Seth Olson
Lawton Constitution
With high school basketball now fully in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to recognize the talented players who took the invigorating 2017-18 season by storm. Here are the Southwest Oklahoma All-Area team selections.
Misty Dossey of Comanche is the Girls Player of the Year and is joined on the All-Area First Team by teammate Brooklin Bain, Lyndei Mercer of Velma-Alma, Fayth Laughlin of Cyril and Izzy Cummins of Elgin.
Kellen Hines of Fort Cobb-Broxton is the Boys Player of the Year and is joined on the All-Area First team by Toby Denny of Chattanooga, Dawson Huddleston of Marlow, Dayken Rackley of Cyril and Connor Slater of Elgin.
Leading the Lady Owls to the Class 4A State semifinals and a 25-5 record in just her second year coaching Elgin, Brett Tahah is the Girls Coach of the Year. After taking eventual champion Ft. Gibson down to the wire, Elgin returns four of its five starters as Tahah’s Lady Owls will be one of the 4A title favorites again next season.
Four straight state championships is just one of many reasons why Fort Cobb-Broxton (29-3) coach Scott Hines is the Boys Coach of the Year. Hines lost two All-State players from the 2016-17 squad, but discovered just as much potential out of this year’s championship team.
Hines and his Mustangs will be the Class A favorite while gunning for a five-peat next season, hoping to join Douglass (2010-14) as the only other boys team to win five state titles in a row.
Here are the selections and what made these stupendous athletes stand out.
Girls First Team
Misty Dossey, Comanche (Sr. Center) — Dossey averaged 16.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.0 blocks and 3.0 steals per game while leading the Lady Indians (27-3) to a third straight appearance in the state semifinals.
The 6-5 center and Texas-Arlington commit was a triple-double threat every time she stepped on the court. Arguably the best female post player and shot blocker in the state, Dossey posted 23 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks to take down undefeated Hartshorne in the 3A State tournament quarterfinals before tallying another double-double with 20 points, 11 boards and six more blocks in the semifinal loss to eventual champion Sequoyah-Tahlequah.
Dossey averaged 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game in her 115 starts while leading Comanche to 100 wins, three State tournaments, four Stephens County championships. She nearly wound up in the 2,000-1,000-500 club as Dossey finished her four-year career with 1,901 points, 1156 rebounds and 604 blocks and will likely be named All-State this spring before her collegiate career as a Lady Maverick begins.
Lyndei Mercer, Velma-Alma (Sr. Forward) — Mercer tallied 743 points and averaged 26.5 points per game her senior year to finish her high school career with 2,185 points while becoming the 40th girl in Oklahoma history to reach the 2,000-point milestone. Mercer is now one of 41 superstars in the illustrious club. The Southwest Christian commit also averaged a double-double this season, hauling in 10.8 rebounds per game along while tallying 2.6 steals per game and shooting 48 percent from the field.
Mercer, who also will likely garner All-State honors this spring, never made the state tournament like she dreamed of, but the prolific scorer averaged 20.0 points per game in her career and led the Lady Comets to a 20-10 record her freshman year followed by three 18-win seasons and deep playoff pushes.
Brooklin Bain, Comanche (So. Forward) — Bain averaged 16.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 assists per game as her and Dossey formed the perfect Batman-Robin duo on a team full of superheroes. It will be Brooklin — a versatile forward who can score both inside and out and take defenders off the dribble — leading the charge her junior and senior year, and she’s learned plenty from her mentor, Misty, to carry Comanche to similar success.
Fayth Laughlin, Cyril (Jr. Guard) — Laughlin, the Lady Pirates’ energizer bunny and catalyst, averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game while shooting at a high clip from all over — 42 percent from 3-point range, 47 percent from the floor and 84 percent from the charity stripe.
One of the scrappiest defenders in the area, Laughlin’s energy rubbed off on her teammates as Cyril became one of the most suffocating defensive teams around. The point guard’s consistent scoring led Cyril to another Caddo County championship and a second straight State tournament berth.
Izzy Cummins, Elgin (Jr. Guard) — Cummins averaged 12.3 points, 3.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.0 made 3-pointers per game but some nights she cashed in four or five while providing the perfect counterpart to her twin sister Gabby’s defensive prowess and stat sheet stuffing ability.
Izzy’s biggest 3-pointer of the season came in the second half of the 4A State tournament quarterfinals as her trey ignited a second half rally, helping the Owls defeat area foe and state tournament regular Anadarko in the season rubber match.
Boys First Team
Kellen Hines, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Jr. Guard) — Hines averaged 20.3 points per game, 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game while leading Ft. Cobb to its fourth straight state championship earlier this month. Hines dropped 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting in the championship win over Frontier and was the backbone of another dominant Mustang team that also won another Caddo County championship.
Next year, Kellen looks to go out on top with his fourth championship while helping his dad, Scott, win a fifth in a row and eighth title overall. Like father, like son.
Toby Denny, Chattanooga (Sr. Forward) — Denny averaged 23.3 points per game and 7.7 rebounds his senior season while leading Chatty on an incredible playoff run, winning four games and nearly upsetting Indiahoma before falling at the overtime buzzer in the Area tournament.
Denny finished his career with over 1,500 points and was arguably the best pure scorer in the area. Oh, Denny also made a miraculous recovery from bulging disc surgery while showing tremendous guts and poise in his comeback.
Dawson Huddleston, Marlow (Sr. Forward) — Huddleston finished his high school career just 27 points of the 2,000-point club, winding up with 1,973 points. The Outlaws lost by four to Idabel in the Area consolation finals. Had Marlow won and made the state tournament, Huddleston likely would’ve hit 2,000 instead of ending up so painfully close.
Huddleston, by far the most talented dunker in the area and arguably the most athletic player overall, averaged 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.8 assists his senior year. Huddleston averaged 17.6 points for career in 112 games played and has a bright future ahead of him as the 6-5 multi-sport athlete will attend the University of Central Oklahoma and play football for the Bronchos.
Dayken Rackley, Cyril (Jr. Center) — Rackley averaged a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds game while making 58 percent of his shots from the field and 45 percent from downtown, a lethal percentage for a post player.
Rackley was the most complete big man around while leading Cyril to its second straight state tournament.
Connor Slater, Elgin (Jr. Forward) — Slater averaged 15 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game and was perhaps the most savvy post player in the area. If Slater continues to progress the way he has, next year he’ll lead a young Owls group to their second state tournament in three years.
Girls Second Team
Courtney Morgan, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Sr. Guard) — Morgan averaged 15.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 assists per game while being the driving force on another talented Fort Cobb group. Morgan’s scoring and leadership will be dearly missed, but she’s set up a host of young talent in returnees Jillian Stinson, Aloni Taylor, Ashlynn Lewis and Mariah Gonzales for future success.
Megan Francis, Indiahoma (Sr. Forward) — Francis had one of the best inside-out games for a post player around, capable of scoring with nifty post moves in the paint while knocking down 3-pointers with ease. Francis averaged a double-double with 18.0 points and 10.1 rebounds along with 2.8 steals per game, helping Indiahoma make the Area tournament.
Averi Zinn, Anadarko (So. Guard) — Zinn did it all, averaging 10.0 points, 4.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals for a ‘Darko defense forcing more than 20 turnovers per game. Coach Jeff Zinn’s daughter had a stellar 4:1 assist to turnover ratio and was just one of many talented young players on the youngest, but most dangerous roster in the area.
With Zinn and everyone else returning, Anadarko may enter next season as the 4A state tittle favorite.
Paige Pendley, Elgin (Jr. Forward) — Pendley moved in from Cyril and proved she just as dominant at the Class 4A level as she was in Class A. Pendley shot 50 percent from the floor and averaged 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game to give the Lady Owls a dominant scorer.
Kailah Ballou, Elgin (Jr. Center) — Ballou was a force on the interior as she averaged 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 59 percent field goal shooting and wreaked havoc on opposing defenses which couldn’t deal with her size and post moves.
Boys Second Team
Cason McLemore, Cyril (Jr. Guard) — McLemore averaged 17 points per game, on 51 percent shooting from the field and 53 percent from 3-point range. Coach Shane McLemore’s son also shot 90 percent from the free throw line and averaged 7.0 assists per game. Cason scored a season-high 38 points on eight 3-pointers against Mangum and scored 19 points in the 50-49 state semifinal loss to Ft. Cobb while nearly pulling off the upset himself with eight unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
McLemore and Rackley will be one of the Class A title favorites alongside their rival Mustangs next season.
Robert Johnson, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Sr. Forward) — Stats don’t always tell the whole story. Johnson averaged 7.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, but along with Dossey, he was the best shot blocker in Southwest Oklahoma. Johnson tallied 13 blocks in the state semifinal and championship games, and often altered 10-15 shots per game, proving he was one of the best rim protectors across the state.
Cameryn Wozniak, Indiahoma (Sr. Forward) — Wozniak averaged a double-double with 12.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game and was Indiahoma’s X-factor in its run to the Class B State tournament. Wozniak was also an excellent perimeter shooter as the lefty drained three treys in the opening quarter against Ft. Cobb to help upset the Mustangs for the Chatty Southwest Shootout championship in December.
Tyson Eastwood, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Fr. Guard) — Eastwood played with poise well beyond his years as the most talented freshman in Southwest Oklahoma this season averaged 9.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while always giving Ft. Cobb a lift when it needed one the most.
Eastwood took point guard duty sometimes and allowed Hines to play more off the ball to move and score more freely. Tyson’s energy and enthusiasm were unmatched and as his efforts were a big reason why the Mustangs completed a four-peat.
Christian Adair, Indiahoma (Sr. Guard) — Adair was the top perimeter marksman in Southwest Oklahoma as he paced Indiahoma with 141 3-pointers and 18.9 points per game. Twice this season, Adair knocked down 13 3-pointers in a single game and the veteran sharpshooter shot at a 44 percent clip from downtown while also averaging 3.2 assists and 2.8 steals per game.
In the words of Dick Vitale, “Someone call the fire department because Christian is burning down the nets, baby!”
Girls Honorable Mention
The following 25 girls honorable mention honorees are sorted alphabetically by their school name. Each girl had a direct impact on her respective team’s success this season.
The 25 girls are Lexi Foreman, Jessica Quoetone and Kaylee Borden of Anadarko, Meghan Beavers and Dez Williams of Apache, Ashley Turner, Kyla Bonnarens and Kayla Niedo of Cache, Lybee Graham of Carnegie, Kylee Sparks and Megan Anderson of Central High, Jordyn Morris, Carlyn Gay and Emily Roden of Comanche, Brooklyn Rackley and Sydney Johnson of Cyril, Amber Bustos and Calebi Cusher of Duke, Christina Jenkins and Gabby Cummins of Elgin, Jillian Stinson of Fort Cobb-Broxton, Faith Calhoun of Granite, Hollie Babel of Geronimo, Sarah Rogers of Mangum and R’Rea McBride of Tipton.
Boys Honorable Mention
Just like the girls, the 25 boys honorable mention honorees are sorted alphabetically by their school name. These 25 also played significant roles in their respective team’s success this season.
That includes Carson Pickett of Altus, Christian Braveheart and Cash Novotny of Anadarko, Landon McCracken and Tyler Lookingglass of Apache, Conner Boydston and Dalton Groves of Big Pasture, Diego Gonzales and Morgan Cox of Cache, Albert Suarez and Jake Toahty of Cyril, Noah Claussen, Matt Milner and Dawson Brooks of Duke, Shawn Person of Elgin, Kesston Mowdy and Luke Lewis of Fort Cobb-Broxton, Dmarcus Crabtree of Geronimo, Cy Ulloa and Jacob Tahah of Indiahoma, Chance Smith and David Derrico of Sterling, Brodie Williams of Velma-Alma and Joe Dye of Walters.
All-Area List
Girls Coach of the Year — Brett Tahah, Elgin (25-5) Class 4A State semifinalist
Boys Coach of the Year — Scott Hines, Fort Cobb-Broxton (29-3) Class A State champion
Girls First Team — Misty Dossey, Comanche (Sr. Center); Lyndei Mercer, Velma-Alma (Sr. Forward); Brooklin Bain, Comanche (So. Forward); Fayth Laughlin, Cyril (Jr. Guard); Izzy Cummins, Elgin (Jr. Guard)
Girls Second Team — Courtney Morgan, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Sr. Guard); Megan Francis, Indiahoma (Sr. Forward); Averi Zinn, Anadarko (So. Guard); Paige Pendley, Elgin (Jr. Forward); Kailah Ballou, Elgin (Jr. Center)
Girls Honorable Mention — Jessica Quoetone, Anadarko (Jr. Guard); Kaylee Borden, Anadarko (Fr. Guard); Lexi Foreman, Anadarko (Fr. Forward); Meghan Beavers, Apache (Sr. Guard); Dez Williams, Apache (Sr. Forward); Ashley Turner, Cache (Sr. Forward); Kyla Bonnarens, Cache (Fr. Center); Kayla Niedo, Cache (So. Guard); Lybee Graham, Carnegie (Sr. Guard); Kylee Sparks, Central High (Sr. Guard); Megan Anderson, Central High (Jr. Guard); Jordyn Morris, Comanche (Sr. Guard); Emily Roden, Comanche (So. Guard); Carlyn Gay, Comanche (Sr. Guard); Brooklyn Rackley, Cyril (So. Forward); Sydney Johnson, Cyril (Jr. Guard); Amber Bustos, Duke (Jr. Guard); Calebi Cusher, Duke (So. Guard); Christina Jenkins, Elgin (Sr. Forward); Gabby Cummins, Elgin (Jr. Guard); Jillian Stinson, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Fr. Guard); Faith Calhoun, Granite (Jr. Forward); Hollie Babel, Geronimo (Sr. Guard); Sarah Rogers, Mangum (Jr. Guard); R’Rea McBride, Tipton (So. Center)
Boys First Team — Kellen Hines, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Jr. Guard); Toby Denny, Chattanooga (Sr. Forward); Dawson Huddleston, Marlow (Sr. Forward); Dayken Rackley, Cyril (Jr. Center); Connor Slater, Elgin (Jr. Forward)
Boys Second Team — Cason McLemore, Cyril (Jr. Guard); Robert Johnson, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Sr. Forward); Cameryn Wozniak, Indiahoma (Sr. Forward); Tyson Eastwood, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Fr. Guard); Christian Adair, Indiahoma (Sr. Guard)
Boys Honorable Mention — Carson Pickett, Altus (Sr. Guard); Christian Braveheart, Anadarko (Sr. Guard); Cash Novotny, Anadarko (So. Forward); Landon McCracken, Apache (Jr. Guard); Tyler Lookingglass, Apache (Sr. Guard); Connor Boydston, Big Pasture (Jr. Guard); Dalton Groves, Big Pasture (Sr. Guard); Diego Gonzales, Cache (Sr. Guard); Morgan Cox, Cache (So. Center); Albert Suarez, Cyril (Jr. Guard); Jake Toahty Cyril (Sr. Guard); Noah Claussen, Duke (Jr. Guard); Matt Milner, Duke (So. Guard); Dawson Brooks, Duke (So. Forwad); Shawn Person, Elgin (Sr. Guard); Kesston Mowdy, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Sr. Guard); Luke Lewis, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Sr. Forward); Dmarcus Crabtree, Geronimo (Sr. Guard); Cy Ulloa, Indiahoma (Sr. Guard); Jacob Tahah, Indiahoma (Sr. Forward); Chad Robinson, Indiahoma (Jr. Guard); Chance Smith, Sterling (Sr. Guard); David Derrico, Sterling (Sr. Forward); Brodie Williams, Velma-Alma (Sr. Guard); Joe Dye, Walters (Sr. Guard)
Disclaimer: Players from the 37 area schools in Class B, A, 2A, 3A and 4A were taken into consideration. There are five first-team members, five second-team members and 25 honorable mentions for both boys and girls.
Players were selected not only based on how many points per game they scored but by other stats and how much they contributed to team success. Stats were provided by coaches who returned contact. While nearly all 37 schools in the Constitution’s coverage area were seen on multiple occasions this season, some coaches did not reciprocate contact. If there is a player missing, it is because not every team communicated with the sports staff and the fact that not every player can make the list.
As the “All-Area team,” this list does not include the three Lawton city schools: Eisenhower, MacArthur and Lawton High.
Republished with permission.