Sources: Brown to take over at Booker T. Washington

1/26/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Booker T. Washington’s head-coaching vacancy didn’t last long. The Tulsa World reported that Brad Calip would be vacating his post as Hornets head coach for an assistant coaching job at Owasso on Sunday.

On Monday, Tulsa Public Schools is expected to formally announce Jonathan Brown as the Hornets new head coach at Booker T. Washington, according to multiple sources. Brown will be elevated from his current defensive coordinator role.

Calip leaves after going 32-15 during a four-year run as head coach. During that time, Booker T. Washington won the 2017 Class 6AIi state championship.

Brown is a former Booker T. Washington standout who graduated in 1994. He played college football at Tennessee and spent time during his professional career in both the NFL and Canadian Football League.

Q&A with state senator J.J. Dossett

12/15/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Owasso recently knocked off Jenks, 14-6, for the Class 6AI championship in Edmond on Dec. 6. It had been determined several weeks before the playoffs started that all 11-man football title games would be played at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Wantland Stadium.
But now that the season is over, one state senator is sounding off on the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s decision to force Jenks and Owasso play in a championship game at the other end of the Turner Turnpike.
Sen. J.J. Dossett (D-Sperry) has proposed a bill that he hopes will generate conversation in next year’s legislative session that would allow school districts to determine their playing destination.

Skordle contacted Dossett this weekend and wanted to ask Dossett a few questions.

What made you want to put together the legislation to present it when the legislative session starts in 2020?
Basically, it was the outcry from my community. There are some people that don’t like the idea, or the ideas that I have brought up. I purposely wanted until after the game had happened. I filed it on Monday after the game, because I didn’t want it be become a distraction. There’s enough of an outcry and a complaint that have a good point on why we played the game where we did and why we didn’t play it where we had the last five, six or seven years. It worked out great for everyone involved when it was played at the University of Tulsa. I had to bring it up; I had to bring up the discontent that my community, Jenks and a lot of the Tulsa area have with the decision that was made by a state-wide group -- that forced this decision on us and did not seek our input.
It was basically left to the football coaches association to make this decision, and most of the people involved weren’t going to face the ramifications of their school’s decision. It was made against the two schools that were playing and were against the decision that was made.
There should be a way for more flexibility with your local school districts that are competing in this situation to be able to not have to go play at a place that was deemed ‘this is the state championship site,’ especially when there were all the problems of playing late on a Saturday night. There were going to be how many teenage drivers on the turnpike late on a Saturday night in December? And, the stadium was nowhere near able to hold our crowd.
All of this put together, in my mind, says we need to do this better and there needs to be a way to do this better. There needs to be a way that we can go play this game somewhere else. I mean, we could have played at Broken Arrow and it would have been able to hold our fans. We could have played in a bunch of different stadiums here in the Tulsa area.
I heard there were 8,000 fans at the game at UCO, and at TU there would have been 20,000, so we stopped people from coming to the game by putting that distance barrier there. Nobody wants that; we want the community to come to the game, if possible.

What would you say to the people that say Senate bill 1111 is a waste of everyone’s time and could be spent discussing something else?
There are thousands of bills filled every year -- some of them get picked up and some don’t. It doesn’t waste any more time in committee or on the floor. It’s the legislator’s job to conduct the people’s business, so if a community has an idea or wants to change something, it’s the job of the legislator to consider it and go forward from that. And I agree, this is not the most pressing issue in the state of Oklahoma -- I 100 percent agree -- but if there’s a problem, it’s the job of the legislator to address an issue that their community is considered about. Senate district 34 up here in north Tulsa County, where we live, we definitely had a concern on this issue. Therefore, it’s my job to bring forth such ideas, if the people of my district are concerned about it.
As a former coach, I would like to mention this: I absolutely do not care where we’re playing. We don’t care where we play because we were going to win, and that’s the mindset they have. I speak only, and exclusively, from a community standpoint. The community has an opinion on this, and I happen to 100 percent agree with them. If I were still coaching for the Rams, I wouldn’t care one bit.


So you’re advocating to play the games at the University of Tulsa, if that’s a viable option?
You have to ask, ‘is this the best we can get?’ and I don’t think the current option is the best we can get. We’ve seen what good looks like, and it was last year, the year before and the year before, when two Tulsa teams make the championship game and we fill up Chapman Stadium. In my opinion, the OSSAA wins unless something crooked is going on over there. Because if we’re doubling the amount of people going to the game, they make more money -- or that’s how I understand it. I don’t understand at all why you wouldn’t let local school districts make the best decision for them. If Idabel and McAlester were playing for a championship, then they need to go play that at Eastern (Southeastern Oklahoma State) in Durant. No sense in making those schools drive to Edmond. There needs to be a way out for those schools to be play, and play where it makes sense for the fanbase and a public safety standpoint.


What are your thoughts on playing the Class 6A championship games in Tulsa during the week that they currently use as a bye week?
Sure, that would be an option. They’ve done the bye week because of the amount of teams in the playoff. Honestly, the whole 6AII thing has been a disaster. It’s handed Bixby a bunch of trophies, and it’s been really messed up for my community and I was still coaching when all of it went down. I was still coaching at Owasso at the time. It’s ridiculous for us to travel to Moore -- to play Southmoore or Moore -- and a team that can’t even fill up the home stands and play on a Thursday night. Like, why are we doing this? Why aren’t we playing Sand Springs or Bixby or Muskogee during the regular season, and then do something different for the playoffs, if necessary?

The initiative to have all the championship games played at one site was pushed by the Oklahoma Football Coaches Association, but it’s sounding like not all coaches were onboard with that proposal. How do you think that could have been handled differently?
On how the coaches association makes decisions, I do not know. I hear a lot about Texas, and they like it and that’s fine. From my point of view, if two Houston teams make the championship in any given class, for them to go all the way to Dallas is wrong. I don’t buy into the notion of ‘well, Texas does it this way, so we should do it this way.’ It’s the same way with basketball and the big schools playing in Tulsa. If Edmond and Putnam City are playing in the finals, then that’s the wrong decision. I’m not trying to whine; I’m trying to do what’s best for our kids.

What kind of reception do you think this will get when you present it to committee?
Who knows. On these things, you never know. We have these kinds of battles: Tulsa vs. Oklahoma City or urban vs. rural. I will approach other legislators from a straight forward standpoint and say our local school districts are better off when local school districts are making decisions. We don’t need state-wide entities or state agencies making blanket decisions for everyone. I have 100 percent faith that the Owasso administration, athletic director, superintendent and all of the above -- and same at Jenks -- would make the right decision for their kids. But when we had that responsibility over to a group of people that aren’t in our community, then you don’t get as good of an outcome. That’s the way I see this situation playing out here.

There are some that say the Oklahoma legislature should stay out of high school sports. How do you feel about that?
I absolutely agree, if everything is running properly. The legislature cannot determine how the OSSAA operates within, because it’s an agency with it’s own control. There are three things in the statute that says schools will not be part of an association that does this, this or this. What I’ve done is adding a fourth. All my bill does is add language that school districts would have flexibility to pick their own locations for championship games.

WEEK 7 RANKINGS

10/14/2019 |  Ben Johnson

(____) - previous rank

Class 6AI

1. Owasso (1) - 6-0
2. Broken Arrow (2) - 5-1
3. Jenks (3) - 3-3
4. Union (4) - 2-4
5. Norman (5) - 5-1
6. PC North (4) - 5-1
7. Moore (8) - 4-2
8. Westmoore (7) - 5-1
9. Mustang (9) - 4-2
10. Edmond Santa Fe (10) - 4-2

Class 6AII

1. Bixby (1) - 6-0
2. Stillwater (2) - 6-0
3. Del City (3) - 5-1
4. Muskogee (4) - 6-0
5. Booker T. Washington (7) - 3-3
6. Midwest City (9) - 3-3
7. Choctaw (6) - 3-3
8. Ponca City (8) - 3-3
9. Deer Creek (10) - 3-3
10. Bartlesville (NR) - 1-5

Class 5A

1. Bishop McGuinness (1) - 5-1
2. Carl Albert (2) - 5-1
3. Edison (3) - 5-1
4. Tahlequah (4) - 6-0
5. Piedmont (6) - 5-1
6. Noble (7) - 5-1
7. El Reno (8) - 5-1
8. Collinsville (5) - 4-2
9. Duncan (9) - 4-1
10. Pryor (10) - 5-1

Class 4A

1. Bethany (1) - 6-0
2. Wagoner (3) - 5-1
3. Tuttle (2) - 5-1
4. Poteau (4) - 5-1
5. Bristow (5) - 5-1
6. Clinton (6) - 4-2
7. Broken Bow (7) - 5-1
8. Weatherford (8) - 4-2
9. Cache (10) - 4-2
10. Central (9) - 5-1

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall (1) - 5-0
2. Lincoln Christian (2) - 6-0
3. Plainview (3) - 4-1
4. Berryhill (4) - 6-0
5. Sulphur (5) - 6-0
6. John Marshall (6) - 5-1
7. Perkins-Tryon (7) - 5-1
8. Checotah (10) - 5-1
9. Idabel (NR) - 5-1
10. Lone Grove (8) - 5-1

Class 2A

1. Metro Christian (1) - 6-0
2. Sperry (2) - 6-0
3. Vian (3) - 5-1
4. Holland Hall (5) - 5-1
5. Washington (6) - 6-0
6. Jones (7) - 5-1
7. Beggs (8) - 5-1
8. Millwood (4) - 4-2
9. Kingston (9) - 5-1
10. Adair (10) - 5-1

Class A

1. Cashion (1) - 6-0
2. Stroud (2) - 6-0
3. Pawhuska (3) - 7-0
4. Rejoice Christian (4) - 6-0
5. Thomas (5) - 5-1
6. Pawnee (6) - 6-0
7. Minco (7) - 7-0
8. Ringling (NR) - 5-1
9. Gore (NR) - 6-1
10. Hobert (NR) - 4-1

Class B

1. Shattuck (1) - 6-0
2. Regent Prep (2) - 6-0
3. Dewar (3) - 6-0
4. Burns Flat-Dill City (4) - 5-1
5. Laverne (5) - 5-1
6. Weleetka (6) - 4-2
7. Cherokee (7) - 5-1
8. Davenport (8) - 5-1
9. Canadian (9) - 6-0
10. Seiling (10) - 5-1

Class C

1. Southwest Covenant (1) - 5-0
2. Pond Creek-Hunter (2) - 6-0
3. Covington-Douglas (3) - 5-2
4. Maysville (4) - 5-0
5. Midway (6) - 7-0
6. Coyle (5) - 4-2
7. Graham-Dustin (8) - 4-1
8. Tyrone (7) - 4-2
9. Waynoka (NR) - 4-2
10. Sasakwa (NR) - 5-1

WEEK 6 Rankings

10/7/2019 |  Ben Johnson

(__) - previous rank

Class 6AI
1. Owasso (1) - 5-0
2. Broken Arrow (2) - 4-1
3. Jenks (4) - 2-3
4. PC North (5) - 5-0
5. Union (3) - 1-4
6. Norman (6) - 4-1
7. Westmoore (7) - 5-0
8. Moore (8) - 3-2
9. Mustang (10) - 3-2
10. Edmond Santa Fe (9) - 3-2

Class 6AII
1. Bixby (1) - 5-0
2. Stillwater (2) - 5-0
3. Del City (4) - 4-1
4. Muskogee (6) - 5-0
5. Sapulpa (5) - 4-1
6. Choctaw (7) - 3-2
7. Booker T. Washington (3) - 2-3
8. Ponca City (10) - 3-2
9. Midwest City (8) - 2-3
10. Deer Creek (NR) - 3-2

Class 5A
1. Bishop McGuinness (2) - 4-1
2. Carl Albert (2) - 4-1
3. Edison (3) - 4-1
4. Tahlequah (5) - 5-0
5. Collinsville (6) - 4-1
6. Piedmont (10) - 4-1
7. Noble (NR) - 4-1
8. El Reno (7) - 4-1
9. Duncan (8) - 3-1
10. Pryor (9) - 4-1

Class 4A
1. Bethany (1) - 5-0
2. Tuttle (2) - 5-0
3. Wagoner (3) - 4-1
4. Poteau (5) - 4-1
5. Bristow (6) - 4-1
6. Clinton (3-2
7. Broken Bow (7) - 4-1
8. Weatherford (4) - 3-2
9. Central (9) - 5-0
10. Cache (10) - 3-2

Class 3A
1. Heritage Hall (1) - 4-0
2. Lincoln Christian (2) - 5-0
3. Plainview (3) - 3-1
4. Berryhill (5) - 5-0
5. Sulphur (6) - 5-0
6. John Marshall (4) - 4-1
7. Perkins-Tryon (7) - 5-0
8. Lone Grove (8) - 5-0
9. Stigler (10) - 4-1
10. Checotah (NR) - 4-1

Class 2A
1. Metro Christian (1) - 5-0
2. Sperry (2) - 5-0
3. Vian (3) - 4-1
4. Millwood (4) - 4-1
5. Holland Hall (5) - 4-1
6. Washington (6) - 5-0
7. Jones (7) - 4-1
8. Beggs (8) - 4-1
9. Kingston (9) - 4-1
10. Adair (10) - 4-1

Class A
1. Cashion (1) - 5-0
2. Stroud (2) - 5-0
3. Pawhuska (3) - 6-0
4. Rejoice Christian (4) - 5-0
5. Thomas (5) - 5-1
6. Pawnee (6) - 5-0
7. Minco (7) - 6-0
8. Christian Heritage (8) - 4-1
9. Mangum (NR) - 5-0
10. Dibble (NR) - 5-1

Class B
1. Shattuck (1) - 5-0
2. Regent Prep (2) - 5-0
3. Dewar (5) - 5-0
4. Burns Flat-Dill City (6) - 4-1
5. Laverne (7) - 4-1
6. Weleetka (8) - 3-2
7. Cherokee (3) - 4-1
8. Davenport (4) - 4-1
9. Canadian (9) - 5-0
10. Seiling (NR) - 5-1

Class C
1. Southwest Covenant (1) - 4-0
2. Pond Creek-Hunter (2) - 5-0
3. Covington-Douglas (4) - 4-2
4. Maysville (5) - 4-0
5. Coyle (6) - 4-1
6. Midway (7) - 6-0
7. Tyrone (3) - 4-1
8. Graham-Dustin (9) - 3-1
9. Boise City (8) - 4-1
10. Sharon-Mutual (NR) - 3-2

*Photo by Trey Hunter/Piedmont Gazette

Week 5 rankings

9/30/2019 |  Ben Johnson

(___) - previously ranked

Class 6AI

1. Owasso (1) - 4-0
2. Broken Arrow (2) - 3-1
3. Union (3) - 1-3
4. Jenks (4) - 1-3
5. PC North (5) - 4-0
6. Norman (6) - 4-0
7. Westmoore (7) - 4-0
8. Moore (9) - 2-2
9. Edmond Santa Fe (10) - 3-1
10. Mustang (8) - 2-2

Class 6AII

1. Bixby (1) - 4-0
2. Stillwater (2) - 4-0
3. Booker T. Washington (4) - 2-2
4. Del City (5) - 3-1
5. Sapulpa (3) - 3-1
6. Muskogee (7) - 4-0
7. Choctaw (6) - 2-2
8. Midwest City (9) - 2-2
9. Lawton (8) - 3-1
10. Ponca City (10) - 2-2

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (1) - 4-0
2. Bishop McGuinness (2) - 3-1
3. Edison (4) - 3-1
4. Bishop Kelley (5) - 2-2
5. Tahlequah (6) - 4-0
6. Collinsville (7) - 3-1
7. El Reno (8) - 4-0
8. Duncan (3) - 2-1
9. Pryor (9) - 3-1
10. Piedmont (NR) - 3-1

Class 4A

1. Bethany (1) - 4-0
2. Tuttle (2) - 4-0
3. Wagoner (3) - 3-1
4. Weatherford (5) - 3-1
5. Poteau (6) - 3-1
6. Bristow (7) - 3-1
7. Broken Bow (8) - 3-1
8. Clinton (4) - 2-2
9. Central (NR) - 4-0
10. Cache (NR) - 2-2

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall (1) - 3-0
2. Lincoln Christian (2) - 4-0
3. Plainview (3) - 2-1
4. John Marshall (4) - 4-0
5. Berryhill (5) - 4-0
6. Sulphur (6) - 4-0
7. Perkins-Tryon (7) - 4-0
8. Lone Grove (8) - 4-0
9. Seminole (NR) - 3-1
10. Stigler (9) - 3-1

Class 2A

1. Metro Christian (1) - 4-0
2. Sperry (2) - 4-0
3. Vian (3) - 3-1
4. Millwood (4) - 3-1
5. Holland Hall (5) - 3-1
6. Washington (6) - 4-0
7. Jones (7) - 3-1
8. Beggs (9) - 3-1
9. Kingston (10) - 3-1
10. Adair (8) - 4-0

Class A

1. Cashion (1) - 4-0
2. Stroud (2) - 4-0
3. Pawhuska (3) - 5-0
4. Rejoice Christian (4) - 4-0
5. Thomas (6) - 4-1
6. Pawnee (8) - 4-0
7. Minco (9) - 5-0
8. Christian Heritage (7) - 4-1
9. Colcord (10) - 4-0
10. Tonkawa (5) - 4-1

Class B

1. Shattuck (1) - 4-0
2. Regent Prep (2) - 4-0
3. Cherokee (3) - 4-0
4. Davenport (4) - 3-1
5. Dewar (5) - 4-0
6. Burns Flat-Dill City (7) - 3-1
7. Laverne (8) - 3-1
8. Weleetka (6) - 2-2
9. Canadian (9) - 4-0
10. Snyder (NR) - 4-0

Class C

1. Southwest Covenant (1) - 3-0
2. Pond Creek-Hunter (2) - 4-0
3. Tyrone (4) - 4-0
4. Covington-Douglas (5) - 3-2
5. Maysville (6) - 4-0
6. Coyle (7) - 3-1
7. Midway (8) - 5-0
8. Boise City (9) - 4-0
9. Graham-Dustin (10) - 3-1
10. Buffalo (3) - 3-1

WEEK 4 PICKS

9/27/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Swisher is still in the lead, and blah blah blah. Whitt and I need to step it up

Week 3 picks

Michael Swisher - 9-6
Whitt Carter - 12-3
Ben Johnson - 13-2

Overall standings

Michael Swisher - 46-13
Whitt Carter - 41-18
Ben Johnson - 43-16

Broken Arrow at Jenks

Swisher: Broken Arrow
Whitt: Broken Arrow
Ben: Broken Arrow

Union at Owasso

Swisher: Owasso
Whitt: Owasso
Ben: Owasso

Del City at Choctaw

Swisher: Del City
Whitt: Del City
Ben: Del City

Sapulpa at Bixby

Swisher: Bixby
Whitt: Bixby
Ben: Bixby

Claremore at Collinsville

Swisher: Claremore
Whitt: Collinsville
Ben: Claremore

Elgin at Weatherford

Swisher: Elgin
Whitt: Elgin
Ben: Weatherford

Bethel at Sulphur

Swisher: Sulphur
Whitt: Sulphur
Ben: Sulphur

Cascia Hall at Verdigris

Swisher: Verdigris
Whitt: Cascia Hall
Ben: Verdigris

Lincoln Christian at Stigler

Swisher: Lincoln Christian
Whitt: Lincoln Christian
Ben: Lincoln Christian

Metro Christian at Adair

Swisher: Metro Christian
Whitt: Metro Christian
Ben: Metro Christian

Morris at Beggs

Swisher: Beggs
Whitt: Beggs
Ben: Beggs

Vian at Spiro

Swisher: Vian
Whitt: Vian
Ben: Vian

Barnsdall at Pawhuska

Swisher: Pawhuska
Whitt: Pawhuska
Ben: Pawhuska

Christian Heritage at Cashion

Swisher: Cashion
Whitt: Cashion
Ben: Cashion

Hooker at Thomas

Swisher: Thomas
Whitt: Thomas
Ben: Hooker

Tonkawa at Pawnee

Swisher: Tonkawa
Whitt: Tonkawa
Ben: Pawnee

Weleetka at Dewar

Swisher: Dewar
Whitt: Weleetka
Ben: Dewar

Buffalo at Boise City

Swisher: Boise City
Whitt: Buffalo
Ben: Boise City

Graham Dustin at Midway

Swisher: Midway
Whitt: Graham-Dustin
Ben: Midway

Seiling at Cherokee

Swisher: Cherokee
Whitt: Cherokee
Ben: Cherokee

**Photo by David Stacy

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED SO FAR

9/26/2019 |  Ben Johnson

It’s time for most teams to embark on district games. Let’s take a look at what’s become apparent so far…

Mansfield, Texas teams stink

Everyone hypes up Texas football, but wow, the teams in Mansfield are ……. ungood. I mean, sure, Union lost in one of the only competitive games between five Oklahoma teams and the Mansfield clubs. But I watched Mansfield Legacy with my own eyes, and I watched Jenks to shove it down their throat all game long. That’s all I needed to know about the caliber of teams down there.

6AI runs through Owasso (so far)

We’ll find out who the best team is in 6AI-2 on Friday night, but it appears as though Owasso is on track for its second title in three years. And hot take: If Blankenship wins another title at Owasso, he becomes the best high school football coach this state has ever seen.

Bixby might be the best team in the state

Notice above I said “6AI-2” because the state’s best team could be in 6A Division II. Bixby is that good. If you’ve never watched Brennan Presley or any of his superstar teammates in Bixby, do yourself a favor and go see them before the Spartans’ season ends in another 6AII championship game.

Bishop Kelley has had the worst injury luck so far

The Comets had a chance to stand toe to toe with Carl Albert in Class 5A. Then Bishop Kelley lost defensive lineman Montrell Cozart, receiver Cori Lewis and Oklahoma State commit Zach Middleton to various injuries. Now Bishop Kelley will have to dig deep and grind its way through District 5A-3 until Lewis and Middleton maybe (possibly) come back.

We need to start using common sense when it comes to weather

One coach texted me and was pissed about a having a game cut short due to weather to close out non-district play. Someone happened to let the officials know that lightning was 32 -- THIRTY-TWO -- miles away. That’s outrageous. Look, I get it, safety is the name of the game. But let’s use some common sense. We all live in Oklahoma; we all know how to read radars. Just because you see lightning doesn’t always mean there’s imminent danger. Take the 6AI title game last year …. We endured a long delay and were just about to get back to the game when a stray lightning strike flashed east of Tulsa. There was no chance it was coming back toward Chapman Stadium, and yet, the clock was reset to 30 minutes before teams could warm up. All I’m asking for is some common sense to be applied. 

Sam Brandt & Asher Link need to be getting more attention

Mason Williams is putting up silly numbers at Bixby, but there’s plenty of QB talent around. Sam Brandt is a menace on both sides of the ball for Bethany, and Asher Link has Metro Christian in position to be the favorite in 2A. More college coaches should be taking notice in these guys.

Dorian Plumley could lead El Reno to special things


If El Reno’s junior quarterback were two inches taller, college coaches would be knocking down his door. Some things never change on the recruiting trail.

Dae Dae Leathers might be the best RB you don’t know about

Dominic Richardson, Sevion Morrison, Qwontrel Walker and Tristan Truelove are notable running backs in this state, but Leathers is putting up solid numbers every week in far eastern Oklahoma.

Bristow & Mannford have a fantastic rivalry trophy

The Battle for the Boat trophy played for between the two Keystone Lake rivals KICKS ASS!

Heritage Hall remains good

Take a moment, allow the shock to wear off. OK, let’s continue….

Mike Snyder is about to be the king of coaching in Oklahoma

Might not be another guy in the state who remains so quiet and just continues to get the job done. And he’s a win shy of tying the state’s record for all-time coaching wins.

Classes 2A & A are extremely deep

As many as a dozen teams (if not more) could win the gold balls in 2A or A.

A really good team from District A-5 will miss the playoffs

Pawhuska, Barnsdall, Pawnee and Tonkawa are all unbeaten. Hominy is 3-1 and Morrison is 2-2. Only four of these teams will escape A-5 and venture into the playoffs. Buckle up!

WEEK 4 RANKINGS

9/22/2019 |  Ben Johnson

(____) - previous rank

Week 3 scoreboard
6AI

6AII

5A

4A

3A

2A

A

B

C

Class 6AI

1. Owasso (1) - 3-0
2. Broken Arrow (2) - 2-1
3. Union (3) - 1-2
4. Jenks (4) - 1-2
5. PC North (5) - 3-0
6. Norman (6) - 3-0
7. Westmoore (7) - 3-0
8. Mustang (8) - 2-1
9. Moore (9) - 1-2
10. Edmond Santa Fe (10) - 2-1

Class 6AII

1. Bixby (1) - 3-0
2. Stillwater (2) - 3-0
3. Sapulpa (3) - 3-0
4. Booker T. Washington (4) - 1-2
5. Del City (6) - 2-1
6. Choctaw (5) - 2-1
7. Muskogee (7) - 3-0
8. Lawton (9) - 3-0
9. Midwest City (8) - 1-2
10. Ponca City (10) - 2-1

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (1) - 3-0
2. Bishop McGuinness (2) - 2-1
3. Duncan (3) - 2-0
4. Edison (4) - 2-1
5. Bishop Kelley (5) - 1-2
6. Tahlequah (6) - 3-0
7. Collinsville (7) - 2-1
8. El Reno (NR) - 3-0
9. Pryor (NR) - 2-1
10. Claremore (8) - 1-2

Class 4A

1. Bethany (1) - 3-0
2. Tuttle (2) - 3-0
3. Wagoner (3) - 2-1
4. Clinton (4) - 2-1
5. Weatherford (5) - 2-1
6. Poteau (7) - 2-1
7. Bristow (8) - 2-1
8. Broken Bow (9) - 2-1
9. Elgin (10) - 1-1
10. Hilldale (NR) - 2-1

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall (1) - 2-0
2. Lincoln Christian (2) - 3-0
3. Plainview (3) - 1-1
4. John Marshall (4) - 3-0
5. Berryhill (5) - 3-0
6. Sulphur (6) - 3-0
7. Perkins-Tryon (7) - 3-0
8. Lone Grove (9) - 3-0
9. Stigler (10) - 3-0
10. Kingfisher (8) - 1-2

Class 2A

1. Metro Christian (1) - 3-0
2. Sperry (2) - 3-0
3. Vian (4) - 2-1
4. Millwood (5) - 2-1
5. Holland Hall (3) - 2-1
6. Washington (7) - 3-0
7. Jones (9) - 2-1
8. Adair (10) - 3-0
9. Beggs (6) - 2-1
10. Kingston (8) - 2-1

Class A

1. Cashion (1) - 3-0
2. Stroud (2) - 3-0
3. Pawhuska (3) - 4-0
4. Rejoice Christian (4) - 3-0
5. Tonkawa (5) - 4-0
6. Thomas (6) - 3-1
7. Christian Heritage (7) - 4-0
8. Pawnee (8) - 3-0
9. Minco (9) - 4-0
10. Colcord (NR) - 3-0

Class B

1. Shattuck (1) - 3-0
2. Regent Prep (2) - 3-0
3. Cherokee (3) - 3-0
4. Davenport (4) - 2-1
5. Dewar (7) - 3-0
6. Weleetka (8) - 2-1
7. Burns Flat-Dill City (NR) - 3-1
8. Laverne (5) - 2-1
9. Canadian (NR) - 3-0
10. Seiling (NR) - 4-0

Class C

1. Southwest Covenant (1) - 2-0
2. Pond Creek-Hunter (2) - 3-0
3. Buffalo (3) - 3-0
4. Tyrone (4) - 3-0
5. Covington-Douglas (5) - 2-2
6. Maysville (7) - 3-0
7. Coyle (8) - 2-1
8. Midway (9) - 4-0
9. Boise City (10) - 3-0
10. Graham-Dustin (NR) - 3-0

**Photo credit: Von Castor / Von Castor Photography

WEEK 3 Rankings

9/16/2019 |  Ben Johnson

(___) - previous rank

Week 2 scoreboard
6AI

6AII

5A

4A

3A

2A

A

B

C

Class 6AI

1. Owasso (2)
2. Broken Arrow (1)
3. Union (3)
4. Jenks (4)
5. PC North (5)
6. Norman (6)
7. Westmoore (8)
8. Mustang (9)
9. Moore (10)
10. Edmond Santa Fe (7)

Class 6AII

1. Bixby (1)
2. Stillwater (2)
3. Sapulpa (3)
4. Booker T. Washington (3)
5. Choctaw (6)
6. Del City (4)
7. Muskogee (8)
8. Midwest City (7)
9. Lawton (9)
10. Ponca City (NR)

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (1)
2. Bishop McGuinness (2)
3. Duncan (4)
4. Edison (5)
5. Bishop Kelley (3)
6. Tahlequah (7)
7. Collinsville (6)
8. Claremore (8)
9. Noble (10)
10. Lawton MacArthur (NR)

Class 4A

1. Bethany (1)
2. Tuttle (5)
3. Wagoner (2)
4. Clinton (3)
5. Weatherford (4)
6. Blanchard (6)
7. Poteau (8)
8. Bristow (7)
9. Broken Bow (9)
10. Elgin (NR)

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall (1)
2. Lincoln Christian (2)
3. Plainview (3)
4. John Marshall (5)
5. Berryhill (4)
6. Sulphur (6)
7. Perkins-Tryon (8)
8. Kingfisher (9)
9. Lone Grove (NR)
10. Stigler (NR)

Class 2A

1. Metro Christian (1)
2. Sperry (2)
3. Holland Hall (4)
4. Vian (3)
5. Millwood (5)
6. Beggs (6)
7. Washington (7)
8. Kingston (8)
9. Jones (9)
10. Adair (10)

Class A

1. Cashion (1)
2. Stroud (2)
3. Pawhuska (4)
4. Rejoice Christian (5)
5. Tonkawa (6)
6. Thomas (3)
7. Christian Heritage (7)
8. Pawnee (9)
9. Minco (10)
10. Morrison (8)

Class B

1. Shattuck (1)
2. Regent Prep (2)
3. Cherokee (3)
4. Davenport (4)
5. Laverne (5)
6. Keota (6)
7. Dewar (7)
8. Weleetka (8)
9. Snyder (9)
10. Seiling (NR)

Class C

1. Southwest Covenant (1)
2. Pond Creek-Hunter (2)
3. Buffalo (3)
4. Tyrone (5)
5. Covington-Douglas (4)
6. Tipton (6)
7. Maysville (7)
8. Coyle (8)
9. Midway (9)
10. Boise City (10)

Photo cred: Byron Beers/Tahlequah Daily Press

Week 2 picks

9/13/2019 |  Ben Johnson

That noise you heard following the games in Week 1 was Michael Swisher shouting for joy. The oldest of the bunch is proving to be much wiser than those going against him so far. But we’ll see if we can’t gain some ground on him with a solid slate of Week 2 games.

Standings so far

Week 1
Michael Swisher - 15-2
Whitt Carter - 12-5
Ben Johnson - 11-6

Overall
Michael Swisher - 26-5
Whitt Carter - 19-12
Ben Johnson - 19-12
And the fan favorites….
Madison Carter - 16-15
Alicia Johnson - 18-13

And away we go….

Owasso at Broken Arrow

Michael Swisher - Broken Arrow
Whitt Carter - Broken Arrow
Ben Johnson - Broken Arrow

Jenks at Union

Michael Swisher - Union
Whitt Carter - Union
Ben Johnson - Union

Del City at Carl Albert

Michael Swisher - Carl Albert
Whitt Carter - Carl Albert
Ben Johnson - Carl Albert

Sapulpa at Claremore

Michael Swisher - Claremore
Whitt Carter - Claremore
Ben Johnson - Sapulpa

Bishop Kelley at Bishop McGuinness

Michael Swisher - Bishop McGuinness
Whitt Carter - Bishop McGuinness
Ben Johnson - Bishop McGuinness

Clinton at Heritage Hall

Michael Swisher - Heritage Hall
Whitt Carter - Heritage Hall
Ben Johnson - Heritage Hall

Plainview at Tuttle

Michael Swisher - Tuttle
Whitt Carter - Plainview
Ben Johnson - Tuttle

Vian at Lincoln Christian

Michael Swisher - Lincoln Christian
Whitt Carter - Lincoln Christian
Ben Johnson - Lincoln Christian

Purcell at Washington

Michael Swisher - Washington
Whitt Carter - Washington
Ben Johnson - Washington

Morrison at Pawnee

Michael Swisher - Pawnee
Whitt Carter - Morrison
Ben Johnson - Morrison

Wetumka at Davenport

Michael Swisher - Davenport
Whitt Carter - Wetumka
Ben Johnson - Davenport

Sulphur at Davis

Michael Swisher - Sulphur
Whitt Carter - Sulphur
Ben Johnson - Sulphur

Douglass at Millwood

Michael Swisher - Millwood
Whitt Carter - Millwood
Ben Johnson - Millwood

Photo credit - David Stacy

Week 2 rankings

9/8/2019 |  Ben Johnson

(__) - previous rank - Week 1 result

Class 6AI

1. Broken Arrow (1) - Beat Union, 14-0
2. Owasso (3) - Beat Fayetteville (Ark.), 51-19
3. Union (2) - Lost to Broken Arrow, 14-0
4. Jenks (4) - Lost to Bixby, 57-7
5. PC North (5) - Beat Putnam City, 50-0
6. Norman (6) - Beat Norman North, 31-24
7. Edmond Santa Fe (7) - Beat Edmond North, 41-14
8. Westmoore (9) - Beat Moore, 44-35
9. Mustang (10) - Beat Yukon, 38-0
10. Moore (8) - Lost to Westmoore, 44-35

Class 6AII

1. Bixby (1) - Beat Jenks, 57-7
2. Stillwater (2) - Beat Edmond Memorial, 42-7
3. Booker T. Washington (3) - Beat Bishop Kelley, 33-14
4. Del City (4) - Beat Bishop McGuinness, 20-17
5. Sapulpa (5) - Beat Edison, 21-13
6. Choctaw (7) - idle
7. Midwest City (6) - Lost to Carl Albert, 31-0
8. Muskogee (8) - Beat McAlester, 43-7
9. Lawton (9) - Beat Burkburnett (Texas), 56-21
10. Deer Creek (NR) - Beat Southmoore, 45-14

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (1) - Beat Midwest City, 31-0
2. Bishop McGuinness (4) - Lost to Del City, 20-17
3. Bishop Kelley (2) - Lost to Booker T. Washington, 33-14
4. Duncan (7) - Beat Putnam West, 59-35
5. Edison (5) - Lost to Sapulpa, 21-13
6. Collinsville (3) - Lost to Oologah, 13-12
7. Tahlequah (8) - Beat Fort Gibson, 42-21
8. Claremore (10) - Beat Bartlesville, 40-28
9. Guthrie (6) - Lost to Shawnee, 33-23
10. Noble (NR) - Beat Newcastle, 41-12

Class 4A

1. Bethany (1) - Beat Elk City, 41-20
2. Wagoner (3) - Beat Coweta, 36-27
3. Clinton (4) - Beat Woodward, 49-14
4. Weatherford (5) - idle
5. Tuttle (6) - Beat Kingfisher, 41-18
6. Blanchard (2) - Lost to Elgin, 35-20
7. Bristow (7) - Beat Cushing, 19-16
8. Poteau (8) - Beat Durant, 40-13
9. Broken Bow (9) - Beat Idabel, 41-0
10. Cache (NR) - idle

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall (1) - Beat Millwood, 34-0
2. Lincoln Christian (2) - Beat Jones, 49-14
3. Plainview (3) - bye
4. Berryhill (4) - Beat Mannford, 35-7
5. John Marshall (5) - Beat Classen SAS, 48-0
6. Sulphur (6) - Beat Madill, 49-21
7. Seminole (8) - Beat Harrah, 40-8
8. Perkins-Tryon (10) - Beat Hennessey, 35-0
9. Kingfisher (7) - Lost to Tuttle, 41-18
10. Cascia Hall (9) - Lost to Holland Hall, 28-7

Class 2A

1. Metro Christian (2) - idle
2. Sperry (3) - Beat Verdigris, 49-13
3. Vian (4) - Beat Eufaula, 14-2
4. Holland Hall (5) - Beat Cascia Hall, 28-7
5. Millwood (1) - Lost to Heritage Hall, 34-0
6. Beggs (7) - Beat Okmulgee, 39-0
7. Washington (8) - Beat Hobart, 42-7
8. Kingston (9) - Beat Hugo, 44-22
9. Jones (6) - Lost to Lincoln Christian, 49-14
10. Adair (NR) - Beat Commerce, 46-16

Class A

1. Cashion (1) - Beat Prague, 28-0
2. Stroud (2) - Beat Okemah, 40-38
3. Thomas (3) - Beat Newkirk, 41-0
4. Pawhuska (4) - Beat Okla. Union, 60-18
5. Rejoice Christian (5) - Beat Crossings Christian, 48-6
6. Tonkawa (6) - Beat Newkirk, 41-0
7. Christian Heritage (7) - Beat Mount Saint Mary, 30-7
8. Morrison (9) - Beat Crescent, 24-10
9. Pawnee (10) - idle
10. Minco (NR) - Beat Dibble, 14-6

Class B

1. Shattuck (1) - Beat Destiny Christian, 44-8
2. Regent Prep (2) - Beat Prue, 53-6
3. Cherokee (4) - Beat South Barber (Kan.), 44-8
4. Davenport (3) - Lost to Weleetka, 32-28
5. Laverne (5) - Beat Alex, 28-22
6. Keota (6) - idle
7. Dewar (7) - Beat Strother, 46-0
8. Weleetka (8) - Beat Davenport, 32-28
9. Snyder (9) - Beat Waukomis, 44-6
10. Wetumka (10) - Beat Depew, 40-6

Class C

1. SW Covenant (1) - Beat Central Marlow, 52-28
2. Pond Creek-Hunter (3) - Beat Kremlin-Hillsdale, 54-0
3. Buffalo (4) - Beat Medford, 40-12
4. Covington-Douglas (6) - Beat Garber, 64-62 (4OT)
5. Tyrone (8) - Beat Turpin, 56-22
6. Tipton (2) - Lost to Burns Flat-Dill City, 54-6
7. Maysville (NR) - Beat Paoli, 52-6
8. Coyle (5) - Lost to Pioneer, 48-20
9. Midway (NR) - Beat Gans, 64-48
10. Boise City (NR) - Beat Beaver, 48-0

Photo credit - David Stacy

WEEK 1 RANKINGS

9/1/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Class 6AI

1. Broken Arrow (2)
2. Union (1)
3. Owasso (3)
4. Jenks (4)
5. PC North (5)
6. Norman (6)
7. Edmond Santa Fe (7)
8. Moore (8)
9. Westmoore (9)
10. Mustang (10)

Class 6AII

1. Bixby (1)
2. Stillwater (2)
3. Booker T. Washington (3)
4. Del City (4)
5. Sapulpa (5)
6. Midwest City (6)
7. Choctaw (7)
8. Muskogee (8)
9. Lawton (9)
10. Bartlesville (10)

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (1)
2. Bishop Kelley (2)
3. Collinsville (3)
4. Bishop McGuinness (4)
5. Edison (5)
6. Guthrie (6)
7. Duncan (7)
8. Tahlequah (8)
9. Ardmore (9)
10. Claremore (10)

Class 4A

1. Bethany (1)
2. Blanchard (2)
3. Wagoner (3)
4. Clinton (4)
5. Weatherford (5)
6. Tuttle (6)
7. Bristow (7)
8. Poteau (8)
9. Broken Bow (9)
10. Cache (NR)

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall (1)
2. Lincoln Christian (2)
3. Plainview (3)
4. Berryhill (4)
5. John Marshall (5)
6. Sulphur (6)
7. Kingfisher (7)
8. Seminole (8)
9. Cascia Hall (9)
10. Perkins-Tryon (10)

Class 2A

1. Millwood (1)
2. Metro Christian (2)
3. Sperry (3)
4. Vian (4)
5. Holland Hall (5)
6. Jones (6)
7. Beggs (7)
8. Washington (8)
9. Kingston (9)
10. Eufaula (10)

Class A

1. Cashion (1)
2. Stroud (2)
3. Thomas (3)
4. Pawhuska (4)
5. Rejoice Christian (5)
6. Tonkawa (6)
7. Christian Heritage (7)
8. Crossings Christian (9)
9. Morrison (10)
10. Pawnee (NR)

Class B

1. Shattuck (1)
2. Regent Prep (2)
3. Davenport (3)
4. Cherokee (4)
5. Laverne (5)
6. Keota (6)
7. Dewar (7)
8. Weleetka (8)
9. Snyder (9)
10. Wetumka (10)

Class C

1. SW Covenant (2)
2. Tipton (1)
3. Pond Creek-Hunter (3)
4. Buffalo (4)
5. Coyle (5)
6. Covington-Douglas (6)
7. Fox (7)
8. Tyrone (8)
9. Sharon-Mutual (9)
10. Medford (10)

*** Big thanks to Caleb Williams, whose work is the cover photo for this post. Check out his work here: https://www.photosbycaleb.com/

ZERO WEEK PICKS

8/30/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Union at Mansfield (Lake Ridge)

Michael Swisher: Union
Whitt Carter: Union
Ben Johnson: Union

North Little Rock vs. Booker T. Washington (in Bentonville, Ark.)

Michael Swisher: North Little Rock
Whitt Carter: Booker T. Washington
Ben Johnson: Booker T. Washington

Broken Bow at Metro Christian

Michael Swisher: Metro Christian
Whitt Carter: Broken Bow
Ben Johnson: Metro Christian

Oklahoma Christian School at Jones

Michael Swisher: Jones
Whitt Carter: Jones
Ben Johnson: Jones

Owasso at Bentonville (West)

Michael Swisher: Owasso
Whitt Carter: Owasso
Ben Johnson: Owasso

Bixby at Mansfield (Timberview)

Michael Swisher: Timberview
Whitt Carter: Bixby
Ben Johnson: Bixby

Minco at Wynnewood

Michael Swisher: Minco
Whitt Carter: Wynnewood
Ben Johnson: Wynnewood

Altus at Cache

Michael Swisher: Altus
Whitt Carter: Cache
Ben Johnson: Altus

Poteau at El Reno

Michael Swisher: El Reno
Whitt Carter: Poteau
Ben Johnson: Poteau

Community Christian at Crossings Christian

Michael Swisher: Crossings Christian
Whitt Carter: Crossings Christian
Ben Johnson: Crossings Christian

Jenks at Mansfield (Legacy)

Michael Swisher: Jenks
Whitt Carter: Mansfield
Ben Johnson: Mansfield

Fairview at Perry

Michael Swisher: Perry
Whitt Carter: Fairview
Ben Johnson: Perry

Weatherford at Chisholm

Michael Swisher: Weatherford
Whitt Carter: Weatherford
Ben Johnson: Weatherford

Chr. Heritage at Coalgate

Michael Swisher: Christian Heritage
Whitt Carter: Christian Heritage
Ben Johnson: Christian Heritage

ZERO WEEK: Top 10 games

8/29/2019 |  Ben Johnson

1. Union at Mansfield (Lake Ridge)
Union won the matchup between the two clubs last year 36-30, thanks to Darius Boone’s 26-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Union went on to be a Class 6AI semifinalist, and Lake Ridge was a Region 1 semifinalist in Texas’ 6A Division II.

2. North Little Rock vs. Booker T. Washington (in Bentonville, Ark.)
A classic game last year ended with North Little Rock’s Oscar Adaway scoring on a 7-yard run with 1:28 left. Booker T. Washington led 28-15 with 9:14 left in the fourth quarter, but North Little Rock scored twice to seal the game.

3. Broken Bow at Metro Christian
Metro Christian quarterback Asher Link scored on a touchdown run and an 18-yard TD pass to Junior Simpson, and the Patriots defense took over from there in a 28-22 victory last season. Metro Christian is 8-3 all-time against Broken Bow -- with all 11 meetings happening since 2008.

4. Oklahoma Christian School at Jones
Jones ran its winning streak against OCS to four straight with last year’s 27-10 victory. Jones is 7-1 against OCS since 2006.

5. Owasso at Bentonville (West)
A high-scoring affair last year saw Owasso prevail 56-40. Owasso QB Will Kuehne threw for 343 yards and five touchdowns to beat Bentonville West.

6. Bixby at Mansfield (Timberlake)
It was a tight one last year, but the Spartans knocked off Mansfield Timberlake 36-33 to kick-start another championship season.

7. Minco at Wynnewood
Minco beat Wynnewood 27-14 last season, and is now 4-1 against Wynnewood in the past five seasons.

8. Altus at Cache
Both teams finished 8-3 last year and only makes sense that the Highway 62 foes would clash for the first time, despite only being separated by 41 miles.

9. Poteau at El Reno
Poteau’s defense was all over El Reno last year with four sacks and three fumble recoveries in last year’s 38-19 contest. Now the scene shifts to El Reno this year.

10. Community Christian at Crossings Christian
Community Christian scored first, but Crossings Christian followed with 29 straight points to dominate the rest of the way.

Honorable mention games
Jenks at Mansfield (Legacy)

Fairview at Perry

Weatherford at Chisholm

Chr. Heritage at Coalgate

Class 6AI SEASON PREVIEW

8/27/2019 |  Ben Johnson

STATE OF THE PROGRAM

BROKEN ARROW TIGERS

The trophy made the rounds all across Broken Arrow. The Tigers showed up off the Class 6AI championship trophy all over town for the first time in program history, after Broken Arrow took down Jenks for the championship in 2018.
Now it’s time to turn the page.
This time the Tigers are the ones everyone is chasing.
“Our approach is: we aren’t defending anything,” Broken Arrow coach David Alexander said. “Every year they make a new trophy. Last year’s team won last year’s trophy. We are going to attack the season, and try to see how good we can get.”

Here’s a look at what to expect from the Tigers in 2019….


Biggest on-field question: How will the front seven on defense look with so many new faces?
Zach Marcheselli and Gavin Potter served as a dynamic duo at linebacker last season, and the two tackling machines both graduated. Same goes for Kaizer Newell, DeMeco Roland and Colton Collier on the defense front. That leaves Jaylen Moss on the defensive line and middle linebacker Campbell Yeager, alongside Zeno Marcheselli, Logan Stovall, Darryan Moss and Jadahian Floyd-Wright at outside linebacker to lead the charge in 2019.
“Those are some of the guys fighting for playing time at outside linebacker right now,” Alexander said. “All four of those guys are smart and can run.”


Depth chart breakdown
Offense: Maurion Horn (5-feet-11, 180 pounds) takes over in the backfield at running back after Noah Cortes set every rushing record at Broken Arrow. KeJuan Tolbert will be another that gets plenty of carries alongside Horn.
At quarterback, it’s anybody’s guess on who’s slinging passes in 2019. Jake Raines figures to have the inside edge with the season’s first game this wek.
The bulk of those passes will make their way to Isaiah Keller and Tori Dillard.
Paving the way at offensive line will be the nation’s most sought-after right tackle, Andrew Raym (6-5, 285), an Oklahoma commit. Also on the line with Raym will be Trevor Burckhartzmeyer at 6-2, 295 pounds.

Defense: Myles Slusher (6-0, 185) is committed to Oregon, and gives the Tigers a veteran presence at cornerback.
Linebacker responsibilities will fall upon middle linebacker Campbell Yeager with Zeno Marcheselli, Logan Stovall, Darryan Moss and Jadahian Floyd-Wright vying for time at outside linebacker.
And it’ll be Jaylen Moss (6-4, 235) providing pressure up front on the defensive line.

Special teams: Skyler Segraves was a potent weapon in the kicking game last season, but now it’ll be Tyler Crawford’s turn in 2019.

Missed the most: Noah Cortes
Both Quintevin Cherry and Tate Robards graduated from the quarterback spot, but Cortes was the offense’s motor in 2018. The Tigers’ new all-time leading rusher will pass the torch on to guys like Maurion Horn and KeJuan Tolbert in 2019.
“So excited to get this group of running backs on the field,” Alexander said. “Best way to describe these guys is explosive! None of them are as big as Noah, so we will hand the ball to two or three guys to make up for the number of carries.”


2019 schedule
Aug. 31 - @ Mansfield (Texas)
Sept. 6 - @ Union
Sept. 13 - Owasso
Sept. 27 - @ Jenks*
Oct. 4 - Norman*
Oct. 10 - @ Westmoore*
Oct. 17 - Edmond Santa Fe*
Oct. 25 - Yukon*
Nov. 1 - Edmond Memorial*
Nov. 8 - @ Enid*
*District 6AI-1 games
No surprise that it’s another stout schedule for Broken Arrow. The games against Union and Owasso in non-district play are almost always certainties, and Broken Arrow -- along with several other Oklahoma schools -- are playing a collection of teams from Mansfield, Texas, south of the Red River this season. Beyond that, there’s a good chance the District 6AI-1 title comes down to the Sept. 27 game against Jenks -- just like last season (and also the state championship rematch).

Best guess for 2019
This Broken Arrow team lost a lot of firepower from last season. No shame in saying there are a lot of voids that need to be filled. But Alexander and Co. will see what their club is made of early on, and any problems that need to be addressed will certainly get ironed out in the latter half of district play. The Tigers definitely have enough talent to garner another semifinal appearance, and of course, beyond that is anyone’s guess as to what could happen.

Class 6AI preview

Rankings

1. Union - Feels like one of those Union years, where the Redskins have a boatload of talent to win it all.
**2. Broken Arrow - If the defense’s front seven can hold its own, there’s enough talent on this team to win back-to-back titles
3. Owasso - Cole Dugger, a transfer from Collinsville, could be the key link to getting the Rams their second title in three seasons.
4. Jenks - Going to be some getting used to with some new names for the Trojans, but of course they’ll be good.
5. PC North - Wildcats lost tight end Will Taylor, but they return a lot of firepower this season, including quarterback Aaron Norment.
6. Norman - Tigers with a solid chance to impress in 2019 with quarterback Cade Horton, an Oklahoma commit for baseball and football, at the controls.
7. Edmond Santa Fe - Linebacker Collin Oliver has more than a handful Division I offers before he even begins his junior season.
8. Moore - Quarterback Daniel Hishaw Jr. enters his senior year after rushing for 776 yards and 1,839 yards and 29 combined touchdowns.
9. Westmoore - Jace Bohrofen has a bright future in baseball, but he’ll lead the Jaguars at quarterback for his senior season.
10. Mustang - Lee Blankenship is now in charge, so don’t be surprised to see the Broncos climb the rankings as the season progresses.

**2018 state champion

Premier players

District 6AI-1
Broken Arrow
- Myles Slusher: The Oregon commit at cornerback picked off two passes in 2018, including the game-clincher against Jenks in the Class 6AI title game. Also had 68 tackles during his junior year last season.
- Andrew Raym: The state’s top college prospect has committed to Oklahoma after a stellar junior season. Will once again be a key focal point for the Tigers on offense in 2019.

Jenks
- Bo Estes: The 6-foot-3, 190-pound wide receiver/tight end could become one of the state’s best pass catchers before the year is done.

Edmond Santa Fe
- Collin Oliver: The Wolves lost Trace Ford to graduation, but they filter in another star in the making after Oliver had 56 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks as a sophomore in 2018.

Norman
- Cade Horton: Rushed for 1,009 yards and 11 touchdowns and passed for 1,919 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior.

Yukon
- Isaiah Butler: Rushed for 453 yards as a junior and figures to have a key role in the Millers’ rushing attack in 2019.

Westmoore
- Dayton Wolfe:  Enters his junior season after passing for 1,813 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Edmond Memorial
- Nate Williams: Returns for his senior season after rushing for 408 yards in 2018.

Enid
- Jadon Dimarucut: Recorded 85 tackles as a junior last season.

District 6A1-2
Owasso
- Duece Mayberry: Senior defensive is committed to Kansas after logging 27 tackles and three interceptions in 2018.
- Isaiah Jacobs: Brother of former McLain star Joshua Jacobs. Heading into his senior year after rushing for 1,024 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Union
- Kyler Pearson: Kansas commit caught 58 passes for 551 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior in 2018.
- Gabe Cantu: The Tulsa commit stands 6 feet, 4 inches and 300 pounds, and will be Union’s offensive line engineer at center this year.

Mustang
- Andre Dollar: Son of Mustang’s new defensive coordinator, Sam Dollar. Andre Dollar, a sophomore this season, is 6-4, 218 pounds and already holds offers from NC State, Liberty and Southern Miss.

Putnam City North
- Aaron Norment: Panthers’ offensive centerpiece is back at quarterback after rushing for 255 yards and four touchdowns, on top of passing for 2,201 yards and 21 touchdowns. And on his Hudl profile it says, “broke Sam Bradford’s single game passing record.” Not too shabby.

Moore
- Daniel Hishaw: Continued to impress as a junior last season with 776 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing, and he passed for 1,839 yards and 16 touchdowns. Has a commitment to Kansas currently.

Southmoore
- Jaedyn Scott: Dual-threat quarterback for the SaberCats ran for 870 yards and 12 touchdowns and threw for 653 yards and six scores in 2018.

Norman North
- Jake Roberts: 2019 could be the year of the tight end in 6AI. Roberts has committed to North Texas and has a 6-4, 235-pound frame.

Edmond North
- Colby Entwistle: Quarterback for the Huskies is back after throwing for 1,770 yards and eight touchdowns in 2018.

Our best guess(es)

Michael Swisher: Union -- Broken Arrow and Owasso have combined to take some of the luster off Jenks and Union the past couple of years. While Jenks has gone longer without a title, it’s Union that will reclaim supremacy for the duo this season.

Whitt Carter: Union -- After being the only person outside of the Broken Arrow locker room to pick the Tigers to win it all last preseason, I will take my bow and wait for the applause.
***Bows***
Thank you.
And they can certainly do it again this season, with many key players back. But I think Union returns to the top in 2019. The Redskins don’t have the big names that they normally do, but there is still talent everywhere and I think Coweta move-in JD Geneva is the difference at quarterback. He is in for a huge year and will lead the Redskins to the title in what should be an exciting race in 6A-1.

Ben Johnson: Union -- Yeah, boring, I know. But making it three-for-three as someone picking Union to win it all. J.D. Geneva was taking big strides at Coweta before he transferred, and I think he’ll be instrumental on Union’s march to a state championship.

NEW PODCAST: Football is back

8/22/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Verdigris two-way standout commits to Arkansas State

6/26/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Verdigris’ offense took a drastic leap forward in 2018. A big credit for that goes to the offensive line, especially offensive tackle Austin Woods.

On Tuesday, Woods announced his commitment to Arkansas State on Twitter.

“Without the help of my coaches, teammates, friends, and most importantly my parents, this decision would of been much harder than I could’ve ever imagined,” Woods tweeted.

Woods opted for the Red Wolves while holding offers from Eastern Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana Tech, Texas State, Tulane and then two in-state Division II offers from Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma.

“It’s extremely exciting,” Woods told Skordle. “The thought of having my school paid for is unbelievable.”

With Woods anchoring the offensive line in 2018, the Cardinals averaged 27.9 points per game, while earning a playoff berth District 3A-4. He also recorded 44 tackles and five sacks on defense during his junior season.

Of his commitment to Arkansas State, Woods said, “from the facilities to the people, I just felt like I fit in and it felt like home.”

Feedback or comments? Email me at ben@skordle.com

Skordle Showdown arrives in Bixby again

6/21/2019 |  Ben Johnson

The Skordle Showdown is back again in 2019. Some of the state’s premier teams will be in Bixby on Friday. Take a look at all the teams that will be there.

Large school teams

Broken Arrow Tigers
Head coach: David Alexander
Players to watch
- CB Myles Slusher: Highly sought-after defensive back has committed to Oregon. Capped his junior season with an interception on Jenks’ final drive in the Class 6A-I title game to secure Broken Arrow’s first championship.
- S Campbell Yeager: Finished with 74 tackles last season for the Tigers.
- RB Maurion Horn: Sophomore-to-be call carrier already holds offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Baylor.
Need to know: Most notable Broken Arrow player in 2019 will be offensive lineman Andrew Raym, who holds offers from just about every major program in the country. … Tigers will be deploying a new quarterback after Quintevin Cherry and Tate Robards graduated. … Horn likely will be the Tigers’ new running back after Noah Cortes graduated. …. Broken Arrow’s defense did not allow more than 20 points in a game last season, and the Tigers issued only 27 points in three playoff games.


Union Redskins
Head coach: Kirk Fridrich
Players to watch
- QB JD Geneva: Threw for 2,752 yards and 32 touchdowns for Coweta in 10 games last season. Moved to Union just after the first of the year.
- WR Kyler Pearson: Kansas commit caught 57 passes for 551 yards and nine touchdowns last season.
Need to know: Union lost to Jenks, 27-24, in last year’s 6A-I semifinal matchup. … Fridrich is 138-21 since taking over at Union in 2007.


Jenks Trojans
Head coach: Keith Riggs
Players to watch
- WR/TE Bo Estes: Trojans top receiver measures in at 6 feet, 3 inches and 190 pounds. Primed for a big senior season and plenty of college offers along the way.
- RB Will Cox: Slated to be the Trojans’ top ball carrier and has offers already from Davidson and Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Need to know: Jenks’ 2018 season ended with a 28-20 loss to Broken Arrow in the 6A-I title game. The Trojans’ only two losses last season were to Broken Arrow. … Jenks will have a new quarterback in 2019 after Ian Corwin graduated.

Owasso Rams
Head coach: Bill Blankenship
Players to watch
- WR/CB Duece Mayberry Jr.: Kansas commit had 27 tackles and three interceptions on defense last season.
- RB Isaiah Jacobs: Rams ball carrier has offers from Arkansas, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State and plenty more. Also the little brother of former McLain standout Josh Jacobs.
Need to know: A year after winning the 2017 title, Owasso pushed Broken Arrow to the limit in a 10-7 game in the 6A-I semifinals. … Quarterback Will Kuehne passed for 2,378 yards and 23 touchdowns during his senior season in 2018. … Mario Kirby and Trey Goins combined for 1,156 receiving yards for the Rams last season, and both return in 2019.

Bixby Spartans
Head coach: Loren Montgomery
Players to watch
- QB Mason Williams: Junior-to-be was one of Oklahoma’s top quarterbacks in 2018. Guided the Spartans to a 6A Division II championship with 3,225 yards and 36 touchdowns.
- WR/DB Brennan Presley: Superb athlete on both sides of the ball and starting to gain a lot of recruiting traction. Caught 67 passes for 1,081 yards and 10 touchdowns on offense last season.
Need to know: Bixby beat Stillwater 34-13 in the 6AII title game in 2018. For the Spartans, it was their fourth championship in five years. … WR/DB Jordan Reagan is gaining attention after drawing an offer from Oklahoma State earlier in June.

Coweta Tigers
Head coach: Tim Harper
Player to watch
- WR Blake Lair: Caught 56 passes for 952 yards and 15 touchdowns during his junior season in 2018.
Need to know: Harper was named Coweta’s new head coach in early June after Tim Holt Jr. accepted a position on Broken Arrow’s coaching staff. … The Tigers reached the 5A quarterfinals in 2018 before being eliminated by Ardmore.

Cleveland Tigers
Head coach: Ricky Ward
Player to watch
- QB Ben Ward: Emerged on the scene as a sophomore in 2018 with 2,355 yards and 33 touchdowns through the air.
Need to know: Tigers finished 5-5 and missed the playoffs in 2018. … Cleveland is looking for its first playoff appearance since 2013.

Hilldale Hornets
Head coach: David Blevins
Player to watch
- WR/SS/LB Dylan Walker: Recorded 76 tackles and 10 tackles for loss on defense during his sophomore season in 2018.
Need to know: Blevins left his post as Locust Grove’s head coach to take over at Hilldale in the offseason. … Hilldale went 9-3 in 2018 and made it to the 4A quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion Tuttle.

Bishop Kelley Comets
Head coach: JJ Tappana
Players to watch
- WR Cori Lewis: Caught 57 passes for 867 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
- RB Zach Middleton: Oklahoma State commit spearheads the Comets’ rushing attack and racked up 1,129 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Also a disruptive force on defense with 83 tackles as a junior.
- TE Cooper McMurry: Can play nearly any position on offense and doubles as a baseball standout with a commitment to Kansas.
Need to know: Reached the Class 5A semifinals last year before being beat by Ardmore, 21-13, one game shy of the title game.

Booker T. Washington Hornets
Head coach: Brad Calip
Players to watch
- WR JJ Hester: Perhaps the state’s top receiving target in recruiting circles for the 2020 graduating class. Stands 6 feet, 3 inches and weighs 181 pounds with offers from Georgia, Arkansas, Kansas State, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas and plenty more.
- LB Krishawn Brown: Recently committed to Kansas after logging 119 tackles and 14 sacks in 2018.
Need to know: Followed a 6AII championship in 2017 with a semifinal appearance in 2018. Hornets lost to Stillwater a game shy of playing for back-to-back titles.


Small school teams
Cushing Tigers
Head coach: Rusty Morgan
Player to watch
- WR Keaton Crooks: One of the state’s top wideouts in 2018 with 1,117 yards on 68 receptions.
Need to know: Tigers went 4-7 in 2018 but still earned a playoff spot in Class 4A.

Henryetta Knights
Head coach: Lance Beck
Player to watch
- QB Jakob White: Passed for 1,142 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore last season.
Need to know: Knights went 1-9 in 2018. … Beck took over at Henryetta after serving as linebacker coach at Sand Springs.

Verdigris Cardinals
Head coach: Travis East
Players to watch
- QB Brant Hager: Passed for 1,607 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior in 2018.
- WR Toby Willis: Caught 39 passes for 894 yards last season.
Need to know: Cardinals went 5-6 with a playoff berth in 2018. … Sloan Roller returns as Verdigris’ top tackler last season with 142.

Pawhuska Huskies
Head coach: Matt Hennesy
Players to watch
- QB/LB Bryce Drummond: Threw for 1,697 yards and 17 touchdowns during his sophomore season in 2018. Also had 104 tackles at linebacker.
- WR/DB Cade McNeil: Led the Huskies with five interceptions on defense, and was Pawhuska’s top receiver with 536 yards as a junior in 2018.
Need to know: Huskies went 6-5 with a playoff berth in their first year under Hennesey in 2018.

Beggs Golden Demons
Head coach: David Tenison
Player to watch
- S Kendal Daniels: Uber-athletic defensive back has offered from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and many more.
Need to know: Golden Demons have had back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2018. Last season, Beggs lost to Sperry in the 2A title game, after losing to John Marshall in the 3A championship game in 2017.

Locust Grove Pirates
Head coach: Cameron Conder
Player to watch
- QB Trystin Gutierrez: Senior signal caller takes over an offense that averaged 28.2 points per game in 2018.
Need to know: Pirates went 8-3 with a playoff berth in 2018. … Conder took over after Blevins became the head coach at Hilldale.

Okmulgee Bulldogs
Head coach: Brent Scott
Need to know: Scott takes over at Okmulgee after a two-year stint at Kellyville, where he guided the Ponies to an 8-4 record with a second-round playoff appearance in 2018.

Morris Eagles
Head coach: Robert Daniels
Player to watch
- QB Kolby Burgess: As a sophomore, guided the Eagles to five wins and a playoff berth last season.
Need to know: Eagles went 5-6 before being eliminated from the playoffs by Adair in 2018.

Lincoln Christian Bulldogs
Head coach: Jerry Ricke
Player to watch
- Chase Ricke: One of the state’s top passers in 2018 with 3,116 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Need to know: The Bulldogs finished 11-2 in 2018 with a semifinal appearance in Class 3A.

Blackwell Maroons
Need to know: The Maroons were 2-8 in 2018.

PODCAST: It's Skordle Showdown time!

6/20/2019 |  Ben Johnson

FOOTBALL'S BACK!! Well, not really. But kind of.

Skordle is hosting two different 7-on-7 football tournaments, all thanks to wonderful sponsors, Tulsa Tech and Charleston's.

The guys break down both Showdowns, and chat about players to watch and what to keep an eye out for. And shoutout to the 7-on-7 event in Norman live streaming several of the matchups.

Later in the episode, the OSSAA's Chris Wilfong joins the podcast to talk about his tremendous website - IWasAtTheGame.com ... if you've never checked it out, do it now. It has everything you'd ever want to know about high school sports in Oklahoma. 

As always, thanks for listening. 

And send us your feedback at @benjohnsontul or @michaelswisher