MORNING ROUNDUP
Tulsa Union star athlete suffers gunshot injury
Tulsa Union wide receiver Jarek Watie is expected to recover from a gunshot injury that he sustained Sunday.
Watie, a 17-year-old senior, was shot in the neck during a party at an Airbnb near 24th and Sheridan in Tulsa. According to a report by the Tulsa World, Tulsa Police said the alleged shooter, who’s also 17 years old, was arrested for reckless conduct with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a juvenile.
“Someone in a room at the party was toying with a gun when it went off accidentally and shot a 17-year-old boy (Watie) in the neck,” Tulsa Police told the Tulsa World.
Watie is a standout wide receiver who caught four passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns during Tulsa Union’s 42-35 overtime win over Bentonville on Friday. He then visited OSU during its 44-20 home win over South Dakota State on Saturday.
Watie also won gold in the 400 meter dash during the 2024 Oklahoma high school track and field Class 6A state meet. He received a scholarship offer from Tulsa’s track program on June 4.
Extra points
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS: The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association announced a multi-year partnership with Gateway First Bank, which will kick off a Friday Night Lights tour visiting seven member schools and donating $7,000 to each this season. The bank will also sponsor the OSSAA’s promotion to allow free entry for veterans to football state championship games.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: OU’s Thobias Cheruiyot was named the Southeastern Conference freshman runner of the week following his performance at the OSU Cowboy Preview on Friday. He finished first in the men’s 5K with a time of 14:57.2, the fastest time by an SEC freshman over the weekend. He was the first OU runner to win the event since 2017.