Here we are at the end of 2024. In less than a month, the 2025 season will start as several small college and JUCO squads will begin play the weekend of January 23-26.
Before we say farewell to 2024 and focus on 2025, let’s take a look at 9 (get it?) stories from 2024 that were of significance in the Sooner State.
1. MACU Arrives On The National Scene
When head coach, Brett Stanton, took over the Evangel program in 2021, he took over a program that had not had much success in their history. All Stanton has done is led a program that has increased it’s win total from 24 in 2021 to 32 in 2022 to 39 in 2023 and 41 in 2024.
After winning the NCCAA national title in 2023 (they should’ve been in the NAIA Opening Round), the Evangels returned several top players and looked for a big season in 2024. And that is exactly what they did. MACU achieved their best record ever at 41-13 on the way to sweeping the SAC regular season title at 20-4 and the SAC Tournament championship.
MACU finished the regular season ranked #11 in the NAIA Coaches Poll, #6 in the NAIA BoChip Ratings, and earned a #1 seed in the Hattiesburg Regional (their first ever NAIA National Tournament appearance).
The Evangels where so impressive, they were named as the top college team relative to their level in our SSBR Power 10.
2. Four Sooner State Squads Make NAIA Opening Round
MACU may have arrived on the NAIA national scene, but 3 other squads from the Sooner State showed once again they are players on the national level.
After making the NAIA Opening Round 6 times from 2014-2021 (along with 3 NAIA World Series appearances), OK Wesleyan found their way back there again in 2024. The Eagles had themselves a solid regular season finishing 3rd in the tough KCAC, but they caught fire in the KCAC Tournament winning 4 straight games to earn an automatic bid. Unfortunately, they went 0-2 in the Hattiesburg Regional while being eliminated by MACU.
Oklahoma City and USAO both made at large appearances in the NAIA Opening Round. Both the Stars and Drovers went 17-7 in the SAC (T2). OCU went 0-2 in their Regional while USAO went the farthest of any Oklahoma team losing in the Regional finals to Southeastern (FL).
3. UCO Earns At-Large Bid to NCAA D2 Tournament
UCO opened the season with an 11 game winning streak on their way to a 37-16 record and a 4th place finish in the always tough MIAA. Unfortunately the Bronchos went 0-2 vs Washburn in the first round of the MIAA Tournament making them sweat it out for an at-large bid for the national tournament.
Fortunately for the Bronchos a strong showing in the Central Region as the #5 team gave the selection committee the go ahead to send the Bronchos into the Regional round. UCO went 1-2 at the Regional with both losses by 1 run.
4. OU & OSU Dominate the Big 12/Host NCAA Regionals
It was a banner final year in the Big 12 for the Sooners. Before OU left for the SEC in 2025, they dominated the regular season going 23-7 and winning the league by 3 games. The Sooners won 7 of their 10 Big 12 series sweeping 5 of those series. They also never got swept in conference.
For their part, OSU went 3-1 in 4 games against their Bedlam rival including a dominating 9-3 win in the Big 12 Tournament Championship game. The Poke lost their 2nd game of the tournament before winning their next 3 outscoring their opponents 24-4 in those games.
For their efforts, both the Sooners and Cowboys hosted Regionals in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners were the #9 overall seed while the Pokes were #11. Unfortunately for both teams, they were eliminated in the finals of each Regional.
5. Caden Powell Named JUCO National Player of the Year
Clinton High School alum, Caden Powell, exploded on the scene last Spring. He had a .502 BA, 1.088 SLG%, a total of 109 hits with 32 of them home runs, 17 double, and 7 triples. He also added 104 RBI.
No game epitomized his season than the one he had on March 29 against Arkansas St-Three Rivers.
This is what we wrote when Powell was named to the NJCAA All American Team.
Caden Powell was “Mr. Everything” for the Trojans this past season. The Clinton Red Tornado alum put up numbers that would be MVP worthy in a 162 game MLB season (SSC played 55 games).
For the season, Powell slashed (AVG/OBP/SLG) .502/.561/1.088 with 32 HR, 104 RBI, 17 2B, 7 3B, 28 K, 29 BB, and 16/17 SB.
Powell’s AVG was 2nd in the nation and his HR were 1st (2nd had 25) and RBI were 1st as well (2nd was 95 by Connors State’s Wally Diaz).
Powell was picked in the 6th round of the MLB Draft by the Houston Astros.
6. A Total of 28 Players With Oklahoma Ties Selected in the MLB Draft
Speaking of Powell going in the 6th round of the MLB Draft, a total of 28 players with Sooner State ties were selected in this year’s draft.
A total of 4 players were taken on the 1st day (Rounds 1 & 2). Carson Benge (Yukon HS; OSU) was the 1st player selected (1st round/19 overall) by the NY Mets. Kash Mayfield (Elk City HS) was next (1st round/25 overall) to the Padres. Owen Hall (Edmond North HS; 2nd round/49 overall) and Payton Tolle (Bethany HS; 2nd round/50 overall) were taken by the Tigers and Red Sox respectively.
Both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State saw 8 players each from their 2024 squads drafted. Oklahoma JUCO schools saw 6 players drafted who had spent time at that level with Eastern OK State College seeing 3, Seminole State 2, and Connors State 1. Oklahoma high schools saw 12 players selected with Mayfield and Hall being 2024 seniors.
7. Seven High School State Champions Crowned in the Spring
The 2024 OSSAA season saw some tremendous action, but when it was all said and done, 7 teams stood tallest in their respective classes as the State Champion.
- 6A – Westmoore
- 5A – Carl Albert
- 4A – Marlow
- 3A – Washington
- 2A – Oktaha
- A – Amber Pocasset
- B – Ft Cobb-Broxton
Fort Cobb-Broxton won their 3rd Spring title in 4 years.
AmPo won their first ever state title.
While being the best team relative to their class, Oktaha won their first Spring title.
Washington was the top team in 3A all season and won their 3rd straight state championship.
Marlow upset Tuttle in the semis and Blanchard in the finals to finally get their first state title.
Carl Albert repeated as 5A state champs and won their 3rd state championship in 4 years (8th overall).
Westmoore got hot in the postseason and won their 1st state championship in 30 years (2nd overall).
8. OSSAA Expands Classifications
In a puzzling move, the OSSAA approved a proposal to add more classifications in both Spring and Fall baseball.
Starting this past Fall season, there were 3 classes (up from 2) with state champions crowned in 2A, A, and B. Class 2A saw a total of 16 teams while Class A saw 32 teams. Class B was the largest with over 50 teams.
Starting this 2025 Spring season, there will now be 9 classifications (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A-1, 2A-2, A-1, A-2, B).
Classes 2A-2 up to 6A will have 32 teams. Classes A-1 and A-2 will have 48 teams each while Class B will have the most at 125.
9. Three Squads Claim State Championships in the Fall
As you just read, we saw a total of 3 teams claim Fall State Championships with the addition of new classifications.
In Class 2A, Silo and Dale were the top 2 teams in the class and met in the state championship. Silo controlled the championship game winning 8-3 over the Pirates.
In Class A, Wright City completed an almost perfect season as they beat a talented Rattan team 6-3. Wright City was the team of the Fall as they finished #1 in our Fall Rankings (Elite Eight).
Ft Cobb-Broxton overcame a slow start to the season as they beat rival, Calumet, 6-1 in the finals. It was the Mustangs 3rd consecutive Fall Championship and 5th overall including the Spring.
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