Rush Springs Public Schools Hall of Fame: Who Should be Next?
The Rush Springs Public Schools Hall of Fame was established in early 2022 and saw legendary Coach Joe Tunnell and standout athlete Jack Porter become inductees in the inaugural class. As far as inaugural classes go, this one was a can’t miss group. Coach Joe Tunnell was undoubtedly one of…
Coach Mike Leach: College Football’s Historically Unique Figure
On Monday night, the college football world lost a shining light as longtime coach Mike Leach passed away “after complications related to a heart condition,” according to ESPN. Leach was an assistant coach, beginning in 1987, for Cal Poly, College of the Desert, Iowa Wesleyan, Valdosta State, Kentucky, and OU,…
FNBT Rush Springs Scores Big for School
How does Rush Springs keep doing that? Despite its small size, the town of Rush Springs shows fierce Redskin team spirit every year and keeps earning one of the highest donations among the 20 communities that participate in the Team Spirit Card Program at The First National Bank & Trust…
Rush Springs Christmas Parade and Toy Run
The Rush Springs Christmas Parade and Toy Run will be held Saturday, December 10. The parade will begin at 1 p.m., with line up at 12:30 p.m. in front of the school. Everyone is welcome to participate in the parade, whether you have wheels or legs! Santa Claus and Mrs.…
Cross Country Racing and Riding is Revving up in Rush Springs
Maybe you have driven south on Highway 81 and noticed what looks to be a dirt bike riding area on the east side of the highway. If that’s what you thought, you are exactly right. Daniel and Angela Dyrcz are the owners of Danitek Track and Trails, 4749 Hwy 81…
Q&A with Oklahoma State’s Trace Ford
Trace Ford is a high-level pass rusher for the current number eight ranked college football team in the nation, Oklahoma State University. The Edmond Santa Fe alum is a redshirt junior that is extremely talented and beaming with next-level potential. More than that, however, is the person Ford is.…
Lady Redskins are Fast Pitch Softball District Champions
The Lady Redskins Fast Pitch softball team left no doubt they were the top team in their district last week, beating Empire handily 19-2, then beating Union City Thursday and Friday. The Empire Lady Bulldogs were no match for the Lady Redskins in game one. With a score of 5-2…
Redskins Found Bright Spots Last Week, Keep Striving for First Win
The Redskins will be off this week as they prepare to take on the Ringling Blue Devils next week. The Redskins, though winless, found some bright spots in the last half of their game against Mangum. The first half wasn’t pretty for the Redskins as they found themselves down 14-0…
Lady Redskins Picking up Steam
The Lady Redskins softball team is simply having a good season. Although it hasn’t been perfect, they do have a record of 20 wins and 7 losses thus far on the season. Additionally, the Lady Redskins will host Union City and Empire for district play, which will be September 22-24..…
17th Annual Yayo’s Run will Benefit Brodie Stewart
2022 marks the 17th year for Yayo’s Run. Yayo Varela and his wife, Guadalupe, began this benefit run 17 years ago to help local kids fighting cancer. This year, the benefit funds will go to Brodie Stewart and his family. Brodie has been fighting his battle for almost 18 months. Last…
Lady Redskins Softball Continue Their Winning Ways
The Rush Springs Lady Redskins softball team continues to fight and claw their way to find victories. The Lady Redskins defeated Verden last week 3-1. Other scheduled games were postponed due to rain last week. The Lady Redskins took on Union City in a double header Tuesday. The outcome of…
Bratcher Proves Himself with Prize Melons
First time watermelon grower, Casen Bratcher, decided he might just grow watermelons again next year. Casen, a freshman at Rush Springs High School, experienced a phenomenal year raising his first crop of watermelons and his season could not have ended better. Casen exhibited the Grand Champion watermelon, a Black Diamond. He…
Lt. Governor Pinnell Completes Coronation of Royalty
Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell was on hand Saturday to crown the Tiny Tot Winners and present them with the Little Mr. and Miss Rush Springs titles and do the final coronation of the 2022 Watermelon Queen. The Lt. Governor was a great addition to our line-up, jumped right in, clapped…
Rush Springs Native, Johnson Announces Commitment to OU
Jacobe Johnson became the Sooners’ 20th commit for 2023. Regarded as the No. 2 player in Oklahoma, Johnson is a senior at Mustang High School. Although Jacobe Johnson now resides in Mustang with his parents, Malcolm and Marcia Johnson and twin brothers, Jaytee and Jayden, Jacobe Johnson grew up and…
My Time at the Rush Springs Gazette
As my time here at the Rush Springs Gazette comes to a close, I am very thankful to my boss, Mary Hill, and also the Oklahoma Press Association for the opportunity. Working for the newspaper this summer has been an invaluable learning experience. I had a fantastic time learning more…
77th Annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival
The 77th Annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival will return on Saturday, August 13. Easily the biggest day of the year for the “Watermelon Capital of the World,” the town sees its small population of 1,200 expand to greet 20,000 to 40,000 guests at Jeff Davis Park. So, for those who…
Billy and Wilma Pittman to be honored as Pioneer Recipients
Billy and Wilma Pittman will be honored as Pioneer Recipients to kick off the 2022 Watermelon Festival. Billy Pittman and Wilma Ogle Pittman were married December 25, 1948 and will be celebrating 74 years of marriage, December 25, 2022. Wilma was raised in the Tabler, Oklahoma area on the family…
Q&A with 2022 Watermelon Queen Taylor Abbott
If you have ever wondered what is like to be Watermelon Queen, enjoy a Q and A with Taylor Abbott. Q: For those who don’t know, can you explain what your role as Watermelon Queen entails? A: As the Watermelon Queen, my job is to promote the Watermelon Festival and invite…
San Diego Padres Receive MLB Superstar Juan Soto in Blockbuster Deadline Deal
According to multiple reports from Major League Baseball’s biggest insiders, the Washington Nationals are trading generational talent, Juan Soto, to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a massive haul of prospects. Full blockbuster trade details include the San Diego Padres acquiring Juan Soto and Josh Bell while the Washington Nationals receive Mackenzie Gore, C.J.…
When Life Comes Full Circle: The Life of Christa Porter
Everyone and everything in life has an origin story. Distinguished Rush Springs resident Christa Porter is no exception. So, in order to fully understand just who Christa Porter is and how she operates, we must go back to the very beginning. The daughter of former University of Oklahoma football standout…
2022 ALL SCHOOL REUNION of RSHS CLASSMATES
By Chairperson, Jane Dowling Porter ‘66 The classmates of the 1940’s, 1950’s, 1960’s and a very good representation from the 70’s and 80’s joined together for the sixth “All School Reunion” Saturday, June 18, 2022, at the Grady County Fairgrounds in Chickasha. All RSHS alumni, not only graduates, are always…
2022 MLB All-Star Game: Fellow Oklahoman Shines Bright
On Tuesday, July 19, the American League defeated the National League 3-2 in the MLB All-Star Game to extend their win streak to nine.The star-studded night was a smashing success that saw several great performances by the league’s best.One notable performance was by a fellow Oklahoman, Ryan Helsley, of the St.…
Local Youth Help Those in Need
The Intervention Crisis and Advocacy Network, a Chickasha non-profit that supports victims of domestic violence, was recently assisted by local Future Farmers of America students. Raygan Krey of Sterling is the 2022-2023 Oklahoma Red Angus Queen for North American Junior Red Angus Event and enlisted the help of local FFA…
Miller Farms Fruit Stand Reopens
On Friday, July 1, Miller Farms fruit stand reopened for business. The reopening came as a byproduct of widespread community assistance, with many helping the family get back on their feet. Tragedy struck the morning of February 17 for the Miller family as they were informed that their beloved fruit…
Lady Redskins Softball Team has High Hopes for Upcoming Season
The Rush Springs Lady Redskins softball team is beginning to prepare for the upcoming season, with high hopes in store. “I have really high expectations for these girls,” Coach Josh Ingram said. “I truly believe they should win districts in softball and basketball this year. If they don’t, they’re not…
Rush Springs Baseball Looks to Continue Building Program
The Rush Springs Redskins baseball team finished their summer on Tuesday, June 28, as their final double header as part of a local summer league was rained out. The Redskins are coming off a respectable spring season, going 15-20. The team had an incredible victory over Ninnekah during districts, 33-0,…
76th Annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival Set To Return
*** Originally Published June of 2021*** The 76th annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival is set to make its long-awaited return on Aug. 14. The event was postponed last year for the first time since World War II due to the ongoing pandemic. Each and every year, on the second Saturday…
Maxine Cotham: The Life of a Centenarian
It was a cold, rainy night and Rube Glover just wanted to find a place to sleep other than the rain-soaked, mushy ground. A solider in the United States Army during World War I, he was stationed in France. Eventually, he found a table that he could rest on for…
Soap Box Derby and Car Show “Heat Up”
Although the temperatures continued to rise throughout the day Saturday, a great crowd gathered to see the Car Show and watch the Soap Box Derby, put on by Tommy and Kim Jordan. The Jordan’s started this fun event six years ago to raise money for local youth. From year one, the event…
Third Times a Charm: Tim Beard Begins Third Stint as Rush Springs Head Football Coach
On April 11, 2022, Rush Springs Public Schools hired Tim Beard as head football coach, once again. This is Beard’s third stint with the Redskins, previously presiding over the program from 2009-2014 and 2017-2018, going 35-48 during that time. “I’m happy to be back,” Beard told the Rush Springs Gazette…
Small Town, Big Stage
OKLAHOMA CITY- On June 8, the University of Oklahoma put on a masterclass, historic performance in their game one victory over the University of Texas at the NCAA’s Women’s College World Series. The Sooners hit a WCWS record-breaking six home runs in their 16-1 total shellacking of the Longhorns. Superstars…
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