OKLAHOMA CITY – As we gear up for a new athletic year in a matter of weeks, it’s time to take a look back at the 2022-23 campaign and highlight all of the OKCPS accolades in the “Year of Champions” feature.
State Championships, Players of the Year, All-State Selections. OKCPS Athletics had quite a few in these categories in 2022-23 as the department puts a bow on another fantastic athletic year.
Beginning with the team and individual state champions, the Douglass Boys Basketball team was the first OKCPS squad to be crowned champions. The Trojans went 26-1 and ran through their competition in the state tournament. They defeated Weatherford 48-44 in the State Championship game back in early March. Notables from the team included senior Terry McMorris being named to the Oklahoma Super 5 Basketball First Team, while head coach Steve Alexander was tabbed the Super 5 Coach of the Year.
John Marshall had an excellent year on the track in the Spring with multiple athletes receiving State Championship medals. Beginning with the boys’ side, the 4x200 relay team consisting of James Allen, Kylin Drennon, Derek Shaw, and Dorrien Middleton shined in the event, as they cruised to a 1st place finish at the State Meet. James Allen was named the “fastest man in Class 5A” as he won the gold medal in the 100- and 200-meter events. On the girls’ side, sophomore Chloe Threatt electrified the crowd with a 1st place finish in the 100-meter event. The Bears wrapped up their season with 7 gold medals to add to their already decorated track history.
Classen SAS had a ton of success in the Spring season as well, as they claimed a pair of individual Tennis State Championships, along with a gold medal on the track. Junior Sofia Acuna was the most dominant tennis player in the State as she successfully defended her 2022 State Championship trophy by defeating Crossings Christian in the 2023 Final to win her second straight gold medal. On the boys’ side in Tennis, Ian Wu won the Singles 2 division as he earned his first state championship gold medal as well. On the track, junior Elijah Green had an incredible showing in Ardmore as he blazed to a gold medal in the 400-meters, his first state championship medal with the Comets.
There was a total of seven different area, regional, and district championships awarded to OKCPS schools on the basketball court, as three teams made their State Tournament, while two others were just one game away.
Northwest Classen’s Boys Soccer team had a historic run in the 2023 State Tournament, as the Knights reached the State-Semifinals before bowing out to the eventual state champion in Class 6A. Senior forward Federico Palacios-Garcia racked up the accolades after the season as he was named the Oklahoma Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year, as well as the Jim Thorpe Soccer Player of the Year.
Douglass and Capitol Hill each had some OCA Region 8 honors for wrestling and scholar-athlete awards as well. Capitol Hill and U.S. Grant both had soccer coaches tabbed to lead the All-State teams in early June.
The All-State selections were plentiful among OKCPS in 2022-23, as 30 different athletes received the accolade and were represented by girls basketball (2), boys basketball (7), cross-country (1), girls soccer (6), boys soccer (6), girls tennis (1), boys tennis (1), girls track (1), boys track (2), and boys wrestling (3).
Finally, there were 28 athletic scholarships awarded across the 8 OKCPS High Schools as these outstanding student-athletes will continue their success at the next level in college.
The 2022-23 athletic year saw many outstanding team and individual achievements, as well as other squads make significant strides to compete in years to come. What will the 2023-24 athletic year have in store? The good news is: you won’t have to wait too long to find out!
Below is the full list of accolades for OKCPS Athletics:
? Class 4A Boys Basketball State Champs - Douglass
? Class 5A Boys Track 4x200 Relay State Champs - John Marshall
? Class 4A Girls Tennis Singles Individual State Champ - Classen SAS
? Class 4A Boys Tennis Singles 2 Individual State Champ - Classen SAS
? Class 4A Boys Tennis Singles 1 State Runner-Up - Classen SAS
? Class 4A Boys Tennis Regional Champions - Classen SAS
? Class 5A Boys Track 100 Meter Individual State Champ - John Marshall
? Class 5A Boys Track 200 Meter Individual State Champ - John Marshall
? Class 5A Girls Track 100 Meter Individual State Champ - John Marshall
? Class 4A Boys Track 400 Meters Individual State Champ - Classen SAS
? Class 4A Boys Basketball Area Champions - Douglass
? Class 4A Girls Basketball Area Consolation Champions - Classen SAS
? Class 5A Boys Basketball Area Consolation Champions - Southeast
? Class 4A Boys Basketball Regional Champions - Douglass
? Class 5A Boys Basketball Regional Champions - Southeast
? Class 4A Boys Basketball District Champions - Douglass, John Marshall
? Class 4A Girls Basketball District Champions - Classen SAS, John Marshall
? Super 5 Boys Basketball Coach of the Year - Douglass
? OCA Region 8 Wrestling Coach of the Year - Douglass
? OCA Region 8 Athletic Director of the Year - Douglass
? OCA Region 8 Male Scholar Athlete of the Year - Capitol Hill
All State Selections:
? Boys Cross Country - Classen SAS
? Boys Basketball - Douglass
? Boys Basketball. - Northwest Classen
? Boys Basketball - Southeast x 2
? Boys Basketball - John Marshall
? Boys Basketball - Classen SAS
? Boys Basketball - Star Spencer
? Girls Basketball - Classen SAS x 2
? Wrestling - Douglass
? Wrestling - U.S. Grant x 2
? Boys Soccer - Southeast x 2
? Boys Soccer - Northwest Classen x 2
? Boys Soccer - Capitol Hill
? Boys Soccer - U.S. Grant
? Girls Soccer - Southeast
? Girls Soccer - Capitol Hill
? Girls Soccer - U.S. Grant x 2
? Girls Soccer - Northwest Classen x 2
? Girls Track - John Marshall
? Boys Track - John Marshall
? Boys Track - Classen SAS
? Girls Tennis - Classen SAS
? Boys Tennis - Classen SAS
? All State Soccer Head Coach - Capitol Hill
? All State Soccer Assistant Coach - U.S. Grant
Other honors:
? Boys Basketball Super 5 First Team Selection - Douglass
? Jim Thorpe Soccer Player of the Year - Northwest Classen
? Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year - Northwest Classen
