It was another outstanding calendar year for Sulphur athletics, as the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs continue to set the standard on and off the field in southern Oklahoma.
Numerous teams competed at the highest levels, many players were honored and several coaches were recognized in what was a busy, successful 2023.
Things are shaping up to continue into 2024, as youthfulness continues to show up in each program, providing an outlook to a very bright future for Sulphur athletics.
As we recollect on another great year for all Bulldog teams, let’s look back at some of what happened.
Here are the some of the top headlines, in no particular order: SULPHUR WRESTLERS MAKE DUAL STATE FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2007 The Sulphur wrestling team had its best season in 15 years last winter, as the Dogs made the Class 3A Dual State semifinals. Sulphur finished the year with a 17-1 dual record and were ranked in the top 5. The program also had individual success at the state tournaments last year. Sulphur will look to build on that success to start 2024, as many of the Dogs’ key wrestlers are back.
FORMER SULPHUR SOFTBALL PLAYERS EXCELLING AT THE NEXT LEVEL For the second straight year, all five former Sulphur softball players played in their national tournaments, continuing to represent the Lady Dogs on a national level. Macenzie Ruth (USAO, Makella Mobly (UCO), Harley Beesley (MACU), Abby Beck (Murray State) and Shallen Mershon (Murray State) all played roles in helping their teams to continued success in 2023. It is another testament to the recent success of the softball program over the last decade or more. Ruth and the Drovers made the NAIA World Series for the 7th time and the 4th time in five years. Mobly and the Bronchos finished the year 54-9, making the national semifinals of the NCAA Division II Softball Championships. Beesley helped MACU to the NCCAA World Series Semifinal, finishing the year 38-19. Beck and Mershon were instrumental in a historic season for Murray State. The Aggies were an incredible 58-0 before losing in the NJCAA Division II World Series. Mershon was also named the Diamond Sports/NFCA NJCAA Division II Catcher of the Year and was selected as a firstteam NFCA All-American.
GIRLS GOLF QUALIFIES FOR STATE AGAIN The girls golf team qualified for state for the second straight year, as the program has returned to competing at that level. The team finished 3rd at the regional tournament and behind strong play from Paisley Eason. They followed it up the next week, finishing 9th as a team. Eason continued to play well, finishing 8th overall. The Lady Dogs should have a great chance to get back there this spring.
JUSTUS GILLIAM STATE RUNNER-UP IN WRESTLING Gilliam came up just short of an individual state title at HWT last winter at the state tournament, losing by a point in the finals and taking home a state runner-up. Gilliam lost to Maverick Williamson of Salina in a 4-3 decision in the finals. He finished the season 34-2 and should have a great shot at a state title in his final two seasons, including this year. Gilliam is off to a hot start in his junior campaign, as he has not lost yet, has won a tournament title and beaten some highly ranked state placers and opponents.
CACHE BARRETT, BRINN FLOOD MAKE ALL-STATE Barrett was only at Sulphur for a year but he definitely made an impact on the diamond, as he helped the Dogs to a very successful season and was selected to the Oklahoma Baseball CoachesAssociation All-State team. He finished his senior season leading the team with a .517 average, nine homers and 59 RBIs. He also led the Dogs with an .873 slugging percentage, a 1.463 OPS and 38 hits. Barrett was also recognized as the Lake Country Conference Offensive Player of the Year and the District 4A-3 Offensive Player of the Year. Flood was selected this past summer to the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State team after a stellar senior season. She was also named all-region by the OGBCA, named to the Ada All-Star team and was also named to the Lake Country ConferenceAll-Conference team. She led the Lady Dogs by averaging 13.7 points and eight rebounds while shooting 46% from the field and 73% from the free throw line team highs in all categories. Flood finished with 15 double-doubles in her senior season, helping Sulphur to a 15-11 record and appearance in the regional consolation finals.
BOYS POWERLIFTING WINS 6TH STATE TITLE IN A ROW Sulphur continued to dominate the sport, winning its 6th state championship in a row. The Dogs blew away the competition, once again, as the commitment to continued excellence remains as strong as ever. The Dogs had five lifters place in the top three at their weight classes, as Sulphur continued to overwhelm other teams with depth. Sulphur won the team title last spring by over 70 points. Quince Borders won the HWT individual state title. This winter/spring will see the Dogs go for No. 7 in a row, with many of the team still in tact.
GIRLS POWERLIFTING WINS CO-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP The girls program tied with Marietta for the state title, as Sulphur continues its rise in the sport on the girls side. Owen West wrapped up her historic career, as she won her second straight individual title and broke her own record in the squat in the process. Sulphur also had two other top five finishers last spring in Codi Reid and Emily Davis and will have even more lifters competing this year, as they look to repeat.
BASEBALL TEAM WINS 24 GAMES, SHOWS PROMISE FOR FUTURE The Sulphur baseball team had one of its best seasons in recent memory, finishing 24-11 and making the regional tournament. The Dogs lost just a couple of seniors in key contributors Cache Barrett and Andrew McCurry, but return most everyone else, which will provide a promising outlook this spring. The Dogs are looking to get back to state for the first time in 20 years.
TRACK TEAMS CONTINUE TO PERFORM WELL; BOYS WIN REGIONALS, 4TH AT STATE The boys continued to dominate in track, as they won there regional meet and overcame some injuries late in the year and at the state meet to take home 4th as a team. Damontre Patterson, the move-in from Ada won the 100 with a school record 10.58 to take home gold. The 4x200 finished second and set a new school record of 1:31 in the process. The girls team continued to finish strong, as the 4x400 relay team took home second and there were several other individual placers, as well.
GILBERT RETURNS AS SOFTBALL COACH Heath Gilbert returned to Sulphur to lead the Lady Dogs after a year off, hoping to build the same success that he showed in his first 11 year stint. Gilbert guided the Sulphur girls to the state tournament in fast pitch in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2021. He took the slow pitch program to state in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022. Gilbert has coached numerous all-state players and girls that have gone on to play in college. The Lady Dogs struggled this past fall in fast pitch, finishing 14-15. But Gilbert will have Sulphur back to competing at a high level very soon.
SULPHUR REBOUNDS IN FOOTBALL, BUILDING TOWARDS BIG TWO YEARS The Dogs finished 8-4 in football, returning to the playoffs and being ranked all season long. Sulphur fell to eventual state champion Lincoln Christian in the second round, but the Dogs finished second in the district and picked up some big wins along the way, beating Marlow, Whitesboro (TX), Pauls Valley, Lone Grove, Plainview and Kingfisher in the opening round of the playoffs. The Dogs were ranked as high as No. 3 for several weeks, along with being ranked in the top 5 for several other. Sulphur returns all but seven seniors and will be one of the clear title favorites in Class 3A for the next couple of years. BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM MAKES STATEAGAIN, GIRLS CONTINUE STRONG PERFORMANCE AS A PROGRAM The boys had their best finish ever this October, placing 10th as a team at the state meet at Edmond Santa Fe High School. Sulphur was 4th at regionals the week before, as the program has continued to get better over the last 5-10 years. The girls qualified three runners, with two running a personal best at the state meet. The future continues to be bright for both programs, as numbers continue to rise and the depth of the program is booming a strength under coaches Emile Heitland and Terry Neal.
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PHOTO BY DON COFFEY
