Summer prides and team camps are going on and it’s still just under three months from season openers, but the area’s best began surfacing last year.

Chris Risenhoover’s football success at Stigler over 12 seasons is well documented with a lengthy run to boot.

Bill Huddleston, the longtime voice of Rougher football, was recognized on Tuesday by the Oklahoma Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association with a Distinguished Service Award Outside the Field of Athletics.

Nothing changes at Fort Gibson — so it is said.

Get Diego Zavala to talk about his roots, and he’ll mention he’s from Houston.

Muskogee athletic director Jason Parker announced in a text message to the Phoenix on Wednesday that Diego Zavala has been hired as the Roughers head boys soccer coach.

Porter Schools at its Monday board meeting approved the hiring of Troy Mitchell as its girls soccer coach. He replaces Chris Sherwood, who coached 15 seasons there after starting the program. He has moved into full-time administrative duties, as principal and athletic director.

The 2020-21 sports year at Muskogee High had its bumps in the road, but if we’re honest, in a salute to the winter blast of  ’21, those were more like potholes.

It was close.

To be perfectly honest, Braden Drake couldn’t have had the year Braden Drake did without Kaden Charboneau. And Charboneau couldn’t have had the year he had without Drake.

There may have been other area female athletes that impacted more gold this year to one extent or another who were also worthy of this honor.

Wise beyond their years, the Cash brothers of Warner have taken what they learned from their father Dustin to a whole new level. 

The Fort Gibson Lady Tigers won the Class 4A state championship this spring with a strong reliance on a defense that registered 13 shutouts in their 15 wins. 

Weston Rouse remembers how far away he was from where he needed to be, and what got him to where he is now.

FORT GIBSON — Greg Whiteley was clear about it before hand.

Eufaula’s Nick Jones was the lone area basketball player named to the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association All-State teams, announced Tuesday.

You can almost guarantee Fort Gibson’s football program will make more progress this summer than it has in a while.

First things first. You don’t really appreciate a spring game until you’ve missed one. 

Author C.S. Lewis once wrote, “With the possible exception of the equator, everything begins somewhere.”

Field Athletes of Year 

The most obvious positive element of Travis Hill’s first couple days of spring practice as Muskogee’s head coach is simply that it’s been normal.

Golf: Mesa Falleur, Muskogee

Hilldale football got the first spring session start on Thursday among area teams after its soccer season ended last Tuesday. 

Technique, while a good thing, isn’t always the key to success.

Johnny Hutchens has resigned as baseball coach at Muskogee High School. 

CLAREMORE — And the third time WAS a charm.

SHAWNEE — It was the call that was, then wasn’t. 

OKLAHOMA CITY — Maybe Kyler Proctor isn’t just a opposing pitcher, but a bad luck charm.

FORT GIBSON — In Tigerland they’re crossing their fingers that the third time will be a charm.

Try as they might to make things happen, the winning moment for Fort Gibson in Thursday night’s Class 4A quarterfinal against Kingfisher came relatively easy.

Oktaha’s counterpunching ability on Thursday propelled the Tigers into the semifinals of the Class 2A state baseball tournament with an 8-3 quarterfinal win against the Calera Bulldogs on Palmer Field at Dolese Park in Oklahoma City.

The turn for home is here.

FORT GIBSON — It’s on to state — and a chance for revenge for the Lady Tigers of Fort Gibson.

Hilldale’s historical boys soccer season ended in dramatic, but unfortunate fashion Tuesday night at Hornet Field.

WOODWARD — After the two squads huddled together for a post game prayer, Fort Gibson coach Todd Friend spoke to the Woodward Boomer soccer team.

Phil McWilliams was hired Monday as Haskell’s football coach.