnovers and missed shots. Everywhere the tall guard went, Isaiah was there, including one time when he denied the player from going out of bounds to throw in the ball! The boys took on 1-seed Southwest Covenant in Tulsa on Thursday night. After leading by 2 at the half, the MS Boys lost a well-played game to SW Covenant in the semifinals of the state tournament by a score of 37-31. Battling foul-trouble for the 2nd straight tournament game, the Griffins went back and forth with Southwest Covenant, but ultimately fell to SWC for the 2nd straight year in the State Semifinals. Sammy Ledet had 9 points and 10 rebounds, while Kiefer Garriott also had 9 points. The boys return to action next Tuesday when they take on HFC Warriors at home.
Last Friday night the MS boys and HS Boys swept Casady in an afternoon double-header. The MS boys avenged a loss at Casady a few weeks earlier with a 32-28 win led by Kiefer Garriott’s 12 points on 3 of 4 shooting from 3. The HS boys beat a combo JV/Varsity squad from Casady that
was fortified by 4 seniors that played most of the game. The Griffins went up by 1 on a halftime buzzer-beater from Paxton Ford. But the Griffins poured it on in the 2nd half and cruised to victory 62-46 over Casady. The Griffins were led with 16 points by senior AJ Jackson.
YouTube Livestream Link Available for Home Games and Limited Road Games
Games will be broadcast on the athletic Youtube channel, so fans won’t miss the action. Click here to access Livestreams and various Athletic content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8874oYIwsBG077e6PJioSA
3X3 Return to Play
3X3 Basketball is Back! The next full slate of games is next week, Saturday, February 13th. The remaining game schedule has been sent to coaches for review to make sure there are not any last-minute adjustments that need to be made. Check with you coaches for game schedules and possible Flex make up dates.
Don’t forget that you will need the athletic door code for Midtown when you come to play your games!
Reminder that MASKS ARE REQUIRED when you visit our campuses. Please remind your students to wear their masks as they arrive and leave practice. Parents must also wear masks, especially if they remain in the practice location.
Senior Night
Friday, February 12th we will be honoring our 3 Senior basketball players before the Varsity Boys game at 7pm. Please tune in to Youtube or make plans to attend in person at Midtown to help honor these athletic program pioneers. Look for Senior Spotlights in future Athletic Reports.
Upcoming Athletic Events
