Baseball
Moore begins the 2025 baseball season with a fresh outlook as they welcome in a new head coach – one of Moore’s very own, Joe Haddox.
It did not take Haddox very long to get to know his group and understand what needed to be done.
“After doing this for a little bit, I learned that guys having physicality about them is a separator,” said Haddox. “I’m not saying they were in a bad spot, but it’s an area that can always use improving.”
Being a first-year coach can be difficult at times when it comes to winning over a team, but that has not been an issue for Haddox, and he thanks the upperclassman for the smooth transition.
“This group is really veteran heavy,” said Haddox. “They really just craved someone who was going to push them, hold them accountable, and have really high standards.”
Haddox wants the boys to have a 3.0 GPA, be early, and stay committed to the standard.
“For these seniors, I’m the third head coach in four years,” said Haddox. “It’s hard to acclimate to a new guy every year, but they have really taken to it. They’re eager to get at it and want to win.”
Senior twins Carder and Crue Riley have taken the standard to heart.
“They are two of the most disciplined kids that I’ve ever been around,” said Haddox. “Both boys are the type who will go do what you said and do it to the fullest.”
Another senior Haddox can count on is outfielder AJ Brennan. Lions’ faithful should also follow senior Ty Talkington this season. Talkington led the team in batting average last year, and the Lions will be leaning on him again.
“He’s probably our fiercest and smartest competitor,” Haddox said.
Moore has two big district series against Edmond Santa Fe and Choctaw in April.
Golf
The Lions look to tee off the 2025 season with plenty of excitement after sending both the boys and girls to State last year. Head coach Ryan Dukes believes his squad can repeat and possibly bring back hardware this season.
“Between the boys and girls, I only lost one that went to State last year,” said Dukes. “So, our expectations are the same or even higher.”
Boys
The offseason can be a tricky situation for high school golf, especially in the state of Oklahoma. However, Dukes was able to get his team in action during the fall.
“The cold can make it difficult to stay sharp,” said Dukes. “The boys are golf obsessed, and they live at the golf course. We played in one offseason tournament and had one finish top five.”
The boys have lofty expectations of going to State and winning once they get there. If they are going to meet expectations, they must play with a short memory.
“Last year, we would have days where a bad score would ruin a whole day,” Dukes said. “It’s all about course management. We have to forget about a bad hole and move on to the next.”
Leading the way at the No. 1 bag is senior Charlie Dowell who should be in for a great year.
“(Charlie) doesn’t make a lot of mistakes,” said Dukes. “He’s always had a great short game, but now that he’s older, he’s hitting the ball a lot farther and turning pars into birdies.”
No. 2 through No. 4 bags could change at any time throughout the season. For now, the Lions have senior Jesse Dowell, Charlie’s twin, at the No. 2 bag. Senior Casen Bell will be the No. 3 bag and senior Preston Baker at the No. 4 bag. Junior Kase Stark will be at the No. 5 bag and rounding out the group is sophomore James Wheeler.
Girls
The girls bring back all but one golfer who made it to State last year. Dukes expects the girls to return to State again but needs their short game to improve.
“Only way to improve the short game is time on the green,” said Dukes. “Get on the course and simulate those shots under pressure. You can practice as much as you want, but it’s different when you’re out there and the pressure is on you and you’re trying to save par.”
The girls No. 1 bag will be senior Ava Fritts and should not be a surprise to anyone. Fritts has been one of the best golfers for the girls since she began her career. No. 2 bag will be Ava’s younger sister, sophomore Anna Fritts.
The No. 3 bag will be handled by freshman Paisley Noles. Dukes believes Noles has a lot of potential and is excited to see how her career develops over time.
At the No. 4 bag will be senior Macey Foreman. The No. 5 bag is up for grabs and Dukes said there are five or six girls who could claim it. Lions’ faithful should not be surprised if Jaely Bell gets in the mix and becomes a reliable contributor as the season progresses.
Another name to look out for is freshman Emmie Kincannon.
A good taste of what the competition will be like at State is going to be the conference tournament on March 31.
Slow-pitch Softball
The Lady Lions enter the 2025 slow-pitch softball season with eyes on the state tournament. Last season was productive, but head coach Steven Peeler knows that it’s a new year and nothing will be handed to them.
“We’re a name whether we like it or not and people are going to give us their all,” said Peeler. “It prepares us for our end goal which is a title.”
If the Lady Lions are going to return to glory this season, they must play the game with a short memory.
“We can’t dwell on things that happened a pitch, inning or an at-bat ago,” said Peeler. “We just have to focus on what’s in front of us and react to it.”
Good teams have to reload from time to time, and this is the year for Moore to do so. The Lions graduated most of their key contributors from last season. While their experience will be missed, the Lions do have two returning seniors to lean on – Makiah Brumbelow-Neal and Casey Williams.
Another senior who the Lady Lions are looking up to is Riley Rumbaugh.
“This is her first full season of slow pitch,” said Peeler. “We feel like her leadership is going to be the key aspect to our success.”
Lions’ faithful can also count on juniors Karlie Curtis and Hadley Southerland to provide an important boost.
Moore has a difficult slate on the schedule this season, starting with Yukon, Southmoore and Westmoore.
These games might set “the tone for the entire season and probably determines if we get to host a Regional,” said Peeler.
Boys Soccer
The Lions have high hopes for the 2025 soccer season after missing the playoffs by one game last year. Moore has steadily improved each season under head coach Trevor Hunt, now in his third year.
“Last season ended in a heartbreak fashion, but it was a drastic improvement from my first year,” said Hunt. “Our major goal this season is to make the playoffs.”
The inability to score plagued the Lions a year ago, and Hunt will surely be looking to end that trend.
“Something we could’ve done better is finish,” said Hunt. “There was a game against Deer Creek where we had opportunities to score but hit the crossbar multiple times. We have to finish the chances we create.”
Hunt is looking at a couple of seniors to get the team to where they want to be this year – midfielder Aiden Cooney and winger Ahmed Altamimi.
“Aiden has been a three-year starter for us and I’m expecting him to keep going strong,” said Hunt. “Ahmed is another fantastic player who is coming into his own.”
Hunt is also counting on junior midfielder Kayden Hoffman.
“Kayden is a brilliant kid both on and off the field,” said Hunt. “He’s extremely quick and can be very dangerous.”
Lions’ faithful can count on junior goalkeeper Isaac Perez to prevent opponents from scoring this season.
“He’s a stud back there,” said Hunt. “Great communicator and has a great ability to control the play.”
Hunt is proud of all the boys and likes the fact that they all understand how far they could have made it last season.
“They are determined to not let last year repeat itself,” said Hunt. “They were all a part of that group and are staying after practice to get extra touches and have just been really dedicated.”
The Lions season ended last year at Putnam City’s senior night, and the script is set for revenge. Moore hosts Putnam City on senior night on April 22.
Girls Soccer
Moore is eager to get the 2025 soccer season going after a 2024 campaign filled with bumps and bruises. Head coach Aubrey Highfill is in her second year and has enjoyed the journey so far.
“We were kind of learning each other in waves,” said Highfill. “We lost some games that we were up in but got better each time.”
A lot of time was spent during the offseason becoming a better defensive team. Highfill believes an improved defensive attack will create more opportunities on the offensive side and give the Lions more wins this season.
The girls have lofty goals for the season, and Highfill has complete confidence in them.
“Across the board, everyone wants to go to State,” said Highfill. “It’s been a while since our program has done that, but that’s the main goal. They also want to be city champs.”
Senior center back Kylie Clark is one who Lions fans should follow closely as the season progresses.
“She’s kind of our glue that holds everyone together on the back end,” said Highfill.
Other seniors who should be in for a good season are midfielder Jasmine Molina and Addison Worley. Highfill is also eager to see how the season unfolds for sophomore Cadyn Betancourt and junior Rylan McIntyre.
“These girls are gritty, passionate and are fighters,” said Highfill. “They’re good leaders and are fully bought in.”
Highfill and the girls are excited about the upcoming season and invite fans to give their support every chance they get.
Tennis
The Lions eager to hit the courts for the 2025 tennis season, bringing fresh energy and determination.
While they’ll be moving forward without a couple of key contributors, head coach Debby Hooks remains optimistic. Last season, several Lions came close to qualifying for State, and though it wasn’t the finish they had hoped for, Hooks is confident in the talent and potential of this year’s team.
Girls
Stepping up in a big way for the girls, senior Elisa Boozer is transiting from the No. 2 single to the No. 1 spot.
“(Boozer) is the ultimate competitor,” said Hooks. “If anyone can step up to the challenge ahead, it’s her.”
Boozer is one of the top-ranked rifle shooters in the country and has accepted a scholarship to shoot for the rifle team at the University of Kentucky. Hooks said the No. 2 singles position has yet to be filled but is looking at five or six girls to take the position.
Senior Keagan Cooper is returning to compete on the No. 1 doubles team with a new partner in senior Vi Worlund. Cooper’s season ended before she wanted it to last year and will surely be looking to finish with a strong senior season.
The No. 2 doubles team is returning junior Emma Endsley and sophomore Makenzie Clements. Lions’ faithful should expect a big season out of these two after they made serious noise last year.
“They were really successful last year,” said Hooks. “They won several tournaments, and I thought they were going to qualify for State, but they barely got beat out.”
Boys
The boys side is a little more complicated and definitely not set in stone. Hooks will have to make the difficult decision to either put together a dynamic No. 1 doubles team or split them up.
Right now, the Lions have junior Jackson Tait as the No. 1 singles player. Taking the No. 2 singles position is junior Sal Lopez. Both are great players and Hooks has confidence in both but will undoubtedly have her hands full as she decides what is best for the team.
The No. 1 doubles team returns a familiar face in sophomore Cruz Crawford. Starting with him will be sophomore Matt Pennington. The No. 2 doubles team will be returning sophomores Kiree Davis and Payton Fletcher. Both are good friends off the court.
Track & Field
The Lions begin their 2025 track and field season with a clean slate as they have new head coaches for both the boys and girls – Michael Clark and Chris Wise respectively.
While both coaches are fresh in their positions, they quickly recognized the strength of their squads.
“We have some really strong mid-distance runners,” said Clark.
The girls are a bit more well-rounded of a team, but Wise could see where the team could hang their hat on.
“When I first came in, I saw we had a pretty good strength in the distance events,” said Wise.
Boys
Moore faithful can expect a big season from senior Samuel Russell.
“Sam is a really strong 800 runner,” said Clark. “He’s running around mid 1:50s and that’s really good.”
Clark is also excited about sophomore Marquis Evans and freshman Dominic Matthias.
“When it comes to distance guys, these are our top three,” said Clark.
The Lions also have two talented juniors who have the chance to bring home hardware.
“We have a couple of pole vaulters who are really good,” said Clark. “Ben Cruz made it to State last year, and I think Vance Kenemer is going to be right there with him.”
Girls
Youth is a common trend on the girls’ side, but Clark does not view it as a problem.
“We’re a well-rounded group,” said Clark. “There will be some areas where we’re a little young, but I think they’re ready for the challenge.”
The Lions will be led by senior Libby Jaques, and that should not surprise anyone. Jacques has done it all during her time at Moore and will be passing down her experience to the others.
“Libby is back for her senior year to defend her shot put title,” said Wise. “She’s a special athlete and will run the 200 m, sprint relays and then throw shot put for us.”
Another senior who Wise is counting on is Kate Holbrook, who is committed to running track and cross country at the next level.
“Holbrook recently committed to the Arkansas Tech University,” said Wise. “She’s going to be a big piece in the four by eight, one mile and two mile.”
Another senior fans should keep an eye on is Amari Stephens who had a strong offseason.
Both coaches are eager to get going and consider Regionals and State as the most important meets of the season. – SMS
By T.J. Turner
