Well, sort of. I was born a coal miner’s great-granddaughter.

My family and I have been Hartshorne Miners for generations, my grandmother even being the drum major for the marching band and affectionately nicknamed “Miss Hartshorne” once upon a time. I cheered and played softball, and my brother is the current starting quarterback for the Miners. Hartshorne is my home, the town that built me. Our roots run deep through this community, which makes what I get to do for a living that much cooler.

I am the new Southeast Content Editor for Vype Magazine, which means I cover high school teams and sporting events all across Southeast Oklahoma. I truly never knew how much my time at Hartshorne would impact my professional career the way it has. Writing feature articles on kids I have known for years and reaching out to coaches and teachers that helped mold me has been a surreal experience. I never imagined I would be covering games on the same field where I was once a cheerleader, where my brother has played countless downs for the Miners, where my dad played during his senior football season at Hartshorne in 1991.

Coming off a successful season, it’s all about tradition and pride for the Miners this year. Hartshorne took the field of scrimmage against Spiro and Roland this past Friday, edging closer to the beginning of the regular season.

“Hartshorne looked hungry on the field,” Head Coach Bill Williams said. “The offensive line has improved from last season, with most of our guys having a good year of experience under their belts. Our defense has a chance to be something special, we looked much more aggressive and strong.”

Senior Jackson Moody led the Miners at the quarterback and free safety positions, making crucial tackles, recovering a fumble and rushed for a touchdown. Senior Kelby Thomason and Junior Brett Lindley also aided Moody on the offensive side of the ball, receiving passes and rushing for solid yards. Freshman Branden Pajaro excelled at the defensive end position, penetrating the backfield, disrupting plays and had multiple sacks in the scrimmage.

Junior Acetin Rowell had a great outing for the Miners, running hard, breaking tackles and gaining effective yards on each carry. He was also impactful on the defensive side of the ball at the linebacker position.

“We got better in every single aspect of the game today, lots of improvement,” Williams said. “I am excited for next Friday! Miner Fight Never Dies!”

Southeast Oklahoma is my home, and I am excited to cover an area with such meaning to me.