TOP AREA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES OF THE LAST 30 YEARS: JAMIE ELAM

By Mike Tupa

Aug. 24, 2025

BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT

During his nearly 30 years of covering area high school sports for either the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise or the Bartlesville Area Sports Report, Mike Tupa has enjoyed the opportunity to observe some incredible athletes.

This is an ongoing series highlighting each few days one of those athletes from the 1996-97 school year through the present. The list is not in chronological order. The athletes are presented in random sequence.

TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT

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Jamie Elam

Softball/basketball (late 1990s)

More than 20 years after she last threw a fastball for the Lady Trojans Elam remains one of the top high school pitchers in area softball history.

There’s no doubt she would dominate as much in the diamond battles of the mid-2020s as she did during her era — both as a hurler and a hitter.

Elam brought all the skills to the mix. As a thrower she boasted a blazing fastball complemented by precise location and off-speed offerings. She approached the plate like a warrior who rose to the occasion with clutch hitting, batting for power or average and threatening with her base-running skills.

She was Caney Valley’s answer to its pitching legend Tiffany Paper.

Elam and Paper hooked in some hurling masterpieces that were layered with drama inning after inning until the epic result — sometimes decided by Elam’s or Paper’s bat as well as their arms.

Elam came armed for action as a sophomore in a 1998 showdown against Nowata, unleashing a no-hitter to lift Caney Valley to a 5-0 victory.

Elam stole the show, maxing her blazing fast ball with a hump-back change-up. She retired the first 10 batters before issuing one of two walks.

This same season, she faced just 24 batters during Caney Valley’s 2-1 victory against Collinsville.

In 1999, Elam spun a 1-0 shutout against a favored Dewey squad — and also delivered a sacrifice bunt to set up the winning run. 

Elam struck out five of the first seven Dewey batters and finished with nine K’s.

Caney Valley advanced to the 1999 state quarterfinals — only to lose 1-0 to Velma-Alma despite Elam’s two-hitter. Her record as a junior was 22-8 (198 innings) with a microscopic 0.45 earned run average and 272 strikeouts. She also batted .349 with 23 RBI.

Adversity hit Elam and Caney Valley hard toward the end of her senior season (fall of 2000). 

Just a few days prior to the playoffs, Elam suffered a season-ending knee injury on a play in which she drove in the winning run in a 1-0 victory against Chandler. It was a hustle injury.

Unfortunately, Caney Valley appeared primed to make a strong postseason run toward its first-ever state title.

With Elam sidelined, however, the Lady Trojans suffered regional playoff elimination.

Elam, who also pitched for the Bartlesville Blazers competitive summer team, would pitch in college.

She also contributed to the Caney Valley girls basketball team and was a key supporting contributor on the Lady Trojans’ powerhouse 1999-00 squad which was ranked inside the Top Five statewide.

Elam went on to pitch in college.

A quarter century has passed since she suited up for the Lady Trojans. Her ability and contributions transcend the decades and make her one of the top area athletes of the new millennium.

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This series has included the following athletes, who are listed in no particular order.

-Jena’ Williams, Bartlesville

-Eric Rolfs, Bartlesville

-Chris Smith, Caney Valley

-Jill Bryan, Copan

-Barron Tanner Jr, Bartlesville

-Hailey Tucker, Bartlesville

-Jeremy Dunkle, Dewey

-Whitney Metcalf, Bartlesville

-Tim Hamilton, Bartlesville

-Danielle Koster, Bartlesville

-Carson LaRue, Dewey

-John Hamman, Wesleyan Christian

Jamie Elam