Week 1 - OKpreps Standouts

9/7/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Top performers 

Dewar

Joey Fowler - Passing 20 of 22 for 252 yards and 4 TD’s 0 int’s / Rushing 19 for 156 yards and 1 TD / 11 tackles on defense

Vian

Javyn Wright - 24 rushes 249 yards 3 tds / 1 passing td

Grove

Emmanuel Crawford - 29 rushes, 197 yards, 1 TD / 2 receptions, 33 yards

Lawton Mac

Nasir Kemper - 4TDs / Kickoff return TD / 98 yard TD run / 2 yard TD run / 21 yard TD reception / 250+ all purpose yards

Tonkawa 

Tristan Burdick - 231 yds on 15 carries for 4 tds

Kellyville

Trevor Jones - 19 carries for 236 yds and 3 tds

Durant

Fransisco Avila - 19 rushes, 332 yards, 5 TDs

Stillwater

Qwontrel Walker - 29 carries, 228 yards, 5 TDs

Chelsea

Cash Ramsey - 23 carries, 300 yards, 4 TDs

Bixby

Mason Williams - 26/40 passing, 5 TDs, 231 yds

Honor roll

McLoud 

Clint Campbell - Soph. RB - 15 carries for 121 yards, 2-TD’s, 2-2 pt. conv.

3 catches for 67 yards. 1 TD

Holland Hall

Owen Ostroski: 9 solo tackles/2 assisted/6.5 for loss/ 4 QB hurries/2 sacks/ 1 forced fumble

Depew

Tavin Hunt - 10 carries 117 yards and 2 rushing TDs. 2 catches for 25 yards. 15 tackles and 2 picks (1 being a pick 6)

Tulsa Memorial 

Elvis Grayson: Senior - 2 rushing TDs / 1 catch for a 2pt Conv. / 8 Tackles 1 TFL

Scored 14 of team’s 15 points

He helped stop Central on 4th and inches late in the fourth quarter and got the first down to seal the game! 

Inola

Landon Prows was 20-33 for 345 yards, 3 td's and 0 picks.

Gavin Williams caught 4 passes for 165 and 2 td's.

Thomas

Ethan Hamberlin 15 carries 211 yards 2 TD

Jayce Miller 8 tackles- Int- blocked punt

Cache 

Hunter Tate. 6 carries 118 yards 2TDs, 2 receptions 63 yds 1TD / 7 Tackles / He only played first half

Dewar

Ty Whitlow - 11 catches for 193 yards and 3 TD’s

Lawton 

Christian Houston - 20 carries 150 yards 2 tds

Ardmore

Anton Scallion - 16 carries for 190 yards & 3 TDs

Wagoner

Braden Drake - 159 yards on 18 carries with 2 tds.  Also had 8 tackles

Isaac Smith - 8 tackles, 3 sacks, and a fumble recovery

Christian Heritage

Kye Davis - 10/17 passing, 262yds. 3 TDS and 1 int / 3 carries, 47 yds

Cade Hale - 5 receptions, 186 yds, 1 TD / 4 tackles

Cashion

Brexton Green - 7-198-4TDs receiving

Purcell

Sam Wofford - 12 tackles, 1 sack

Kody Kroth - 19-34 for 339 2tds no Ints 

Crescent

Hunter Wilmoth - 10 rushes 150 yds 3 rushing td. 1 passing td

Chandler

Casmen Hill - 10 carries for 143 yds, 2 TD / 95 yard kick return for a TD / 4 receptions for 53 yds

Frederick

Adrian Gaytan - 9-14 passing, 167 yds 2 td’s

Pawnee

Trevor Mitchell - 19 rushes, 144 yards, 1 TD

Blake Skidgel - 20 rushes, 109 yards, 3 TDs

Carl Albert

Noah Dobson (offensive tackle) - Coaching staff graded him at a 90 percent

Antlers

Isaac Sorrells - Kick return for a TD / Rushing TD / two 2pt conversions / 48 yards receiving / 12 tackles 

Grove

Greg McCurdy - 4 catches, 124 yards, 2 TDs

Weatherford 

Sam Hoffman - 14 carries 174yds 4 TD’s / 7 tackles

Piedmont

Caden Hendren - 3 catches for 100 yards 2 TDS / 11 tackles on defense.

Collinsville

Oscar Hammond (WR/FS  Junior) - 3 catches for 119, 2tds / 6 tackles

Verdigris

Alec James - 117 rushing yards and 2 TD / 40 receiving yards and 1 TD  / 4 tackles

Checotah 

Dontierre Fisher  - 11 carries 156 yards, 3 tds

Washington 

Luke Hendrix - 4 receptions 132 yards and 2 td

Atoka

Andrew McCall - 3 carries 158 yards rushing, two touchdowns

Salina

Jack Wilkins soph QB - 17 carries 157 yds rushing long of 66, 2 TD, 1 pass TD

Skiatook

Jace Woodrow (Corner) - 2 interceptions, 1 pick 6, 4 tackles. 

Barnsdall

Hunter Auschwitz - 13 carries, 128 yards, 3 TDs / 4 tackles, 1 sack

Carson Auschwitz - 12 tackles, 5 for loss / 1 rush, 25 yards / 5 catches, 38 yards

Enid

Nate Gamble - 5 pancake blocks after rehabbing sprained ankle all week long

Porter

Caleb Brewer - 14 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery

East Central

Cunu Fields - 6/10 passing, 241 yards, 5 TDs + 1 67-yard rushing TD

Stigler

Ridge McClary - 14 rushes, 115 yds, 1 TD

Bruce Engle - 12 tackles, 2 sacks

Chelsea

William Hampton - 4/9 passing, 63 yards, 2 TDs + 12 rushes, 121 yards, 2 TDs

Tahlequah 

Malik McMurtrey - 26 rushes, 135 yards, 1 TD

Have a player of the week candidate? Let us know. Email Ben Johnson at  benjohnsontdp@gmail.com 

**PHOTO CREDIT - JASON ELMQUIST - STILLWATER NEWSPRESS

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.

Class 6A

Brackets posted here
106: Cruz Aguilar (Edmond Memorial): Spent his freshman season at Heritage Hall, where he finished second at 106 in 2017. Almost went with Owasso’s Jared Campbell or Sand Springs’ Brendon Wiseley, but opted for a Bulldog to win a title for the first time since Johny Hendricks in 2002.
 
113: Tucker Owens (Mustang): Finished second as a freshman last season at 113. A title for Owens would be the first for the Broncos since 2005 -- and only the second since 1999.
 
120: Zach Blankenship (Bixby): Has burst onto the scene as a freshman for the Spartans this season. Blankenship’s only loss of the season was to Sand Springs’ Seth Jones, when Bixby bumped Blankenship up a weight class for a regular-season dual. Blankenship is 27-0 at 120 pounds this season, including a dominant run through last week’s regional in Jenks. Nic Roller (220 pounds in 2016) won Bixby’s last state championship, but before him was Shane Roller in 1998.
 
126: Carter Young (Stillwater): Upended Yukon’s Studd Morris for the 106 crown in 6A last season. But he did it at Sand Springs. Now at 126, Young has potential obstacles in his way, like Broken Arrow’s Blazik Perez (27-9) and Bartlesville’s Laif Jones (last year’s 6A champion at 120). Should mention, Stillwater also has gone two years without a state champion. Young could bring that to a halt.
 
132: Reece Witcraft (Broken Arrow): Went from second at 126 with Coweta in 2017 to state champion last year with Broken Arrow at 126. Witcraft, ranked fifth in the nation on InterMat, pinned Choctaw’s Colt Newton in the finals last year, and this year it could be a semifinals matchup. The two didn’t clash at dual state, so a semifinal showdown would be the first in a year. The 132 field is loaded, for sure. Edmond Memorial’s Jackson Oplotnik (20-5), Mustang’s Keegan Luton (33-10) and Owasso’s Zeke Washington (34-4 and 6A’s runner-up at 120 last season) all share space on the top half of the bracket. Witcraft has been hobbled by a bum ankle, but he beat Washington 7-2 in the regional finals so there’s little doubt he’ll be ready to go in Oklahoma City.
 
138: Peter Rolle (Edmond Memorial): There was some personal anguish in making a selection here. So many qualified wrestlers in this field that it was hard to pick who might finish above the fray. Ultimately, sided with Rolle, because why not? The Edmond Memorial senior is 30-5, and he’s got Deer Creek’s Parker Wright (32-8) and Broken Arrow’s Blake Gonzalez (21-7) on his side of the bracket. Then there’s Mustang’s Cameron Picklo (41-3) and Ponca City’s Spencer Schrickram (39-2) on the bottom half of the bracket. This weight will be a gauntlet to get through.
 
145: Gabe Johnson (Choctaw): Went from not placing as a freshman at 106 in 2017 to a runner-up spot at 132 last season for the Yellowjackets. Lost in last year’s finals to Ponca City’s Dylan Schickram, 7-3. And another tough field awaits Johnson, including Edmond North’s Jaxon Randall (24-11) on Johnson’s half of the bracket. Then there’s Deer Creek’s Micah Lugafet (21-3), Enid’s Chance Davis (21-5) and Ja’len Hernandez (35-5) in the bottom half of the bracket. Would be Choctaw’s first championship at 145 since Jaryn Curry in 2016.
 
152: Drake Vannoy (Jenks): This one was tough to pick. Sand Springs’ Scott Patton beat Vannoy for last week’s regional crown, but Vannoy was last year’s champion at 152. A championship for Vannoy would be Jenks’ first back-to-back champion since Justin DeAngelis won in 2008 through 2010.
 
160: Tate Picklo (Mustang): Went 35-4 as a freshman en route to a second-place showing at 145 last year in 6A. Now Picklo is 40-0 and ranked 11th in the country at 160. Putnam City’s Rene Martinez might be Picklo’s biggest challenge in the field, and Picklo beat Martinez in an 18-6 major decision to win last week’s regional crown.
 
170: Zane Coleman (Choctaw): Ranked sixth in the nation and looking to join the four-timers club. After two suspenseful championships during his freshman and sophomore years, Coleman cruised to last year’s title at 170 by pinning Broken Arrow’s Bryce Mattioda in the first period. Coleman, an Arizona State signee, enters his final state tournament with a record of 145-8 -- and only two losses in the last two seasons. Coleman’s only loss this year was in the 170 finals of the Geary Tournament, when he lost to Blair Academy’s Peyton Craft.
 
182: JT Stambeck (Norman North): Narrowly missed out on the 170 finals last season after enduring a 3-2 loss to Mattioda. Enters this year’s state tournament at 29-1. Would be the Timberwolves’ first state champion since Levi Berry (160) in 2013.
 
195: Carson Savage (Deer Creek): Entered last year’s state tournament as the No. 4 seed out of the West at 182. This season, Savage is 35-2 and the top seed from out west. He’ll have to contend with a deep field, though. Broken Arrow’s Gavin Potter (last year’s champion at 195), Sand Springs’ Kaden Glass (31-9), Union’s Elijah Tomlin (36-7) and Mustang’s Judson Rowland are all contenders. Took Savage over Potter after Savage picked up a 9-2 win over Potter at dual state a couple of weeks ago.
 
220: Zach Marcheselli (Broken Arrow): Another wrestler in 6A aiming to be a member of the four-timers club. Marcheselli, ranked ninth in the country, has been on cruise control for most of the season. After guiding the Tigers to their first football championship, Marcheselli, a Texas Christian University signee for football, could add to his collection of hardware in a 220 field that could end up seeing a rematch of the east regional last weekend. Marcheselli knocked off Edmond North’s Jake McCoy 8-2 for the regional crown, and both appear to be on a collision course for the finals in Oklahoma City.

 
285: Noah Cortes (Broken Arrow): Jenks’ Caleb Orr beat Cortes for the regional crown last week, but it was a 3-2 decision in an ultimate tiebreaker. This could go any direction, including Choctaw’s Marquan Journey (33-6) and Yukon’s Ashton Aldridge (32-7) vying for the title. Last year, Cortes didn’t even make it out of the pigtail round of the state tournament.
 
 

Class 5A

Brackets posted here
106: Cameron Steed (Collinsville): Should come as no surprise that Collinsville has yet more freshmen contending for championships at the lower weights. This year it’s Steed and Jordan Williams (below) as favorites in their respective fields. Steed tech-falled Coweta’s Brody Gee, 16-1, in the regional finals and don’t see any reason to think he won’t do the same to anyone he comes across in Oklahoma City.
 
113: Jordan Williams (Collinsville): Previously ranked sixth in the nation at 106 pounds, Williams has been unbeatable at both 106 and 113 this season. And this is a weight Collinsville has controlled for several years in recent memory with four championships since 2013 -- Davion Jeffries (2013), Christian Moody (2014), Caleb Tanner (2017) and Rocky Stephens (2018).
 
120: Rocky Stephens (Collinsville): Turned a third-place finish as a freshman into a state championship last year at 113 pounds. Could be stream-rolling straight ahead to a solid showdown in the finals between Stephens and Carl Albert’s Jayston Cato (33-2).
 
126: Josh Taylor (Skiatook): Surprising turn of events at the east regional last week with Collinsville freshman Jordan Cullors knocking off Taylor, 2-1. But that loss for Taylor puts him on the top half of the bracket, and he avoids Tahlequah’s Jakob Lyons, who has routinely wrestled Taylor tough these past two seasons. Don’t be surprised if it’s a Taylor-Cullors rematch -- but this time for a state championship.
 
132: Caleb Tanner (Collinsville): Last year’s champ at 126, Tanner could put himself in position for a special senior year if he wins this year’s state championship at 132. It would be Tanner’s third state championship, and he would be a season away from joining Gary Wayne Harding and Will Steltzlen -- who both became four-time state champions at the 2014 5A state tournament.
 
138: Kobi Gomez (Altus): Someone other than a Collinsville wrestler will win a state championship in Oklahoma City this weekend. It just won’t feel much like it through the first handful of weights. Collinsville’s Connor Henson certainly has a shot at claiming the 138 crown, but I’m going with the reigning state champion here to win his second title. Could pave the way for two more special years for Gomez.
 
145: Gage Hight (Glenpool): It’s now or never for Hight. He’s knocked on the doorstep twice, but in back-to-back state tournaments he’s had to settle for second place. Last year, Coweta’s Ricky Turner who upended Hight, 3-2, in the finals after Hight had won the reginal matchup between the two. Durant’s Cody Hicks (32-3) and El Reno’s Jacob Catagas (22-3) are lurking, but surely it’s going to be Hight’s year.
 
152: Cougar Anderson (Skiatook): If the Bulldogs are going to challenge Collinsville for the team title, Anderson winning at 152 could be key. Anderson, a sophomore, is 35-0, and he’s on the same side of the bracket as El Reno’s Cole Thomas (28-3). Anderson was dominant last year en route to his first title, and expect him to be ready to roll in Oklahoma City.
 
160: Hunter Jump (Duncan): After second-place finishes as a freshman and sophomore at Lawton MacArthur, Jump picked up a title for the Highlanders last season at 160, and he did so in convincing fashion. Now at Duncan, Jump will enter a stout field that includes Skiatook’s Richie Lee (37-1) and El Reno’s Kord LaFoe (24-5). A title for Jump would be Duncan’s first since 2011 (Markwae Sanders and Justin Hughes).
 
170: Christian Maldonado (Lawton Mac): This is a wide open field. Maldonado was second to Coweta’s Talon Borror last season, and Maldonado is a week removed from knocking off Piedmont’s Braden Culp, 7-4. But Culp is more than capable to make a run at a championship. Same goes for Skiatook’s Hunter Hall. This is about as wide open as it gets.
 
182: Talon Borror (Coweta): In 2016, Lawton MacArthur’s Nick Mahan beat Borror in the 160 quarterfinals. Since then, Borror hasn’t lost inside Norick Arena. Borror stormed to titles in 2017 and 2018. He’s 35-2 and looking for a third title to cap his high school career. Standing in his way could be Lawton Ike’s Muhammad A Al Zeragi (23-1) and Piedmont’s Austin Cooley (28-2).
 
195: Cabe Dickerson (Altus): It was Piedmont’s Will Heindselman that knocked off Dickerson, 8-7, in an ultimate tiebreaker in last year’s state finals. It was a crushing end to Dickerson’s sophomore season, and then he followed it up with an elbow injury that’s limited him to 12 matches this season. But if Dickerson is a full strength, the 195 crown should be his to lose.
 
220: Korbin McLaughlin (Skiatook): This is could make things interesting late into the state tournament. If Skiatook is coming down to the wire against Collinsville or Piedmont for the team crown, the Bulldogs will need McLaughlin to pick up as many points as possible. McLaughlin has posted two fourth-place finishes, but if he captures a championship it could propel Skiatook to a title.
 
285: Josh Heindselman (Piedmont): It was a Heindselman party at last year’s state tournament with Josh (220) and Will (195) both capturing gold. Now Josh will aim for Piedmont’s second-ever title at heavyweight, despite being possibly the smallest guy in the field. Lawton Mac’s Montana Phillips is a two-time state champion, and he’ll be out for some revenge after getting pinned at 2:15 by Heindselman at last week’s regional tournament.
 
 

Class 4A

Brackets posted here
106: Eli Griffin (Cascia Hall): Ranked 15th in the country, Griffin is aiming for his second championship in as many years. In order for the sophomore to do so, he’ll have to navigate a field that looks a lot like it did in 2018. Returning as qualifiers at 106 are Tuttle’s Ashton Grounds (35-8) and Cushing’s Luke Ahrberg (31-3) -- and they share space in the top half of the bracket. One way or another, the finals in 106 will be extremely entertaining.
 
113: Garrett Steidley (Tuttle): After grabbing his first title as a sophomore last season, Steidley is a heavy favorite at 113. Steidley rolled through regionals last week, but he enters a field with some solid contenders from the east -- Sallisaw’s Kaleb Harris (25-6) and Mannford’s Wade Landrum (28-8).

 
120: Reese Davis (Tuttle): With some big wins under his belt as a freshman, perhaps none were bigger than his rally at dual state against Wagoner in the finals to keep the Tigers’ unbeaten streak intact throughout the entire weekend. That win was against Wagoner’s Braden Drake, and Davis breezed past Harrah’s Breaden Williams in the regional semifinals. Then he did the same against Heritage Hall’s Cole Allen in the regional finals. Davis could be hitting his stride at the right time as a freshman.
 
126: Thaddeus Long (McLain): This time there’s no Ryder Ramsey in Long’s way. Long was second to Ramsey at 126 last season, and before that he finished third at 106 for Union in 2017. If Long captures a title for the Titans, it would be the school’s first since Greg Hawkins won at 178 in 1977.
 
132: Ryder Ramsey (Tuttle): Picking up his first title as a sophomore last season, Ramsey entered the state tournament 36-9. Now he heads to Oklahoma City at 43-3 and another key cog in Tuttle’s deep lineup.
 
138: Val Park (Heritage Hall): Since 2012, the Chargers have produced 17 state champions, including Kaden Gfeller’s four-year run from 2014 to 2017. And while he might not join the four-timers club, Val Park has been a staple of consistency for Heritage Hall at the lower weights since teaming with Gfeller during his senior season in 2017. Park will be after his third title in as many years, winning previously at 113 (2017) and 132 (last season).
 
145: Brady DeArmond (Tuttle): Despite Tuttle being so utterly dominant across the board in 4A for quite some time now, last season’s state tournament felt a little off with Tuttle only claiming three state titles. And DeArmond was one that settled for third place after losing to Heritage Hall’s Carson West in the 145 semifinals. DeArmond enters a field that could pose some challenges, including Fort Gibson’s Cade Waltman, but DeArmond appears poised to snare his first title during his junior season.
 
152: Luke Surber (Tuttle): Elgin’s Jacob Butler dashed any hopes that Surber had of becoming a four-time state champion with a sudden victory win against Surber in last year’s 138 finals. Since then, Surber has been nearly unbeatable on the mat for the Tigers, including tournament titles at the MidCals in Gilroy, California, and an individual championship at the Geary Tournament in January. There are some quality wrestlers at 152 -- Cache’s Duncan Shafer (30-2), Bristow’s Anthony Bigpond (20-5), Catoosa’s Abel Perez (41-6) -- but good luck trying to knock off Surber this year.
 
160: Jacob Ahrberg (Cushing): It was a fourth-place finish for Ahrberg last year at 145, a year after not placing at 126. Now Ahrberg arrives in Oklahoma City at 23-0, fresh off a dominant run at the east regional in Catoosa. Madill’s Colt Crowson (26-5) could pose a significant threat to Ahrberg in the bottom half of the bracket, and then there’s Tuttle freshman Harley Andrews lurking in the top half. Also, a little surprising but a Cushing wrestler hasn’t won a title since 2014 (Gage Stallworth).
 
170: Dustin Plott (Tuttle): There might not be a better wrestler in the state right now than Plott, ranked third nationally and who has gone 88-1 over the course of his sophomore season and his current junior campaign. The lone loss was a 6-5 decision to Blair Academy’s Julian Ramirez in the Geary Tournament finals this January. Plott went fall-fall-major decision to win last year’s title at 160, so don’t be surprised this year with tech fall-fall-fall (or something impressive like that).
 
182: Gage Hockett (Cushing): There’s been a natural progression each year Hockett has been in the state tournament. As a freshman, he was third at 160 in 2017, and last season he finished second with a loss to Plott in the 160 finals in 4A. This season he returns to Norick Arena at 29-0 after taking down Cleveland’s Tyler Johnson (18-8) with an 8-5 decision in the regional finals. The winner between Anadarko’s John Mark Holton (29-6) and Oologah’s Landon Brown (30-6) could pose a threat to Hockett in the semifinals on Friday, though.
 
195: Carson Berryhill (Tuttle): A state champion as a sophomore in 2017, Berryhill lost to Heritage Hall’s Colton Denney in the 170 finals last season. But Berryhill bounced back in the fall by quarterbacking the Tigers to the 4A title, and now he sports a 37-1 mark (only loss to Mustang’s Judson Rowland at the Geary Tournament), heading into the state tournament. Berryhill has even worked his way up to 11th in the nation at 195. In Berryhill’s crosshairs in Oklahoma City could possibly be Poteau’s Nate Ulmer (32-1) and Cushing Eriq Simpson (34-2).
 
220: Luke Fortney (Bristow): Now a junior, the best Fortney has done at the state tournament was fourth at 195 last season. Now he’s 25-0 and coming off a solid weekend at regionals. He’s steamrolled his way to titles at the Chuck West Invitational and the Cushing tournament, and if Fortney can with a title he’d be Bristow’s first since 2007 (Kale Biggs at 160).
 
285: Griffon Williams (Madill): Guaranteed to not have a Tuttle winner here. It’s the one weight the Tigers didn’t qualify at. It’s a pretty balanced field that includes Wagoner’s Jaydn Marshall (31-12), Bristow’s Steven Marlow (23-7) and Blanchard’s Ryder Wiese (31-6). But this could be the year Madill wins its first individual title since 2003, when Brent Parkey picked up his third title in as many years.
 
 

Class 3A

Brackets posted here
106: Gabe Valencia (Perry): Finished fourth last year in his first crack at the state tournament. Now a junior, Valencia drops down a weight class and enters the final weekend at 44-6. At dual state, Valencia beat Marlow’s Case Rich, but the Outlaws will send Tyler Lawson (38-6) into the mix for a possible showdown against Valencia in the finals.
 
113: Ryan Smith (Perry): There’s a lot of quality depth at this weight, but none more superlative than Smith (43-2), last year’s champion at 106. Bridge Creek’s Kaden Smith (37-8) and Locust Grove’s Hunter Fitzpatrick (24-5) could make for tough semifinals draws, but Smith could be on a collusion course with Walters’ Remington White, the program’s only wrestler and a 2017 state champion. White to Plainview’s Jaxson Roney in the 113 finals, and it could be Smith standing in the way of only the second wrestling championship at Walters.
 
120: Alex Prince (Vinita): It was Perry’s Logan Smith -- the weight’s top seed from the east -- who pinned Prince in the final two seconds of their semifinal class at Perry last week. That leaves Prince (40-7) with a tough draw of Hinton’s Brian Pastrana (27-3) in the quarterfinals and possibly Smith (24-11) in the semifinals. If he advances beyond that, Checotah’s Luke Collett (28-6) or Newkirk’s Dayton Cary could be waiting in the finals. That’s quite a load for Prince in his junior season.
 
126: Kolton Smith (Bridge Creek): Two years in a row, Smith has watched while a Perry wrestler stood atop the podium. In 2017, Smith lost 7-4 to Perry’s Cale Betchan at 120, and last season Smith was on the wrong end of a 4-2 decision against Perry’s Cade Nicholas. And now, Smith enters as the top seed from the west after beating Marlow’s Anthony Orum (31-4) in the west finals. If a Bridge Creek wrestler wins a title this season, it would be the school’s first.
 
132: Dylan Avery (Perry): Now a junior, Perry will be after his second title in as many years. The field is deep at 132, though, with the likes of Sulphur’s Kolbe Madron (36-8), Marlow’s Jordan Taylor (42-5), Pawnee’s Wesley Scott (35-2) and Morris’ Kolby Adams (31-6).
 
138: Price Perrier (Pawhuska): Mike Perrier won a state championship at 136 in 1990. That’s Price’s father. Dax Perrior won a state championship at 160 in 2010. That’s Price’s brother. Price could be carrying on a family legacy with a title. But the field is a deep one. Plenty of candidates could snag the 138 crown -- Perkins-Tryon’s Ayron Lawson (30-7), Marlow’s Kobey Kizarr (43-4), Kingfisher’s Stone Snodgrass (29-8) and Salina’s Austin Wilkins (20-8).
 
145: Kolby DePron (Bridge Creek): Like his teammate, Kolton Smtih, DePron watched as a Perry wrestler celebrated a championship last year. As a freshman, DePron logged a second-place showing at 132. Now he’s the favorite at 145, despite plenty of qualified candidates -- Morris’ Ryan Allred (30-7), Geary’s Landon Holt (31-5) and Salina’s Brier Smith (46-3).
 
152: Hadyn Redus (Perry): A title would be Redus’ second in as many years. Redus pinned Little Axe’s Alec McDoulett in the third period of last year’s 138 finals, and sure enough, McDoulett is back in the same state tournament field as Redus again. Mangum’s Daelin Stacy (24-7), Pawnee’s Blake Skidgel and Comanche’s Gage Miller (33-5) all pose serious threats, too.
 
160: Cade Shrosphire (Checotah): The only state champion in the history of Checotah Public Schools will go for his second straight title as a senior now. This time the field is a tad deeper. Barnsdall’s Joe Smith (31-3) is on the top half of the bracket with Shrosphire, and Marlow’s Tyler Lavey (38-3) occupies the bottom half. And Shrosphire narrowly edged past Lavey in the regional finals, 3-2.
 
170: Bryce Carter (Sperry): The returning champion at this spot is Comanche’s Cade Cook (35-4), and he’s back as the top seed out of the west for his junior year. He could pair up with Jay’s Zach Coy (46-1) in the semifinals, and that could end up being a coin toss -- which is basically was when Cook beat Coy, 2-1, in last year’s quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Carter is up from 160 at this time last year, and he enters the state field at 33-2. And much like Tuttle’s Carson Berryhill, he’s going for the one-two punch of football-and-wrestling championships. And never count out Perry’s Jace Burdick (34-13), who finished second to Cook in last year’s 170 finals.
 
182: River Simon (Vian): Only two wrestlers have ever won state championships at Vian, and one just so happens to be Simon (2017 at 170; the other is Landon Decker in 2012). Simon, an Army signee, missed last year’s state tournament due to various injuries, and he hasn’t wrestled a full schedule to this point (only 22-1). But when he’s on the mat, he’s tough to beat. Sulphur’s Trey Kiser (36-7) is on the bottom half of the bracket, and he gets Vinita’s Zach Wattenbarger (43-3) in the quarterfinals. Then there’s Perry’s Kohl Owen (37-10), last year’s champion at 182.
 
195: Drake Barbee (Blackwell): What a story Barbee is. Endured a horrifying car accident two years ago, and now he’s back in the state tournament field as the top seed from the east. Barbee is 34-4 and he finished second at 182 at his last state tournament in 2017 -- when he wrestled for Stilwell. Already signed to wrestle at Arkansas-Little Rock in college, Barbee motored through the regional field, including a win by fall over Tonkawa’s Simeon Shepherd in the third period. The 195 field also features Little Axe’s Caeden Guthary (30-5), Hinton’s Denver Dahlenburg (29-3) and Perry’s Brandon Speikers (44-8).
 
220: Konner Doucet (Comanche): Already halfway to the four-timers club, Doucet, for the first time, enters the state tournament unbeaten in a season. He is 37-0 cruised through the regional tournament last weekend. Last year, he knocked off Sperry’s A.J. McEntire in the finals, 4-2, and as a freshman he was pegged as the 195 champion when Sulphur’s Dan Baker was disqualified in a controversial ending in extra time. Now Doucet is ranked sixth nationally at 220. Some of the others at 220 include Vinita’s Brodie Miller (39-6), Vian’s Cruz Partain (34-2) and Berryhill’s Nico Lopez.
 
285: Cooper Webb (Davis): Looking for his second straight title, Webb is 29-1 this season. He’ll have his work cut out for him against the likes of Geary’s Chase Merkey (33-3), Perry’s Teaguan Wilson (30-6) and Locust Grove’s Dalton Shatto (26-1). In fact, it was Webb who beat Shatto, 9-5, in last year’s heavyweight finals. Fun fact: Cooper’s brother, Conner Webb, won three titles for Davis from 2015 to 2017, and Cooper could still tie him with a championship this year and next.

**Photos courtesy of Austin Bernard/Owrestle.com
 

Have your own predictions or have feedback? Email me at ben@skordle.com

3A/4A dual state roundup: Tigers’ Ten: Tuttle breezes to another dual title

2/10/2019 |  Ben Johnson

SHAWNEE -- Every wrestling team that entered FireLake Arena on Friday and Saturday scored teams points somewhere along the way. Except for the three that faced Tuttle. 

The Tigers put a chokehold on the Class 4A field and breezed to their 10th straight dual state championship and 16th overall. And Tuttle did it by finishing off Wagoner 63-0 in the finals.

“Pretty good team performance,” Tuttle’s Luke Surber said. “Other than that, our team was pretty dominant.”

That’s an understatement.

The Tigers won their three duals in the tournament by a combined score of 209-0. It started with a 75-0 win over Grove in the quaterfianls, and Cache was Tuttle’s semifinal victim with a 71-0 score.

Then came Wagoner, making its first dual state championship appearance.

Tuttle’s Ryder Ramsey set the tone against Wagoner with a win by fall in only 58 seconds against the Bulldogs’ Alex O’Quinn at 132 pounds. Brady DeArmond (145), Dustin Plott (170), Carson Berryhill (195), Ashton Grounds (106) and Logan Farrell (126) also won by fall for the Tigers. Surber added a 15-0 technical fall victory at 152.

But it was Tuttle’s Reese Davis who came up with the Tigers’ biggest victory against Wagoner. Down 8-2 to Wagoner’s Braden Drake, Davis kicked it into high gear and rallied for a 14-11 win.

“I was pretty nervous about it,” Davis admitted afterward. “I wasn’t ready for the first period, but I kept my head straight and came back.”

For Davis, a freshman, it was his first time to experience Tuttle’s winning ways.

“It’s great,” Davis said. “The crowd is big and it’s awesome.”

**See results from Tuttle-Wagoner finals dual below.

3A: Perry picks up another dual state title

When you win as often as Perry does, minor bumps along the way become more noticeable. Such was the case with Perry coach Ronnie Delk, despite his team beating Marlow 38-27 for the Maroons’ 11th straight dual state championship -- and 20th overall.

“Definitely not pleased with that effort at all,” Delk told the Stillwater NewsPress.

Marlow, ranked second in 3A, managed to stay within striking distance early on in the finals. Jordan Taylor (138) and Kobey Kizarr (145) both won by fall, Marlow led 12-6 early on. But Perry did what Perry does and overpowered its opponent before the dual finished up.

Jace Burdick (170) picked up a 5-2 victory over Marlow’s Kyle Wilson, and Perry was within 15-12 at that point. The Maroons then fired off wins in five of the next six weights to take control. During that span, Kohl Owen (182) came up with a win by fall to put Perry in front 18-15, and Teaguen Wilson (heavyweight) and Gave Valencia (106) followed with pins to put Perry firmly in front 38-18.

And before the night was through, Wilson had a message for everyone in 3A.

“I think regionals and state won’t be as close,” he said.

DUAL STATE: Previews and class predictions

2/8/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Postseason wrestling is here. The dual state tournament kicks things off this weekend in Shawnee at Firelake Arena. Here’s everything you need to know before the first dual begins.

*All championship duals will be at 6:30 p.m. Saturday

Class 6A

Friday - Quarterfinals at noon

Choctaw vs. Owasso

Sand Springs vs. Edmond North

Broken Arrow vs. Deer Creek

Mustang vs. Jenks

Saturday - Semifinals at noon

Choctaw-Owasso winner vs. Sand Springs-Edmond North winner

Broken Arrow-Deer Creek winner vs. Mustang-Jenks

Championship dual on Mat 1

The favorite: Broken Arrow

There’s a reason the Tigers are ranked 14th in the nation, according to Intermat.com. It’s because Broken Arrow has a lot of senior-laden firepower, including nationally-ranked wrestlers, Reece Witcraft (132), Gavin Potter (195) and Zach Marcheselli (220). Then there’s Emmanuel Skillings (182), Blake Gonzalez (138) Bryce Mattioda (170) for added depth. Last weekend, Witcraft finished sixth at the Glenpool tournament, but that’s only because he injury defaulted in his final three matches. With postseason wrestling around the corner last weekend, there wasn’t any reason to push a stalwart at his weight; the Broken Arrow coaches know his importance this weekend, at regionals and the state tournament.

Watch out for… Choctaw

The Yellowjackets are the real deal, and they proved that again last season with a dual state championship. A lot of key pieces are back from last season -- Colt Newton (126/132), Gabe Johnson (145) and Zane Coleman (170) -- but there are a lot of young pieces around them. Choctaw has had some impressive dual performances this season, including a 63-18 win over Edmond North last week. The Yellowjackets also beat Deer Creek 37-28 to open the season. 

Keep an eye on… Mustang

Likely a two-horse race in the 6A field, but the Broncos have a few stars of their own -- Keegan Luton (132), Cameron Picklo (138) and Tate Picklo (160). The question will be, where will the rest of Mustang’s points come from? Mustang is 19-2 in duals this season with the only losses against Tuttle (54-13) and Allen, Texas (43-28). And having wins against other teams -- Deer Creek, Owasso and Edmond North -- in the 6A dual state field will inspire confidence, but Broken Arrow will be quite the obstacle for the Bronco, if the two collide in the semifinals. 

Storyline to know: There hasn’t been a repeat champion in 6A since Ponca City in 2004-2005

Seven different teams have claimed the 6A dual state crown since 2010, including Broken Arrow and Choctaw doing it twice. Choctaw 

Prediction: Broken Arrow 33, Choctaw 21

These two were supposed to meet in January, but the dual was called off because of poor weather conditions outside. But here’s where the big showdown happens. The Tigers, minus a dual state title since 2011, have quality pieces nearly top to bottom, and then their standouts who are likely to secure bonus points. However, if Witcraft is hobbled for the Tigers, that could throw everything out the window and make for a free-for-all in the 6A field.

Class 5A

Friday - Quarterfinals at 4 p.m.

Piedmont vs. Coweta

Collinsville vs. Lawton MacArthur

Skiatook vs. Altus

Duncan vs. Durant

Saturday - Semifinals at 2 p.m.

Piedmont-Coweta winner vs. Collinsville-Lawton MacArthur winner

Skiatook-Altus winner vs. Duncan-Durant winner

Championship dual on Mat 2

The favorite: Skiatook

The Bulldogs were oh so close last year, finishing as the 5A dual state runner up in 35-18 loss to Lawton MacArthur. But this could be the beginning of something special for Skiatook. Only Trey Bowman (113), Cash Calfy (182) and Korbin McLaughlin (220) are seniors, so Skiatook is poised to begin some prolonged success. Skiatook will lean on Josh Taylor (126), Cougar Anderson (152) and Owasso transfer Richie Lee (160). Skiatook has also been a tremendously tough dual team, too. The Bulldogs have knocked off Vinita, Owasso, Wagoner, Sperry and Collinsville this season.

Watch out for… Collinsville

This will come as no surprise but the Cardinals are stacked again at the lower weights. Cameron Steed (106), Jordan Williams (113), Rocky Stephens (120), Garrett Strickland (120), Eli Benham (126), Caleb Tanner (132) and Connor Henson (138) is a formidable group that can rack up points in a hurry for the Cardinals. But Collinsville’s fate will rest in the hands of the wrestlers at the heavier weights, and if they can steal points then the Cardinals could be in store for their first dual state crown since 2015.

Keep an eye on… Piedmont and Duncan

Piedmont doesn’t have a ton of firepower, but it has Braden Culp (170) and Josh Heindselman (285), so it has some key pieces to come up with some big points. Same goes for Duncan, who has Hunter Jump at 160. 

Storyline to know: Only three schools have won dual state titles since 2011. Lawton MacArthur is the reigning champion with titles in 2017 and 2018, and Coweta won a championship in 2016. But before that, it was Collinsville winning gold from 2011 to 2015.

Prediction: Skiatook 39, Piedmont 19

This is the year. This is when Skiatook finally captures that elusive dual state title. The Bulldogs take what they learned from last year’s finals and get over the hump. All that said, the competition for the team title at the state tournament in a few weeks will be fascinating to watch.

Class 4A

Friday - Quarterfinals at 6 p.m.

Tuttle vs. Grove

Vinita vs. Cache

Wagoner vs. Clinton

Cushing vs. Mannford

Saturday - Semifinals at 2 p.m.

Tuttle-Grove winner vs. Vinita-Cache winner

Wagoner-Clinton winner vs. Cushing-Mannford winner

Championship on Mat 3

The favorite: ?????

Just kidding. It’s Tuttle. Duh! The Tigers aren’t ranked 10th in the country for nothing. Tuttle is loaded top to bottom. Try to find a weakness in the Tigers’ lineup. It’s not possible. Dustin Plott (170) might be the best wrestler in the state, regardless of class. He’s ranked third in the country and has lost only once in two seasons. He’s on track to start winning college championships in a few years. Then there’s Luke Surber (152) and Carson Berryhill (195) who are both nationally ranked. Just one heavy hitter after another for Tuttle.

Watch out for… Vinita

Alex Prince (120), Lane Enyart (145), Zach Wattenbarger (170) and Brodi Miller (195) are all solid, but the problem for the Hornets is their placement in the bracket. A quarterfinal victory over Cache would mean a meeting with Tuttle on Saturday, and good luck with that.

Keep an eye on… Cushing

The biggest drama in the 4A field will be who wins the bottom half of the bracket to advance to the finals against Tuttle. The Tigers are balanced from top to botto and could get there, but beating a team like Wagoner in the semifinals would be a challenge. 

Storyline to know: There used to be a time when Cushing and Bristow owned the 3A class at dual state. (Class 4A now is what 3A used to be up until 2009). Now 4A belongs to Tuttle, who hasn’t let any other team touch the dual state trophy since 2009. 

Prediction: Tuttle 59, Cushing 9

What would be great is if all the dual state champions wrestled in a round robin-style event afterward. It would be great to see Tuttle matched up against the 5A and 6A champions. But we can only dream until that day.

Class 3A

Friday - Quarterfinals at 2 p.m.

Perry vs. Vian

Jay vs. Pawnee

Comanche vs. Mangum

Marlow vs. Sperry

Saturday - Semifinals at noon

Perry-Vian winner vs. Jay-Pawnee winner

Comanche-Mangum winner vs. Marlow-Sperry winner

Championship on Mat 4

The favorite: Perry

The Maroons have had far more dominating teams in the past, but Perry is once again putting forth a balanced attack. Ryan Smith (113), Dylan Avery (132), Hadyn Redus (152) and Teaguen Wilson (285) are all rock solid. Once again it’ll be difficult for other teams to cripple Perry’s chances at claiming another dual state championship.

Watch out for… Comanche

Konner Doucet (220) -- ranked sixth in the country -- drives Comanche’s success. Beyond him, there are plenty of quality depth to score points, and even some bonus points. 

Keep an eye on… Sperry

The Pirates are a longshot to win a football championship and then a dual state title, but the Pirates have some stout wrestlers. Bryce Carter (170) leads the way with a 28-2 record, despite mostly 5A-6A wrestlers this season.

Storyline to know: His stay in the dual state tournament might not last long since Vian will be a sizeable underdog, but watch Vian’s River Simon at 182 pounds. Recently signed with Army to wrestle and play football, and he’ll likely be matched up with Perry’s Kohl Owen.

Prediction: Perry 26, Comanche 24

I might be crazy but I think Comanche has a solid chance at upending Perry. The Indians knocked off 6A No. 2 Choctaw on Jan. 22, but not long before that Perry beat Comanche by 20. But when the dust settles, it’ll be Perry hoarding its 11th straight dual state title.

SKORDLE NOTEBOOK: Tuttle wins big in California

1/30/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Tuttle went west and struck gold over the weekend. Not far from gold rush areas in northern California, the Tigers won the 2019 MidCals Tournament in Gilroy on Saturday.
Luke Surber (152), Dustin Plott (170) and Carson Berryhill (195) each won their weight class, and Tuttle recorded 305 points to win the tournament after finishing second in 2018.
“I was proud of our guys,” Tuttle coach Matt Surber said. “They had the right attitude heading the tournament, knowing they were prepared and ready to go. They also knew it was going to take each and every one of them wrestling tough for us to be in position to win the team title.
“It was a full team effort, placing 12 in the top eight.”
Plott wrestled six times during the tournament, and he recorded five wins by fall and one by technical fall. In the finals, he pinned Bakersfield’s Jarad Priest at 1:16 to repeat as a MidCals champion for the second straight season. In Plott’s five wins by fall, only one made it to the second period -- and it ended at 3:09.
“Dustin continues to be impressive and totally dominating the weight class,” Surber said of Plott, who’s ranked third nationally at 170, according to Intermat.com. “He’s such a hard worker and never settles with where he’s at in his development.”
Luke Surber’s matchup in the finals was against Poway’s Aaron Gandara, who is ranked 16th in the country at 152. Surber, ranked 15th, beat Gandara by major decision, 8-0, and was ultimately named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.
“Luke has been so tough on top all year, and that’s been his biggest asset,” said Matt Surber, Luke’s father. “Gandara has been nationally ranked all season, so he knew he’d have a tough finals matchup. Scoring the first takedown early in the match was key since that’s Gandara’s best position, and that allowed (Luke) to control him from the top position. He didn’t give up a single point all tournament, so that shows the kind of dominant weekend he had.”
Berryhill, the No. 2 seed at 195, knocked off Gilroy’s Ryan Reyes, the No. 1 seed, 2-0 in the finals.
Garrett Steidley (113) and Ryder Ramsey (132) both finished in second place, while Brady DeArmond (145) and Reese Davis (120) each won their respective consolation bracket to finish in third.
“It’s not the ideal time of year to travel and compete in a super tough tournament like this one, but I feel with this being our third year (in California), we handled the whole trip well. We made some adjustments with travel times and the upcoming schedule, so that our guys will be rested up and recovered from the trip. We try to wrestle the best competition we can find week in and week out, and this is a great tournament to attend.”
Tuttle, now ranked 10th in the country, also mixed in some fun on the trip. In 2018, the Tigers were able to sightsee around San Francisco, and this year they penciled in some spare time in Monterey.
“We arrived late Wednesday night in Gilroy, and the plan is for Thursday to be a prep day for the tournament,” Surber said. “This year, we got up and drove an hour south to Monterey. It was a great little trip. We spent four hours there just sightseeing, walking around the ocean front and of course everyone got to see some fresh seafood. It’s just another opportunity for our guys to hang out and spend time together.”

Wrestling notes

- Dual state tournament teams have been finalized, but brackets won’t be released until Monday. In 6A, Broken Arrow, Choctaw, Mustang, Edmond North, Sand Springs, Deer Creek, Jenks and Owasso will be in the field, and Owasso and Jenks will dual Thursday to determine seeding at dual state.
In what figures to be the most wide-open field, Skiatook, Collinsville, Piedmont, Duncan, Lawton MacArthur, Altus, Durant and Coweta will be in the 5A field.
The 4A teams consist of Tuttle, Cushing, Wagoner, Vinita, Cache, Mannford, Grove and Clinton. Tuttle will be chasing its 10th straight dual state title and 16th overall.
Perry, in search of its 11th consecutive dual state title and 20th overall, will compete against Comanche, Marlow, Jay, Sperry, Vian, Mangum and Pawnee in the 3A field.

- Perry won the 4+4 tournament at home last weekend. The Maroons finished with 223 points, and Choctaw was second at 192.5. Gabe Valencia (106), Ryan Smith (113), Hadyn Redus (152) Kohl Owen (182) and Brandon Speikers (220) each picked up first-place finishes for Perry.
Choctaw had four individual champions: Colt Newton (132), Gabe Johnson (145), Zane Coleman (170) and Marquonn Journy (heavyweight).

- Wagoner won the Maverick Conference Tournament with 258 points. Jay was a distant second with 135 points.

- Cushing won the Hub City Tournament in Clinton with 292.5 points, and Marlow (244.5) and Cache (200) rounded out the top three.

Skordle shorts: Piedmont, Midwest City, Crossing Christian, Grove post big wins, plus news and notes

9/12/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Piedmont upends Weatherford

Quarterback Dylan Hampton scored on a 5-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, and Piedmont was able to hang on for a 21-10 victory over the Eagles in Week 2. The win over Weatherford was Piedmont's first since 2004, and it also helped the Wildcats atone for a season-opening loss to El Reno.

"Our kids played extremely hard and found a way," Piedmont coach Trent Worley said. "There were very resilient. Defense was outstanding all night."

Baylor Hendren led the way for Piedmont (1-1) with three interceptions, three tackles, one pass break-up and a fumble recovery. The Wildcats limited Weatherford to 10 points, and Hampton capped the game off for PIedmont with a 37-yard touchdown run with 1:34 left.

"Great win over a very good Weatherford team," Worley said. "We cleaned some things up, especially defensively. Proud of how our kids responded to the El Reno game and the adversity we faced during the Weatherford game."

Midwest City holds off Muskogee

Midwest City moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 in Class 6AII, after holding on for a 16-14 victory at Muskogee in Week 2. Muskogee's Caleb Webb was tackled in the end zone by Midwest City to give the Bombers a two-point lead late in the first half.

From there, Midwest City (2-1) was able to deny the Roughers from scoring the rest of the way.

"The defense has been playing extremely good," Midwest City coach Darrell Hall said. "The safety proved to be the different in this one."

Cameron Wilson was Midwest City's offensive catalyst, racking up 135 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries. On defense, Kyle Lindsey had 14 tackles and two for loss.

"We knew our offensive line would weight heavy in the game's decision," Hall said. " They put the game on their backs. It was a total team win, and I'm proud of the team because there is no quit in these guys."

Midwest City was able to block a field goal attempt by Muskogee with 8:54 left, and the Bombers never gave the ball back to the Roughers. Midwest City marched down the field and chewed up the clock along the way and escaped Indian Bowl with a two-point victory.

"With hard running from our running backs and great blocking by the wideouts," Hall said, "we were able to move the ball and run out the clock."

Crossings Christian tops Minco for A-3 win

Unranked Crossings Christian made its presence known in Class A with a resounding  14-6 victory at top-ranked Minco in Week 2. In overtime, Crossings Christian's Hunter Johnson scored on an 8-yard touchdown run, and Jacob Snyder added the two-point conversion score.

From there, the Knights (2-1) kept Minco (2-1) out of the end zone for the victory.

"We just gutted out against a great team on their home field," Crossings Christian coach Jonathan Keathly said. "It was muddy and wet, and it was great to see our guys make the plays when they had to."

Trent Miller led the Knight's defensive effort with nine tackles, five tackles for loss, including one in overtime, one sack and a forced fumble. Together, Crossing Christian's defense limited Minco to 232 yards of offense.

"It is a huge shot of confidence for our guys," Keathly said. "In our last five games, including last season, we've beaten two great programs in Wynnewood and Minco. Those are the kinds of programs we want to be and we're gaining fast."

The win also moved Crossings Christian to 1-0 in District A-3.

"It's huge because every week in this district is a battle," Keathly said. "There's going to be some good teams that get left out of the playoffs, and we're going to fight to be sure it's not us."

Grove routs rival Jay

Bragging rights along Highway 59 returned to Grove following the Ridgerunners' 33-6 win over Jay last week. Jay won the 2017 showdown between the two Delaware County rivals, but Grove has now won three of the last four Delco Bowl trophies.

"It felt good to get the Delco trophy back," Grove coach Ron Culwell said. "Our kids have worked hard, and they played hard. We try to control what we can control, and that's attitude and effort. So far it has been awesome."

And so was Grove's defense against the Bulldogs (1-1). Defensive end Dawson Tanner spearheaded the Ridgerunners' defensive efforts with 10 tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"This is a huge rivalry," Culwell said. "Some strange things happen in this game. That makes it special to win. All these kids know each other, so we knew we had to play together to make things happen. And we did that."

For Grove (1-1), Dalton Cash scored a pair of touchdown runs -- a 1-yard run in the first quarter and the game's final score, a 6-yard TD run in the fourth period. Cash also had a 19-yard TD pass to Mason Baxter, and Nick Estrada also chipped in with a 7-yard touchdown run for the Ridgerunners.

News and notes: Wagoner coach Dale Condict posted his 200th career coaching victory, thanks to the Bulldogs' 35-17 victory over Pryor last week. ... Sulphur tailback Trey Kiser set a school record with 403 rushing yards in the Bulldogs' 47-9 win over rival Davis. Kiser also scored six touchdowns, and he did it all on only 15 carries.

Class 4A preview

7/6/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Look back at 2017

2017 district champs

4A-1: Heritage Hall - Everyone should have seen it coming from the start. Heritage Hall took down John Marshall -- who went on to win the Class 3A title -- in the first week of the season, and the Chargers just stampeded their way through 4A-1, as well. Clinton came the closest to knocking off Heritage Hall, 28-24, in week four but Heritage Hall ended up polishing off a 14-0 campaign with a title game victory over Ada.

4A-2: Ada - The Cougars endured some brutal losses to Ardmore and Carl Albert in non-district play, but it prepared Ada for what was up ahead in 4A-2 play. The Cougars' only blemish in district competition was to Tuttle, but Ada ended up knocking off Blanchard for the tiebreaker at the end of the year when both finished atop the standings. Then Ada went on to knock off Oologah in the quarterfinals, and the Cougars marched all the way to the title game, where Heritage Hall ended up prevailing.

4A-3: Wagoner - Few figured there'd be many teams to stand between Wagoner and Heritage Hall ultimately meeting in the 4A title game. The Bulldogs owned the state's longest winning streak (48) after another unbeaten run through 4A-3 and a first round playoff victory over Poteau. But trouble arrived in the form of Blanchard, who ended the Bulldogs' unbeaten run at Odom Stadium.

4A-4: Hilldale - The Hornets were another east power that figured to challenge the likes of Wagoner and Heritage Hall late in the playoffs. After all, Hilldale breezed through 4A-4 for the district crown, but Bethany rallied and took down Hilldale in the quarterfinals.

 

Talking title game: Heritage Hall 14, Ada 0

Quarterback Blake Adams found Conner Casey for a 10-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, and from there the Chargers' defense secured Heritage Hall's sixth state championship and third in the four seasons. Adams added a 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and it was plenty with the Charger defense forcing two Ada interceptions while limiting the Cougars to 193 total yards.

On to 2018...

Players to watch

- Bryce Madron (Blanchard): Even as a sophomore, Madron was instrumental for the Lions on offense in 2017. Blanchard finished 11-2 and it was Madron who shouldered a bulk of the load on offense with 1,316 yards and 21 touchdowns on 200 carries.

- Jaxon Ratterree (Weatherford): Ratterree will head into his junior season after completing 87 of 153 passes for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns last year.
- Schyler Adair (Wagoner): Partnered with Nikia Jones on offense, Adair did his work on the ground for the Bulldogs in 2017. He rushed for 1,231 yards and 14 touchdowns on 158 carries.

- Sam Brandt (Bethany): Taking over the quarterback reins, Brandt became a star for the Bronchos. He passed for 1,290 yards and 16 touchdowns with a 57 completion percentage, and he tacked on 964 yards and nine touchdowns on 174 carries. And for good measure, he piled up 76 tackles and six interceptions on defense.

- Easton Francis (Poteau): Francis did it all during his sophomore campaign last year. He rushed for 1,404 yards and 23 touchdowns on 215 carries. He also caught 16 passes for 182 yards and three scores, and he saw a little time at quarterback, where he completed 37 of 62 passes for 809 yards and eight touchdowns. And for good measure, he also served as the Pirates' punter with a 35.3 yard-per-punt average on 18 attempts.

- J.R. Crain (Broken Bow): The Savages will give the ball to Crain plenty of times during the upcoming season. In 2017, Crain rushed for 748 yards and seven touchdowns on 134 carries.
- Tyler Wayland (Bristow): Senior quarterback is ready to pick up where he left off last season. He threw for 634 yards and eight touchdowns, but he was deadly on the move with 1,236 yards and 18 touchdowns on 160 carries.
- Jesse Rudd (Fort Gibson): Rusty Rudd and Jesse Rudd shared the bulk of the carries for the Tigers in 2017, but it was Jesse Rudd who led the team with 1,003 yards and 14 touchdowns on 195 carries as a sophomore.

- Jamie Nance (Blanchard): The wide receiver exploded onto the recruiting scene in the offseason, garnering offers from across the nation. The Nebraska commit is looking to build on last year's campaign that saw him tally nearly 700 yards and six TDs.

 

District debriefs

4A-1: Heritage Hall took its Class 4A championship trophy and marched on to 3A, leaving 4A-1 open for the taking. Weatherford, Elk City, Elgin, Cache, Newcastle, Clinton and Chickasha all return to familiar stomping grounds, and they all welcome newcomer Anadarko in its move up from 3A.

4A-2: No more Ada here, but the tussle among Blanchard, Bethany and Tuttle should be phenomenal again. That trio, along with Harrah and Tecumseh, all return for more 4A-2 action, and newcomers include Cushing, McLoud and Madill.

4A-3: Very little has changed here with Oologah and Wagoner headlining 4A-3 once again. Catoosa, McLain, Grove and Miami are all back again, too. Bristow shifts up from 3A and Cleveland moves from 4A-2, where it spent most of its time traveling west last year.

4A-4: Hilldale and Fort Gibson can once again clash for The Rock trophy during district play. They're both back for more time in 4A-4, and same goes for Broken Bow, Poteau, Stilwell and Sallisaw. Metro Christian moved out, so in comes Tulsa Central and Muldrow.

 

What’s new? (coaching moves)

- Barrett Shupe (59-24 at Cushing) had an impressive seven-year run at the helm with the Tigers, but he stepped down and gave way to Rusty Morgan.

- Oklahoma lost a solid head coach in Brandon Craig, who accepted the head coaching job at Siloam Springs in Arkansas. In steps Chase Kime, who served as defensive coordinator under Craig.

- Zach Gardner spent 11 seasons at Afton and compiled a record of 96-32, including a 14-0 run to last year's Class A state title. But Andrew Rice left Miami for a position at Northeastern Oklahoma State A&M, and Gardner is now the head coach for the Wardogs.

- Former Central star Willie Ponder is now the head coach at McLain, taking over for Jarvis Payne, who went 24-35 in six seasons with the Titans. Ponder, a former speedster who played for the New York Giants, most recently was a wide receivers coach at Colorado Mesa University.

- Sallisaw hired Randon Lowe as its new head coach after Lowe's stint as an offensive analyst for North Texas University.

- Greg Werner parlayed his success at Poteau from 2012 to 2014 to the head coaching gig at Van Buren (Arkansas) a few years ago. Now Werner is back in Oklahoma, taking over at Hilldale after Chad Kirkhart stepped down.

- J.T. Cobble accepted the head coaching position at Duncan, and Mike Perez is the new head coach at Stilwell.

 

Fun fact:

- Dale Condict took over at Wagoner in 2005, and since then he's gone 147-23 with nine district titles and four state championships.

 

Prediction time

Michael Swisher - Anyone is 4A sad to see Heritage Hall go? Anyone? Bueller? | I'll be looking to see if Blanchard - and a couple others - are ready to remain contenders or if dominance in the class returns to Wagoner and Oologah | Remember the name Ethan Downs, a sophomore RB/TE/DE (whatever you need from him) from Weatherford | Wagoner. Maybe it's a safe pick, but I'm not sure if someone else is ready to step up and take the title.

Ben - Beyond bummed to see former Oologah head coach Brandon Craig leave for the Siloam Springs job, but the Mustangs will be just fine under Chase Kime | This class is an enigma | Sam Brandt will be a problem for a lot of teams this season | Bristow may have moved up a class, but the Purple Pirates should hold their own in 4A-3 | Oologah and Wagoner will duke it out for the 4A-3 title - shocker! | Get to know Poteau's Easton Francis - he'll be a hot commodity in no time | I could end up being way off, but I think Poteau has what it takes to win the title | I've talked myself into it - Poteau Pirates as the 2018 4A champions.

Whitt Carter -This class is wide open | Gone are the days of Wagoner dominance, although it wouldn't surprise me if it found a way to play late in the year | Coaches are gladly waving goodbye to previous champ Heritage Hall (now in 3A) and runner-up Ada (now in 5A) | Blanchard's Jamie Nance is no doubt going to be a major problem for 4A | Southeastern Oklahoma will be heard from, as Poteau and Broken Bow have as good of a chance as anyone | But I'll take a darkhorse, Tuttle, to improve throughout the year and be there at the end, capturing their first gold ball since 2005.

Guest picker - Hall of Fame coach Randy Turney - Better go with Bethany to win gold in 4A.

*Photos courtesy of Von Castor

Grove freshman Rory Geer knows the game

Girls Basketball | 2/25/2018 | Mike Brown | Tulsa World

Geer proved her athleticism last fall by finishing runner-up in the Class 5A state cross country meet. She’s doing it again this winter by helping lead the 4A No. 13 Ridgerunners (19-5), averaging 14.6 points and 6.6 rebounds.

She hit three 3-pointers Saturday and scored a game-high 18 as the Ridgerunners stayed alive in the postseason with a 54-30 win over Sallisaw in the region consolation semifinals.

Grove plays Locust Grove at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Catoosa for a berth in the area tournament.

High School Football rankings

11/14/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

1. Owasso (10-0)
2. Jenks (7-3)
3. Norman (9-1)
4. Bixby (8-2)
5. Edmond Memorial (8-2)
6. Union (7-3)
7. Deer Creek (7-3)
8. Moore (6-4)
9. Norman North (3-7)
10. Broken Arrow (4-6)

6A Division-II

1. Muskogee (10-0)
2. Choctaw (8-2)
3. Stillwater (8-2)
4. Sand Springs (7-3)
5. Piedmont (6-4)
6. Putnam City (6-4)
7. Putnam City North (7-3)
8. Bartlesville (3-7)
9. Lawton Ike (4-6)
10. Sapulpa (4-6)

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (10-0)
2. Del City (9-1)
3. Booker T. Washington (8-2)
4. Newcastle (7-3)
5. Guthrie (7-3)
6. McAlester (8-2)
7. Bishop McGuinness (7-3)
8. Bishop Kelley (5-5)
9. Lawton Mac (7-3)
10. Pryor (7-3)

Class 4A

1. Wagoner (10-0)
2. Elgin (10-0)
3. Tuttle (10-0)
4. Blanchard (9-1)
5. Bethany (8-2)
6. Ada (7-3)
7. Weatherford (8-2)
8. Sallisaw (8-2)
9. Clinton (8-2)
10. Miami (8-2)

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Christian (10-0)
2. Heritage Hall (9-1)
3. Sulphur (9-1)
4. Cascia Hall (9-1)
5. Plainview (9-1)
6. Perkins-Tryon (8-2)
7. Pauls Valley (7-3)
8. Bristow (6-4)
9. North Rock Creekl (6-4)
10. Idabel (7-3)

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington (10-0)
2. Millwood (9-1)
3. Metro Christian (10-0)
4. Kingston (9-1)
5. Marlow (8-2)
6. Jones (8-2)
7. Kiefer (7-3)
8. Chandler (7-3)
9. Chisholm (6-4)
10. OCS (7-3)

Class 2A Division-II

1. Vian (10-0)
2. Adair (10-0)
3. Stroud (10-0)
4. Holdenville (10-0)
5. Alva (8-2)
6. Davis (6-4)
7. Beggs (8-2)
8. Colcord (9-1)
9. Henryetta (8-2)
10. Salina (6-4)

Class A Division-I

1. Hooker (9-1)
2. Fairview (9-1)
3. Rejoice Christian (9-1)
4. Walters (9-1)
5. Pawnee (7-3)
6. Pawhuska (8-2)
7. Christian Heritage (7-3)
8. Pocola (8-2)
9. Wynnewood (8-2)
10. Minco (7-3)

Class A Division-II

1. Woodland (10-0)
2. Regent Prep (9-1)
3. Hominy (8-2)
4. Thomas (9-1)
5. Mangum (9-1)
6. Talihina (9-1)
7. Central Sallisaw (7-3)
8. Velma-Alma (8-2)
9. Texhoma (7-3)
10. Mooreland (7-3)

Class B Division-I

1. Laverne (9-1)
2. Dewar (8-1)
3. Yale (9-0)
4. Turpin (9-1)
5. Hollis (7-2)
6. Drumright (7-3)
7. Empire (9-1)
8. Garber (7-3)
9. Caddo (8-2)
10. Keota (7-3)

Class B Division-II

1. Seiling (9-1)
2. Weleetka (10-0)
3. Covington-Douglas (10-0)
4. Okeene (9-1)
5. Wilson-Henryetta (8-1)
6. Waukomis (8-2)
7. Copan (8-2)
8. Shattuck (6-3)
9. Webbers Falls (6-4)
10. Alex (6-4)

Class C

1. Tipton (10-0)
2. Timberlake (10-0)
3. Ryan (9-1)
4. Medford (7-2)
5. Welch (9-1)
6. Tyrone (7-2)
7. Maysville (8-2)
8. Paoli (7-3)
9. Geary (7-3)
10. Waynoka (5-5)

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 10 (2024): Sunrise Cafe in Kingfisher

11/7/2024 |  Michael Swisher

In Kingfisher, Oklahoma, there is a great little food place called Sunrise Cafe.

I have had breakfast here a few times over the years, but my most recent trip had me giving the incredible looking "Gravy Train" a try after scanning over the menu.

When it comes to breakfast dining out, I normally tend to migrate towards some combination that includes biscuits and this morning would be no different with the Gravy Train selection I was making. 

Week 10 High School Football Rankings

11/5/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

1. Owasso (9-0)
2. Bixby (8-1)
3. Union (7-2)
4. Jenks (6-3)
5. Norman (8-1)
6. Edmond Memorial (7-2)
7. Deer Creek (6-3)
8. Moore (5-4)
9. Mustang (5-4)
10. Norman North (2-7)

6A Division-II

1. Muskogee (9-0)
2. Choctaw (7-2)
3. Stillwater (7-2)
4. Sand Springs (6-3)
5. Putnam City (6-3)
6. Putnam City North (7-2)
7. Piedmont (5-4)
8. Southmoore (4-5)
9. Bartlesville (2-7)
10. Lawton Ike (3-6)

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (9-0)
2. Del City (8-1)
3. Booker T. Washington (7-2)
4. Newcastle (6-3)
5. Guthrie (6-3)
6. Lawton Mac (7-2)
7. McAlester (7-2)
8. Bishop McGuinness (6-3)
9. Pryor (7-2)
10. Bishop Kelley (4-5)

Class 4A

1. Wagoner (9-0)
2. Elgin (9-0)
3. Tuttle (9-0)
4. Blanchard (8-1)
5. Sallisaw (8-1)
6. Bethany (7-2)
7. Weatherford (7-2)
8. Ada (6-3)
9. Clinton (7-2)
10. Miami (7-2)

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Christian (9-0)
2. Heritage Hall (8-1)
3. Sulphur (8-1)
4. Cascia Hall (8-1)
5. Plainview (8-1)
6. Perkins-Tryon (7-2)
7. Idabel (7-2)
8. Pauls Valley (6-3)
9. Berryhill (6-3)
10. Holland Hall (6-3)

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington (9-0)
2. Millwood (8-1)
3. Metro Christian (8-0)
4. Kingston (8-1)
5. Marlow (7-2)
6. Jones (7-2)
7. Kiefer (6-3)
8. Chandler (6-3)
9. Chisholm (5-4)
10. Lindsay (6-3)

Class 2A Division-II

1. Vian (9-0)
2. Adair (9-0)
3. Stroud (9-0)
4. Holdenville (9-0)
5. Alva (7-2)
6. Davis (5-4)
7. Beggs (7-2)
8. Colcord (8-1)
9. Henryetta (7-2)
10. Kansas (6-3)

Class A Division-I

1. Hooker (8-1)
2. Fairview (8-1)
3. Rejoice Christian (8-1)
4. Walters (8-1)
5. Pawnee (6-3)
6. Pawhuska (7-2)
7. Wynnewood (8-1)
8. Christian Heritage (6-3)
9. Pocola (7-2)
10. Cashion (7-2)

Class A Division-II

1. Woodland (9-0)
2. Regent Prep (8-1)
3. Hominy (7-2)
4. Thomas (8-1)
5. Mangum (8-1)
6. Mooreland (7-2)
7. Talihina (8-1)
8. Central Sallisaw (6-3)
9. Velma-Alma (7-2)
10. Texhoma (6-3)

Class B Division-I

1. Laverne (8-1)
2. Dewar (7-1)
3. Yale (8-0)
4. Turpin (8-1)
5. Caddo (8-1)
6. Hollis (6-2)
7. Drumright (6-3)
8. Empire (8-1)
9. Garber (6-3)
10. Pond Creek-Hunter (7-2)

Class B Division-II

1. Seiling (8-1)
2. Weleetka (9-0)
3. Covington-Douglas (9-0)
4. Okeene (8-1)
5. Wilson-Henryetta (7-1)
6. Waukomis (7-2)
7. Cherokee (5-4)
8. Alex (6-3)
9. Copan (7-2)
10. Shattuck (5-3)

Class C

1. Tipton (9-0)
2. Timberlake (9-0)
3. Ryan (8-1)
4. Tyrone (7-1)
5. Medford (6-2)
6. Welch (8-1)
7. Maysville (7-2)
8. Paoli (6-3)
9. Geary (6-3)
10. Waynoka (4-5)

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 9 (2024): Revisiting Our Top Candy Picks, Good Soup & Happy Birthday Adam

10/31/2024 |  Michael Swisher

Since it is Halloween today, I thought it would be fun and timely to run back some previous SKORDLE Halloween Candy Blogs from 2021 and 2022.

I discuss many important topics related to candy preference, secretly stealing lots of candy from my children and my love for the old days of homemade Halloween treats.

If you are fortunate enough to come across a Popcorn Ball, Brownie, Candy Apple, or Rice Krispies Treats, rather than a full-sized candy bar (what's really special about that?), you are truly one of the lucky ones tonight! 

I have also included - in the 2021 blog - an incredible Minestrone Soup recipe courtesy of Mr. SKORDLE himself Adam Diesselhorst.

Speaking of Adam, today is his birthday, so tell him Happy Birthday! 

Week 9 Pay Dirt Picks & Results

10/31/2024 |  Korry Rogers

	MARK 11-1	JACOB 9-3	TOM 9-2	TONY 10-2
Anadarko @ Kingfisher
Chandler @ Sperry
Crossings @ Washington
Hinton @ Cashion
Minco @ Christian Heritage
Keota @ Dewar
Piedmont @ Stillwater
Perry @ Chisholm
Norman @ Mustang
Sand Springs @ Putnam City North
Carl Albert @ Guthrie
Bishop McGuinness @ Newcastle

Week 9 High School Football Rankings

10/30/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

1. Owasso (8-0)
2. Bixby (7-1)
3. Union (6-2)
4. Jenks (5-3)
5. Norman (7-1)
6. Edmond Memorial (6-2)
7. Mustang (5-3)
8. Deer Creek (6-2)
9. Norman North (2-6)
10. Moore (4-4)

6A Division-II

1. Muskogee (8-0)
2. Choctaw (6-2)
3. Stillwater (6-2)
4. Sand Springs (5-3)
5. Putnam City North (7-1)
6. Southmoore (4-4)
7. Piedmont (5-3)
8. Putnam City (5-3)
9. Lawton Ike (3-5)
10. Sapulpa (4-4)

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (8-0)
2. Del City (7-1)
3. Guthrie (6-2)
4. Booker T. Washington (6-2)
5. Newcastle (5-3)
6. Bishop McGuinness (6-2)
7. Lawton Mac (6-2)
8. McAlester (6-2)
9. Shawnee (6-2)
10. Pryor (6-2)

Class 4A

1. Wagoner (8-0)
2. Elgin (8-0)
3. Tuttle (8-0)
4. Blanchard (7-1)
5. Clinton (7-1)
6. Sallisaw (7-1)
7. Bethany (6-2)
8. Weatherford (6-2)
9. Ada (5-3)
10. Miami (6-2)

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Christian (8-0)
2. Heritage Hall (7-1)
3. Sulphur (7-1)
4. Cascia Hall (7-1)
5. Plainview (7-1)
6. Perkins-Tryon (6-2)
7. Idabel (6-2)
8. North Rock Creek (5-3)
9. Pauls Valley (5-3)
10. Berryhill (5-3)

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington (8-0)
2. Millwood (7-1)
3. Metro Christian (8-0)
4. Kingston (7-1)
5. Marlow (6-1)
6. Jones (6-2)
7. Kiefer (5-3)
8. Perry (6-2)
9. Hugo (6-2)
10. Chandler (5-3)

Class 2A Division-II

1. Vian (8-0)
2. Adair (8-0)
3. Stroud (8-0)
4. Davis (5-3)
5. Holdenville (8-0)
6. Alva (6-2)
7. Beggs (6-2)
8. Colcord (7-1)
9. Wyandotte (6-2)
10. Salina (5-3)

Class A Division-I

1. Hooker (7-1)
2. Fairview (7-1)
3. Rejoice Christian (7-1)
4. Christian Heritage (6-2)
5. Walters (7-1)
6. Pawnee (5-3)
7. Pawhuska (6-2)
8. Pocola (6-2)
9. Wynnewood (7-1)
10. Cashion (6-2)

Class A Division-II

1. Woodland (8-0)
2. Mangum (8-0)
3. Regent Prep (7-1)
4. Hominy (6-2)
5. Talihina (8-0)
6. Thomas (7-1)
7. Ketchum (6-2)
8. Mooreland (6-2)
9. Central Sallisaw (5-3)
10. Velma-Alma (6-2)

Class B Division-I

1. Laverne (7-1)
2. Dewar (6-1)
3. Yale (7-0)
4. Turpin (7-1)
5. Caddo (7-1)
6. Hollis (5-2)
7. Garber (6-2)
8. Keota (6-2)
9. Drumright (4-2)
10. Waurika (4-4)

Class B Division-II

1. Seiling (7-1)
2. Weleetka (8-0)
3. Covington-Douglas (8-0)
4. Okeene (7-1)
5. Wilson-Henryetta (6-1)
6. Waukomis (6-2)
7. Copan (7-1)
8. Shattuck (5-2)
9. Cherokee (4-4)
10. Wetumka (5-3)

Class C

1. Tipton (8-0)
2. Timberlake (8-0)
3. Ryan (7-1)
4. Tyrone (6-1)
5. Medford (5-2)
6. Geary (6-2)
7. Welch (7-1)
8. Maysville (6-2)
9. Paoli (5-3)
10. Sasakwa (6-1)

Week 8 Pay Dirt Picks & Results

10/24/2024 |  Korry Rogers

	MARK 9-3	JACOB 9-3	TOM 9-3	DOUG 10-2
Okeene @ Boise City
Kingfisher @ North Rock Creek
Tulsa Central @ Chandler
Lincoln Christian @ Checotah
Texhoma-Goodwell @ Mangum
Southwest Covenant @ Thomas-Fay-Custer
Blanchard @ Tuttle
Turpin @ Garber
Sequoyah Claremore @ Cascia Hall
Muskogee @ Sand Springs
Jenks @ Moore
McAlester @ Booker T Washington

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 8 (2024): Flamingo Lounge

10/23/2024 |  Michael Swisher

If you haven’t had a burger at the Flamingo Lounge in Enid, you really need to because they are absolutely delicious! 

The Flamingo is located right at the main intersection of town (U.S. 81 and U.S. 412 or Van Buren and Garriott for the locals).

It’s a classic dive joint that has been a favorite for many for a really long time. 

Simple is why they are great. 

The burgers are incredible and what I love the most is the melty cheese and warm greasy bun.

I would highly recommend the Double Meat, Double Cheeseburger.

You can even add chili if you’re brave enough or have arteries made of steel.

Regulars normally get some Chili Cheese Nachos as an appetizer or side. 

If you’re wanting to try something truly unique, follow the lead of Mr. SKORDLE Adam Diesselhorst and order the Pickled Eggs. 

I have never brought myself to try them (I stick to the nachos and burgers), but Adam loves them and you might too. 

The place has a shuffleboard, pool and video games for the kids. 

The next time you are in Enid, I would strongly suggest a stop at the Flamingo for an awesome burger!!!

Week 8 High School Football Rankings

10/20/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

1. Owasso
2. Bixby
3. Union
4. Jenks
5. Deer Creek
6. Norman
7. Edmond Memorial
8. Mustang
9. Moore
10. Broken Arrow

6A Division-II

1. Muskogee
2. Stillwater
3. Choctaw
4. Sand Springs
5. Piedmont
6. Putnam City North
7. Putnam City
8. Sapulpa
9. Southmoore
10. Lawton Ike

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert
2. Del City
3. Lawton Mac
4. McAlester
5. Guthrie
6. Bishop McGuinness
7. Collinsville
8. Booker T. Washington
9. Newcastle
10. Shawnee

Class 4A

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

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Christian
2. Heritage Hall
3. Sulphur
4. Cascia Hall
5. North Rock Creek
6. Plainview
7. Perkins-Tryon
8. Sequoyah-Claremore
9. Pauls Valley
10. Idabel

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington
2. Millwood
3. Metro Christian
4. Kingston
5. Marlow
6. Jones
7. Kiefer
8. Perry
9. Crossings Christian
10. Hugo

Class 2A Division-II

1. Vian
2. Adair
3. Stroud
4. Davis
5. Holdenville
6. Alva
7. Beggs
8. Colcord
9. Kansas
10. Community Christian

Class A Division-I

1. Hooker
2. Fairview
3. Rejoice Christian
4. Christian Heritage
5. Walters
6. Pawnee
7. Pawhuska
8. Pocola
9. Hartshorne
10. Wynnewood

Class A Division-II

1. Woodland
2. Mangum
3. Regent Prep
4. Hominy
5. Talihina
6. Thomas
7. Texhoma
8. Ketchum
9. Central Sallisaw
10. Velma-Alma

Class B Division-I

1. Laverne
2. Dewar
3. Yale
4. Turpin
5. Garber
6. Caddo
7. Empire
8. Hollis
9. Keota
10. Drumright

Class B Division-II

1. Seiling
2. Weleetka
3. Covington-Douglas
4. Okeene
5. Wilson-Henryetta
6. Copan
7. Boise City
8. Waukomis
9. Shattuck
10. Cyril

Class C

1. Tipton
2. Timberlake
3. Ryan
4. Welch
5. Tyrone
6. Maysville
7. Geary
8. Medford
9. Paoli
10. Sasakwa

Week 7 Pay Dirt Picks

10/16/2024 |  Korry Rogers

	MARK 5-7	TOM 10-1	CHRIS 8-4	HUNTER 8-4
Ardmore @ Blanchard
Oklahoma Christian School @ Perry
Minco @ Walters
Thomas-Fay-Custer @ Texhoma-Goodwell
Waynoka @ Timberlake
Garber @ Pond Creek-Hunter
Marlow @ Washington
Fairview @ Hooker
Deer Creek @ Jenks
Stillwater @ Choctaw
Colcord @ Adair
Norman @ Moore

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 7 (2024): Fun Facts on Win Streaks and Mr. Burger

10/16/2024 |  Michael Swisher

Week 7 High School Football Rankings

10/15/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

1. Owasso
2. Bixby
3. Deer Creek
4. Union
5. Jenks
6. Edmond Memorial
7. Broken Arrow
8. Moore
9. Mustang
10. Norman

6A Division-II

1. Muskogee
2. Stillwater
3. Choctaw
4. Sand Springs
5. Piedmont
6. Putnam City North
7. Putnam City
8. Sapulpa
9. Lawton Ike
10. Southmoore

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert
2. Del City
3. Lawton Mac
4. Collinsville
5. McAlester
6. Guthrie
7. Bishop McGuinness
8. Booker T. Washington
9. Newcastle
10. Shawnee

Class 4A

1. Wagoner
2. Elgin
3. Tuttle
4. Blanchard
5. Broken Bow
6. Grove
7. Weatherford
8. Clinton
9. Poteau
10. Cushing

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Christian
2. Heritage Hall
3. Sulphur
4. Plainview
5. Cascia Hall
6. North Rock Creek
7. Bristow
8. Perkins-Tryon
9. Checotah
10. Sequoyah-Claremore

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington
2. Millwood
3. Metro Christian
4. Marlow
5. Kingston
6. Jones
7. Hugo
8. OCS
9. Kiefer
10. Chisholm

Class 2A Division-II

1. Vian
2. Adair
3. Stroud
4. Davis
5. Holdenville
6. Colcord
7. Luther
8. Salina
9. Alva
10. Beggs

Class A Division-I

1. Fairview
2. Hooker
3. Rejoice Christian
4. Hartshorne
5. Christian Heritage
6. Walters
7. Pawnee
8. Pawhuska
9. Pocola
10. Wynnewood

Class A Division-II

1. Woodland
2. Mangum
3. Texhoma
4. Regent Prep
5. Hominy
6. Talihina
7. Thomas
8. Ketchum
9. Central Sallisaw
10. Velma-Alma

Class B Division-I

1. Laverne
2. Turpin
3. Dewar
4. Yale
5. Garber
6. Caddo
7. Empire
8. Hollis
9. Keota
10. Pond Creek-Hunter

Class B Division-II

1. Seiling
2. Weleetka
3. Covington-Douglas
4. Okeene
5. Wilson-Henryetta
6. Shattuck
7. Copan
8. Cherokee
9. Thackerville
10. Boise City

Class C

1. Tipton
2. Ryan
3. Timberlake
4. Welch
5. Tyrone
6. Maysville
7. Geary
8. Sasakwa
9. Medford
10. Balko-Forgan

Week 6 Pay Dirt Picks

10/9/2024 |  Korry Rogers

	MARK 10-2	JACOB 9-3	TOM 8-4	SHANE 9-3
Tonkawa @ Pawhuska
Beggs @ Holdenville
Crossings @ Marlow
Millwood @ Oklahoma Christian School
Wynnewood @ Minco
Waukomis @ Covington-Douglas
Perry @ Mount St. Mary
Hooker @ Cashion
Moore @ Deer Creek
North Rock Creek @ Pauls Valley
Tuttle @ Bethany
Alva @ Stroud

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 6 (2024) Part I: Flour and Fennel

10/9/2024 |  Michael Swisher

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 6 (2024) Part II - REVISITING AUBURN 25 YEARS LATER

10/9/2024 |  Michael Swisher

Great food experiences are often tied to core memories.

We enjoyed a great meal as part of a bigger experience and often linked them together.

Sometimes, sadly, that great memory inflates the actual quality of the meal.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been disappointed to revisit a restaurant on my own - after having previously experienced a fantastic meal there before - only to discover the meal was….just….OK.

It was the overall time I had that was fantastic.

So that was my concern as I was driving into Auburn, Ala., early in the afternoon of Sept. 27.

I was headed there for a showdown between MY two teams.

I grew up in Oklahoma, was lured in by Barry Switzer’s OU teams of the 1980s and have never been able to shake a love and a pride of the crimson and cream ever since.

However, I also moved to Alabama in 1989. Lived there for eight years. I went to high school in Muscle Shoals and, after a stellar academic career in JUCO, went to Auburn to pursue a journalism degree.

Eventually, I landed back in Oklahoma, but I grew to truly love Auburn, the Tigers, War Eagle, Toomer’s Corner and everything that came with it.

But it’s not easy to return to a place that’s 865 miles away.

I went once for a few days in 1999.

Then I flew in and flew out in 2018 when Auburn hosted Jace Sternberger and Texas A&M.

That’s it.

It had been 25 years since I’d spent an measurable time in a place that holds a big spot in my heart.

When OU was announced to be joining the SEC, I was ecstatic. When it was announced OU would be visiting Auburn this season, I. HAD. TO. GO.

So I did.

Lots of people stepped up for me to make it happen, but it did.

Anyone who has followed me through the years knows I love food. I’m not some big connoisseur of fine dining. I just love to find cool spots with great food.

And there were two places in Auburn that I insisted on revisiting: Momma Goldberg’s and Guthrie’s.

Both were Auburn staples when I was there in the mid- to late-1990s and both remain today.

I pulled into Auburn at about 1 p.m. on that Wednesday prior to the OU game. 

By 2 p.m., me and my buddy Elk were sitting inside Momma Goldberg’s with three Momma’s Love sandwiches and a pitcher sitting in front of us.

Yes, three. Elk loves to eat, too.

You can read about Momma Goldberg’s and its history here.

They have multiple “signature” sandwiches but their signature of signatures is the “Momma’s Love.” 

It’s roast beef, ham, hickory smoked turkey with muenster cheese served on a seeded hoagie bun. All signature sandwiches there have spicy brown mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato and “Momma’s sauce.”

And they’re also steamed before they are served which, to me, is the kicker.

Yes, it’s simple. Yes, it’s just a sandwich.

Which had me wondering….did I really love the Momma’s Love or did I just love being at Auburn and the Momma’s Love is part of that.

My first bite into one in over a quarter-century told me I did, in fact, love the Momma’s Love.

It was all that I had remembered.

A couple days later, it was time to revisit Guthrie’s.

Now I know what you’re thinking. It’s a chicken finger restaurant. How original. There’s 20 different franchises and 100 locations in Oklahoma City.

True.

But Guthrie’s is truly the original chicken finger restaurant. It opened its first location in Auburn in 1982.

When I actually had some money in my pocket while in college, Guthrie’s was a must-stop for me.

The order: Box, no slaw, extra fries, extra sauce.

Sounds like Raising Cane’s, right?

Just think Cane’s before there was Cane’s. 

That was - and is - Guthrie’s.

But did it live up to my hype?

Now imagine this….

Just think Cane’s chicken…..but SEASONED. Guthrie’s actually has flavor WITHOUT using the dipping sauce.

But you also can’t not (double negative alert) use their signature sauce which was Cane’s sauce before there was Cane’s sauce!!!!!

Needless to say, Guthrie’s - like Momma Goldberg’s - wasn’t just about great memories at Auburn.

It was great food and remains so today….almost 30 years after I first fell in love.

Week 6 High School Football Rankings

10/7/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

1. Owasso
2. Bixby
3. Deer Creek
4. Union
5. Jenks
6. Edmond Memorial
7. Moore
8. Mustang
9. Norman
10. Broken Arrow

6A Division-II

1. Muskogee
2. Stillwater
3. Choctaw
4. Sand Springs
5. Piedmont
6. Putnam City North
7. Putnam City
8. Sapulpa
9. Lawton Ike
10. Southmoore

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert
2. Del City
3. Bishop McGuinness
4. Lawton Mac
5. Collinsville
6. McAlester
7. Guthrie
8. Claremore
9. Booker T. Washington
10. Newcastle

Class 4A

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

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Christian
2. Heritage Hall
3. Sulphur
4. Plainview
5. Cascia Hall
6. Pauls Valley
7. Bristow
8. Seminole
9. North Rock Creek
10. Checotah

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington
2. Millwood
3. Metro Christian
4. Marlow
5. Kingston
6. OCS
7. Jones
8. Crossings Christian
9. Hugo
10. Kiefer

Class 2A Division-II

1. Vian
2. Adair
3. Stroud
4. Davis
5. Holdenville
6. Colcord
7. Kansas
8. Alva
9. Beggs
10. Luther

Class A Division-I

1. Fairview
2. Hooker
3. Rejoice Christian
4. Hartshorne
5. Tonkawa
6. Christian Heritage
7. Walters
8. Pawnee
9. Pawhuska
10. Minco

Class A Division-II

1. Woodland
2. Hominy
3. Mangum
4. Regent Prep
5. Texhoma
6. Thomas
7. Talihina
8. Central Sallisaw
9. Mooreland
10. Ringling

Class B Division-I

1. Laverne
2. Turpin
3. Dewar
4. Yale
5. Garber
6. Pond Creek-Hunter
7. Caddo
8. Hollis
9. Empire
10. Keota

Class B Division-II

1. Seiling
2. Weleetka
3. Okeene
4. Covington-Douglas
5. Wilson-Henryetta
6. Shattuck
7. Webbers Falls
8. Thackerville
9. Waukomis
10. Copan

Class C

1. Tipton
2. Ryan
3. Timberlake
4. Welch
5. Tyrone
6. Maysville
7. Waynoka
8. Geary
9. Paoli
10. Sasakwa

Week 5 Pay Dirt Picks

10/4/2024 |  Korry Rogers

	MARK 9-3	JACOB 9-3	TOM 8-3	NICK 7-5
Blackwell @ Perry
Bethany @ Blanchard
El Reno @ Carl Albert
Jones @ Millwood
Mooreland @ Texhoma-Goodwell
Cashion @ Watonga
Mount St. Mary @ Chisholm
Davis @ Beggs
Owasso @ Union
Putnam City @ Choctaw
Pocola @ Rejoice Christian
Pauls Valley @ Plainview

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 5 (2024): Taco Stop in Ponca City

10/2/2024 |  Michael Swisher

This week the Blackwell vs. Perry football game is on the SKORDLE PayDirt Pick’em Show as well as SKORDLE PayDirt.

When these two schools meet, it must be one of, if not the only, Maroons vs. Maroons game in America and by all accounts a heck of rivalry. 

In between the two towns and just slightly east is Ponca City and for many years I have heard numerous folks rave about Taco Stop. 

When I was rolling through Ponca City this year, the time had come for me to try this popular place myself. 

I decided my best bet was to get the favorites of two people who are big fans of Taco Stop, my wife Amanda and food expert Mark Rodgers. 

Amanda’s favorite item on the menu is the Taco Salad while Mark’s go-to the is Casadia. 

Both Amanda and Mark stated that the famous taco sauce - and a lot of it - is what really made the meals at Taco Stop. 

I went to the counter and placed my order of a Taco Salad and Casadia along with a refreshing fountain drink to wash it all down. I also made sure that some taco sauce would be readily available at the table. 

When I got my food and sat down, I could immediately tell this was going to be a solid lunch! 

The Taco Salad had all the markings of being great, most notably the paper-thin crunch taco shell and pile of shredded cheese. 

The Casadia had a generous layer of taco meat topping and melted shredded cheese on top of a corn tortilla.  

I also added a ton of taco sauce as I devoured my food and found myself generously adding some more to every single bite. 

Quite frankly, Taco Stop was fantastic! 

It is easy to see why Taco Stop, with its great food and extremely reasonable prices, is such a popular place to eat in Ponca City. 

I would highly recommend stopping in any time you are in town and remember to put a lot of the famous taco sauce on everything you order because it makes everything even better.

Week 5 High School Football Rankings

10/1/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

1. Owasso
2. Bixby
3. Union
4. Deer Creek
5. Jenks
6. Moore
7. Norman
8. Edmond Memorial
9. Mustang
10. Broken Arrow

6A Division-II

1. Muskogee
2. Stillwater
3. Choctaw
4. Sand Springs
5. Putnam City
6. Putnam City North
7. Piedmont
8. Southmoore
9. Sapulpa
10. Bartlesville

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert
2. Del City
3. Bishop McGuinness
4. Lawton Mac
5. Collinsville
6. McAlester
7. Guthrie
8. Claremore
9. Shawnee
10. Booker T. Washington

Class 4A

1. Wagoner
2. Elgin
3. Tuttle
4. Blanchard
5. Sallisaw
6. Poteau
7. Bethany
8. Cushing
9. Grove
10. Weatherford

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Christian
2. Heritage Hall
3. Sulphur
4. Pauls Valley
5. Plainview
6. Seminole
7. Cascia Hall
8. Idabel
9. Anadarko
10. Muldrow

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington
2. Millwood
3. Metro Christian
4. Jones
5. Marlow
6. Kingston
7. OCS
8. Mount St. Mary
9. Chandler
10. Crossings Christian

Class 2A Division-II

1. Vian
2. Adair
3. Stroud
4. Davis
5. Holdenville
6. Beggs
7. Colcord
8. Kansas
9. Alva
10. Luther

Class A Division-I

1. Fairview
2. Hooker
3. Rejoice Christian
4. Pocola
5. Pawhuska
6. Wynnewood
7. Hartshorne
8. Tonkawa
9. Christian Heritage
10. Walters

Class A Division-II

1. Woodland
2. Regent Prep
3. Hominy
4. Mooreland
5. Mangum
6. Thomas
7. Velma-Alma
8. Texhoma
9. Talihina
10. Central Sallisaw

Class B Division-I

1. Laverne
2. Turpin
3. Dewar
4. Yale
5. Garber
6. Pond Creek-Hunter
7. Keota
8. Caddo
9. Hollis
10. Empire

Class B Division-II

1. Seiling
2. Weleetka
3. Okeene
4. Covington-Douglas
5. Wilson-Henryetta
6. Shattuck
7. Webbers Falls
8. Thackerville
9. Waukomis
10. Copan

Class C

1. Tipton
2. Ryan
3. Timberlake
4. Welch
5. Tyrone
6. Maysville
7. Mt. View-Gotebo
8. Waynoka
9. Paoli
10. Sasakwa

Oklahoma State Fair Trip 2024 - Where is the Beef?

9/26/2024 |  Michael Swisher

This past weekend my family made our annual trip to the Oklahoma State Fair. We go mainly to eat our favorite fair foods which are the corn dog and roasted corn. Funnel cake normally makes the rotation, especially for the kids, but for some reason it took a year off this time. Here are some pictures of our trip and man these were great!

Also, the Brown’s Lemonade stands never disappoint because they only serve actual real hand squeezed lemonade. Multiple lemonade refills were needed on our trip because it was hot!

The Indian Taco used to ALWAYS be in the rotation until this year. The last couple of years I noticed that my Indian Tacos were severely lacking in beef. From my estimation the “chili mix” as described on the menu was about 99.9% beans and 0.1% beef. Last year I even went into the State Fair with a gameplan to only order meat and cheese so the lack of beef couldn’t be hidden under a pile of toppings. My suspicion of no beef was only confirmed even further, and I was disappointed.

I made the decision this year that I would do some reconnaissance of the Indian Taco hoping for improvements. Unfortunately, I saw none, so I just passed on the Indian Taco this year. As I looked at several Indian Tacos passing by, I saw the delicious fry bread, piles of beans, heaps of lettuce, and a handful of shredded cheese, but no noticeable beef.

It is a sad day at the State Fair when the Indian Taco is no longer in the line-up! Has anyone else felt the same way or had a similar experience? This will be my final comments on the matter until actual beef topping makes its triumphant return to the Indian Taco at the State Fair. Until then I will remember the days of old when this great State Fair food staple was at its peak.