Poteau football banquet held Sunday
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Poteau football banquet held Sunday
By DAVID SEELEY
The Poteau Daily News
POTEAU — Several Poteau Pirates football players, cheerleaders and pom squad members received special recognition during the 2022 Poteau Pirates Quarterback Club Football Awards Banquet, which took place Sunday night at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center.
After he introduced assistant coaches Mike Odom, Jarrett Lowrimore, Matt Kennedy, Trevor Shankle, Payton Warner, Jason Prescott and Allan Stockton, Poteau head football coach Greg Werner introduced his 78 players, which saw its varsity go 10-3 in 2022, won its fifth straight District 4A-4 title and advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals for the fourth time in five years.
“I told our kids over and over that the greatest compliment I can give them is we truly overachieved,” the veteran head coach said. “We were much better than people thought we would be. We had the smallest offensive line in Class 4A football, but these guys overachieved. I’m extremely proud of them and what we accomplished.”
Greg Werner announced his seniors — Caleb Bridges, Wesley Garrett, Wyatt Holt, Cho Cho Ramirez, Jayden Wooten, Kody Coyle, Jace Goff, Christian Owens, Will Restine, Kix Fenton, Emiliano Gonzalez, Joseph Marcaurelle, Aiden Sconyers, Chris Garcia, Jace Hall, Eli Newby and Eric Tucker. The assistant coaches gave plaques to all the seniors, who in their career as a class won three district titles, 30 wins, two state semifinal appearances and three state quarterfinal appearances. Werner also mentioned how Restine won the Class 4A Regional Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at Catoosa, while Coyle qualified for this weekend’s state tournament at State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City.
Dax Collins got the Most Valuable Player Award, Jackson Sommers got the Offensive MVP, Fenton got the Defensive MVP and Ethan McBee got the Special Teams MVP.
Tyler Fassio got the Most Improved Defensive Player, while Adrian Conchos got the Most Improved Offensive Player.
Darrion Brooks and Aiden Sockey were named the Co-Big Stick Award winners, while Luke Brooks got the Big Stick Award.
John Perry handed out the Bill Perry Leadership Award to Garrett, while Ramona Smith gave out the Billy Jack Smith Offensive Lineman of the Year Award to Restine.
Ramirez got the 100-Percent Effort Award, Owens got the Scout Team Award, Holden Mattox Wyatt Gamble were named the Co-Patrick Lynch Defensive Backs of the Year.
Fenton, Ramirez and Restine were recognized as being Class 4A All-Stars, which makes them eligible to be named as All-State reserves for this summer’s All-State Football Game in July.
Three players were recognized for making the All District 4A-4 Team — Garrett as a wide receiver, Restine as a offensive linemen and Ramirez as the Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Longtime ball boy Freddie McCoy was given a special football for his 50 years of service in that role.
Poteau’s head football coach announced the managers and gave a plaque to senior Melanie Solito.
Poteau High School Cheerleader Coach Valerie Odom recognized her cheerleaders, and honored her two seniors — Allison Mattox and Summer West — with a plaque and a photographic collage. Odom mentioned that seven were in the National Honor Society, with freshmen who would be in it if they were eligible.
Poteau High School Coach Pom Squad Co-Coaches Leslie Hemphill and Tiffany Sconyers, who will be stepping down, recognized their pom squad members, who in past years were known as the Silver Steppers. Sconyers handed out plaques to seniors Tommie Attee, Jezebel Gabriel, Kymber Hinson, Sadie Perkin and Elizabeth Reed. Hemphill said that this year’s squad qualified for state after an Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association computer glitch initially showed the squad had not qualified but then once the glitch was fixed showed the team was a state qualifier.
Denison (Texas) High School running back coach John Heavener was the guest speaker, and was introduced by a former fellow coaching staff member at Southeastern Oklahoma State University — Payton Werner.
Heavener’s key point of his keynote address to the players was the five keys to being successful — character (traits such as effort, honesty and self control), conduct (by dominating taking care of one’s responsibilities), event and response (something happening and how one deals with that), perspective and outcome (which is the final product, that of being a successful individual).
A video was shown that highlighted the 2022 season and honored the seniors.
In closing, Greg Werner mentioned some of the 10-year numbers of the program — such as a 98-26 in 10 years, 56-8 home record, 60-10 in district play, 34 straight district wins, seven straight district titles and the only Poteau state football championship. He also mentioned the Clinton-Poteau Class 4A state quarterfinal game played Nov. 18 at Costner Stadium that went three overtimes — and “the greatest football game I’ve ever coached in” — and how the game was played in front of a half-empty stadium. He challenged those in attendance as well as the community to get involved by joining the QB Club and support the program.
“In 2013, we went to the state semifinals, and we could hardly get the bus down the road because there was so many people cheering us as we left town. The last two years we’ve left town, and not one person has been there to send us off — not because you don’t care. not because people don’t care, but because we have built the beast. People have become apathetic because we have the beast, and you have to feed it. I love Poteau football. I love Poteau, and I’m proud to be the head coach. We had a great football team this year that deserves all of your respect and honor. We have a chance to win a state title next year and have a great football team. I ask you this — let us play, let them (players) play, let us (coaches). Help us. Join the Quarterback Club. Be a part of us. Support these young men — they deserve it. Be a part of the program. This is a great program. These are great kids, and they deserve it. They deserve your respect and everything you can give them — because this place is something special. We can be special. I’m proud to be here, and I love Poteau football.”
