Heavy tournament load on tap

This weekend marks the biggest tournament week of the basketball season and all but one area school will be taking part. Kingfisher will be hosting the Buckle of the Wheat-belt Invitational for the 17th straight year. The KHS boys are the two-time defending champions of the Buckle and are this year’s top seed. Weatherford is the No. 1 seed on the girls’ side and is also defending a title from last year. This year’s Buckle will feature some new teams as Guymon, Cache and Guthrie are joining the bracket. Among the mainstays who exited was Elk City. Games will begin on Thursday and run through Saturday. The Buckle isn’t the only county school hosting a tournament. Cashion’s County Line Tournament is the new landing spot for Elk City. This year’s tournament not only features the hometown Wildcats, but also Dale. Dale’s girls sit atop the Class 2A rankings and are the No. 1 seed. Cashion beat Dale for last year’s girls’ championship. Elk City, ranked 18th in 4A, is the No. 2 girls seed. On the boys’ side, Dale is the No. 1 seed. The Pirates had spent several weeks at No. 1, but recent losses to Rock Creek and Wright City saw them fall to No. 3. They are one of four ranked teams on the boys side. Perry, the second seed, is No. 9 in 3A. Crossings Christian in 15th in 3A and Cashion is 17th in 2A. Dover is taking part in the 95th annual Skeltur Conference Tournament in Enid. The Skeltur used to be a weeklong event but has since moved to the more common Thursday-Saturday format. Also playing in Enid, but at the Chisholm Trail Expo Center on the north end of town, is Lomega. The LHS squads will be playing in the Cherokee Strip Conference Tournament. The Lady Raiders are the three-time defending champions and are this year’s No. 1 seed. The Lomega boys placed fifth last year. Okarche and Crescent will head east to the Coyle Invitational. Okarche is the No. 1 seed in both brackets. Hennessey is the only area school not in a tournament. It had taken part the last several years in the Okeene Invitational, but that tournament folded after last year and Hennessey didn’t get in another this year. Following are the tournament schedules involving all local teams:

Buckle of the Wheatbelt Invitational at Kingfisher Girls Thursday

Game 1: Bethany vs. Chisholm, 10:30 a.m. Game 2: Guthrie vs. Harrah, 1:20 p.m. Game 3: Kingfisher vs. Cache, 4:10 p.m. Game 4: Weatherford vs. Guymon, 7 p.m.

Friday

Loser 2 vs. Loser 3, 10:30 a.m. Loser 1 vs. Loser 4, 1:20 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 4, 4:10 p.m. Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 10 a.m. Fifth place, 1 p.m. Third place, 4 p.m. Championship, 7 p.m.

Boys Thursday

Game 1: Chisholm vs. Weatherford, 11:55 a.m. Game 2: Harrah vs. Bethany, 2:45 p.m Game 3: Guthrie vs. Cache, 5:35 p.m. Game 4: Kingfisher vs. Guymon, 8:25 p.m.

Friday

Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 11:55 a.m. Loser 3 vs. Loser 4, 2:45 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 5:35 p.m. Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 8:25 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 11:30 a.m. Fifth place, 2:30 p.m. Third place, 5:30 p.m. Championship, 8:30 p.m.

Skeltur Conference at Enid Event Center Girls Thursday

Game 1: Pioneer vs. Covington-Douglas, 10:30 a.m. Game 2: Garber vs. Dover, 1:10 p.m. Game 3: Pond Creek-Hunter vs. Drummond, 3:50 p.m. Game 4: Cimarron vs. Waukomis, 6:30 p.m.

Friday

Loser 3 vs. Loser 4, 10:30 a.m. Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 1:10 p.m. Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 3:50 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 9 a.m. Fifth place, 11:40 a.m. Third place, 2:20 p.m. Championship, 5 p.m.

Boys Thursday

Game 1: Garber vs. Cimarron 11:50 a.m. Game 2: Pioneer vs. Covington-Douglas, 2:30 p.m. Game 3: Dover vs. Pond Creek-Hunter, 5:10 p.m. Game 4: Drummond vs. Waukomis, 7:50 p.m.

Friday

Loser 3 vs. Loser 4, 11:50 a.m. Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 2:30 p.m. Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 5:10 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 7:50 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 10:20 a.m. Fifth place, 1 p.m. Third place, 3:40 p.m. Championship, 6:20 p.m.

Cashion County Line Girls Thursday

Game 1: OCS vs. Elk City, 11 a.m. Game 2: Alva vs. Crossings Christian, 1:40 p.m. Game 3: Dale vs. See-worth Academy, 4:20 p.m. Game 4: Perry vs. Cash-ion, 7 p.m.

Friday

Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 11 a.m. Loser 3 vs. Loser 4, 1:40 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 4:20 p.m. Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 10 a.m. Fifth place, 1 p.m. Third place, 4 p.m. Championship, 7 p.m.

Boys Thursday

Game 1: Dale vs. See-worth Academy, 12:20 p.m. Game 2: Alva vs. Perry, 3 p.m. Game 3: Crossings Christian vs. Elk City, 5:40 p.m. Game 4: OCS vs. Cash-ion, 8:20 p.m.

Friday

Loser 1 vs. Loser 4, 12:20 p.m. Loser 2 vs. Loser 3, 3 p.m. Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 5:40 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 4, 8:20 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 11:30 a.m. Fifth place, 2:30 p.m. Third place, 5:30 p.m. Championship, 8:30 p.m.

Cherokee Strip Conference at Chisholm Trail Expo Center, Enid Girls Thursday

Game 1: Cherokee vs. Medford, 11 a.m. Game 2: Lomega vs. DCLA, 1:40 p.m. Game 3: Kremlin-Hillsdale vs. Burlington, 4:20 p.m. Game 4: Ringwood vs. Timberlake, 7 p.m.

Friday

Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 11 a.m. Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 1:40 p.m. Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 4:20 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 10 a.m. Fifth place, 12:40 p.m. Third place, 3:20 p.m. Championship, 6 p.m.

Boys Thursday

Game 1: Cherokee vs. DCLA, 12:20 p.m. Game 2: Lomega vs. Medford, 3 p.m. Game 3: Timberlake vs. Burlington, 5:40 p.m. Game 4: Kremlin-Hillsdale vs. Ringwood, 8:20 p.m.

Friday

Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 12:20 p.m. Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 3 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 5:40 p.m. Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 8:20 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 11:20 a.m. Fifth place, 2 p.m. Third place, 4:40 p.m. Championship, 7:20 p.m.

Coyle Invitational Girls Thursday

Game 1: Community Christian vs. Watonga, 10 a.m. Game 2: Mulhall-Orlando vs. Coyle, 12:40 p.m. Game 3: Okarche vs. Oilton, 3:20 p.m. Game 4: Southwest Covenant vs. Crescent, 6 p.m.

Friday

Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 10 a.m. Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 12:40 p.m. Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 3:20 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 6 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 10 a.m Fifth place, 12:40 p.m. Third place, 3:20 p.m. Championship, 6:15 p.m.

Boys Thursday

Game 1: Watonga vs. Community Christian, 11:20 a.m. Game 2: Okarche vs. Mulhall-Orlando, 2 p.m. Game 3: Crescent vs. Oilton, 4:40 p.m. Game 4: Southwest Covenant vs. Coyle, 7:20 p.m.

Friday

Loser 1 vs. Loser 4, 11:20 a.m. Loser 2 vs. Loser 3, 2 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 4, 4:40 p.m. Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 7:20 p.m.

Saturday

Seventh place, 11:20 a.m. Fifth place, 2 p.m. Third place, 4:40 p.m. Championship, 7:45 p.m.