Caleb Atchley comes from a family of wrestlers. His father wrestled and his two brothers are all members of the varsity wrestling team. So when he broke his arm in the last football game of the season, the four-year letterman was naturally concerned about how it would affect his senior season.
“At first, I was real worried that I would miss wrestling season,” Atchley said. “They told me it was fractured when I went to the hospital but when I went to the bone doctor, they said that it was broken. It was a real roller coaster ride.”
The months have passed by and Atchley once again finds himself in the Duncan line-up as the Demons prepare for dual state and regionals. Atchley has posted a 4-4 record since he came back but has already reached the biggest goal he set this season, wrestling.
“The happy ending for me is that I am back,” Atchley said. “I am doing this to finish my senior season. I have been doing some extra stuff outside of practice and now that the year is winding down, I will probably get more running in.”
Running was something that was not in Atchley’s vocabulary during the month that he was in a cast. Exercise was limited to some work on the stationary bike as constant movement rubbed his skin raw in the cast. And there was also some other issues that he had to deal with.
“The cast stunk,” Atchley said. “I put a lot of Febreze on it. When they took it off, all the cotton had been pulled out because that is what made it stink. It was hard to go on a date.”
Once the cast came off, Atchley was able to get more work in. He became adept at swimming and did some light weightlifting. Once he was given
clearance to wrestle, Atchley gained a measure of confidence in his first match.
“I took on a ranked guy in my first match and I was able to hang with him pretty good,” Atchley said. “I was taking him down but we would go out of bounds. I was surprised how good I did after the match. There are guys I can still whoop up on because wrestling is about technique and leverage.”
The season, much like his rehab, has also had a roller coaster feel to it. During his first home match against Lawton High and Altus, Atchley did not compete as well as he would have liked, leaving room for improvement.
“I didn’t get nervous until my first home match when I completely choked,” Atchley said. “I think I was just nervous because it was my first home dual of my senior year.”
With the most important part of the season still ahead, Atchley has time to get on track and possibly write another happy ending to his senior year.
Sports
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Michael Pineda
Following through
Atchley overcomes injury to finish senior season
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Bray-Doyle names four new head coaches
Four new coaches were named Thursday, filling vacancies left after a flood of resignations at the end of the school year.
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Whipples back to where it started
Kevin Whipple, one of the best golfers to come out of Duncan, was back on the course where he learned to play the game about three decades ago as he and his father, Dale, paired up in the 35th Annual Blowout Tournament on Saturday.
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Low scores on Day 1 of Blowout
Duncan Golf & Tennis Club members are leading seven of the eight flights after the first round of action, and are second in the Blowout Flight.
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WELL STATED
Britton Scott and Kelsey LeValley didn’t earn titles at the state tennis tournament like they hoped to, but they can rest assured they will still get a chance to end their high school careers on a high note.
Scott and LeValley were among the eight players selected to the Girls’ West All-State Tennis Team, which was announced Wednesday. They will take on the East team on July 24 at the University of Tulsa. -
Under new management
Sometimes, change can be a good thing. For the Marlow Outlaws football team, this season is gearing up to be full of it.
After a disappointing 1-9 finish to the season, which included six losses by 10 points or less, there was a change of command for MHS.
On April 20, Rob Renshaw, who had spent the past six seasons at Putnam City High School as the offensive coordinator, was named the official head coach of the Outlaws. -
Laying the foundation
Last season, the Velma-Alma Comets had a nightmare start to their year.
After losing its first five games, along with star running back Checotah Lynn to a knee injury, V-A was looking at an unthinkable losing season.
However, the Comets rebounded to win six straight games and earn second place in district, eventually reaching the second round of the playoffs before falling to Minco 51-18.
Monday evening saw the Comets hard at work on Edgar Martin Field as they try and build upon the success of 2011. -
Blowout is as big as ever in 35th year
The driving range has seen an increase in popularity, the putting green is getting more use and the course professionals are devoting more of their days to giving lessons.
With the 35th Annual Blowout Tournament this weekend at the Duncan Golf and Tennis Club, it isn’t a time to be rusty. -
First Impressions
Even before the rooster could finish his morning crows Monday, the Central High football team was hard at work at Broncho Stadium.
Enthusiasm was high and the pads were clapping as 18 CHHS players hit the field for the first time in 2012.
This marked the first official practice under head coach Andy Claborn, who takes over a Bronchos squad that narrowly missed the playoffs in 2011 with a 5-5 record. -
Scramble helps send Stevens to Pinehurst
Thanks to his performances in U.S. Kids Golf tournaments in Oklahoma City, Caden Stevens earned a spot in the World Championships.
Thanks to his fellow Stephens County residents, he will get to go.
Fifty-six players took part in the Team Caden Classic scramble on Saturday at Twin Oaks Golf Club. Between them and sponsorships from 11 local businesses, around $2,800 was raised to help send Stevens to Pinehurst, N.C., where he will compete at the storied golf resort against some of the best 7-year-olds in the world. -
Cards win Jess Welch title
Even though Duncan experienced a slight shower Sunday morning, it wasn’t enough to halt the final day of the Jess Welch Memorial Tournament at Abe Raizen Park.
In the championship of the 10-&-under division, it was an all-Duncan final between the Cardinals and Yankees, both of which survived semifinal matchups against teams from outside of Stephens County to advance earlier in the day.
Four runs in each of the first three innings proved to be too much for the Yankees to handle as the red birds took home the championship with a 15-0 victory in four innings. - More Sports Headlines
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