Sport: Boys Basketball Head Coach: Dave Miller, 17th Year Assistant Coach(es): Scott McClendon
The Patriots finished the 2022-23 season with a 11-10 overall record and were 4-5 in the SCBL, to finish sixth in the league.West Elk will return three starters with Uriah Tillapaugh, Martin Shipley and Maddex Moreno; and four other returning players in juniors Trent Haag and Kase Kill and sophomores Roman Moreno and Garett Usry. A full roster was unavailable at the time of publication.
December 1 Oswego, 4 p.m.
December 4, 5, 7, 8 @Yates Center Wildcat Tourn.,TBA December 12 Neodesha, 4 p.m.
December 15 @Fredonia, 4 p.m.
January 5 @Bluestem, 4 p.m.
January 9 @Central, 4 p.m.
January 12 Argonia 6 p.m.
January 13-20 @SCBL Tournament at Ark City,TBA January 23 @Remington Whitewater, 4 p.m.
January 26 South Haven. 5 p.m.
January 23 @Sedan, 4 p.m.
February 2 Oxford, 4 p.m.
February 6 Udall, 4 p.m.
February 9 @Caldwell, 4 p.m.
February 13 @Flinthills, 4 p.m.
February 16 Cedar Vale, 4 p.m.
February 26-March 2 @Sub-State,TBA March 6-9 @State, (Dodge City) TBA
Sport: Girls Basketball Head Coach:Alyssa Howard, 1st year Assistant Coach: Michaela Englebrecht West Elk Lady Patriots finished the 2022-23 season with a 15-7 overall record and were 8-1 in the SCBL. “With two new coaches this year, we are looking to start the foundation of a new program. It will be a learning year as the girls get used to how Coach Englebrecht and myself want to run things and the new drills and plays we will bring in this year.We lost two starters from last year and have most of our varsity team back, so we are looking to build off of lasts years success and continue that into this year,” stated coach Howard.
Returning letter winners for the Lady Patriots are Seniors Kodi Harshman and Makaila Gillespie, and; Juniors: Jaicey Tillapaugh, Nevaeh Tillapaugh and Briea McGee; and sophomore KiraTillapaugh. Others representing the Lady Patriots are Juniors Ale Hurt, Josey Toon, Kylie Beougher and Lanee Shipley; Sophomores Molly Harshman, Rachel Humphrey and Kadence Beaumont;and Freshmen: Milly Koop, Maggie Denton andAva Denton.
Sport: Boys & Girls Wrestling Head Coach: Chad Koop, 1st Year Assistant Coach: Shawn Kisling
The Patriots return two state placers with senior Evan Coble and junior Creyo Koop. Coble, a three-time state placer, claimed a fifth place medal in the 126-pound class his junior year; third place in the 113-pound weight class during his sophomore year and placed fifth in the 106-pound weight class his freshman year. Koop, a two-time state placer, placed third in the 165-pound weight class his sophomore year and placed second in the 145-pound weight class his freshman year. West Elk also returns senior Nolan Denton, juniors Josh Patteson and Boedy Murphy; and sophomore Edward Metcalf. Also joining the Patriots this season are junior Scott Samples, sophomore Reagan Morgan-Kaba and freshman Landon Wunderlich.
Returning for the Lady Patriots are senior Kayla Wright and junior Marisa Ghramm.
“Practice is going great,” stated Coach Koop.“Great group of kids that work hard and to learn. Discipline and mental toughness with a desire to want to win,” he continued.“It will be challenging to compete as a team with our numbers. We don’t have a lot of light weight kids. Pretty strong in the middle and heavy weights. I believe our team has bought in already! Really proud of the first week I have had with these individuals! You will see greatness in all our athletes,” he concluded.
Goals this season include: to teach these kids that wrestling is just like life. With discipline and hard work everything will take care of itself at the end of the season.
