LHS boys clinch district title, will host regional

Lawton High School boys closed out the regular season Friday with a 69-52 victory over John Marshall and clinch the Class 5A District 2 championship.

The Wolverines finished the regular season with a 12-2 district record and a glittering 23-2 overall record. LHS ended up being tied with Del City at 12-2 but the Wolverines had the edge in marginal points (point differential in district games) and will be hosting a regional next week.

“I feel we are peaking at the right time,” LHS coach Chevis Smith said. “I think we have finally gotten everyone to understand their roles and learn that camaraderie that is so important.

“Our players grew a great deal during the season and the coaches learned how to put this group in position to win games. Our younger guys have really stepped up and now they will be a force in the years to come.”

Depth and athletic ability have led the Wolverines to success with size and athletic ability scattered across the lineup.

“We are able to use 10 guys and that is a big benefit,” Smith said. “(Tavarious) Deans and (Marcus) Rucker really played well against John Marshall but it seems like we have different guys stepping up and leading us each night.”

The LHS boys will be joined in the playoffs by MacArthur’s boys and girls. LHS girls and both Eisenhower boys and girls will not make the playoffs.

Mac boys have clinched third in District 5A-1 with a 9-3 record behind El Reno at 13-0 and Carl Albert at 11-2. Elgin is currently fourth in that district with a 7-6 record, but the Owls still have games remaining against Southeast and Duncan on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. The Owls need to win one of those games to officially clinch the fourth spot in its district.

Making the playoffs is something all teams post as a goal, however, in this case the Owls would open the playoffs against Lawton High at the Wolverines’ Gym.

MacArthur boys will hit the road for regionals, most likely at Del City.

Mac’s girls are assured of a regional berth but they will be seeded fourth and have to head to Del City for a regional against the Eagles. Carl Albert girls are 13-0 and have clinched first in District 5A-1 ahead of El Reno which is 11-1. Guymon and the Highlanders are 8-6 but Mac had the lower marginal points total which left them in fourth.

Duncan girls are in the playoffs but Altus and Lawton High have been eliminated. Both Ike teams finished seventh in their Class 6A district and the Eagles will end the season Monday hosting Piedmont in their final games of the season.

Official brackets for Class 6A and 5A will be announced Wednesday by the OSSAA.