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PRIDE OF THE PLAINS
from November 2021
by enidmonthly
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Jake McCool - Baseball Enid Wrestling
The Enid High School Baseball team has continued to improve throughout this season. Just after the midway point in the 2021 season, the Plainsmen are finding their grove and Jake McCool is a big part of that success. Jake has played baseball for the Plainsmen since middle school and has had his sights set on starting for the Plainsmen the entire time. His motivation was then, and still is, to be the best he can be every day when he shows up to practice or games. That motivation had paid off, as he is currently the 1st baseman and plays in the outfield for the Plainsmen. The starting position is one he has had to work hard and be patient for. His advice to upcoming athletes is to “work as hard as you can every day.” This past year has been different for everyone to say the least, and for athletes around the world, including Jake, it is just another challenge in their lives. “This year I have learned that you can’t give up no matter how bad things seem.” Jake goes on to say that being an athlete has helped prepare him for this type of event. “Being an athlete has made me a better person because it has taught me how to be self-disciplined in many different situations.” Jake plans on extending his academic and athletic career at Northwestern Oklahoma State University where he will play baseball and pursue a degree in Business. Coach Gore, the Enid High head baseball coach adds that “Jake has had to work very hard to get to where he is at today.” We look forward to seeing Jake continue that hard work and play at the next level. He will continue a long tradition of Plainsmen baseball players doing great things beyond high school.
November is a busy time for Enid HS Sports. Football is ending and winter sports are starting their competitions, and everyone is excited about what the season has in store, especially Enid Wrestling Coach Trent Holland. Coach Holland is in his 8th year as the Head Coach of the Plainsmen and as the coach of one of the only wrestling programs in NW Oklahoma, he has had his work cut out for him. While Enid High has usually fielded a wrestling team over the last several decades, it is not as entrenched in the culture as it is in some other areas of the State, and Coach Holland’s goal is to change that. The good news is that he is well on his way!
With help from assistant coaches Corey Clayton, Cameron Conder and Tom Rowe, this year’s team will be one of the more experienced they have had. Even with the loss of a past state champion, Chance Davis, and state qualifier, Johnny Villa, Coach Holland believes they have a chance to have a winning record this year, after going 3-7 last year. “Last year was difficult for us because we had injuries to two of our better guys, which is a 6 to 10 point swing. We also had some guys out for different periods because of Covid protocols, which meant we did not seem to start the same lineup for two duals all season.” Coach Holland has a hard time narrowing down the leaders of the squad saying that “several have put lots of hard work in, not only during the school season, but during the summers as well.” He has two pairs of brothers who are potential difference makers in Sophomore Payton and Senior Trinit Zwiefel, and Sophomore Zach and Junior Leslie Fortner. Payton, Trinit and Zach (as well as Sophomore Female Wrestler, Shae Salinas) all qualified to wrestle at one of the nations top wrestling invitationals, Fargo this past summer. Trinit, in addition to being a 2020 State Qualifier, was the Oklahoma State Champion in Greco Roman style wrestling. State qualifiers Carlos Alvarado (a 16u All American) and Daigen Gibbons also return.
While open tournaments begin in the middle of November, Coach Holland is especially excited to again host the Mid America Nationals here in Enid at the Stride Center on December 10-11. Mid America Nationals will have more than 30 top teams from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Because of its pool format for the first day, it has become a great place to get a lot of mat time for the wrestlers, in a sport where experience is key.
Finally, Coach Holland talked a little bit about the emergence of girl’s wrestling. “We are currently looking for a girl’s wrestling coach, and we have an excellent Sophomore here in the room (Salinas). Several girls have mentioned it, and there are 5 girls in our youth program, so we are just waiting for them to come on out, we’ve got room.” Nationwide, too, girl’s wrestling is on the rise and several new collegiate wrestling programs are adding women’s teams, including traditional power Iowa.
Whether it is at a home dual, or the Mid America Nationals, Coach Holland would love to see the public check out the Enid High Wrestlers this year!
See varsity schedule on Page 28
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Baylee Wood and Max Fossett - Golf
by Billy Tipps, EHS Athletic Director
The Enid High School Golf teams are in full “swing” this spring, both teams have placed in various tournaments this season. Baylee Wood a Junior, and Max Fossett a Sophomore, are both leaders in our programs. “Baylee and Max are extremely hard working and they both strive to improve their game,” said David Lee, Enid High Golf Coach.
After a season off due to COVID last spring, Max and Baylee are both more aware of their opportunity and are focused on the team. Baylee says that “I have learned that when we help each other practice we can do the best we can as a team at our tournaments.” As for Max, he is “learning that teamwork plays a huge part in the success of the program.” Both are trying to help lead their teams in as many ways as possible.
Coach Lee says that “Max is the leader of the boy’s golf team and is dedicated to improving the team.” Max plans to go to college and pursue a degree in the field of medicine and thinks that having been an athlete “has made me a better person and taught me how to work harder to go get what I want.”
Baylee adds that “due to the pandemic we lost a lot of our practice time, and that being an athlete helped me learn how to better balance my time between work, school and golf.” Baylee plans to attend college and study medicine, the skills she has acquired through being a part of the golf team will certainly help her achieve this goal.
Both Baylee and Max offer similar advice to upcoming athletes, Max says “never settle for less and keep pushing.” Baylee’s advice to upcoming athletes is to “do your best and don’t let negativity stand in your way.” Both pieces of advice are great reminders that when faced with adversity it allows us to achieve more.
Both Baylee and Max are great examples of how hard work and dedication to something bigger than themselves can lead to positive outcomes. We wish them good luck with the rest of their season and look forward to seeing them and the golf program continue to grow.
