Edmond North snaps Moore’s 15-game win streak, on to state
SHAWNEE — If Dylan Warlick is playing for a championship, he’s driven to claim it, no matter the conditions.
In Edmond North’s last showdown with Moore in February, the Huskies dropped its first in-state game in nearly two years. The loss triggered the team’s heightened sense of urgency as it prepared for another deep playoff run.
But the Wyoming signee wasn’t solely motivated to evoke revenge on the Lions ahead of Friday’s rematch.
“Their history with us mattered to me, but it didn’t at the same time, if I’m being honest,” Warlick said following Edmond North’s 55-42 win over Moore in the Class 6A area playoffs. The Huskies captured their third consecutive area championship.
“They were in our way, so I knew we would dominate them,” Warlick continued. “This time of year is what really gets me going. You know I’m all about competing and bringing home any championships we can.”
Moore had zero answers for the three-star forward from start to finish. Warlick went off for 25 points while grabbing nine rebounds in the victory to give the Huskies their sixth consecutive win.
While the final score may indicate a calm contest, Edmond North initially struggled out of the gate. Lions guard Tristan Hankins gave the Huskies problems early with 10 first-half points. However, Chianté Tramble caught fire from downtown to ease Edmond North’s worries heading into halftime.
Tramble knows a thing or two about the Lions’ persistent ways. He spent his sophomore season at Moore, where he was a team leader as he has been for Edmond North as a senior.
“We know that they have two go-to guys in Darian Grant and Tristan Hankins, and we did a great job of limiting them in the second half,” Tramble said. “We knew that if we shut them down, the rest of them would fall along with
Edmond North’s Dylan Warlick (pictured on Jan. 26) had 25 points and nine rebounds Friday against Moore in the Class 6A area playoffs. them. Our coaching staff did a good job of making sure we prepared for whatever they threw at us.”
Edmond North erupted on a 14-6 run in the third quarter to widen the gap after timely buckets from Tramble and forward Bryce Potts. Warlick then took over in the final quarter, scoring 11 points to lead the Huskies to victory, snapping Moore’s 15-game win streak.
With the win, the two-time defending Class 6A champions will now have a chance to go for their highly coveted three-peat. The idea of seizing a third state championship has inspired the group for the past 12 months.
With the addition of Tramble to the mix alongside Warlick, Potts, Dontrell Yearby and Tatum Ridge, the Huskies seek to be the first team in Class 6A history to accomplish the feat.
“I worked my tail off every day in the summer just to get back to where we are now,” Warlick said. “If there’s a competition to win, I want to be a part of it. That’s just in my nature. So, I can’t wait to head to OU in a few days and do just that at the highest level yet. We know there’s a target on us, but we’ll be ready for the challenge.”