FARMINGTON – The final piece of the Connie Mack World Series puzzle is set, thanks to a championship performance in the Oklahoma qualifier tournament by the Brand of Athletes Oklahoma team, earning them a berth in the CMWS next week.
The BOA squad capped off their weekend in Norman, Oklahoma with a 2-1 walkoff win last Sunday over Wow Factor. That morning, the team earned their way into the finals with a 6-1 victory over the Ropes.
The BOA Oklahoma 2026 squad has a record of 10-1 this summer, including six straight wins in the Oklahoma qualifier in which they collectively outscored their opponents by a score of 38-19.
Originating out of Okarche, just a shade northwest of Oklahoma City, BOA has a smaller roster than many of the teams making the trip to Farmington for the CMWS. At present, the team is made up of only 13 players, with help coming in the form of additional pitching before the team heads to New Mexico.
“I’ve had this team together since they were 11 or 12, the core group has all been together and we picked up three or four new guys,” said BOA coach Steve Hill. “I think we’ve got six or eight pitchers that we’re going to add, but I firmly believe that this could be these boys’ greatest baseball experience that they’re ever going to have, regardless of what level they make it to, moving forward.”
With the BOA squad in place, the 12-team field for the Connie Mack World Series is set. Led by the defending champion Dulins Dodgers, as well as a pair of teams from the Dulins Dodgers academy, there are eight teams in the tournament representing the state of Texas.
The other teams set to take part in the series are the Midland (Ohio) Redskins, the Albuquerque Baseball Academy and the NW 509 Stars from Spokane, Washington.
The BOA squad is led by a trio of top talent, including Jaxon McArthur, from Elk City High School and a recent commit to Barton Community College.
McArthur had a .429 batting average for the Elks in his senior season and has been effective both on offense and defense as a catcher for the BOA squad.
“I would argue that he was our most valuable player of the qualifier tournament,” Hill said. “He really sets the tone behind the plate, calls his own game back there. He hit the ball extremely well, with a lot of timely hitting, and was just fantastic the entire tournament.”