Verdigris Basketball

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Verdigris boys look for happier ending in 2020-21

BY RICK HEATON, Sports Director H eading into the playoffs last year, the Verdigris boys basketball team seemed to be primed and ready for a deep postseason run. They were on a five-game winning streak and had walloped McCloud by 34 points in the regional opener. But that’s when it all went south. The lost 88-32 to No. 2 Heritage Hall and then were eliminated by Douglass 65-44, failing to get out of the regional bracket and finishing with a record of 19-8. Chris Houk’s crew finished second at the Inola Tournament with a 62-42 loss to Siloam Springs, Ark., finished fourth at the Locust Grove Tournament and second to Rejoice Christian at the Chouteau tournament. This year, the Cardinals will open the season at home against Miami on Dec. 1. Verdigris swept Miami in two games last year with an averaging winning margin of 40.5 points. RH

GAMEDAYOKLAHOMA.COM | DECEMBER 2020 SPORTS PREVIEW 77 PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

District 13 Tribal Councilor Joe Deere www.cherokee.org

Christian Brothers donates profits from Owasso branch to employee’s family

BY TOM FINK S ometimes, circumstances take us by surprise, changing the course of our lives in ways we could have never seen coming. instead of sending our royalty (profit) checks to the corporate office, they would take zero profit from us for the year, and instead, Skylar’s family would get it -- all of it goes to his widow,

Such was the case for the family of Owasso Angie.” man Skylar Combs. Thus, instead of the foundation making a con-

A husband, father, employee, and friend to tribution to Combs’s family, it allowed the Owasmany, Skyler Combs’s life was cut tragically so store and its profits to serve as the generator of short earlier this year when he suffered a heart what would be donated to his friend’s family. attack at only 41 years old. “When I told Angie, she was overwhelmed

But the thoughtfulness of his friend and ..just awestruck, and beyond moved,” he said. employer allowed those who remember Skylar to “So, once a month, I call her and ask if I can feel blessings in a season of grief. interest her in picking up a check, so I’ve been

“Skylar was our service manager -- and he had seeing her at least once a month since this began, been for six years, when he had his heart attack and every time, she’s almost always moved to and passed away on the way into work,” recalled tears.” Ray Adcock, manager of Christian Brothers Auto As Angie works part-time as a pastor’s secreRepair in Owasso. “He was arguably the best em- tary at Central Baptist Church, the checks help ployee I’d ever had -- the guy was just fabulous, her “tremendously,” Adcock said, and “touch her and after six years of working side by side and in ways she can’t describe.” him running the business on the front end, we’d But for as much as Combs’s wife feels blessed become close friends, as well as being members to be the recipient of this gift, Adcock said he’s of the same business family.” all the more blessed to be in a position to help the

Combs’s death was a loss that deeply impacted family of the man who was his best employee and Adcock both personally and professionally, as he dear friend. had been a key team member. “Skylar was more than just a good employee

Knowing that Combs was without life in- -- he was really my friend,” he said. “He was just surance at the time of his passing, Adcock felt a marvelous person. You know, you meet people compelled to try to do something to help his old sometimes at a business or in a restaurant, and friend, or at least to help his old friend’s family. you realize they’ve never met a stranger, they’re

“Christian Brothers is a franchise, so we have everybody’s friend, everybody loves them, they a foundation with our corporate or home office know how to talk to all kinds of people. He just from whom I bought the franchise and pay royal- had a warm, loving joyful spirit about him and ties to,” he said. “That foundation gives away dif- about everything that he did. He had a natural ferent charity stuff, so a week or so after Skylar talent and gift for making people comfortable.” died, I called and explained what had happened, As the foundation’s allowance for Adcock’s told them that he left behind a wife and four kids business to continue to assist Combs’s family -- in fact, it was his baby’s sixth birthday the day expires at the end of 2020, he’s hopeful that the he died. next few months will be busy ones to allow the

“I told them that he had no life insurance and year to “end well.” asked if it might be possible for the foundation “The window for how long we’re going to be to pay off the family’s mortgage,” Adcock said. able to continue to bless them closes on Decem“It (the mortgage) was a pretty big chunk, so I ber 31, at the end of the calendar year,” he said, wasn’t sure whether or not they would go for it.” “so, we’re hoping that if someone needs work

Adcock didn’t have to wait for long to hear the done to please consider us in the next few months news he’d been waiting to hear. to allow us to help us support his family.”

“They called me the next day or so and told Christian Brothers Automotive of Owasso is me that they’d be able to do us one better -- they located at 9530 N. Garnett Road. said that instead of writing royalty checks to them For more information or to schedule an appoint(the home office), they would allow us to write ment, contact Adcock at the shop at 918-505-9916 those to Skylar’s wife,” he said. “In other words, or visit https://www.cbac.com/owasso/ TF