HILLSDALE, Okla. – Hillsdale Christian College's third-year senior is about to take a significant step in its athletic program.
The Eagles had been elected to the Oklahoma Excessive College Actions Affiliation earlier this month after being rejected a 12 months earlier. The vote was unanimous
The OSSAA instructed faculty officers they wanted to create extra aggressive historical past, HC Superintendent Steve Hoffsommer mentioned.
The Eagles did that final season when the women went 22-4 and received the Heartland Christian Excessive College state championship (which included Arkansas colleges) and the boys went 17-7 and misplaced within the first spherical.
Junior women received state. The boys had been second.
Hillsdale Christian joined the Heartland Christian Athletic Affiliation final 12 months.
“It's huge for us,” Hoffsommer mentioned. “The youngsters, at the least they’d a playoff basketball season final 12 months, however that makes the journey so much simpler. Final 12 months we received to go to Pryor and Arkansas and we made a number of journeys to Tulsa.
“Once they noticed our video games and our scores, I feel we proved that we’ve got a aggressive historical past. Should you have a look at the colleges we've overwhelmed, we've proven we’ve got legs.''
The varsity can even compete in cross nation, observe and women slow-pitch softball. They are going to be at school B with a complete of 42 entries.
Wade Ratzlaff, a distance runner, obtained a scholarship to Tabor School. Returner Molly Carpenter is one other standout distance runner. They needed to go to Siloam Springs, Ark., for the state/regional championships.
“We had been hoping to get accepted early so they might have an opportunity to compete at regionals and state,” Hoffsommer mentioned.
The choice provides the college credibility amongst its friends within the space.
“A number of colleges had been reluctant to ask us to their tournaments as a result of we weren't a member of the OSSAA,” Hoffsommer mentioned. “That may assist us in that regard.
Hillsdale Christian is ready for 2 mid-season tournaments – Cimarron and a brand new event in Burlington. Hillsdale Christian will drop the event it has hosted the previous two years.
Hoffsommer mentioned it was troublesome to schedule with 4 groups in 2023 and 6 in 2024, inflicting some “main” planning.
Hoffsommer hopes the Eagles can be a part of the convention sooner or later sooner or later.
Hillsdale Christian provides Waukomis to 2024-25 schedule. Final season, OSSAA members Aline-Cleo, Burlington, Cimarron, Corn Bible, Medford, Taloga, Waynoka, Covington-Douglas, DCLA, Billings and Prue performed.
“We appreciated the colleges that performed with us to assist us get our program going,” Hoffsommer mentioned. “That offers us extra credibility so far as the plan is worried.” Whenever you inform folks you're within the Heartland Christian Athletic Affiliation, nobody is aware of what it’s. That may assist us.''
Hoffsommer mentioned the college is grateful to the HCAA for permitting the Eagles to play and have an opportunity on the postseason.
OSSAA Assistant Director Amy Cassell visited the college final month and got here away impressed. The varsity has a four-year gymnasium.
“She made a remark that it appeared like a enjoyable place to go to highschool,” Hoffsommer mentioned. “I do know what the opposite colleges that got here right here to play, they didn't realize it was that good.
The varsity has a brand new constructing. Previously, the college was held in 5 totally different buildings.
“Now we’ve got every thing in a single (constructing), which makes the administrator's job simpler,” Hoffsommer mentioned. “I do know it's simpler for the children, particularly when it's chilly or wet.
Hoffsommer will proceed to educate the junior excessive women basketball groups. Former Chisholm star Matt Watkins, who assisted Hoffsommer, will coach the boys groups.
Hoffsommer mentioned the college hopes so as to add baseball within the subsequent few years as extra boys enroll and fast-pitch softball.
“God has actually blessed our college,” Hoffsommer mentioned.
