SPORTS’YEAR IN REVIEW
Sulphur athletic teams experienced another outstanding year in 2024, winning one state championship and coming just a few inches shy of another as the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs excelled at high levels.
The year was also notable for some coaching changes. Longtime head girl’s basketball coach Toby Todd retired at the end of the season after winning 14 district titles and a one state title. He was replaced by Chad Walker, who is now in his first season with Lady Dogs.
The Bulldogs also added a new offensive coordinator in football, Channing Hickman, who brought in lots of experience from coaching in Texas. He went on to give Sulphur a new offensive scheme that helped propel the Dogs all the way to the state title game.
Against that backdrop, here are the significant achievements in sports in 2024 and the athletes who helped make it all happen: SULPHUR WRESTLERS ENJOY OUTSTANDING SEASON The Sulphur wrestling team finished as semifinalist for the second year in a row, bowing out to Tuttle in the dual state tournament, then made a strong showing in the state tournament with Baer Webb and Justus Gilliam winning state titles just a few days later. It was the first time Sulphur had two title winners since 1979.
In addition to the two winners, four other Dogs, Kaleb Madron, Landon Jones, Jonah Cole and Landy DeArman, made it to the big dance.
Webb and Gilliam ended storybook seasons for the Dogs, Webb finishing with a 29-1 record and Gilliam undefeated at 35-0.
The team is led by Conner Webb. POWERLIFTERS BRING HOME THE GOLD Sulphur’s powerlifters brought home their seventh consecutive lifting title in February, winning the Class 3A championship with 126 points, while the girls jumped into fifth place.
Noah Riley (145), Austin Garrett (181) and Nash Williamson (220) each won a state title for Sulphur, the first time the program has had three individual state champions in one season.
“This year we were very blessed to have some of the strongest kids to every step foot in the weightroom at Sulphur,” said Sulphur head coach Keith Garrett.
The girls also had an outstanding season, led by Codi Reid, who was 3rd overall and set a new state record.
TODD RETIRES AS HEAD BASKETBALL COACH After 26 years of coaching, Sulphur’s Toby Todd retired as head girls basketball coach.
He collected over 300 wins, numerous coaching honors, and an undefeated state championship season.
His list of accomplishments runs long, but his impact on the youth in Sulphur during his 20 years as a coach spans much further.
Todd announced his retirement at the end of last season, stepping down as the most successful basketball coach in school history.
“I feel good about my decision,” he said. “I just felt like I needed a change after 26 years of coaching. I was really tired this season. I’m looking forward to some time away from coaching to see what my next chapter in life will look like.”
Todd guided the program to the historic 2013 Class 3A state title, capping off a 30-0 season that is still talked about around town.
He also helped Sulphur to two other state tournament appearances, as well as four regional championships and 14 district titles.
But he didn’t always see himself as the man to lead the girls basketball program.
Todd’s replacement is Chad Walker, who was named as the new head coach after Todd announced his retirement.
Walker came to Sulphur from Altus after one year, but brought in 27 years of coaching experience with him.
“I have a lot of friends in Sulphur and much respect for Coach Todd,” he said.
BASKETBALL TEAMS BOW OUT IN REGIONALS The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs bowed out of the state playoffs, with losses in the regional tournament.
The Bulldogs lost a heart-breaker to Kingfisher, 37-35, and the Lady Dogs fell to Blanchard, 44-20, to end their seasons.
The Dogs ended the season with a 10-15 record and the Lady Bulldogs were 6-19.
BOYS TRACK TEAM 4th IN STATE MEET The Bulldog track team was off to the races early in the spring and continued their stellar efforts all the way to the state championship meets.
The boys sent 14 athletes to state, while the girls qualified five individuals to the regionals.
“Overall we had our best track meet of the year,” Sulphur head coach Emile Heitland of their effort. “It was amazing watching our kids put all the other stuff out of their minds and taking care of business. I couldn’t be prouder of our athletes.”
Damontre Patterson won his second straight state championship in the 100, leading the Dogs to 62 team points, finishing behind state champion Ada (102.5), runner-up Heritage Hall (93) and Cache (82).
The 4x100 relay (Patterson, Trace Todd, Brytan Gaddy, Austin Garrett) broke the school record in the prelims, running 42.43, and ended the state meet in second place with another strong finish.
The boys qualified for state in 12 of 17 events and had 14 state qualifiers.
Others of note in the tournament were Jayden McClure, who won fifth in the pole vault, Gaddy fith in the long jump and Kaleb Madron fourth in the 800.
The girls team had five state qualifiers, including one relay, and were led by freshman Jayden Lee.
“She had a PR again in the 800 meter with a 2:27.29 but fell short of the medal stand,” Heitland said. “She had an unbelievable freshman season and will be fun to watch the next three seasons.”
BASEBALL DOGS MAKE IT TO REGIONALS Sulphur’s baseball Dogs made it to the regional title game before bowing out of the playoffs.
The Dogs ended the season with a 21-16 record in another solid spring for the program.
The Dogs opened the 3-team regional event with a 7-0 win over Clinton, but fell to top-seeded Bethany in the regional semifinals later that day, losing 12-1.
Sulphur bounced back with another win over Clinton later, beating the Red Tornadoes 4-1 before falling to Bethany in their final game.
GOLF TEAMS REACH REGIONALS Sulphur’s boys golf team bowed out in a tough regional meet, but the girls wrapped up an incredible year with a regional title and then a top 10 state finish.
The Lady Bulldogs won the regional championship in Wister at Wolf Mountain Golf Club and followed that up by finishing 9th at the state tournament in Blanchard at Winter Creek Golf Club.
Paisley Eason capped off her amazing season with two great finishes. She won the individual regional championship last week, shooting 86.
Eason followed that up with an individual runner-up showing at the two-day state tournament on Monday and Tuesday, shooting 82 the first day and 83 the second day.
NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR HIRED New offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs, Channing Hickman, hit the ground running last summer and treated Sulphur fans to a brand new scheme in the months to come. That scheme ended up paying lots of dividends as the Dogs won 12 consecutive games before losing in the state title game in December to Lincoln Christian, 28-27.
Hickman was hired earlier this spring to be a football and baseball assistant, specifically taking over play-calling duties from Sulphur head coach Corey Cole in football.
Hickman, who worked with head Sulphur coach Corey Cole’s brother and former Sulphur graduate, Curt Cole, jumped at the opportunity when he got the chance.
“Being from the area, I have always known of Sulphur’s reputation as a football town with unbelievably hard-working kids. The opportunity to run an offense and coach kids with that mentality in a community that loves football is very exciting,” he said.
Hickman graduated from Whitesboro, TX in 2016 and from Hardin-Simmons University in 2020.
He then coached at Whitesboro for three years, heading up the wide receivers for two and the offensive line for another.
Hickman most recently spent one year at Temple, TX last season, coaching wide receivers.
CC TEAMS EXCEL IN STATE MEET As late summer faded into early fall, Sulphur’s cross country teams began a long journey where each qualified for the state tournament.
For the boys, they saved their best effort for the state meet, finishing their highest ever with a sixth place effort in the 4A tourney.
The girls were not far behind, ending their season with a ninth place state finish.
Kaleb Madron ran a 17:12 to lead the Sulphur boys in their meet while Jayden Lee finished in 17th place with a 12:46 to lead the Lady Bulldogs.
“The boys had an unbelievable season and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” said head coach Emile Heitland. “These athletes have worked extremely hard this year and made a lot of sacrifices running in the summer and running at 6:30 a.m. before 1st period to put themselves in a position to have their best finish ever.”
Lee and Paxtyn Hiser both finished in the top 25 to lead the girls in their top 10 team finish.
“I’m so proud of each and every girl that toed the line and those that came and support those girls on Saturday,” said head coach Cody Lawson.
FALL SOFTBALL TEAM GETS TO REGIONALS Sulphur’s season came to an end in October at regionals, as the Lady Bulldogs fought hard but came up just short of advancing to super regionals.
Sulphur (17-12) fell 4-3 to regional host and champion Newcastle on Thursday after battling back through the consolation side of the bracket.
Sulphur fell in the opener to Mount St. Mary’s 9-4 on Wednesday before beating Anadarko later that day 14-2 to stay alive.
The Bulldogs avenged the loss to Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday, eliminating the Rockets in a 4-3 win before falling to Newcastle later that day.
“This group by the end of the season really rose above all expectations,” said Sulphur head coach Heath Gilbert. “To go to regionals and fight their way to the championship and only get beat by the host team 4-3 was a really great accomplishment.”
FOOTBALL TEAM SHOOTS FOR THE STARS Near the end of the 2024 athletic season, the Sulphur Bulldogs capped off a brilliant fall campaign in early December, coming just inches shy of winning the gold ball.
Sulphur won 12 consecutive games during the season, all by blowouts, and that propelled them into the state championship game opposite undefeated Lincoln Christian.
It was Sulphur’s fourth appearance in the state title game, their other three coming in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
In what may have arguably been the best high school championship game in any class, Sulphur came back from a 15-point deficit to score with just over a minute remaining to come within one point. But, on the two-point conversion attempt, junior Maddax Mobly looked like he might cross over the goal-line, but was stopped just inches short, and Sulphur lost in heart-breaking fashion, 28-27.
“I was just super proud of the 2024 Sulphur Bulldog football team,” said head coach Corey Cole. “This group did everything that was asked of them and more. Their toughness, grit, commitment, dedication, and pride in this program was on full display every single time they hit the field. The leadership from our 12 seniors and the brotherhood they created with this group was incredible to watch evolve since last spring.”
“Lincoln just made one more play than us by literally 2-3 inches. It was a classic heavyweight match-up of two unbelievably talented football teams that left everything on the field...”
