Joe Patterson’s long‑awaited championship finally arrived as he guided the Mustang High baseball squad to a Class 6A state title, ending a drought that had stretched through five previous finals as both a player and a coach.
The victory capped a dramatic turnaround; the team improved from a 19‑16 record the season before to finish the year at 39‑6, confronting one of the most demanding schedules in the state.
A Legacy in the Making
In the title game, the Broncos edged defending champion Edmond Santa Fe 5‑4 at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, with senior pitcher Kamden Mantooth limiting the opposition to eight hits and four runs while the offense rallied in the late innings.
Key contributors such as outfielder Nate Sutton, who batted .449 with 15 homers and 70 RBIs, and Mantooth, who posted a .442 average, exemplified the depth of a roster that lacked marquee names but featured several standout performers.
Patterson’s personal moments added a poignant backdrop: his six‑year‑old son cheered from the dugout while his father, Bill Patterson, watched from the stands, echoing a family legacy that includes a stint as Duncan’s head football coach.
The coach’s journey to Mustang began in the summer of 2019 after stints at Westmoore, where he had mentored future assistant Brandon Zaragoza, a former Oklahoma shortstop who played under Patterson in his senior year at Westmoore before moving on to lead the next generation at Westmoore.
A native of a small town, Patterson has spoken of his desire to coach in a community where the school is the sole high school, a wish that made Mustang an ideal fit after his collegiate career at Oral Roberts, Seminole State and Texas A&M, where he earned national junior‑college player of the year honors.
Beyond the diamond, the championship resonated throughout the town, reinforcing a culture that values perseverance and collective effort, and setting the stage for the program’s future ambitions.