Way to go Wildcats

A lot of teams deserve to win a state championship.

There are a lot of talented teams in every class. But Wister deserved to win a state championship and the Wildcats did Saturday with a 4-2 win over Dale.

Yes, the Wildcats are talented. Teams don't get to the state tournament without having good players. But as I mentioned in a previous blog, Wister plays baseball the way it should be played.

And maybe this will be a lesson to other teams who think trash talking and trying to rattle the opponent is a vital part of the game.

In the two years I have watched these Wildcats play, I have never seen any of their players or coaches do a single thing to try and disrespect an opponent, even when they have had plenty of reasons to get upset.

In many ways, this is old-school baseball. The Wildcats have good pitching (sorry, great pitching in the postseason), excellent hitting and strong defense. That is the secret to a good team and why Wister has been so successful.

The Wildcats have been on a roll since the 2010 LCT, when they captured the tournament despite not being the favorite. Since then, they have rarely been challenged and have reached the state tournament three straight times.

In the two previous trips (last spring and in the fall), Wister fell to Silo. The Wildcats got another shot at top-ranked Silo in the semifinals this year and didn't let the past defeats bother them. Instead, Wister pounded Silo, 6-1, to erase those past disappointments and move into the finals against second-ranked Dale.

All three pitchers Tyler Gibson, Cody Luman and Clint Crane, who dominated in the state tournament, will be back again. The Wildcats only lose three seniors: Josh Wolfe, Devon Midgley and Scoute Warren, so they will be a powerhouse again.

Wister's win also capped off a successful year of sports for our county teams. The championship was the second for county teams this school year after Talihina won the boys Class 2A state championship in basketball.
Whitesboro also reached the state baseball tournament in the fall. Poteau's girls made the state softball tournaments in the fall and spring. Spiro made it to the quarterfinals in football and the Lady Bulldogs reached the state tournament in basketball. The Bulldogs also won the baseball LCT and came within a game of reaching the state tournament in 3A.

Also, Poteau's boys and girls golf teams made it to the state tournaments this spring.

So to everybody, thanks for the memories and congratulations to Wister on a job well done.