Coweta Tigers 2024-2025 Football Schedule & Results

Coweta Tigers

Coweta, OK 74429

2024-2025 Football Schedule
Record: 2-6 | Unranked

@ Wagoner

36-7
9/6

vs McAlester

0-35
9/27

@ Bishop Kelley

22-6
10/4

vs Shawnee

14-20
10/11

vs Edison Prep

47-7
10/17

@ Durant

13-17
10/25

@ Booker T Washington

30-10
11/1

vs East Central

25-28
11/7

Week 3 Picks

9/18/2020 | Ben Johnson

Last week�

Michael Swisher: 10-2

Ben Johnson: 10-2

Whitt Carter: 9-3

Overall

Swisher & Ben: 28-8

�.

Whitt: 24-12

Week 3 games

Metro Christian at Holland Hall

Jones at Lincoln Christian

Thomas at Cashion

Heritage Hall at John Marshall

Cherokee at Shattuck

Booker T at McGuinness

Muskogee at Coweta

Noble at Piedmont

Clinton at Millwood

Beggs at Chandler

Alex at Davenport

Pond Creek at Medford

Norman North at Yukon

Berryhill at Cushing

Our picks�.

Whitt

Holland Hall
LIncoln
Cashion
Heritage Hall
Shattuck
Booker T
Muskogee
Piedmont
Clinton
Chandler
Davenport
Pond Creek
Norman North
Berryhill

Swisher

Holland Hall

Lincoln

Cashion

Heritage Hall

Shattuck

Booker T

Muskogee

Piedmont

Clinton

Beggs

Davenport

Pond Creek

Norman North

Berryhill

Ben

Holland Hall

Lincoln Christian

Cashion

Heritage Hall

Shattuck

Bishop McGuinness

Muskogee

Piedmont

Clinton

Beggs

Davenport

PC-Hunter

Yukon

Berryhill

Class 5A preview

Rankings

**1. Carl Albert - Dadrion Taylor ran for 1,365 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, but now he passes the torch to Javion Hunt, who holds offers from Arkansas, Iowa State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and several more (only in-state offer is Tulsa).
2. Bishop Kelley - Plenty of notable names on this year�s Comets roster, but don�t surprised when Cori Lewis� name is in high demand on the recruiting trails by midseason (if not before then).
3. Collinsville - Cardinals lose Grayson Boomer and Jake Tuttle from last year�s 5A semifinal team. But Collinsville always finds a way to replace departed talent and keep on winning.
4. Bishop McGuinness - Get ready for a lot of Dominic Richardson, a TCU commit, this season.
5. Edison - Running back Sevion Morrison burst onto the scene last season and rewrote several Edison records en route to 2,761 yards and 38 touchdowns.
6. Guthrie - The Bluejays always manage to have a stout defensive unit, and 2019 shouldn�t be any different. Should be Hector Goosby and Tervae Williams anchoring this season�s defensive efforts.
7. Duncan - A lot of talented players in 5A, and Jai�Vion Dangerfield could be the most unheralded of them all.
8. Tahlequah - He may be small (5 feet, 7 inches and 170 pounds), but running back Dae Dae Leathers has been nothing but productive when he�s on the field.
9. Ardmore - Last season�s 5A runner-up will have to move on to 2019 without several key contributors from 2018 -- Brayden Bryant, Sitani Lemeki, Tero Roberts, Cameron Petties, Trenzel Johnson and several more.
10. Claremore - Zebras with no lack of skills guys this season, including Dylan Kedzior, Quention Skinner and Jace Hightower.
**2018 state champion

Premier players

District 5A-1

- Racer Felter (Lawton Mac): Senior quarterback leads a senior-heavy squad that could make a run this year in 5A.
- Jai�vion Dangerfield (Duncan): A two-way playmaker who had 1,100 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns, with one on an interception and two on punt returns. �He�s the real deal.� -- Duncan head coach JT Cobble.

District 5A-2

- Dominic Richardson (Bishop McGuinness): TCU commit embarks on a senior season as the Irish�s central figure in a potential title run.
- Reise Collier and David Peters (Carl Albert): Two tackling machines combined for 328 takedowns for the Titans in 2018.
- JD Coonfield and Tervae Williams (Guthrie): Combined for 197 tackles and five interceptions in 2018.
- Dylan Hampton (Piedmont): Threw for 1,338 yards and ran for 375 yards during his junior campaign.

District 5A-3

- Blake Lair (Coweta): Hauled in an impressive 952 yards and 15 touchdowns on 47 catches as a junior in 2018.
- Chris Hilton (McAlester): Senior-to-be quarterback could thrive in first-year head coach Forrest Mazey�s offense after passing for 1,032 yards and nine touchdowns, while adding 625 yards on the ground last year.
- Zach Middleton (Bishop Kelley): Oklahoma State commit is a standout as an offensive ball carrier, but shines on defense and leads a stout Comets� defense.
- Makai Blades (Glenpool): Speedster could cause problems for opposing defenses if his offensive line creates proper running lanes.

District 5A-4

- Jace Hightower (Claremore): Senior tailback has committed to Air Force after running for 1,138 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
- Jayden Garner (Skiatook): Dynamic offensive weapon for the Bulldogs, who once got the same production out of Jayden�s brother, Shae.
- Dae Dae Leathers (Tahlequah):

Our best guess(es)

Michael Swisher: Carl Albert -- The Titans will have to tussle with the Bishops (Kelley and McGuinness) along the way, but until one of them - or someone else - gets the job done, I�m not betting against the westside power. Carl Albert is chasing history this season, which will add to the pressure, but will have enough to lift yet another gold ball and etch its name in the winning streak book.

Whitt Carter: Carl Albert -- Hold on to your butts - Carl Albert is loaded again. This will certainly come to an end sometime and they could finally lose this year, as hilarious as that sounds. But they are winning 5A again, regardless of whether the streak continues or not.

Ben Johnson: Carl Albert -- I like Bishop Kelley a lot, but can�t deviate from the norm. Boring, I know.

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

Tim Holt Jr. steps down at Coweta

5/13/2019 | Ben Johnson

As spring football begins, there�s now a head-coaching vacancy at Coweta. Early Monday morning, Tim Holt Jr. submitted his resignation to athletic director Tim Johnson.

Holt ends a three-year run at Coweta, where he went 19-15 with a district championship in 2017. He also guided the Tigers to the playoffs in three consecutive years.

�We appreciate the time Coach Holt put into the program,� Coweta athletic director Tim Johnson told the Wagoner County American-Tribune. �We wish Tim and his family nothing but the best.�

According to several sources, Holt is heading to Broken Arrow to become the Tigers� passing game coordinator. For the Tigers, the reigning Class 6AI champions, Holt joins the offensive staff, which is led by offensive coordinator Jay Wilkinson.

Holt served as an assistant at Broken Arrow from 2010 to 2015.

Coweta is coming off a 5-7 season, one that ended with a loss to Ardmore in the Class 5A quarterfinals.

The next head coach will be Coweta�s third since 2013.

WRESTLING: All-State rosters announced

3/12/2019 | Ben Johnson

The Oklahoma Coaches Association announced the 2019 All-State wrestling rosters on Tuesday morning.

Here are the rosters and some notes on the honorees:

Large East

113: David Boucher (Bartlesville)

120: Laif Jones (Bartlesville)

126: Ty Nohelty (McAlester)

132: Reece Witcraft (Broken Arrow) - Two-time state champion headed to Oklahoma State

138: Spencer Schickram (Ponca City) - Won the Class 6A 138 title this season

145: Gage Hight (Glenpool) - Finished as a three-time runner-up for the Warriors�

152: Ja�len Hernandez (Union)�

160: Scott Patton (Sand Springs) - Runner-up at 6A 152

170: Isaac Strain (Tahlequah)

182: Talon Borror (Coweta) - Three-time state champion headed to Oklahoma

195: Elijah Tomlin (Union)

220: Korbin McLaughlin (Skiatook) - The 5A 220 champion this season to help Skiatook split the 5A state title with Collinsville

HWT: Caleb Orr (Jenks) - Runner-up in 6A heavyweight this season

Large West

113: Dominic Derr (Westmoore)

120: Jayston Cato (Carl Albert) - Runner-up at 5A 120 this season

126: Mitchell Lance (Piedmont) - Third place finish at 5A 126 this season

132: Colt Newton (Choctaw) - Finished third at 6A 132 this season�

138: Cameron Picklo (Mustang) - Finished third at 138 this season

145: Kobi Gomez (Altus) - State champion at 5A 138 this season

152: Hunter Jump (Duncan) - State champion at 5A 160 after winning a state title at Lawton Mac as a junior

160: Rene Martinez (Putnam City) - Runner-up at 6A 160 this season

170: Zane Coleman (Choctaw) - Arizona State signee became a four-time state champion this season

182: Christian Maldonado (Lawton Mac) - State champion at 5A 170 this season

195: Carson Savage (Deer Creek) - Runner-up at 6A 195 this season

220: Jake McCoy (Edmond North) - Runner-up at 6A 220 this season

HWT: Josh Heindselman (Piedmont) - Became a two-time state champion by winning the 5A heavyweight crown this season

Small East

113: Kaleb Harris (Sallisaw)

120: Luke Montgomery (Bristow) - Finishied third at 4A 120 this season

126: Thaddeus Long (McLain) - Became the Titans� first state champion since 1976 with a title at 4A 126

132: Wesley Scott (Pawnee) - Runner-up at 3A 132 this season

138: Price Perrier (Pawhuska) - Runner-up at 3A 138 this season

145: Trystian Shireman (Wagoner) - Finished third at 4A 138 this season

152: Hadyn Redus (Perry) - State champion at 3A 152 this season

160: Jacob Ahrberg (Cushing) - State champion at 4A 160 this season

170: Cade Shropshire (Checotah) - Two-time state champion for the Wildcats with the 3A 160 chamionship this season

182: River Simon (Vian) - Became a two-time state champion by winning the 3A 182 title this season

195: Eriq Simpson (Cushing) - Runner-up at 4A 195 this season

220: Drake Barbee (Blackwell) - State champion at 3A 195 this season

HWT: Teaguen Wilson (Perry) - Runner-up at 3A heavyweight this season

Small West

113: Remington White (Walters) - Former state champion was the 3A runner-up at 113 this season

120: Jaxon Miller (Comanche)

126: Logan Farrell (Tuttle) - Runner-up at 4A 126 this season

132: Kolton Smith (Bridge Creek) - Became the Bobcats� first state champion by winning the 3A 126 title this season

138: Kobey Kizarr (Marlow) - State champion at 3A 138 this season

145: Val Park (Heritage Hall) - Became a three-time state champion by winning 4A 138 title this season

152: Alec McDoulett (Little Axe) - Runner-up at 3A 152 this season

160: Tyler Lavey (Marlow) - Runner-up at 3A 160 this season

170: Ethon Hamrick (Comanche)�

182: Denver Dahlenburg (Hinton)�

195: Carson Berryhill (Tuttle) - Won a second straight state championship by winning 4A 195 title this season

220: Cameron Gregg (Pauls Valley)

HWT: Ruben Guiterrez (Clinton) - Finished third at 4A heavyweight this season

**Photo courtesy of Austin Bernard/Owrestle.com

STATE TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS!

3/6/2019 | Ben Johnson

No introduction needed. Here are the "expert" picks for state tournaments taking place this weekend. (Oh, and listen to the podcast while you're at it!)

Class 6A

Boys

Ben Johnson - Edmond Memorial: There are so many players to love in this field -- Putnam City West�s Rondel Walker, Sapulpa�s Camryn Dennis, Putnam City North�s Micah Thomas, Booker T. Washington�s Bryce Thompson and so many more. But Shane Cowherd is bringing a team with talent across the board. There�s a reason the coaches in the state have the Bulldogs as the top-ranked team, so I�ll side with Cowherd and Co. over Booker T. Washington in the finals.

Michael Swisher - Edmond Memorial: The Bulldogs snuck in after losing to Midwest City and squeaking by rival Santa Fe. They�ll play better this week and bring the trophy down south.

Whitt Carter - Booker T Washington: This will be a fantastic tournament filled with teams that can win it. But I�ll take the Hornets, as they have the experience in big games and are hungry for a title. They had to watch Memorial win two in a row in Class 5A and this year their get one of their own. Another side note, BTW�s Seth Hurd is my favorite and the most underappreciated player in the state.

Girls

Ben - PC West: Reckless abandon is what the Patrios will play with this weekend, just like they�ve done all year. Not a ton of big-time scorers for PC West, but last year�s runner-up will hoist the gold ball this year.

Michael - Putnam City West: No. 1 in Oklahoma. Nationally-ranked. Haven�t lost to a team from Oklahoma. Won�t this weekend, either.

Whitt - Putnam City West: They were right there last year and had their title taken in the waning seconds by Owasso. All they�ve done this year is go 23-1 with a loss to Skyline, TX and dominate the teams inside the state of Oklahoma. Their relentless style of play and approach will be the difference, as they finish on Saturday this time and cut down the nets.

Class 5A

Boys

Ben - Memorial: Boone twins. It�s that simple. The Chargers have been a dynamo in 5A with two straight titles and now going for a third. Northwest Classen is good, but can Davion Warden and Co. make it to the title game and then take down the Chargers? I don�t see it.

Michael - Memorial: Lenny Hatchett has Del City playing so well, but I can�t pick against Memorial. Neither should you.

Whitt - Memorial: Let�s all be honest, this is the easiest pick from any of the classes. Bobby Allison and gang are just on another level. The Boone twins will, once again, wow the crowds at the Mabee Center with their athleticism and impact on both ends of the floor. The Chargers get another one, sending Kalib and Keylan out with a bang.

Girls

Ben - Piedmont: Per usual, the 5A girls field is pretty much anyone�s for the taking. Rogers is dangerous, but then so is El Reno with Ashlyn Evans-Thompson leading the charge. Coweta is young but talented, and East Central is always a threat. But for this year, I�ll go with the Wildcats, led by Delanie Crawford (14.8 points a game) and Maci Attalla (13.6).

Michael - Piedmont: El Reno beating Ardmore at area put the bracket in a funk as it appears loaded at the bottom. Coach Carr�s team will emerge from that and then claim gold on Saturday.

Whitt - Ardmore: They suffered a surprising and tough loss to El Reno at the area tournament last week, but I think that may work to the Lady Tigers advantage by waking them up. This team rolled through the first part of the season, losing their first game in late January. Ardmore cuts down the nets and gets its� third gold ball.

Class 4A

Boys

Ben - Kingfisher: Some unbelievable talent in this field -- Broken Bow�s Josh Jones (20.4 points per game), Central�s B.J. Jefferson (16), Elgin�s Conner Slater (16.3), Kingfisher�s Trey Green (17) and Heritage Hall�s Trey Alexander (24.8). And what�s scary is a lot of these teams will return a lot of talent next season. But for now, I�m zeroing in on a Kingfisher-Heritage Hall title game for a second straight year. This time the gold ball goes to Jett Sternberger, Matt Stone, Bijan Cortes and Co.

Michael - Kingfisher: I live in Kingfisher. I have to pay my bills. I have to pick the Yellowjacket. Oh, and they�re really, really good. And hungry. If they get by dangerous Elgin in the quarters, look out.

Whitt - Kingfisher: The class that everyone is excited for will take center stage at the Fairgrounds for all three days. Heritage Hall beat the Yellowjackets in the title game last year and are 26-0 this year. But the star-studded Kingfisher remembers that loss last March and will want revenge. They get it and send out their seniors with a second gold ball.

Girls

Ben - Anadarko: Top half of the bracket -- Holland Hall, Muldrow, Elgin and Classen SAS -- is STACKED. Again, STACKED. That�s part of the reason I went with Anadarko. The Warriors still have their work cut out for them, but I�m rolling the dice with Kaylee Borden (12 points a game), Averi Zinn and the rest of the Anadarko team to win its third gold ball.

Michael - Muldrow: Coaches tell me Classen SAS is as talented as they�ve seen in 4A in a while. And they�re young as they start three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. That said, I�m going with Muldrow. Taylen Collins can match up with Littlepage-Buggs and Hannah Boyett can handle the pressure. And that�s just a semifinal. Don�t overlook Anadarko, either (it appears I am).

Whitt - Anadarko: A fairly wide open class, there are a handful of teams I could see winning it. I�ll go with the tradition-rich Anadarko, who beat one of the favorites, Classen, last Friday in the area finals. When the Lady Warriors get the press up and running, you better handle the pressure or things can unravel quickly.

Class 3A

Boys

Ben - Millwood: Kingston�s Jacob Germany is as good as it gets in this field, but I�ll side with the athleticism of the Falcons here. Give me Justin Wilson and Isaiah Williams and the rest of the Falcons.

Michael - Here�s hoping for a Kingston-Millwood final (all apologies to you other six). I�ve got personal ties to Millwood, so the fan in me is pulling for the Falcons all the way. The business side in me says Kingston won�t be denied.

Whitt - Millwood: I�ll take the Falcons to win the gold ball here. Several really good teams that you can pick here, including Kingston or Sequoyah on the other side. Ultimately, I think Millwood gets the winner of that eventual semifinal and beats them. Millwood has not lost inside the class this year and that won�t change this weekend.

Girls

Ben - Christian Heritage: Up from 2A, the Crusaders are still loaded. Tahlequah Sequoyah is probably the favorite, but I�ll side with Olivia Curtis and Rylee Langerman.

Michael - Sequoyah-Tahlequah: CHA has won the last two 2A crowns and is a sleeper, but this isn�t 2A and the Lady Crusaders aren�t as deep as they have been. Larry Callison rides into the sunset with another state championship.

Whitt - Christian Heritage: Another class with some big time teams, but I�ll take CHA to win another title as it took the jump up a class this season. They know how to win and ultimately get past Sequoyah in what would be an awesome semifinal. Side note, I am really picking my alma mater, the Sulphur Lady Bulldogs - in Toby Todd we trust.

Class 2A

Boys

Ben - Hennessey: Total guess here, so I�m siding with Hennessey, who -- along with Hooker -- has only lost twice this season.

Michael - Hooker: This is the most wide-open bracket in OKC, in my opinion. Any number of teams can win�and also get beat Thursday. Hooker is one of them.

Whitt - Dale: They are coming off a big win over Hooker last week to punch their ticket to the state tourney. They have played well inside the class this year, going 12-2, only losing to Cashion a month ago and Rock Creek back in January.

Girls

Ben - Dale: I�m programmed to believe that Dale wins everything when its in any state tournament field. Pirates win again.

Michael - Howe: No Cashion and no CHA this year, which have been Howe�s kryptonite the last three years. Dale is in the way, but Jalei Oglesby caps her stellar career with the gold ball.

Whitt - Latta: I�ll go with what many would consider a sleeper pick here, but give me the Lady Panthers. They are a long team and present a bunch of problems defensively. They will have to get past top-ranked Dale in the semis and it would be the rubbermatch between the two.

PODCAST: More basketball on tap this week

3/6/2019 | Ben Johnson

Made a big podcast addition this week. Ben & Swisher are joined by the Oklahoman's Jacob Unruh.

Jacob & Swisher recap the highlights and the championship moments from the Class A & Class B state tournaments.

Then the guys break down the state tournaments from 2A through 6A. And of course, PREDICTIONS! (Most sure to go wrong, in Ben's case).

Have feedback for the show? Tweet at us - @michaelswisher or @benjohnsontul | Or email us at ben@skordle.com

And as always, thanks for listening!

Coweta's Talon Borror

STATE WRESTLING: Drake Barbee's story of survival

2/21/2019 | Ben Johnson

EMAIL ME - ben@skordle.com | RELATED - State tournament wrestling predictions

Drake Barbee will take the mat at Jim Norick Arena on Friday. Impressive for someone who was near death 14 months ago.

�It was as severe as it could have gotten,� Barbee said, �other than death, of course.�

Barbee, attending Stilwell during his junior year at the time, was en route to his dad�s fiance�s house in Broken Arrow.

Then things went horribly wrong.

�I have no recollection of anything other then trying to avoid something that night,� Barbee said. �The people at the hospital told me there was a guy that crossed over the center line that was high on meth, and I should have died.�

Needless to say, Dec. 19, 2017, was a horrifying day for Chris Barbee, Drake�s dad.

�Hardest phone call I ever had to take,� the elder Barbee said. �A lot of stuff goes through your mind, and I didn�t know the extent of his injuries until I got to the hospital.�

Chris Barbee was about to be horrified all over again. The list of Drake�s ailments was painfully extensive.

- Broken hip

- Broken jaw

- Traumatic brain injury

- Brain bleeds

The injuries caused Drake Barbee to spend nine days in a coma. Then came �multiple months in multiple hospitals,� Drake recalled. �Then a rehab center for an additional month.�

Drake�s near-death experience came immediately after competing at the Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nevada. And it would be the last time he�d take the wrestling mat for a while -- and understandably so.

�It was hard; I looking anywhere I could to get on the mat,� Drake said. �I was decently moving after the rehab center, and my mentality was �just keep going.� I was just trying to grind it out.�

But he pushed himself too hard. He ended up blowing out a knee while recovering.

His junior season was a lost cause. That prompted several months of rest for Drake, and it wasn�t long before he relocated to Blackwell.

But Drake also faced a harsh reality.

�It hit me,� he said, �I realized I might not be able to wrestle for a while.�

A crushing realization for someone who lives for the wrestling room.

�It�s my lifestyle,� Drake said. �I literally love wrestling. Call me crazy, but it�s what I do.�

For Chris Barbee, it was agonizing watching his son endure hardships that no high school athlete should have to entertain.

�It was very tough to see him go through that kind of ordeal,� Chris Barbee said. �I just knew it was gonna be a long road back.�

But Drake navigated the path back to full strength -- or as close to full strength as he can get.

Now he sports a 34-4 record and a regional championship as he enters the 195-pound field in the Class 3A state tournament in Oklahoma City.

�It�s been awesome,� Drake Barbee said of being at Blackwell for his senior season. �The wrestling tradition is what I like. It doesn�t get much better.�

Regardless of how Drake, an Arkansas-Little Rock signee, does at State Fair Arena, it�ll be impressive for a wrestler who was told he may never display the correct walking tendencies.

�The doctor said he�d never had someone recover and walk correctly,� Drake Barbee said. �So to recover and do what I�m doing now, I�m truly blessed.�

And Chris Barbee couldn�t be happier to coach his son for his senior season.

�It�s been very satisfying to see him get back to his old self and what he�s capable of,� Chris Barbee said. �He�s very driven and is a tireless worker. He�s wrestling really good right now, and he is gonna be tough to beat.�

STATE TOURNAMENT WRESTLING: Weight by weight predictions

2/21/2019 | Ben Johnson

State tournament wrestling is back. It's the weekend that every high school wrestler circles on the calendar. Now time to make predictions for every single weight class inside Jim Norick Arena.