Dale High School’s basketball teams each captured a Gold Ball last weekend, the boys winning their second consecutive state championship and the girls winning their first state title under head coach Eric Smith.
Coach Jeff Edmonson’s Pirates completed an incredible undefeated season with a 32-0 record, as they crushed Oklahoma Christian Academy 78-52 in the finals at the state fairgrounds. Their combined record over the past two years is 61 wins against two losses.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” Edmonson said.
“Our theme this year was ‘Prove It’ cause every team we played was trying to knock Dale off,” Edmonson added.
Smith’s Lady Pirates zipped by Howe 48-23 in the finals, jumping out to an 18-6 first period lead and never looking back. Their season record was 31-2.
The Pirates pummeled Wister 86-46 in the quarterfinals, then clipped Pocola 50-33 in the semi-finals before meeting OCA in the finals.
The Lady Pirates had little trouble with Hooker in their state tourney opener, winning easily 46-21. In the semi-finals they nipped Amber Pocasset 52-47 before running by Howe in the finals.
In the finals against OCA, the Pirates found themselves down by a point, 1211 at the end of the first period.
But Dale scored 24 points in the second quarter to take a 35-24 lead at intermission and were in command the remainder of the contest, scoring 43 points after halftime while holding OCA to 28.
In the finals against Howe, the Lady Pirates jumped out to an 18-6 lead at the end of the first period and were ahead 30-14 at intermission, cruising the remainder of the way.
The Pirates won each tournament they played in this year, including their own at Dale, the Tournament of Champions in December at Tulsa and the Kingston tournament.
The Lady Pirates, as well, claimed the titles of each tourney they played, their own, the Kingston tournament and the Cashion tournament.
“It was a dream season to go 32-0,” Edmonson added.
Even though his three seniors on the team, Hayden Nowakowski, Barrett Clark and Kolton Barnell didn’t start, Edmonson stressed “they will be missed because they were great leaders with great attitudes in practice, in the locker room and so supportive of everyone on this team.”
Edmonson has been head coach of the Dale boys for 17 years.
His teams have made the state tournament the past five years and they’ve won the Gold Ball the past two.
The Pirates started two juniors and three sophomores.
Edmonson thinks the key, “Is the teamwork. They just all play so well together. When you put these guys together, they are a powerhouse on the floor,” he notes.
He explains, “I have the best job in the state. I have all these guys coming back. I started coaching them when they were in the second and third grades.”
Smith came to Dale from Frontier beginning in the 2018-2019. His teams at Dale have made the state tournament each year he’s been there.
He said his teams have been to the state tourney 11 consecutive years. Even though this was the first Gold Ball his teams at Dale have won, he said his teams at Alva claimed two Gold Balls and he has three Silver Balls as well during his 20 years of coaching.
Smith mentioned he’s coached girls 18 years and coached boys two.
This year Dale’s championship team started two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore with a senior and a sophomore coming off the bench.
He cites “great chemistry, leadership, defense and rebounding” as the keys to the Lady Pirates’ success.
Edmonson has been in education and coaching for 30 years, he noted, coming to Dale from Meeker.
Smith pointed to seniors Makenzy Herman and Brook Rutland “who were really good leaders.
“We won 27 straight games. We lost the season opener to Preston and the Area finals to Warner and then beat Cashion for the fourth time this season to get to the state tournament,” Smith said.