The 2022-2023 basketball season turned out to be a historic one for Dale as both the Pirates and Lady Pirates Basketball squads earned a place in the distinguished Dale High School Athletic Chronicles.

The North Rock Creek Lady Cougars Slow-Pitch Softball Team, with Head Coach Chance Griffin, far left, and Assistant Coach Mike Cox, pose with the Class 5A State Championship trophy and poster following their win against Perkins-Tryon at the USA Softball Hall of Fame on May 9. They won 15-0. Earlier that day they played Plainview in the Quarterfinals and won, 21-5, and Broken Bow in the Semifinals, winning 10-5. The Lady Cougars ended their season with a 30-9 record. Countywide & Sun/Natasha Dunagan

The Tecumseh Lady Savage Slow Pitch squad is accustomed to finishing their season in the State Tournament and that trend continued this year. The Lady Savages finished yet another stellar season with a record of 29-8 and finished just one game away from the State Championship game.

Dale senior Lexi White, at first base, attempts to catch the ball after it was thrown to her by junior Mackenzie Herman, on second base, just before Herman was slid into by a Washington runner. This was during the fifth inning of the Class 4A State Tournament Finals, held at the USA Softball Hall of Fame on May 9. The Lady Pirates lost to Washington, 7-17, to become the State Runners-Up. Earlier in the day, they won the Quarterfinals against Prague, 10-4, and the Semifinals with Valliant, 13-8.

It was a tough finish to a great year for the Dale Lady Pirates round ballers. The Dale ladies advanced all the way to the State Tournament Semifinals before ending the season with a heartbreaking 63-62 overtime loss to Pocola last Friday.