Another strong field will converge on the Kingston Multipurpose Activity Center this week for the Annual Kingston New Years Classic.
A power-packed girls bracket has six teams ranked seventh or better in its respective state classification in the latest OSSAA rankings.
Leading the group is perennial powerhouse Dale, which sits number one in Class 2A. The Lady Pirates are coming off a championship game appearance in the prestigious Tournament of Champions in Tulsa last week and will square off with Atoka in the tournament opener at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
Game two on the girls side scheduled for 1:40 is a Top 10 Class 3A showdown with second-rated Sequoyah Tahlequah paired against number seven Bethel, which entered the holiday break with a 5-2 record. Sequoyah reachedtheconsolationfinals of the Tournament of Champions last week as well.
Class 4A’s fourth-ranked Broken Bow was the only undefeated team in the field coming out of the Christmas break at 9-0 and will have an opening round matchup with Marlow at 4:20 on Thursday.
In the girls’ first round finale it will be a second Top 10 battle of Round 1 when the host fifth ranked Kingston Lady Redskins are challenged by Class 2A seventh rated Latta at 7 p.m.
The boys’ bracket of the tournament is headlined by four ranked clubs and several others on the brink coming out of the first semester.
Class 3A 15th ranked Sequoyah will be challenged by Class 2A 12th rated Latta in the boys’ 12:20 first game and the lone ranked versus ranked matchup in the opening round.
Juggernaut and perennial New Years Classic champion Dale heads into the tournament ranked number one in 2A and is set to tangle with Atoka in a 3 p.m. matinee.
Broken Bow has one of the most talented all-around athletes in the entire field with Greydon Howell and he and the Savages are set to face Bethel in their 5:40 opener.
The nightcap at 8:20 p.m. on Thursday is a rematch of thefootballplayoffshowdown when Class 3A 20th ranked Marlow squares off against the host Kingston Redskins.
There will be a second full day of action on Friday with semifinals in both the consolation and championship brackets beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday’s final round of trophy games at the KMAC will start at 12:30 p.m.