By Larry Larkin, Sports Correspondent
February 5, 2010 — The Queen and her court looked as pretty as always. The male escorts stood handsome and proud. Parents were busy with their cameras of all sizes and shapes. Oh yes…the Claremore High basketball teams also took care of business.
As a homecoming crowd close to 2,000 filled the Frank Mobra Field House Thursday night, Claremore rolled over Skiatook twice. The No. 4 Lady Zebras opened the festivities with a 41-31 victory and the No. 6 Claremore boys capped the evening off by winning 81-46.
It was a nice start to a three-game remade schedule that has the Zebra squads each playing three games in as many days. Claremore goes to Coweta tonight before hosting Bartlesville Saturday afternoon. Ice and snow forced the Skiatook contests to be delayed twice, thus forcing the current jam.
Between games Thursday school officials presented a plaque to girls coach Mark Campbell for recently winning his 800th high school game as a coach.
Boys
Maybe the approaching half-time ceremonies had some effect. Whatever the reason, it took two quarters for Claremore (14-1) to shake free from the visiting Bulldogs.
Unranked Skiatook (5-10) came to town to play. As their mascot nickname indicates, the Bulldogs continued to nip and bite at Claremore’s heels throughout the first half. They trailed only by six points at the break.
The second half was a completely different story. Claremore went on a scoring binge that saw the Zebras out score their foes, 47-18, during the final two quarters.
Dakota Caudill turned in a twin double-double by scoring a team high 16 points and 16 rebounds. The Zebras received points from 12 different players. Alex Miller (13) and Robert Boyles (12) joined Caudill in double digit scoring.
Claremore ruled the backboard misses as the team out rebounded Skiatook, 44-16.
It was the defensive play of Boyles that turned a close contest into a runaway victory. Skiatook’s Eric White kept his team in the game early as he put up 15 first half points. In the second period he had 13 of his team’s 14.
Boyles became the dog control officer once the second half started. As the 6-2 senior Boyles matched White step for step, the 6-4 Bulldog senior was shut down completely in the third period. He added four in the final round to claim the top scoring honors, but three of White’s points didn’t come until after Boyles gave way to the reserves.
Girls
Taylor Swift, approximately two hours away from being crowned Homecoming queen, started the girls’ game as if she ready to get on to the royalty matters. She hit an early 3-point basket to put her team on top to stay. She then came back to nail another as the Lady Zebras jumped out to a 14-6 lead.
Skiatook’s impressive freshman Correy Moyer started the points with a lay-up off the opening tip. It proved to be the only time the No. 17 Lady Bulldogs (6-9) would lead.
Lady Zebra Jordan Schultz answered right back with a short jumper for a 2-2 tie. Swift’s first trey followed and Claremore never looked back.
Like the upcoming boys’ contest, the Lady Zebras used the third quarter to wrap up the win. Up by five at half time, Claremore received a dozen third period points from Schultz. This allowed for a 36-23 edge entering the final eight minutes. Skiatook was able to out score Claremore 8-5 in the fourth, but never cut the margin to single figures.
Schultz finished with a game high 27 points. Skiatook’s Moyer had a team high 15.
Going into the game Thursday Claremore’s game roster listed 10 players. One of those was lost before the opening tip.
Miranda Taylor, a fast improving sophomore, suffered a mouth injury in the earlier junior varsity game. She crashed to the floor she collided with a teammate shortly before the end of the game. The extent of the injury was not released by school officials, but it is believed she was taken to Tulsa for additional treatment.
