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September 3rd, 2010
Rivalries between schools can unite, split families
On a recent afternoon, Kacey Miller willingly stepped onto enemy turf as he entered the empty halls of Midwest City High School under a banner that read, "Beat DC week is Neextt Week!"
That "DC" stood for Del City, and he was wearing his bright red Del City High School T-shirt.
If he had walked into the school just an hour earlier, before most students had left for the day, the shirt would likely have subjected him to scorn and harassment. But Miller, an English teacher at DCHS, was not stopping by to cause trouble, eavesdrop on the football team's practice or argue the merits of his school's defensive line versus that of MWCHS. He was there to visit his brother.
Mylo Miller wore a black MWCHS T-shirt in his second-floor history classroom. When his brother arrived, he was happy to greet him. Shortly thereafter, sibling rivalry was alive and well, as each talked about the upcoming football game between the two high schools.
In a school district where Sooner Road might as well be the border between two foreign nations, some families find their loyalties split when different members attend or teach at different high schools. It can also make for interesting and heated conversation when Bombers and Eagles meet over the dinner table. Throw Carl Albert High School in the mix, and allegiances become even more pronounced.
Likewise, married couples in the district sometimes find bliss in school loyalty, while others are drawn between two or all three high schools. Some couples have it easy, like the Mayor and his Mrs., Jack and Gail Fry, who both graduated from Carl Albert High School. Later, their children were Titans.
Other families, like the Strahorns of Midwest City, have representatives from all three high schools in their family tree.
OPPOSING SIDES
For the Millers, the rivalry goes back to their youth in Velma, Okla. Mylo Miller, 30, and Kacey Miller, 29, competed in everything from track and field events to chess. When it came time for college, both earned track scholarships and ended up in Shawnee. Mylo Miller went to Oklahoma Baptist University, and Kacey Miller was at St. Gregory's University. The two found themselves again competing on the track as an OBU Bison and as a St. Gregory Cavalier.
After college, both became teachers. A few years ago, they found themselves at opposing middle schools in Mid-Del. Mylo Miller was at Monroney Middle School, and Kacey Miller was at Kerr Middle School. Both coached football and track, and their teams faced off in a football game. Monroney won.
The Millers' parents drove up from Velma for that game, which Kerr lost.
"That stung," Kacey Miller said.
Mylo Miller jumped at a chance to move up to the high school level. He is in his fourth year at MWCHS.
"I wanted to be in a high school," Mylo Miller said. "This school has a great history in track."
Kacey Miller is in his first year at DCHS. This will be the first year both brothers will have a view of one another from across the stadium when the two football teams meet. Neither brother has called attention to the connection between the two at their schools, but both know their secret will likely be out soon.
"I haven't mentioned you just yet," Mylo Miller said to his brother.
STRAHORN DILEMMA
The Strahorn house is a house divided. Don Strahorn went to MWCHS and graduated in 1975, while his wife and high school sweetheart, Lynda Strahorn, graduated from DCHS in 1976. Their four children all went to CAHS.
The couple met while in high school. They were introduced by mutual friends.
"I always told Don he had to come to Del City to find a pretty girl," Lynda Strahorn said.
They began dating when Don Strahorn was a senior and his future wife was a junior. For Lynda Strahorn, the arrangement was fine with her girlfriends, but not so much with the boys in her class. When it came time for the big football game, they each had to be true to their respective schools.
"I think we sat on different sides," Lynda Strahorn said. "Then after we graduated, we'd sit on the home team's side."
The couple married in 1977 and lived first in Midwest City, then Del City, and finally Midwest City, where they still live today. When it came time for their children " Ryan, Jennifer, Jaclyn and Jonathan " to go to high school, all four went to CAHS.
"We root for all three teams now," Lynda Strahorn said.
The Titans will collectively kick in this year for a former Bomber when they help raise funds for Don Strahorn, who is suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. His medical costs are mounting, and many in the community have donated funds in to help, with no regard to high school football allegiances.
During the team's opener, also known as the "Red Out" game, the goal is to get every Titan to purchase and wear a matching shirt to present a sea of red to opponents. Half of the T-shirt sales this year will go to the Strahorns. Lynda Strahorn said last year the school did the same thing for her husband, and they received about $2,500. The other half of the funds went to the school's Quarterback Club.
Last year, Don Strahorn tossed the coin at the beginning of the game. This year, Lynda Strahorn said, he plans to come to the game, but, with his deteriorating health, will likely not be able to flip the coin.
She said the family has been touched by the support they have received in the community from Titans, Bombers and Eagles.
TRASH TALK
As Bombers, Titans and Eagles gear up for the season, put on their game faces and prepare to extol the virtues of their teams (especially to those whose allegiances lie elsewhere), the Millers will be in close touch, as their ongoing rivalry is played out on their football field. Brotherly love will be placed on hold until the outcome of the game. Even then, the brothers will likely have plenty to say to one another.
"There's always trash-talking," Kacey Miller said.
top photo The dueling Miller brothers: Kacey teaches at Del City and Mylo teaches at Midwest City. Photo/Kelley Chambers
middle photo Don Strahorn attended Midwest City High, while his wife went to Del City. Photo/Mark Hancock
bottom photo Kacey (left) and Mylo Miller don T-shirts supporting schools where they teach. Photo/Kelley Chambers
That "DC" stood for Del City, and he was wearing his bright red Del City High School T-shirt.
If he had walked into the school just an hour earlier, before most students had left for the day, the shirt would likely have subjected him to scorn and harassment. But Miller, an English teacher at DCHS, was not stopping by to cause trouble, eavesdrop on the football team's practice or argue the merits of his school's defensive line versus that of MWCHS. He was there to visit his brother.
Mylo Miller wore a black MWCHS T-shirt in his second-floor history classroom. When his brother arrived, he was happy to greet him. Shortly thereafter, sibling rivalry was alive and well, as each talked about the upcoming football game between the two high schools.
In a school district where Sooner Road might as well be the border between two foreign nations, some families find their loyalties split when different members attend or teach at different high schools. It can also make for interesting and heated conversation when Bombers and Eagles meet over the dinner table. Throw Carl Albert High School in the mix, and allegiances become even more pronounced.
Likewise, married couples in the district sometimes find bliss in school loyalty, while others are drawn between two or all three high schools. Some couples have it easy, like the Mayor and his Mrs., Jack and Gail Fry, who both graduated from Carl Albert High School. Later, their children were Titans.
Other families, like the Strahorns of Midwest City, have representatives from all three high schools in their family tree.
OPPOSING SIDES
For the Millers, the rivalry goes back to their youth in Velma, Okla. Mylo Miller, 30, and Kacey Miller, 29, competed in everything from track and field events to chess. When it came time for college, both earned track scholarships and ended up in Shawnee. Mylo Miller went to Oklahoma Baptist University, and Kacey Miller was at St. Gregory's University. The two found themselves again competing on the track as an OBU Bison and as a St. Gregory Cavalier.
After college, both became teachers. A few years ago, they found themselves at opposing middle schools in Mid-Del. Mylo Miller was at Monroney Middle School, and Kacey Miller was at Kerr Middle School. Both coached football and track, and their teams faced off in a football game. Monroney won.
The Millers' parents drove up from Velma for that game, which Kerr lost.
"That stung," Kacey Miller said.
Mylo Miller jumped at a chance to move up to the high school level. He is in his fourth year at MWCHS.
"I wanted to be in a high school," Mylo Miller said. "This school has a great history in track."
Kacey Miller is in his first year at DCHS. This will be the first year both brothers will have a view of one another from across the stadium when the two football teams meet. Neither brother has called attention to the connection between the two at their schools, but both know their secret will likely be out soon.
"I haven't mentioned you just yet," Mylo Miller said to his brother.
STRAHORN DILEMMAThe Strahorn house is a house divided. Don Strahorn went to MWCHS and graduated in 1975, while his wife and high school sweetheart, Lynda Strahorn, graduated from DCHS in 1976. Their four children all went to CAHS.
The couple met while in high school. They were introduced by mutual friends.
"I always told Don he had to come to Del City to find a pretty girl," Lynda Strahorn said.
They began dating when Don Strahorn was a senior and his future wife was a junior. For Lynda Strahorn, the arrangement was fine with her girlfriends, but not so much with the boys in her class. When it came time for the big football game, they each had to be true to their respective schools.
"I think we sat on different sides," Lynda Strahorn said. "Then after we graduated, we'd sit on the home team's side."
The couple married in 1977 and lived first in Midwest City, then Del City, and finally Midwest City, where they still live today. When it came time for their children " Ryan, Jennifer, Jaclyn and Jonathan " to go to high school, all four went to CAHS.
"We root for all three teams now," Lynda Strahorn said.
The Titans will collectively kick in this year for a former Bomber when they help raise funds for Don Strahorn, who is suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. His medical costs are mounting, and many in the community have donated funds in to help, with no regard to high school football allegiances.
During the team's opener, also known as the "Red Out" game, the goal is to get every Titan to purchase and wear a matching shirt to present a sea of red to opponents. Half of the T-shirt sales this year will go to the Strahorns. Lynda Strahorn said last year the school did the same thing for her husband, and they received about $2,500. The other half of the funds went to the school's Quarterback Club.
Last year, Don Strahorn tossed the coin at the beginning of the game. This year, Lynda Strahorn said, he plans to come to the game, but, with his deteriorating health, will likely not be able to flip the coin.
She said the family has been touched by the support they have received in the community from Titans, Bombers and Eagles.
TRASH TALKAs Bombers, Titans and Eagles gear up for the season, put on their game faces and prepare to extol the virtues of their teams (especially to those whose allegiances lie elsewhere), the Millers will be in close touch, as their ongoing rivalry is played out on their football field. Brotherly love will be placed on hold until the outcome of the game. Even then, the brothers will likely have plenty to say to one another.
"There's always trash-talking," Kacey Miller said.
top photo The dueling Miller brothers: Kacey teaches at Del City and Mylo teaches at Midwest City. Photo/Kelley Chambers
middle photo Don Strahorn attended Midwest City High, while his wife went to Del City. Photo/Mark Hancock
bottom photo Kacey (left) and Mylo Miller don T-shirts supporting schools where they teach. Photo/Kelley Chambers
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