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The OSSAA has released football districts for the 2026-2027 seasons.

See the whole list HERE.

Heavener and Spiro got the worst draw possible in the new 2A-1-District 3 as their district includes defending Class 3A state champion Lincoln Christian, along with two other private schools in Victory Christian, which was also in Class 3A, along with Tahlequah-Sequoyah, which was 10-2 last season, going 9-0 begore losing to Metro Christian in the regular season final.

The district also includes Checotah, which is dropping from Class 3A after making  the playoffs last season and was 6-5. Hugo was a playoff team in 2A, although the Buffaloes did lose at Heavener, along with Roland.

Spiro was 0-10 in Class 2A-II, but is moving up a class. This again has Heavener, along with Spiro, in a district that stretches from Texas to Arkansas and Tulsa.

In 4A-4, Poteau is joined again by Ada, Broken Bow, Hilldale, McLain, Sallisaw and Stilwell, which is the only newcomer to the district, taking Glenpool’s spot.

In A-I-III, Panama and Pocola are joined by Coalgate, Haskell, Hulbert, Okemah. Vian, which drops down a class despite making the state finals in 2A-II last season, along with Warner.

In Class A-II District 3, defending state champion Talihina is joined by Central, Drumright, Gore, Liberty, Mounds, Porter and Regent Prep.

LeFlore County’s only eight-man team, Arkoma, is in B-II District 4 with Davenport, Gans, Keoa, Webbers Falls and Wetumka.

Today is Sunday, March 29, 2026, the day we find out who fills the final seats in the Final Four.

Yesterday’s Elite Eight and Sweet 16 games were a masterclass in high-stakes basketball. In the Men’s bracket, Arizona ended a 25-year drought to reach the Final Four, while Illinois dominated to punch their ticket. In the Women's bracket, South Carolina and Michigan delivered statement wins to move one step closer to the championship.

Saturday’s Recap: The First Tickets Punched

Men’s Elite Eight Scores

Women’s Sweet 16 Scores

Today’s Tournament Schedule (CST)

Men’s Elite Eight

Women’s Elite Eight

Team Records & Outlook

University of Oklahoma

26-8,11-5SEC

SACRAMENTO, California – Oklahoma's season came to a close on Saturday in Sacramento as the 10th-ranked Sooners fell to top-seeded South Carolina, 64 - 94, in the Sweet 16.  

The Sooners (26-8) got down early to the Gamecocks and couldn't mount a comeback against the SEC champions. OU won 25 games for the fourth time in five seasons under head coach Jennie Baranczyk and advanced to the program's fifth straight NCAA Tournament and second consecutive Sweet 16 (12th all-time). 

True freshman Aaliyah Chavez led the way with 21 points and 3 assists, her 12th 20-point game of the season. Senior Raegan Beers added 14 points and eight rebounds and redshirt senior Payton Verhulst posted 12 points in the effort.  

Those two seniors, along with OU's lone four-year player Beatrice Culliton, played their final games as Sooners on Saturday. Culliton won 102 games in the crimson and cream and helped the team to four straight NCAA Tournaments. Beers and Verhulst were each named All-SEC selections in their time at OU, with Beers additionally earning All-America honors in each of her two seasons in Norman. Culliton's 131 career games played rank in the top 15 all-time at Oklahoma. 

South Carolina led 23-12 after the first and took a 47-28 lead into the break. The Gamecocks, who OU defeated in overtime on January 22, were matched by the Sooners in the third quarter with 21 apiece, but Oklahoma couldn't erase the deficit in the fourth.   

OU is set to return three of its starters in junior Sahara Williams and sophomore Zya Vann who both averaged career highs in points, rebounds and assists, as well as freshman Aaliyah Chavez who led OU with 18.4 points per game and finished second in OU's record book for points per game and total assists from a freshman.  

 Major League Baseball (MLB)

Sooners Drop Finale at No. 2 Texas in 10 Innings 

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 8 Oklahoma lost the series finale at No. 2 Texas Saturday afternoon 5-4 in 10 innings.  

It was the second straight game the Longhorns (23-4, 7-2 SEC) rallied to walk off the Sooners (19-8, 4-5) in extras. OU held a 3-0 lead in the third inning and a 4-2 lead into the seventh before Texas scored single runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth. In the 10th with the bases loaded, a two-out RBI single up the middle from Casey Borba ended the game.  

OU starting LHP Cord Rager went 4.2 innings of two-run ball, surrendering three hits and two walks to go with three strikeouts. OU used four pitchers out of the bullpen with Jason Bodin (L, 1-1) taking the loss, giving up one run on no hits and three walks with one strikeout in 1.2 innings.  

Jaxon Willits had a three-hit day, going 3-for-5 for his second three-hit game of the season. OU had 12 hits on the day, the second-most hits the Longhorns have given up in a game this season. Alec Blair and Drew Dickerson also chipped in two-hit performances. Dickerson, Kyle Branch, Camden Johnson and Jason Walk combined to plate OU’s four runs. 

Pitchers of Record

Win: Haiden Leffew (2-0)

Loss: Jason Bodin (1-1)

Statistical Snapshot

Notes

Up Next

OU plays its final game of an eight-game road swing Tuesday night at Oral Roberts in Tulsa. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on the radio via The REF 1400 AM/99.3 FM.

Cowboys Drops Series At BYU 

PROVO, Utah – Oklahoma State fell to BYU in Saturday’s rubber game at Miller Park as a two-run, walk-off home run with two outs in the ninth lifted the Cougars to a 5-4 win. 

With the loss, the Cowboys fell to 17-11 overall and 3-6 in Big 12 play, while BYU improved to 13-13 and 4-5 in the league. 

Kollin Ritchie carried the Cowboys offensively, homering and driving in three runs, and Stormy Rhodes turned in a career performance on the mound. 

Rhodes tallied a career-high six strikeouts in five innings of work, which tied his career-long outing. The righty allowed just one run on four hits. 

Noah Wech took the loss, falling to 2-3 on the season, as he gave up two runs in 1 2/3 innings.  

OSU took the game’s initial lead in the third. Colin Brueggemann led off the inning with a single and after a walk and a flyout, the Cowboys had runners on the corners. Up next, Brock Thompson delivered an RBI single through the left side to make the score 1-0. 

The Cowboys weren’t done as Ritchie added to his team-leading RBI total by ripping a single to right field to plate a pair of runs and extend the lead to 3-0. 

OSU held the three-run lead until the sixth. Following a leadoff double, Ryder Robinson singled to make the score 3-1. Robinson was caught stealing before a double, but Rhodes was able to escape further damage by getting a fly out and a groundout to keep the two-run advantage intact. 

The Cougars drew closer in the seventh, getting back-to-back doubles with two outs off Zane Burns to trim their deficit to 3-2 before Drew Blake came on and induced an inning-ending pop up on the first pitch he delivered. 

It was Ritchie adding a key insurance run in the eighth as he smacked a solo home run over the wall in left field. The blast was his team-leading and career-high 16^th of the season. 

BYU made things interesting in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases against Wech without the benefit of a hit, before the OSU closer got a line out to escape the jam unscathed. 

In the ninth, Wech struck out the leadoff hitter but issued another free base on a hit by pitch, which was followed by an RBI double to cut the Cowboys’ lead to 4-3. Following another strikeout, Keoni Painter homered to center field to give BYU the win.

 OSU returns to action Tuesday with a road contest at Dallas Baptist, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.

Hogs drop series against Gators

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – No. 4 Arkansas (19-9, 4-4 SEC) suffered its first SEC series loss of the 2026 campaign with a 7-4 game two setback against Florida (22-6, 5-3 SEC) Saturday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium. 

The Razorbacks will look to salvage the series in tomorrow’s finale, which is set to begin at noon Sunday, March 29, on SEC Network with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Kyle Peterson (analyst) on the call. Arkansas has not been swept by an SEC foe inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium since a sweep by Alabama during the 2016 campaign. 

For the second consecutive game, walks plagued the Razorback pitching staff. Starter Hunter Dietz, who worked four innings of three-run ball with four strikeouts, issued four free passes while the Arkansas bullpen combined to walk four. 

The Hogs led, 3-2, through the first four innings of play despite their struggles on the mound. Reese Robinett’s RBI single in the bottom of the second put Arkansas on the board before a run-scoring wild pitch and Ryder Helfrick’s RBI sacrifice fly to right field in the third inning gave the Razorbacks their first and only lead of Saturday’s contest. 

Florida took control of the game with a three-spot in the top of the fifth inning, knocking Dietz out of the game before breaking through against the Arkansas bullpen. In relief, Steele Eaves (1.0 IP, 2 R, 1 SO), Cooper Dossett (1.1 IP, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO), Jackson Kircher (0.2 IP, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 SO), Tye Briscoe (0.0 IP, 0 R, 1 BB) allowed four runs on three hits and four walks, while James DeCremer (1.0 IP) and Parker Coil (1.0 IP, 1 SO) closed out the game with two scoreless frames. 

Offensively, six Hogs had hits in Saturday’s loss. True freshman Carter Rutenbar, who earned the start at first base, drew a pair of walks and scored a run, and fellow true freshman Christian Turner collected a pinch-hit double in the ninth. 

Left-hander Colin Fisher (2-2, 2.70 ERA) will start on the mound for Arkansas in the series finale and go up against Florida right-hander Russell Sandefer (1-1, 3.97 ERA) as the Razorbacks look to avoid being swept at Baum-Walker Stadium.

BATON ROUGE, La.  — No. 3 Oklahoma Softball (33-3, 7-1 SEC) scratched across a run in the seventh although No. 20 LSU (23-11, 4-7 SEC) held off the push as the Sooners had their 22-game winning streak snapped in a 3-1 loss Saturday, March 28. 

LSU 3, OU 1
LSU capitalized on a pair of free passes in the first, scoring the game's first run on a sac fly. 

Both LSU's Jayden Heavener and OU's Allyssa Parker settled in, spinning zeros in the second and third inning. LSU added two runs and posted the game's first hits in the bottom of the fourth as Alix Franklin singled and Kylee Edwards roped a two-run homer to center.

Minor singled for the second time in the afternoon with one out in the seventh. Ailana Agbayani put down a bunt that was thrown down the right field line, plating Minor. Heavener retired the next two batters to record the complete game.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Jayden Heavener (8-6)
Loss: Allyssa Parker (4-1)

Cowgirls storm back to beat Utah, 9-8 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The No. 21/21 Oklahoma State softball team used a 12-hit, nine-run effort to secure a 9-8 series-clinching win over Utah on Saturday night at Dumke Family Softball Stadium. 

With the victory, OSU improved to 24-10 overall and 6-5 in conference play, while Utah fell to 25-10 and 4-4 in the Big 12. 

OSU struck first in the opening inning when Claire Timm doubled to drive in a run. Utah responded with a six-run bottom half, highlighted by two RBI doubles, to take an early lead. 

The Cowgirls began their comeback in the third. With the bases loaded, Lexi McDonald delivered a two-run single up the middle. Later in the inning, Audrey Schneidmiller added an RBI single to cap a three-run frame. 

OSU pulled even in the fourth when Rosie Davis hit a two-run home run. The milestone blast made her the 12th Cowgirl in program history to record 100 career runs and RBIs. McDonald added her third RBI of the game on a groundout that scored Karli Godwin, which gave OSU a 7-6 lead.

 Utah tied the game at seven apiece in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single. Both teams traded runs in the fifth, keeping the score even entering the sixth. 

Amanda Hasler delivered the decisive blow in the sixth with an RBI double to center, which marked her 150th career RBI. 

OSU used three pitchers in the game. Ruby Meylan (14-6) earned the win in relief for the second consecutive night after entering in the fifth inning in relief for RyLee Crandall. Crandall relieved the starter, Preslee Downing, in the bottom of the first inning and settled the game down as she tossed 3.2 innings with two runs allowed and three strikeouts. 

Utah also used three pitchers in the contest. Hailey Maestretti (8-3) took the loss after entering in the sixth and surrendering the game-winning run. 

The Cowgirls will go for the sweep Sunday at noon.

Hogs fall 12-6 to Florida

BOX SCORE: PDF | SEASON STATS: Season Stats 

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas. – The No. 9/10 Arkansas Razorbacks dropped a 12-6 slugfest that featured a combined 21 hits to No. 3/5 Florida during game two of the three-game series on Saturday evening at Bogle Park.

With the loss, the Hogs (29-5, 4-4 SEC) and Gators (33-3, 9-2 SEC) are now even at one game apiece in the three-game set.

Arkansas jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning courtesy of a solo home run to right field from Brinli Bain, her third of the season, before Florida added seven runs over the course of the next three and a half innings to take a commanding 7-1 lead. Arkansas plated four runs in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of three hits and a pair of walks before Atalyia Rijo made it a one-run game with a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the sixth. Florida then plated five runs on four hits, an error, and two walks in the top of the seventh to make it the final, 12-6.

Brinli Bain (2-2, HR, 2 R, 2 BB) and Dakota Kennedy (2-4, 2 RBI) paced the Razorbacks offensively, while Reagan Johnson also added a hit in addition to Rijo’s homer.

Payton Burnham took the loss for Arkansas after allowing four runs on six hits, three walks, and a pair of strikeouts. Katelynn Oxley (3-0) earned the win for Florida after striking out one and allowing four runs on three hits and four walks. Keegan Rothrock recorded her third save of the season for the Gators after allowing one hit and one run while walking a batter and striking out two.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Payton Burnham made her ninth start of the season for Arkansas, while Florida went with sophomore Katelynn Oxley.

Burnham spun a scoreless top of the first inning, picking up a strikeout for the final out of the frame. Florida’s Jocelyn Erickson singled to left field with two outs in the frame for the game's first hit.

Brinli Bain opened the scoring with a solo home run to right field with one out in the bottom of the first inning. The round-tripper was her third of the season.

Florida plated three in the top of the second courtesy of a one-out three-run shot to left-center field off the bat of Ella Wesolowski, giving Florida a 3-1 lead. Kendall Grover and Cassidy McLellan scored on the homer after reaching on a walk and a double, respectively. Arkansas was retired in order in the bottom of the second inning.

The Gators added a run in the top of the third inning on a solo home run from Kendall Grover, increasing the lead to 4-1. Davison and Bain both reached on walks in the bottom of the third.

In the fourth, Townsen Thomas increased the Gators’ lead to 5-1 with an RBI single that scored Gabi Comia, who reached on a leadoff double. Dakota Kennedy singled in the home half for Arkansas. 

Cassidy McLellan smashed a two-run homer to center field with two outs in the fifth inning, increasing the Gators' lead to six. Arkansas stormed back in the bottom of the fifth with four runs courtesy of a Brinli Bain single, an RBI fielder’s choice from Ella McDowell and a two-run double from Dakota Kennedy, cutting the visitors' lead to 7-5. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Rijo made it a one-run game courtesy of a leadoff solo home run to center field. 

Florida put the game away in the seventh inning by plating five runs on four hits, an error, and two walks to make it the final, 12-6. Bain walked in the bottom of the seventh, but Rothrock recorded the final three outs of the game to complete the save. 

Nice day expected Sunday

Weather forecast for Sunday is for some clouds in the morning with mostly clear skies later in the date and into tonight for LeFlore County and the area.

The high is forecast to be 80 degrees with a low of 63 degrees.

Sunrise was 7:09 a.m. Sunset is 7:37 p.m.

See our live weather radar

Saturday’s high was 67 with a low of 45. No rain was recorded, leaving the monthly total at 4.46 inches. Average rainfall for March is 5.40 inches.

Average temperatures for March 29 are a high of 69 and low of 41. Records for the date were a high of 82 in 1976 and a low of 29 in 1987.

Calendar of events for the next week for Heavener, LeFlore County, southeastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. The calendar is a free service for our readers. If you know of an event coming up, please  CONTACT me.

Monday

LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.

High school baseball: Heavener at Stigler; Vian at Cameron; Howe at Pocola’ Poteau at Commerce

High school softball: Spiro at Heavener; Howe at Wilburton; Cameron at Keota; Quinton, McCurtain at Whitesboro

High school golf: Heavener tournament at Wolf Ridge

Tuesday

High school baseball: Stigler at Heavener; Howe at Smithville

High school softball: Heavener at McCurtain; Howe, Red Oak at Pocola; Cameron at Spiro; Smithville at Whitesboro; Antlers, Haworth at Talihina

High school soccer: Keys (girls) at Heavener; Dove Science (boys) at Heavener

High school track: Heavener track meet

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

Wednesday

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC

Thursday

High school baseball: Heavener at Pocola; Northside at Cameron; Howe at Haworth

High school softball: Wister, Central at Cameron; Whitesboro at hall of fame festival; LeFlore at Spiro’ Talihina at Smithville

High school soccer: Regent Prep at Heavener

High school golf: Heavener at Tahlequah Tournament

Celebration of life service for Vicki Jirash

Heavener City Council meets 6 p.m.

Friday

High school baseball: Cameron at Pocola; Forte Gibson at Poteau

High school softball: Cameron, Howe, Talihina at Howe Festival

Today is Sunday, March 29, 2026. It is the 88th day of the year, with 277 days remaining.

March 29 is a day of profound discoveries and historic departures, ranging from the uncovering of ancient Chinese treasures to the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam.