By KRISTI MAYFIELD
kmayfield@oakdaleleader.com
Cowboy hats lined the basketball court and emotions were running high as the Oakdale Broncos (Grannies) took on the Oakdale Saddle Club Cowboys for a battle in Granny Basketball during Rodeo Week. The Broncos had the style and flair locked in as they took the court at Oakdale Junior High School for the good-natured competition, but ultimately the Cowboys, with their inflatable horses and their confident strides, ended up winning the game, the final score being 22-19.
There was no set admission price for the April 7 contest; donations were accepted on behalf of the Oakdale Enrichment Society to benefit its many programs. Specific rules are followed for the game and members of Granny basketball teams also adhere to a dress code for their uniforms.
With an attentive crowd of more than 150 people, the Broncos started strong and kept those Cowboys running up and down the court. Alina Swann of the Broncos showed off her fancy footwork as she glided up and down the court with Althea Adams shooting and scoring. Lisa Lucero Ballard and Lorie Arnebeck stood tall as they guarded the Cowboys with Arnebeck even snagging Paul Santos’s horse and showing him what horseplay really is.
“It really is a lot of fun for us and it also promotes Oakdale so it’s a win-win,” Ballard said of the event.
The Cowboys didn’t miss out on the fun, though, with a few fouls assessed against them for hugging the Grannies and for not riding their horses correctly. Steve Evangelho and Jaylind Kilgore were in it to win it with both scoring quite a few points during the game. As Rob Bartholomew and Norm Mendenhall guarded the Grannies, Santos never missed an opportunity to get in on the fun with some hijinks of his own.
Both teams had some vocal fans in the stands and on the court with their very own cheerleaders. With all of the excitement on the court, there were also some unique giveaways including a brand-new Blackstone Grill which was donated by Ace Hardware of Oakdale. Chris Swanson, owner of multiple Ace Hardware stores including those in Oakdale, Escalon, Ripon and Modesto, was on hand to present the winner of the grill, Dean Davis, with a handshake and a certificate to pick up the grill at the Oakdale Store.
Swanson, a Central Valley native, said, “We are happy to share with the community and events like this are so great for everybody.”
All in all, attendees and participants agreed it was a great kickoff to the Rodeo Week action and a fun event for the whole family with donations going to the Oakdale Enrichment Society, which works diligently to bring events such as the All-American Bash and Small Town Christmas to the community. For more information on upcoming events, visit the Oakdale Enrichment Society online at enrichoakdale.org
