PODCAST: Time to tackle some public/private discussion

7/18/2019 |  Ben Johnson

We finally took the plunge and did a deep dive into the long-standing public schools vs. private schools debate in Oklahoma. Cashion head football coach (and athletic director) Lynn Shackelford (24:45) joined us to share his thoughts from the public side, and Bishop Kelley athletic director Lance Parks (46:24) offered up some insight from the private school side.

Regardless of which side you're on, both make great points. Both have valid arguments. 

Also, we talk about some recent football commitments, including Broken Arrow's Andrew Raym siding with the Sooners. The chat briefly about OSU's recruiting class after Bixby's Brennan Presley vowed his commitment to the Cowboys.

But perhaps most importantly, we talked food (5:46). Is there a place that we think is overrated? Underrated? FYI: We talked pizza!

Have your own thoughts on food or the public/private debate? Tweet us at @benjohnsontul or @michaelswisher. 

Or send us an email at ben@skordle.com & we'll answer any questions or read comments on the next podcast.

Thanks so much for listening!

Just in case, a few more options to listen to the podcast....

On Overcast 

On Apple Podcasts 

On Google Podcasts 

On Radio Public 

PODCAST TIME! Wall to wall basketball and wrestling

2/28/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Medals and trophies have been handed out to wrestlers across the state. Now it’s time for basketball teams to start claiming hardware.

Ben and Michael dive into Class A & B state basketball tournaments on tap this week, and they guys also make their predictions in each class.

Ben breaks down what happened at the state wrestling tournament and some of the various highlights along the way. 

Also added a new segment where the guys named their MVPs of the week. Listen in and find out who they dubbed as last week’s MVPs.

All that leading up to Michael's interview with Okarche coach Ray West. You don't want to miss what West had to say.

Thanks for listening & enjoy!

Have any feedback? Email the show at ben@skordle.com

Week 5 Player of the Week Poll

10/1/2018 |  Ben Johnson

The Skordle Week 5 Player of the Week poll is sponsored by:

Noah Cortes (Broken Arrow) - Senior tailback rushed for 200 yards and a single-game school-record six touchdowns on 14 carries in the Tigers’ 63-7 win over Norman.

Cameron Gunville (Seminole) - Junior tailback rushed for 319 yards and four touchdowns on 41 carries in the Chieftains’ 50-31 victory over Lincoln Christian.

Corey Ramsey (Okemah) - Senior running back rushed for 359 yards and seven touchdowns on 16 carries in the Panthers’ 70-32 victory over Holdenville.

Brant Hager (Verdigris) - Junior quarterback completed 22 of 33 passes for 537 yards and five touchdowns. Also rushed for 24 yards and one touchdown in the Cardinals’ 45-35 win over Vinita.

Austin Hines (Adair) - Senior quarterback completed 14 of 23 passes for 496 yards and seven touchdowns in the Warriors’ 48-21 win over Wyandotte..

Tayden Lucero (Haskell) - Senior quarterback had 23 carries for 271 yards and four touchdowns, and also completed 9 of 17 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. On defense, had 10 tackles and an 81-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Haymakers’ 44-16 win over Dewey.

Stevie Orr (Davenport) - Senior quarterback rushed for 123 yards and five touchdowns on 18 carries. Completed 20 of 34 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 50-38 win over Dewar.

Josiah Markum (Okla. Christian Academy) - Senor tight end caught nine passes for 398 yards and seven touchdowns. On defense, he finished with four tackle, one interception, one sack, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery in OCA’s 63-42 win over Northeast.

Honorable Mention

Nick Jones (Eufaula) - Rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass in only one half against Hartshorne in the Ironheads’ 41-6 win.

Michelle Artzberger (Lawton Mac) - Caught eight passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Also had six tackles on defense in the Highlanders’ 48-0 win over Southeast.

Cade Shropshire QB (Checotah) - Passed for 172 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns on 16 carries in the Wildcats’ 55-26 win over Okmulgee.

Wyatt Conley (Minco) - Passed for 148 yards and one touchdown and also ran for one touchdown. On defense, had an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown in Minco’s 34-8 win over Watonga.

Laquan Wells (Idabel) - Passed for 186 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 88 yards and three touchdowns in the Warriors’ 70-12 win over Webster.

Dae Dae Leathers (Tahlequah) - Rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in Tahlequah’s 14-7 win over Skiatook.

Danny Brockup (Inola) - Senior running back scored three touchdowns while rushing for 176 yards on 20 carries. Also had one catch for 45 yards in the Longhorns’ 42-0 win over Claremore Sequoyah.

Andrew Crow (Victory Christian) - Rushed for five touchdowns on offense and had two interceptions on defense in the Eagles’ 54-0 win over Fairland.

Garrett Williams (Victory Christian) - Threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns, also rushed seven times for 58 yards and two touchdowns in the Conquerors’ 63-16 victory over Morris.

Jaxon Canard (OCS) - Rushed for 182 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries in the Saints’ 42-22 win over Newkirk.

Senior LB/WR Jonathan Buskirk (Regent Prep) - Had 15 tackles and three tackles for loss on defense. On offense, had two catches for 44 yards and a touchdown in Regent Prep’s 32-22 win over Yale.

Michael Marin (Barnsdall) JR RB - Junior tailback had 244 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries in the Panthers’ 50-36 win over Langston Hughes.

Qwontrel Walker (Stillwater) - Rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. Also had a 44-yard touchdown reception in the Pioneers’ 31-13 win over Midwest City.

Will Dunigan (Spiro) - Caught five passes for 130 yards and one touchdown. On defense, he had 14 tackles in Spiro’s 47-14 win over Westville.

Shade Watie (Tahlequah Sequoyah) - Rushed for 148 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries. Also had six catches for 77 yards and one touchdown in the Indians’ 34-13 win over Pocola.

Drake Roush (Holland Hall) - Completed 14 of 23 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Also had eight tackles on defense in a 49-21 win for the Dutch over Keys.

Conner Carey (Heritage Hall) - Rushed for 188 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Also had three catches for 86 yards in the Chargers’ 27-20 win over John Marshall.

Nate Asbill (Sallisaw) - Rushed for 274 yards and four touchdowns in the Black Diamonds’ 42-21 win over Stilwell.

OLB Cole McMurphy (Crossings Chr) - Recorded 17 tackles and a touchdown off his own blocked punt in Crossings Christian’s 16-14 win over Crescent. 

Makai Blades (Glenpool) - Rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries in the Warriors’ 66-0 win over Hale.

Collin Oliver (Edmond Santa Fe) - Recorded 17 tackles, three tackles for loss, one tackle for a safety and a fumble recovery in the Wolves’ 30-14 win over Yukon.

Blake Lair (Coweta) - Caught six passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ 41-7 win over Durant.

Jahkobie Smith (Del City) - Completed 17 of 22 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns in Del City’s 49-13 win over Putnam City West.

Jeff Foreman (Del City) - Caught 10 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 49-13 win over PC West.

Miles Davis (Lawton) - Rushed for 256 yards and a touchdowns on 35 carries in the Wolverines’ 34-17 win over Deer Creek. 

Trenton Skinner (Shawnee) - Caught seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Also threw a touchdown pass in the Wolves’ 32-27 win over Ponca City.

Brennan Presley (Bixby) - Caught three passed for 51 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 25 yards. Even completed a pass for 34 yards. On defense, he had a 36-yard interception return in the Spartans’ 21-7 win over Booker T. Washington.

Jimmie Coleman (Muskogee) - Rushed for 206 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries. Also caught three passes for 49 yards in the Roughers’ 45-27 win over Sand Springs.

Week 2 picks

9/6/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Can't sugarcoat the truth: it was a rough go of it for everyone not named Michael Swisher last week. Old man Swisher managed to pull off a 16-8 slate with Week 1 picks, but we can all assume he cheated somehow. As it stands now, Swisher leads the pack through two weeks at 27-13, and I'm three games off his pace. Randy Turney is currently third at 23-17 and Whitt Carter is hovering just above .500 at 21-19.

It's our vow to you to be better this week (or something like that). Week 2 picks right here:

Broken Arrow at Owasso

Michael Swisher: Broken Arrow 24, Owasso 14

Ben Johnson: Broken Arrow 37, Owasso 20

Whitt Carter: Broken Arrow 31, Owasso 17

Randy Turney: Broken Arrow 21, Owasso 17

Carl Albert at Del City

Michael Swisher: Carl Albert 31, Del City 20

Ben Johnson: Carl Albert 34, Del City 16

Whitt Carter: Del City 28, Carl Albert 27

Randy Turney: Carl Albert 24, Del City 20

Union at Jenks

Michael Swisher: Union 33, Jenks 24

Ben Johnson: Union 20, Jenks 17

Whitt Carter: Jenks 34, Union 24

Randy Turney: Union 24, Jenks 23

Lincoln Christian at Vian

Michael Swisher: Lincoln Christian 22, Vian 19

Ben Johnson: Vian 32, Lincoln Christian 27

Whitt Carter: Lincoln Christian 28, Vian 21

Randy Turney: Lincoln Christian 34, Vian 24

Tuttle at Plainview

Michael Swisher: Tuttle 21, Plainview 20

Ben Johnson: Tuttle 29, Plainview 22

Whitt Carter: Tuttle 34, Plainview 31

Randy Turney: Tuttle 35, Plainview 21

Booker T. Washington vs. Horn Lake (Miss.)

Michael Swisher: Booker T. Washington 35, Horn Lake 14

Ben Johnson: Horn Lake 24, Booker T. Washington 22

Whitt Carter: Booker T. Washington 35, Horn Lake 27

Randy Turney: Horn Lake 28, Booker T. Washington 17

Bishop McGuinness at Bishop Kelley

Michael Swisher: Bishop Kelley 31, Bishop McGuinness 24

Ben Johnson: Bishop Kelley 16, Bishop McGuinness 13

Whitt Carter: Bishop McGuinness 20, Bishop Kelley 16

Randy Turney: Bishop Kelley 21, Bishop McGuinness 20

Heritage Hall at Clinton

Michael Swisher: Heritage Hall 30, Clinton 20

Ben Johnson: Heritage Hall 35, Clinton 18

Whitt Carter: Heritage Hall 35, Clinton 21

Randy Turney: Heritage Hall 31, Clinton 20

Anadarko at Blanchard

Michael Swisher: Blanchard 29, Anadarko 18

Ben Johnson: Blanchard 29, Anadarko 16

Whitt Carter: Blanchard 42, Anadarko 21

Randy Turney: Blanchard 24, Anadarko 7

Davis at Sulphur

Michael Swisher: Sulphur 18, Davis 16

Ben Johnson: Sulphur 30, Davis 14

Whitt Carter: Sulphur 34, Davis 12

Randy Turney: Sulphur 21, Davis 20

Coweta at Tahlequah

Michael Swisher: Coweta 23, Tahlequah 17

Ben Johnson: Coweta 27, Tahlequah 19

Whitt Carter: Coweta 34, Tahlequah 27

Randy Turney: Tahlequah 17, Coweta 10

Southwest Covenant at Empire

Michael Swisher: SW Covenant 48, Empire 28

Ben Johnson: SW Covenant 44, Empire 29

Whitt Carter: SW Covenant 38, Empire 22

Randy Turney: SW Covenant 34, Empire 17

Stillwater at Norman North

Michael Swisher: Stillwater 29, Norman North 19

Ben Johnson: Stillwater 42, Norman North 19

Whitt Carter: Stillwater 34, Norman North 24

Randy Turney: Stillwater 24, Norman North 17

Mustang at Edmond Santa Fe

Michael Swisher: Edmond Santa Fe 24, Mustang 21

Ben Johnson: Edmond Santa Fe 28, Mustang 24

Whitt Carter: Edmond Santa Fe 35, Mustang 28

Randy Turney: Edmond Santa Fe 18, Mustang 16

Lawton MacArthur at Lawton

Michael Swisher: Lawton 28, Lawton MacArthur 20

Ben Johnson: Lawton 33, Lawton MacArthur 31

Whitt Carter: Lawton MacArthur 41, Lawton 28

Randy Turney: Lawton 21, Lawton MacArthur 14

Ada at Noble

Michael Swisher: Noble 24, Ada 18

Ben Johnson: Noble 33, Ada 23

Whitt Carter: Noble 21, Ada 13

Randy Turney: Ada 21, Noble 7

Edison at Memorial

Michael Swisher: Memorial 23, Edison 16

Ben Johnson: Edison 26, Memorial 24

Whitt Carter: Edison 27, Memorial 21

Randy Turney: Memorial 14, Edison 13

Adair at Locust Grove

Michael Swisher: Adair 38, Locust Grove 22

Ben Johnson: Adair 38, Locust Grove 22

Whitt Carter: Adair 34, Locust Grove 18

Randy Turney: Adair 28, Locust Grove 13

Oklahoma Christian Academy at Crescent

Michael Swisher: Crescent 30, OCA 15

Ben Johnson: OCA 35, Crescent 30

Whitt Carter: Crescent 21, OCA 20

Randy Turney: OCA 28, Crescent 21

Let us know what you think. Tweet your predictions to us at @Skordle.

OCA aiming for first state tournament appearance

Girls Basketball | 2/25/2018 | Jacob Unruh | NewsOK

Oklahoma Christian Academy’s girls basketball team is in uncharted territory.

One win away from a state tournament berth for the first time in program history, the unranked Eagles are approaching Monday’s Class A area tournament consolation championship with confidence.

“People don’t know who we are,” OCA coach Joe Crawford said. “On any given night, we can beat anybody in Class A basketball.”

OCA (18-9) plays No. 5 Canute at 6:30 p.m. in the Enid Event Center. It’s a rematch of the regional tournament championship in which OCA won in overtime.

5 Games to Watch - Week 7

10/14/2021 |  Michael Swisher

We are just about halfway through the season. This is the point of the season where teams are really starting to figure out their identity. 

Coaches are figuring out if they need to make any other adjustments and how they should approach the final stretch before the playoffs. 

This is the most critical part of the season as teams fight out for home-field advantage…or even just a spot in the playoffs. 

Keep an eye out for these games on the Skordle app:

1. #2 McAlester 6-0 (3-0 in 5A-3) @ #3 Coweta 6-0 (3-0 in 5A-3) 

From what we’ve seen the past two weeks, defending 5A champion Carl Albert has slowly crept its way back in the top-five in the class. Regardless, Class 5A is still wide open this year and this game will largely affect the home field advantage and seeding race. Can senior quarterback Trent Boatright end his high school career in style with a state championship and end Carl Albert’s streak of five straight 5A titles? He and the rest of the Buffalo firepower are hungry for a road win this week. On the other side, it’s a pretty identical story. The Coweta Tigers are led by senior quarterback Gage Hamm who hasn’t thrown an interception all season. Hamm has 15 touchdowns in the air and four on the ground for the Tigers. This might be the biggest games for both seniors. It will be a blast to see which senior comes out on top.  

2. #2 Lincoln Christian 7-0 (3-0 in 3A-3) @ #4 Seminole 6-0 (2-0 in 3A-3)

Did you know that Lincoln Christian has been so dominant this season that its second-string quarterback has appeared in six of their seven games? Even the third string quarterback was awarded the opportunity to appear just a few weeks ago in a district game at Sequoyah where he went 10-15 for 80 yards and a touchdown. The only tough game the Bulldogs have had was a non-district road trip at Jones when they hung on 31-29. Other than that, it has been blowout after blowout for the Bulldogs. But the Chieftains are going to be fired up as well, especially after their past two clutch wins each by one possession. They’ve had their struggles on defense, but a home win for the Seminole faithful this week would be a huge boost for the Chieftains. 

3. #1 Jenks 5-1 (3-0 in 6AI-1) @ #4 Edmond Santa Fe 4-2 (3-0 in 6AI-1)

The only Edmond school that has a chance at a state championship hosts its biggest game all season when Jenks comes to town. Santa Fe is on a four-game winning streak since losing its first two at home. Jenks is almost in the same scenario, but the Trojans’ stellar defense is one of the main reasons they have gotten the job done. The two specific games were the 22-0 shutout against Union and the 31-14 win at Broken Arrow. Another reason that this Trojan team is dangerous is only losing to Bixby 23-15 especially since Bixby is pretty much blowing out everyone else on their schedule. Two teams on a winning streak in a tough Edmond atmosphere will be very dramatic. 

4. #4 Lawton MacArthur 6-0 (3-0 in 5A-1) @ #8 Noble 5-1 (3-0 in 5A-1)

The Highlanders of Lawton Mac have a long road trip ahead of them this week when they travel to the Noble Bears. And I mean it…… these could be the Bad News Bears of Oklahoma. Noble went 4-7 last season and the Bears are just three spots shy of reaching the top-five in 5A. Despite losing to Midwest City earlier in the season, 14-12, the Bears have scored at least 40 points or more in all five of their wins this season. There is a lot of promise for this program and this offense will be a huge challenge for the Highlanders defense. 

5. #5 Sand Springs 5-1 (2-1 in 6AII-2) @ #1 Bixby 6-0 (3-0 in 6AII-2) 

I will have to say that 70-7 win at Choctaw last week might have been the most impressive win I have ever seen out of the Bixby Spartan powerhouse. This program has literally been a dynasty. I still can’t get over the fact that the Spartans have won six out of the seven 6A-II state championships since the new class formation in 2014. But you have to admit that the Sand Springs Sandites have been the most surprising team in the class for 2021 considering last season was the first season they earned a winning record since 2016. They may have lost a heartbreaker last week to Booker T. Washington, but they could still finish out the year strong and be the 6A-II most improved team. It’ll be interesting to see what they have to show to Bixby this week. 

Skordle Staff Picks - Week 7

10/14/2021 |  Michael Swisher

Remember us? We are back after a couple of weeks off, ready to give you the crystal ball into week 7 of high school football in Oklahoma.

Beggs Stuns Metro Christian in Pivotal 2A-7 Clash

10/13/2021 |  Michael Swisher

The Beggs Demons stunned two-time defending state champ Metro Christian 24-22 last Friday to take a big step toward a potential District 2A-7 championship.

The Demons never completed a pass, but instead rode the legs of C.J. Brown and Red Martel.

The duo combined for 257 rushing yards as Beggs took the lead late in the first quarter and never surrendered it.

The win bumped the fourth-ranked Demons to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the district and in a tie with Victory Christian.

Second-ranked Metro Christian dropped to 4-2 and 2-1.

The Patriots turned it over on their first two possessions of the game as Beggs forced a fumble on the second play from scrimmage and then safety Braylon Davis picked off Metro’s Kirk Francis after the Patriots had driven inside the Beggs 10.

That set up a 51-yard touchdown run by Brown. Ayden Hamilton’s keeper on the conversion made it 8-0 late in the first.

The following Patriot drive saw Francis pass for 70 yards all the way down the field and Tagg Campbell punched in the touchdown with a 3-yard run. After the extra point by Brayden Haveman, the Demons’ lead was down to 8-7 with just seconds left in the first quarter.

Later in the second quarter, Beggs punter Chance Jordan pinned the Metro Christian offense inside its own 10. 

On second down, Francis dropped back to pass and delivered a short crossing route that got tipped and bounced around. 

Demon defensive lineman Chance Jordan came away with an interception and walked easily into the end zone.

Another Hamilton two-point conversion gave Beggs the 16-7 halftime lead.

Metro Christian thwarted a Beggs drive to open the second half by forcing a fumble.

The Patriots capitalized and turned that into points when Francis found Seth McCoy for a 17-yard touchdown.

McCoy bounced off multiple Demon defenders and dove in to the end zone before Dax Dancer’s two-point conversion shortened the deficit to 16-15.

After the fourth quarter featured both defenses stepping up, the game was ultimately decided on back-to-back plays.

Metro Christian drove inside the Beggs 10 with under 5:00 to play.

Campbell got three straight carries, but was short of the goal line.

On 4th and goal from the 2, Metro called his number again.

Campbell took the carry to the left, but lost the ball while crossing the goal line.

After a discussion between referees, it was determined he fumbled before crossing the line, giving the ball to the Demons on the touchback.

On the very next play, Martel took off for an 80-yard touchdown run. 

The two-point conversion was good, again by Brown, and the Demons led 24-15 with under four minutes remaining.

Metro didn’t fade away.

The Patriots quickly drove the field, bolstered by Francis’ passing and a 28-yard run by Campbell.

Francis eventually scored on a 1-yard run, pulling the Patriots within two points with under 2:00 left.

An onside kick was recovered by Beggs and the Patriots had all three timeouts at their disposal. 

Four straight plays by the Demon offense were turned away and Metro Christian had hope as the Patriots had 46 yards to go and no timeouts. 

Francis threw three straight incompletions and faced a 4th and 10. 

A Hail Mary attempt came up short as the ball traveled just out of reach of receiver Walker Holder, who was alone in the back of the end zone, allowing Beggs to hold onto the win.

Martel finished the game with 129 yards on just 11 touches for Beggs while Brown finished with 23 carries for 122 yards.

For Metro Christian, Francis was 26 of 43 for 310 yards. Speedster J.J. Shelby was his favorite target, but Reid Roth finished with over 100 yards receiving.

The Patriots were hurt by four turnovers - two interceptions by Francis and two fumbles.

Metro Christian can keep itself in the district title race this week when it travels to Victory Christian.

Beggs hosts Morris this week and its showdown with Victory Christian looms in Week 10.

5 Games to Watch - Week 6

10/7/2021 |  Michael Swisher

This week is full of rivalries, rivalries and more rivalries. Let’s talk about the fact that there’s another #1 vs #2 matchup, a 5A rivalry featuring the top two teams in their district already having two losses and the classic Mid-Del showdown. There is a lot to look forward this week and you definitely won’t want to miss any of the action.

1. #1 Bixby 5-0 (2-0 in 6AII-2) @ #2 Choctaw 4-1 (2-0 in 6AII-2)  

Revenge? A rematch of the 2020 6AII state championship? A fight to claim first in the district? Yeah, this is no doubt the best game of the week and possibly the game of the whole regular season. This is also one of the biggest home games for Choctaw in its school history. I’m also pretty sure almost the entire state of Oklahoma - outside of Bixby - will be rooting for the Yellowjackets to take down the two-time defending state champion Bixby Spartans. This game will determine a lot of seeding implications, but this could once again be the title game. The top-ranked Spartans just came off of yet another blowout win against a Putnam City West team that didn’t score until the fourth quarter in a game that was 67-0 at halftime. But we can’t forget about two weeks ago when Choctaw claimed a statement win against Booker T. Washington, 29-20. Out of all of the Yellowjackets’ four wins, this was the one they needed the most considering BTW is just behind them in the rankings at #3. Will this be the year Choctaw dethrones Bixby? 

2. #6 Carl Albert 3-2 (2-0 in 5A-2) @ #7 Bishop McGuiness 3-2 (2-0 in 5A-2) 

Are the Titans back already? After all, it sure seems like they woke up after dropping their first two to Midwest City and Del City. The embarrassing one though was when Eagles of Del City came to Carl Albert and hung 52 points on the Titans. Not to mention that Carl Albert only had a single touchdown in the second half. But since then, the Titans have gotten at least halfway back to themselves. A rivalry win on the road at Guthrie last week? That was the first test. Now they have to go to one of the hardest places in all of 5A. If they steal another one on the road Friday night against the Irish, this will turn from a “rebuilding year” to another championship year really fast. And to surprise everyone on a “rebuilding year”? That’s the definition of a top-tier football program. The Irish also lost to Del City earlier this year and they don’t have any quality wins on their résumé. But they are the Irish and they are at home and they desperately want revenge against the Titans. This game not only has a big say in who wins the district championship, but it’s also been a state championship preview. Carl Albert has defeated the Irish in the last two 5A title games and four of the last five. Anything can happen. I’ve heard from a Carl Albert graduate that this is probably the most heated rivalry in all of 5A. 

3. #3 Booker T. Washington 4-1 (1-1 in 6AII-2) @ #4 Sand Springs 5-0 (2-0 in 6AII-2) 

As mentioned, the Hornets lost a close one in Choctaw a couple weeks back. But if you’re a Hornet fan, you shouldn’t be too upset about that loss since it’s a very talented Yellowjacket team. The Hornets had a big bounce back win at home over Bartlesville 63-0. The blowout was largely behind phenomenal rushing performances by DJ McKinney and Ethan Washington, who each had a pair of rushing touchdowns and over 100 rushing yards. You can’t complain about that one bit if you’re a Hornet fan. Something that will be interesting though is how the Hornets will respond from a road atmosphere because you know Sand Springs will be fired up to garner a statement win.

4. Midwest City 4-1 (2-0 in 6AII-1) @ #5 Del City 4-1 (2-0 in 6AII-1) 

This is the classic Mid-Del rivalry, but few expected either one of these squads to have the kind of season they’re having right now. I didn’t think we would be talking about even one of these teams beating Carl Albert. But the beauty of high school and college sports is upset after upset. The Eagles have statement wins over Carl Albert, Bishop McGuiness and Stillwater, which is why they have journeyed their way into the top-five in 6AII. A win at home against their top rival could put them up even higher depending on how the teams ahead of them perform. 

5. #8 Bristow 4-1 (2-0 in 4A-3) @ #5 Grove 5-0 (2-0 in 4A-3) 

Talk about a battle between a high-power offense and a high-power defense. Last week, Bristow scored its only three points in the fourth quarter and managed to win 3-0. You don’t hear that kind of score very often. Also a reminder that Wagoner is the defending 4A state champion. Not allowing a single point against Wagoner says a lot. Ever since losing their opener to Cushing, the Pirates of Bristow have allowed an average of 10 points a game. That could be a challenge to Grove. The Ridgerunners may have a high scoring offense, but they are lacking on defense. Having homefield advantage will help the Ridgerunners tremendously, but Bristow has had momentum as well. 

Del City Dominant in Stillwater Road Win

10/7/2021 |  Michael Swisher

The Del City Eagles manhandled Stillwater 30-7 on the road last Thursday night in a matchup of top-10 6A-II teams.

Del City dominated the line of scrimmage, punishing the Pioneer defense with its run heavy offense. 

Del City senior quarterback Virgil Yates shined as the key contributor in the running game along with fellow senior running mate Ethan Lawrence. 

The two combined for 44 rushing attempts and more than 350 yards on the ground. 

The Del City defense put together an all around great performance by allowing under 300 total offensive yards from the Pioneer offense. 

Stillwater only put together one full drive in the third quarter as the Pioneers struggled to execute and finish drives throughout the game. 

Stillwater got solid performances from quarterback Gage Gundy and Holden Thompson from the backfield. 

Thompson shined late in the game after getting increased touches following the first couple of drives. 

The first quarter went on with neither team being able to capitalize on their drives. Del City attempted two field goals and Stanley Johnson made one from 21 yards and missed one from 44 and led the game early 3-0 near the end of the first quarter.

Del City drove down the field to start the second period. 

Yates ran in from seven yards out to post the first touchdown of the game. 

After a Johnson point after attempt, the Eagles led the game 10-0 with 10 minutes left in the first half. 

On the ensuing drive, Gundy found Thompson down the field for a 33-yard gain to kickstart their best drive of the half. After entering Eagle territory, a holding penalty derailed the drive and set up a 4th and 12 at the Eagle 39. 

The Pioneers attempted a fake punt where Heston Thompson got the ball on a sweep play. 

The Eagle special teams unit was prepared for the play and tackled him for a loss of nine yards. 

Two plays later, the Pioneer defense came up with a fumble from running back Jayson Smith. 

The Del City defense answered the bell yet again as Jaylin Sweet picked off a Gundy deep pass. 

Yates and Lawrence ran all over the defense on the next drive. 

Lawrence had a touchdown called back by a holding penalty late in the second quarter. 

Johnson had his field goal attempt of 34 yards blocked to end the half and the score stayed at 10-0.

In the second half, Stillwater got the ball first and after a quick first down, its drive sizzled to a stop and punted to Del City. 

Yates ran for41 yards on the Eagles’ first play to set them up at the Stillwater 25. 

Lawrence capped off the two-play drive with a touchdown from there, increasing their lead to 17-0 with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter. 

Stillwater answered when Holden Thompson had a 76-yard carry on second down to reach the 1 yard line. This set up a Gundy’s touchdown run to shed the Eagle lead to 17-7. 

The Eagles answered back even more quickly on the next drive after a long kickoff return by Braelon Adamah. 

On first down, = Lawrence executed a 49-yard carry to set up a first and goal. Yates ran in for a touchdown from a yard out to take a commanding 24-7 lead late in the third quarter. 

Going into the fourth, the lead looked insurmountable for the Pioneers. 

With just under 10 minutes left in the game, Yates found Sweet for a 14-yard touchdown pass for the last score of the game. 

In a final ditch effort for the Stillwater offense, they had a drive reach inside the 10 deep in Eagle territory. 

The Del City defense was perfect as the Eagles shut the door on a late game score. Three straight plays were stuffed from inside the 3. 

Del City would then retain possession from their own 1 and run the clock out. 

Del City’s defense came up with four sacks and one turnover while the offense dominated the ground. 

Yates and Lawrence shined brightest as they combined for over 95 percent of the yards on the ground.

Del City (4-1, 2-0) looked dominant in Week 5 and is now tied with Midwest City atop 6AII-1.

The win sets up a big matchup this Friday between the two. 

Stillwater (3-2, 1-1) will look to bounce back in Week 6 in their matchup against U.S. Grant and make a push for the playoffs going into the last five weeks of the regular season.

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 6 (2021)

10/5/2021 |  Michael Swisher

The Great Burger Debate

If you watched the premier of the SKORDLE Pay Dirt Pick’Em Show last week, you may have seen the discussion about burgers in Oklahoma and specifically Onion Burgers and the Meers Burger. 

One could argue that these are the two most iconic burgers in Oklahoma. 

The short debate exchange centered around one guest making the statement “I would eat dog food before I would eat an onion burger.” 

This was soon followed up by statements promoting the high quality of the famed Meers burger, only to be rebuked with statements basically saying it was “OK” and nothing special. 

I have had many El Reno-style (Sid’s and Johnnie’s) Onion Burgers in my lifetime. I even love making them on my new Blackstone.

I also made my first trip to Meers Burger this past summer to finally check it out and I was glad I did.

As for the Onion Burger, its roots are in the Great Depression when hamburger cost was high, but onions were cheap.

To stretch the hamburger meat supply as well as keep costs down, onions were cooked directly into the patties. 

What resulted, almost by accident, was pure greatness! 

El Reno even has an Fried Onion Burger Day Festival which I would love to attend some day in the future. 

As for Meers, it is definitely a destination food road trip in Oklahoma that everyone needs to make.