Talihina duo in Small School All-State Basketball Game tonight; Spiro football players added to East team

July 28, 2011

Two LeFlore County basketball players will get one last chance to compete in a high-school atmosphere setting tonight.
Talihina's Taggart Lockhart and Jordan EagleRoad will represent the Golden Tigers and the county in the 2011 Oklahoma Coaches Association Small School Boys Basketball Game at 7 p.m. tonight at the Oral Roberts University Mabee Center.
Lockhart, who signed earlier this year with the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, and EagleRoad, who will walk on with the University of Oklahoma's football team, helped lead the Golden Tigers to a 30-2 record and claim the Class 2A State Tournament championship on the fourth try, beating Preston 42-27 March 12 at Oklahoma City's State Fair Arena in the title game. Talihina made the state tournament in the three previous seasons, getting knocked out in the state quarterfinals in 2008, but making it to the state title game in 2009 and 2010 — only to lose both times.
Earlier this week, two Spiro football players got good news from the OCA. Spiro quarterback Clayton Mitchem and tailback/linebacker Elliott Hawkins were named as East team replacements for Friday night's All-State Football Game, set for 8 p.m. at Broken Arrow High School's Tiger Memorial Stadium. Mitchem replaces Tulsa Union's Kale Pearson, while Hawkins is stepping in for Tulsa Washington's Isaac Bennett.
The ’Dogs were 11-2 last season, and shared the District 3A-8 title with Valliant — but got the top seed in the Class 3A playoffs from the district thanks to Spiro's 52-28 win over Valliant in a battle of Bulldogs Oct. 21 at McClain Stadium. The Bulldogs got to the Class 3A state quarterfinals last season before losing to eventual state champion Heritage Hall 49-30 Nov. 26 in Oklahoma City.