Hallie HartThe Oklahoman
Nine Oklahoma high school athletes are in consideration for McDonald’s All American selection.
McDonald’s announced Tuesday the nominees for its 2024 All American Games, and the list includes three girls basketball players and six boys basketball players from in-state programs.
Zya Vann of Bethany, Jill Twiehaus of Jenks and Caya Smith of Putnam West made the girls list. Devon MacCollister of Ada, Adonis Holiman of Atoka, Titus Miller of Catoosa, Ja’Mon Valentine of Choctaw, Dayton Forsythe of Dale and Trashaun Combs-Pierce of Norman are on the boys list. Vann, Smith and Forsythe have signed with OU.
More: See The Oklahoman's 2023 Little All-City high school football roster
Coaches, principals, athletic directors and McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee members nominated basketball players across the nation. The selection committee will narrow the group of 724 nominees to 48 McDonald’s All-Americans. The 24 girls and 24 boys honorees will be announced between 2-3 p.m. Jan. 23 on ESPN, and they will be eligible to compete in the 2024 McDonald’s All American Games set for April 2 at Toyota Center in Houston.
Last season, Oklahoma had one McDonald’s All-American. Oklahoma State freshman Brandon Garrison represented Del City in the 2023 McDonald’s All American Game as a high school senior. Classen SAS alumna Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, a Baylor guard, was Oklahoma’s most recent girls McDonald’s All American in 2022.
OSSAA Board approves criteria for transfer exception
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association Board of Directors approved Wednesday a list of criteria for its Rule 8 exception, which will allow high school students to transfer schools once and establish athletic eligibility without sitting out or changing residences.
The exception will not take effect until July 1. However, if a student transfers this semester and does not partake in sports at any level before that date, including junior varsity, then that student could apply for the Rule 8 exception once July 1 arrives.
Any student who wishes to exercise the free transfer must file paperwork with the OSSAA. A bona-fide move into a new school district does not count as a transfer.
Executive director David Jackson said the OSSAA has met with athletic directors and superintendents to gather their feedback on possible transfer scenarios.
After the OSSAA approved the Rule 8 exception during its December meeting, players, parents and coaches quickly flooded social media with reactions, and “high school transfer portal” emerged as a catchphrase. But there is no portal, and though the free transfer will be allowed this summer, Jackson reiterated his stance that he isn’t advocating for a rise in transfers.
“One thought that we settled on as a staff is, ‘Yes, this one exception is something we don’t particularly like,’” Jackson said. “But we feel like, as we’ve already talked about, this was done in an effort to avoid getting something much worse (via state legislation), and I think that would have certainly come to fruition.
“We don’t want to create something that’s going to further encourage movement and entice movement. Yes, we want to have it, but we’re going to maintain our position of, ‘We don’t want people moving around for athletic reasons.’”
More: Meet The Oklahoman's 2023 Little All-City high school football first-team selections
OSSAA announces MileSplit partnership for track, cross country
The OSSAA announced a partnership with MileSplit, a prominent website for track and field registration and coverage.
Established in 2001, MileSplit’s network shares “in-depth coverage at the grassroots level from one state to the next,” according to the OSSAA’s news release. State coverage is funneled into a national database of cross country and track results, rankings and other notable information.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with the OSSAA,” said Alonso Rodriguez, MileSplit’s director of business development, in the news release. “This collaboration is pivotal in our mission to bring deserving recognition to the talented track and field and cross-country athletes in Oklahoma.
“By working hand in hand with the OSSAA, we are not only elevating these athletes on a state level but also propelling them into the national spotlight. The increased visibility is key in opening doors for their future athletic and educational endeavors.”
More: 'We're dangerous when rolling': Oklahoma Christian routs undefeated North Rock Creek
Notable football coaching moves
Lorenzo Williams has found his next destination.
The former Westmoore head football coach announced Monday he accepted the same position at Lawton. Westmoore relieved Williams of his football coaching duties after he led the Jaguars to a 7-5 season and received a 2023 district coach of the year award.
Although many Westmoore parents and students rallied around Williams and advocated for him during a December school board meeting, Moore Public Schools moved on with the hiring process.
One day after Williams announced his move to Lawton, Westmoore announced the hire of David White as the Jaguars’ football coach.
White, arriving from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is a former OU graduate assistant and recruiting coordinator.
Kingfisher has also hired its new coach. Reagan Roof is replacing Jeff Myers, who was charged with child neglect after a prominent hazing investigation. Roof has coached at Bethany and, most recently, Weatherford.
