With the Annual Madill Winter Classic right on the doorstep, many of the teams entered in the eld will be in a similar boat as host Madill starting their seasons just this week.
Three schools in the field played one game prior to the Thanksgiving break with Durant having played twice. The remainder were slated to tipo their 2024-25 campaigns on Tuesday night before tournament action begins.
The Winter Classic field will be highlighted by the host Lady Wildcats, who opened the event at 7 p.m. Thursday against 1-0 Dickson, which knocked off Antlers in its season opener.
Also in the eld is defending champ Purcell, a 20-game winner a year ago that reached the area round of the playoffs. The Lady Dragons are pitted against Sulphur, which is looking for a bounce back season after struggling to a 6-19 nish, in the 10 a.m. opening contest.
Durant is on Madill’s side of the bracket and sports a 2-0 record with dominant preholiday triumphs versus Plainview and Tulsa Memorial. The Lady Lions challenge tournament newcomer Hugo at 1 p.m. in rst round play.
Perennial state challenger Caddo, which notched a win over Savanna in its only game prior to the break, battled Harding Charter Prep in the 4 p.m. contest.
“It should be a pretty good tournament,” Madill girls coach Eric Holmes commented. “Purcell graduated some but they’ll still be pretty good. Caddo is normally a really good program and Durant is solid and would be a great test if we were to see them in the semifinals. I don’t really know much about Hugo.
“I expect things should really heat up in the semi nals and nals.”
Boys action tips off at 11:30 Thursday morning with perennial Class 3A state entrant Hugo in action against Sulphur, which could be considerably shorthanded with its football team playing in the 3A state championship game on Thursday night in Edmond.
Purcell, which Madill knocked o on the way to the title tilt a year ago, plays in the 2:30 game versus Dickson, who opened their season prior to Thanksgiving with a victory over Antlers.
Class A state finalist Caddo, which is off to a 1-0 start as well, tangles with Class 4A Harding Charter Prep, who fell to Oklahoma City Classen in its opener, at 5:30.
Then in the 8:30 p.m. nightcap Madill faces o with Durant, which will also have two extra games under its belt with a 1-1 record prior to the holiday break that included a 30-point blasting of Plainview.
“Being new this year, I don’t know that much about the other teams just yet,” Wildcat head coach William Bencoma said. “Durant has a little edge over us with a couple of games before the break, but I’m glad we’ll be able to at least get one game under our belts before that contest.
“Purcell lost some pretty good guys and Caddo is always a state tournament team and will play hard and do things right. Hugo is going to be really athletic. Dickson is starting a lot of underclassmen that have some experience. It’s going to be a good early test to see where we stand.”