The Haileyville academic team wrapped up an impressive season, showcasing their resilience and teamwork in multiple tournaments. Competing in the Pitt 8 Conference and OSSAA regionals, the team advanced to the area tournament, falling just short of a state appearance. While the season didn’t end the way they had hoped, the experience gained has set the stage for future success.
“We did not advance to state, but the team is young,” said head coach Selina Riley. “We are looking forward to a chance to compete again next season.”
A mix of two juniors, two sophomores and five freshmen made up this year’s squad, giving Haileyville both experienced leaders and young competitors eager to step up. At the forefront was team captain Ember Duffy, a junior who has been a crucial part of the program since her freshman year.
“The team and I all depend on Ember’s leadership skills,” Riley said. “Ember has been active on the academic team since she was a freshman. She is willing to take on multiple responsibilities, learns new material every day and helps with the junior high and elementary academic teams.”
One of the bright spots of the season was the emergence of freshman Briar Adams, who quickly became a key player thanks to his strong knowledge of current events, pop culture and math. Despite being new to high school competition, Briar stepped up in major moments, showing he will be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years.
“He is a great asset to the team bringing knowledge of current events, movies/tv and math,” Riley said. “This is Briar’s first year to compete with the academic team.”
While academic teams thrive on quick thinking and knowledge, they also need players who bring a strong work ethic and positive attitude. For Haileyville, that player is Chevy McLemore. Dependable, hard-working, and always willing to help, Chevy has been an integral part of the team’s chemistry.
“Chevy is dependable, hardworking and works well with all teammates,” Riley said. “He volunteers to help in all situations.”
With a young core and strong leadership, Haileyville’s academic team has a bright future ahead. While the 2024-25 season has come to an end, the team will take the lessons learned and build toward another competitive year.
