Week 8 - Top Performers

10/25/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Choctaw

Julius Pruitt - 3 sacks, 2 hurries, 5 tackles, 2 TFL

Verdigris

Reese Roller - had 5 tackles, 1tfl, 3 sacks, 1 hurry. Also had 2 catches for 80 yards and 1 TD. Gives him 21 sacks on the season and 4 straight games with at least 3 sacks.

Colcord

Stormy Odle 225 total offense 2 TDs

Bishop McGuinness

Luke Tarman - 27 carries for 244 yards / 12 of 18 passing for 168 yards / 5 Touchdowns - 4 passing 1 rushing

Berryhill

Chase Burke - 22 carries for 210 yards and 5 TD’s. 8 tackles and one sack on defense.

Broken Bow

CJ Whitfield - 12 carries for 100 yards / 13 tackles 1 int for a TD

Plainview

Morgan Pearson 3 receptions 109 yds 1 TD 

Caden Pickens defense- 15 tackles 5 TFL   

Del City

Sevaughn Sephus - senior defensive end - 5 sacks & 3 TFL & 13.5 total tackles

Weatherford

Ethan Downs -10 tackles / 9 carries 52 yards and a TD & 2 catches 19yards

Sam Hoffman - 8 tackles  / 17 carries for 131 yards & 2 catches for 31 yards

Adair

WR Garrett Long - 8 catches 140 yds 2 TD’s

QB Nate Ratcliff - 13/20 285 5 TD’s

El Reno

Dorian Plumley - 122 yards rushing & 175 yards passing & 4 rushing tds & 1 passing 

Came in on defense and got a pic and 2 pass break ups.

Mounds 

Taylor Wortman - 16 carries for 174 yards and 3 TDs on offense and 8 tackles with 2 tackles for loss on defense 

Mason Coddington - 58 yards passing with 1 TD, 54 yards rushing with 1 TD, 1 fumble recovery for a TD, and 2 Interceptions

Yale

Kail Williams- 4 for 6 passing for 222 yards 3 TDs / 3 carries 37 rushing 2 TD.

Dale Coffman - 1 reception, 95 yards & 1 TD / 4 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries(recovered both fumbles he caused) returned one 64 yards for a defensive TD 

Eufaula

Nick jones - 2 INTs & one returned 99 yards for TD to end 2nd half with no time on clock. And another returned 38 yards to the one yard line

Beggs

CJ Brown - 1 rec 48 td / 17 rushes 127 1 td / 4 ko ret 119 / 294 all purpose yds

Hilldale

Eric virgil - 23 carries 285 yards 3TD / 2 catches 48 yards 1 TD

Wewoka

Kobey Stephens - Passing- 6 for 10 -81yds -2 TD / Rushing- 10 for 97yds 3TD / 1 punt return for 41 TD.

Okemah

Mikey Cruz - rushing 28/234 yds 5 TD

Kurtis Wilson - passing 8/14 144 yds 3 TD

Claremore

Brooks Sherl - 3catches 140 yards and 3 TD's

Kellyville

Trevor Jones - 22 carries 161 yards 1 td and 1 int on defense 

Jeremy Hicks - 11 carries 132 yards and 3 tds plus had 8 tackles and a sack 

Wagoner 

Braden Drake - 10 carries for 210 yds and 4 TD / Also had an INT

(All in the first half)

Lawton

Donovan Dorsey - 7-9 192 yards passing 2 tds

Union

Matthias Roberson - 10 tackles 2 sacks, 3 tfl, fumble cause and recovered 

Pryor

Ben Ward - 105 passing & 1 TD / 44 rushes, 265 yards, 4 TDs

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

Steve Edwards steps down at Glenpool

11/21/2019 |  Ben Johnson

GLENPOOL -- When Glenpool starts the 2020 season, the Warriors will have a new head coach for the first time since the mid 90s.
On Thursday, Steve Edwards told Skordle he’s stepping down as the Warriors’ head coach after a 24-year run.
“Been going up and down the sidelines for 35 years,” he said. “It’s time to take a break.”
After serving as an assistant coach in Hominy, Edwards took over at Glenpool in 1996 and led the Warriors to the most successful years in the program’s history.
Glenpool had won only one district championship before Edwards arrived, and he now departs with eight district titles and two state championships (2002 and 2008).
“Through those 24 years at Glenpool, it’s been a really good run,” Edwards said. “Class 4A was good to us for a while.”
Edwards enjoyed a vast amount of success after his father questioned his profession a long time ago.
“I remember my dad asking why I wanted to be a football coach and having to move everywhere,” Edwards recalled. “But that wasn’t the case for me because I’ve ended up being at Glenpool for a long time.”
During his 24-year run at Glenpool, Edwards went 167-109, including a 2-8 season in 2019 to close the book on his tenure with the Warriors.
“Since 1996, we’ve followed the same coaching mantra, ‘make better players, not better plays,’” Edwards said. “It’s been so much more than developing good football players. We’ve always wanted to make sure the young boys turn into great men.”
As for Edwards, he’ll still be in Glenpool as the Warriors’ assistant athletic director. It will allow him more time to watch his sons, Gus and Michael, play football and wrestle.
“I want to sit back and watch them,” Edwards said. “Both have really promising futures in both football and wrestling, I want to be able to watch them.”
And what about coaching? Edwards wouldn’t totally close the book on a return in the future.
“If I still have a hankering to get back into it,” he said, “hopefully I’ll be able to do that.”

Steve Edwards’ career
Record: 167-109
Seasons: 24 (all as Glenpool head coach)
District titles: 8
State titles: 2

Trent Worley named head coach at Kiefer

2/5/2019 |  Ben Johnson

KIEFER -- Trent Worley is a small-town kid at heart. Plus, he and his wife Ashley have most of their family living in northeast Oklahoma.
That made the head coaching vacancy at Kiefer so intriguing.
And sure enough, Worley was named the Trojans’ head man Monday night, becoming only the program’s second head coach in 12 years.
“It’s a really good spot to be in, both for me and my family,” Worley told Skordle. “But to a lot of people, it’ll look like a crazy move.”

Worley, a Foyil alum, recently wrapped up a two-year tenure at Piedmont, where he went 8-13. The Wildcats went 5-6 in 2018 and earned a playoff berth before being eliminated in the first round by eventual Class 5A runner-up, Ardmore.
In Kiefer, Worley will fill the void left by Josh Calvert, who is stepping away from coaching to take a job in Oregon. From 2008 to last season, Calvert led the Trojans to a 94-37 record.
“This is something I’m looking forward to,” Worley said. “What was impressive to me about Kiefer was how the town places a priority on athletics, and those being bright spots in the community. Plus, there they place a great deal of importance on building relationships in settlings like Kiefer.”
Kiefer is coming off a 3-7 campaign in 2018. The Trojans shared a spot in District 2A-3 with Class 2A’s state champion, Sperry, and runner-up, Beggs. Kiefer entered the final week of the regular season vying for postseason spot, alongside Haskell and Morris.
“I’m a small-town guy,” Worley said. “I’m going into year No. 20 in my career. The older you get the more you realize what’s important, so I’m excited for the move for my family. And I’m excited about the Kiefer program, which as unlimited potential.”

CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEWS: CLASSES 2A, A & B

12/5/2018 |  Ben Johnson

When Sperry and Beggs met the first time this season, it was an extremely emotion affair. News broke the day before the two met that Beggs running back Kayson Tolliver has been gunned down in his bed.
It was as tragic as it gets.
But Beggs opted to play and honor the life that Tolliver had lived. The scene on the field was highly irregular, as Sperry quarterback Beau Teel tells it.
“I can remember being in eighth grade, and Sperry had a player pass away and we had to play Claremore Sequoyah and emotions were so high,” Teel recalled. “That’s how that game was against Beggs.
“Players were crying on the field and everything. Makes you realize that football isn’t the most important thing in the world.”
Now the two teams will meet again -- and emotions will be high again. This time, it’ll be for the Class 2A championship at Owasso Stadium on Thursday.
“It means a lot, but not just to me, but our team and town have been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time,” Sperry’s Bryce Carter said. “We want to make the most of it.”
Third-ranked Beggs beat Sperry 35-21 on Nov. 2. The Pirates led 14-0 at halftime, but the Golden Demons went on a torrid rally in the second half, including scoring 28 points in the third quarter.
“Our first time playing Beggs made us realize that you have to play your best football for all four quarters,” Teel said. “Beggs is a great second half team that plays with a lot of heart. They know what it takes to win big games. We can not let up any this time around.”
For No. 5 Sperry, it’s the Pirates first appearance in a championship game since 1968. That’s created a considerable amount of buzz around the small town on the western edge of Tulsa County.
“The town is so excited to be in this game,” Teel said. “It’s been over 50 years since this town has been in the championship game, and it’s just really awesome. People we’ve never seen before have started coming out just to watch us play. It’s great.”
 

Class 2A

No. 5 Sperry (13-1) vs. No. 3 Beggs (13-1)

Where: Owasso Stadium (Owasso High School)

Road to the title game

- Sperry: 68-13 vs. Salina in the first round; 49-7 vs. Kellyville in the second round; 44-13 vs. Eufaula in the quarterfinals; 56-8 vs. Adair in the semifinals.
- Beggs: 56-13 vs. Wyandotte in the first round; 49-22 vs. Oklahoma Christian School in the second round; 36-31 vs. Kingston in the quarterfinals; 33-28 vs. Metro Christian in the semifinals.

What to watch for

- Rematch adjustments: The District 2A-3 winner (Beggs) and 2A-3 runner-up (Sperry) met in Week 10, and the Golden Demons claimed a 35-21 victory, a day after Beggs player Kayson Tolliver was shot and killed. Sperry controlled the entire first half and owned a 14-0 lead at halftime. But Beggs rallied for four touchdowns in the third quarter to take control. The Golden Demons ended up out-gaining Beggs 265-121 in the final 24 minutes. This time around, it’ll be a matter of who makes the most adjustments from a month ago.
- Emotional wave: When the teams met the first time this season, emotions were on overload. Players were brought to tears while on the field after the tragic death of Tolliver. Both teams are a month removed from that, and while emotions still remain raw, the emotions on both sides should be closer to even keel. Instead, emotions will be through the roof because what’s at stake. By the end of the game, both teams will have mentally spent with the season coming to a close.
- Be the better QB: The quarterback clash on display is one of the best of any of the championship games. Both Beggs’ Dalton Spring and Sperry’s Beau Teel are dangerous dual-threat players. Both will tuck and run, but both have plenty of weapons if they opt to throw the ball. Perhaps it’s over-simplification, but odds are the better quarterback in the game should end up hoisting the gold ball with his teammates.

Random facts

- Sperry is 5-4 all-time against Beggs. Prior to this season’s first matchup, Sperry had won the previous four games, dating back to 1989.
- Sperry head coach Robert Park took over in 2000, and his record is 117-94; Beggs head coach David Tenison took over prior to the start of the season, and he is 13-1.
- Sperry is 0-1 in championship games -- the lone appearance was a 35-14 loss to Minco in the 1968 Class C title game.
- Beggs is 1-2 in championship games -- The Golden Demon’s last championship appearance was last season, a 14-7 loss to John Marshall in the 3A title game.
- Beggs’ lone championship was in 1975 with a 21-0 victory over Millwood in the Class A championship game.
- Beggs is 13-0 against Oklahoma teams this season. The Golden Demons’ lone loss was a 28-21 setback against Shiloh Christian (Ark.).

Prediction sure to go wrong…

Sperry 27, Beggs 26: We all had Millwood making it to the final week of the season, but Vian saw to it that it didn’t happen. Instead, two teams from District 2A-3 are left standing, ready for a rematch of Week 10. I picked Sperry then, and I haven’t learned my lesson, so I’m going with Sperry again. Beggs might be able to win the battle up front, but there’s something about Sperry that I just can’t quit. But the good news for Beggs is I’ve been terrible at picks all year long, so why stop this week?

Class A

Christian Heritage (10-4) vs. No. 7 Tonkawa (13-1)

Where: Pioneer Stadium (Stillwater High School)

Road to the title game

- Christian Heritage: 28-22 vs. Ringling in the first round; 42-36 vs. Thomas in the second round; 39-22 vs. Stroud in the quarterfinals; 34-13 vs. Rejoice Christian in the semifinals.
- Tonkawa: 55-12 vs. Colcord in the first round; 23-14 vs. Wayne in the second round; 20-13 vs. Hobart in the quarterfinals; 28-13 vs. Fairview in the semifinals.

What to watch for

- Hale of a season: Christian Heritage senior quarterback Zach Hale has been an unstoppable force, including last week’s five-touchdown performance against Rejoice Christian. And he’s been a tackling machine on defense, and he’s even mixed in some interceptions here and there.
- Heckuva year, Hampton: Tonkawa’s senior quarterback Braydon Hampton has been stride for stride with Hale and his production this season. Hampton has passed for 1,671 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he’s rushed for 1,634 yards and 25 touchdowns. On defense, he’s racked up 107 tackles, 25 sacks and four forced fumbles.

Random facts

- These two clubs are meeting for the first time.
- Christian Heritage head coach Tony Merrell took over in 2014, and he’s gone 38-21; Tonkawa head coach Mike Kirtley took over in 2003, and he’s gone 137-55.
- This is Christian Heritage’s first appearance in a championship game.
- Christian Heritage’s four playoff wins have come against teams with a combined record of 42-8.
- Tonkawa is 6-2 in championship games -- the Buccaneers’ last state title appearance was a 7-6 win over Stroud in the Class A title game.

Prediction sure to go wrong…

Christian Heritage 23, Tonkawa 20: I had Cashion winning the title, but do I get half credit for taking someone that’s in Cashion’s district? No? Well, OK then. The Crusades have undoubtedly been the hottest team in the playoffs -- in any class. The run the Crusaders have been on since Oct. 26, when they beat Watonga to start a six-game winning streak. Christian Heritage has surpassed hurdle after hurdle, so I’ll just stick with the Crusaders since they’ve come this far.

Class B

No. 1 Shattuck (13-0) vs. No. 3 Regent Prep (14-0)

Where: Charles W. Scheid Stadium (Western Heights High School)

Road to the title game

- Shattuck: 48-0 vs. Ringwood in the first round; 55-6 vs. Alex in the second round; 67-20 vs. Dewar in the quarterfinals; 54-30 vs. Davenport in the semifinals.
- Regent Prep: 49-0 vs. Prue in the first round; 59-24 vs. Keota in the second round; 68-52 vs. Laverne in the quarterfinals; 69-22 vs. Wetumka in the semifinals.

What to watch for

- Gilbert’s gains: Regent Prep quarterback Braden Gilbert has been on point all season long, and he’s up to 3,758 yards and 62 touchdowns through 14 games. He’s completing 59.7 percent (169 of 283) of his passes, and 75 of those passes have gone to Jack Wright, who has hauled in 1,773 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Random facts

- These two teams are meeting for the first time.
- Google Maps says these two schools are separated by 249 miles -- or a little more than a four-hour drive.
- Regent Prep head coach Adam Bishop navigated the Rams into OSSAA play in 2012, and the Rams have gone 40-9 since that time; Shattuck head coach Troy Bullard took over prior to this season and hasn’t lost in 13 games.
- This Regent Prep’s first championship game appearance.
- Shattuck is 10-2 with state championships on the line. The Indians are making their third straight appearance in the Class B title game, going 1-1 against Laverne over the span. Shattuck won last year’s championship game, 30-16.

Prediction sure to go wrong…

Shattuck 37, Regent Prep 27: What a surprise, my pick to win the championship (Davenport) didn’t make to the title game. Instead, Whitt and Swisher are both 2-for-2 on teams making it to the title game, and both have Shattuck winning the championship. I think Regent Prep will score some points against Shattuck -- something a lot of teams haven’t done -- but ultimately it’ll be Shattuck finishing atop Class B again.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK: Classes 2A, 3A & 4A

11/16/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Class 2A

First round rewind

•    Kellyville 41, Perry 21: Hayden Hutchins rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries with the Ponies being the only team to knock off a district champion in the first round. It was the Ponies’ first playoff appearance since 2004 and postseason victory since 2002.

•    Sperry 68, Salina 13: In just one half of football, quarterback Beau Teel completed 11 of 15 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns for the Pirates. “All playoff wins are good wins,” Sperry coach Robert Park said. “We took care of the football this week, and that is always important this time of year. Big challenge coming up for us at Kellyville.”

•    Eufaula 27, Spiro 0: Zac Anderson had 116 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries for the Ironheads. “The kids have been playing with great effort,” Eufaula coach Larry Newton Jr. said. “Somebody has had to step for the past few weeks because of an injury, kid sick or ineligible. They were determined to hold Spiro scoreless.”

•    Coalgate 57, Lexington 31: Austin Lambert completed 12 of 16 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns to lead Coalgate, who hadn’t advanced beyond the first round since 2010.

•    Adair 44, Morris 20: Garrett Long had eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns for the Warriors, who have advanced to the quarterfinals every year 2011.

•    Chisholm 48, Meeker 42: Braden Meek completed 19 of 24 passes for 274 yards and six touchdowns or the Longhorns, who had 492 yards of total offense.

•    Millwood 48, Dickson 6: Falcons won their 39th straight game, moving them into a tie with Jenks for fifth all-time for winning streaks among 11-man teams.

•    Vian 74, Hugo 21: Bodhi Vann rushed for 162 yards and four touchdowns on eight carries for the Wolverines, who improved to 57-39 all-time in the playoffs.

•    Holland Hall 31, Valliant 0: Quarterback Drake Roush threw two touchdown passes and had a 50-yard touchdown run for the Dutch, who have reached the quarterfinals of the playoffs every year since 2016 -- the season Holland Hall moved from Southwestern Preparatory Conference play to OSSAA competition.

•    Washington 49, Lindsay 7: The Warriors picked up a playoff victory for the seventh straight season.

•    Jones 49, Newkirk 18: The Longhorns came up with five interceptions on defense, and kept Newkirk running back Laike Wilhelm in check. Tye Tucke also had five receptions for 116 yards and four touchdowns for Jones.

•    Metro Christian 60, Victory Christian 19: Asher Link passed for 391 yards and three touchdowns and also scored a rushing touchdown for the Patriots, who are back in Class 2A, a class they hadn’t played a playoff game in since 2003. Oh, and they last went to the quarterfinals in 2003.

•    Kingston 49, Community Christian 13: Redskins moved closer to an all-time record of .500 in the playoffs, now 22-25. The game was also Community Christian’s postseason debut.

•    Antlers 29, Panama 18: Antlers won the playoffs for the third straight season.

•    Beggs 56, Wyandotte 13: Demons rushed for 437 yards while picking up where they left off as last year’s runner-up in 3A.

•    Okla. Christian School 63, Okemah 26: Jaxon Conrad rushed for 258 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries for the Saints. “First time to see (Okemah) and they ran some unusual stuff,” OCS coach Derek Turner said. “We struggled in the first half, and we were down 20-14 at halftime. But then we scored 49 unanswered points. The offense played out of this world, and our kids put it together.”
 

On tap this week…

•    Sperry at Kellyville: Ponies return home after upsetting Perry on the road. Sperry and Kellyville have met five times since 1999, and Sperry has won them all. The most recent was a 62-24 contest in 2015. The Pirates’ defense against Kellyville’s rushing attack and Hayden Hutchins will be front and center in this one.

•    Coalgate at Eufaula: Only separated by about an hour on Highway 69, these two haven’t met since …. wait for it ….. 1956! Coalgate is 2-0 against Eufaula, but that was a long long time ago.

•    Chisholm at Adair: Only meeting between these two was 2015 at Sand Springs High School in what was a 44-14 victory for the Warriors on their way to the title.

•    Vian at Millwood: A matchup most would have been content with the semifinals or finals, but here we are. River Simon, Bodhi Vann and the Wolverines will have their hands full with Marcus Majors and crew at Millwood. And it was Millwood who dispatched Vian from the playoffs last year, 44-0 in the quarterfinals.

•    Washington at Holland Hall: First meeting between these two. If the game comes down a field goal, Holland Hall has a secret weapon in Alex Felkins.

•    Metro Christian at Jones: First meeting between these two, too. The quarterback clash between Jones’ Daniel Jackson and Metro Christian’s Asher Link will be key, and the more successful one likely moves on to the quarterfinals. Then there’s Jones’ Korbin Cox and Metro Christian’s Ryan Johnson. Bottom line: a lot of talent all over the field in this one.

•    Antlers at Kingston: Kingston is 6-0 against Antlers all-time. The Redskins, though, have won only one second round game since … 1992.

•    Okla. Christian School at Beggs: Rematch of last year’s quarterfinal clash that the Demons won 32-26. OCS’ Jaxon Canard has rushed for 474 yards in the last two weeks. Then there’s Beggs’ quarterback Dalton Spring, who leads a high-powered offense himself.
 
 
 

Class 3A

First Round Rewind

•    Heritage Hall 42, Marlow 0: New class, same result for the Chargers. The reigning 4A champion improved to 14-1 in playoff games since 2014, thanks to limiting Marlow to 157 yards of offense. Billy Ross scored on TD runs of 38, 21 and 90 yards for Heritage Hall.

•    Stigler 33, Locust Grove 7: Nate Bryant endured a heavy workload, rushing 48 times for 289 yards and four touchdowns while also throwing a touchdown pass in the Panthers’ road victory. “Nate Bryant was the best player on the field,” Stigler coach Chris Risenhoover said.

•    Lincoln Christian 61, Verdigris 21: Bulldog quarterback Chase Ricke threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns, and he also ran for 124 yards and a touchdown.

•    Plainview 45, John Marshall 6: Brock Parham threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns, and he also ran for a touchdown to eliminate last year’s 3A state champion from the playoffs. “Our kids played really well,” Plainview coach Joe Price said. “Our intensity was good on defense, and we did a good job of creating turnovers. Our players were excited about the challenge of playing John Marshall.”

•    Sulphur 34, Perkins-Tryon 7: Trey Kiser rushed for 232 yards and two touchdowns, and he also recorded one sack and four tackles for loss. Tavius McDonald added 117 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries for Sulphur.

•    Idabel 33, Cascia Hall 0: Warriors recorded their first shutout of the season, and LaQuan Wells rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns, and he also threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns for Idabel, who has now recorded a playoff victory in five straight seasons.

•    Berryhill 33, Seminole 13: Daniel Rice rushed for 264 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries for the Chiefs.

•    Kingfisher 48, Purcell 15: Trey Green scored in a variety of ways for the Yellowjackets -- on a 35-yard interception return, a 29-yard reverse and on a 12-yard catch. Kingfisher quarterback Jett Sternberger also added three touchdowns through the air and two on the ground.
 

On tap this week…

•    Stigler at Heritage Hall: Stigler’s upset of Locust Grove in the first round was stunning, mostly because of the way the Panthers dominated the Pirates. Now Nate Bryant and Co. get to figure out how to take down the juggernaut that is Heritage Hall. It’ll be the first matchup between these two schools.

•    Plainview at Lincoln Christian: Another stout challenge in the works for the Plainview defense. The Indians have allowed only two opponents this season to score 20 or more points. Lincoln Christian has scored under 31 points only once this year. This is a rematch of a 2016 3A quarterfinal clash, a 35-34 win for Plainview.

•    Idabel at Sulphur: There’s no question what Sulphur will attempt to do in this game and that’s run the ball. It’ll be up to LaQuan Wells and the rest of the Idabel roster to find a way to slow down the Bulldogs’ rushing attack. These two haven’t met since 1956, and Sulphur is 2-0 in the all-time series.

•    Kingfisher at Berryhill: There were some that thought Seminole and its running attack could upset Berryhill in the first round, but the Chiefs prevailed regardless. The Chiefs just wore down Seminole on both lines, and that’ll be Berryhill’s goal against Kingfisher, too. The Yellowjackets are a sneaky No. 2 seed out of District 3A-1, so watching Jett Sternberger against the Berryhill defense should be a treat. The last time these two met was 2004 in a 35-25 win for Berryhill in the 3A semifinals.
 
 

Class 4A

First Round Rewind

•    Clinton 49, Cushing 20: The Red Tornadoes collected 388 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, led by Atrel Bryson who had six carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

•    Broken Bow 21, Catoosa 0: The Savages recorded their first playoff shutout win since 1993.

•    Wagoner 21, Fort Gibson 0: The Tigers hung around the entire game, but Wagoner used 92 yards and 22 carries from Schyler Adair to prevail. “A win is a win at this point of the season,” Wagoner’s Jaden Snyder told the Coweta American. “I love those (Fort Gibson) guys to death, but I’d rather win.”

•    Bethany 38, Weatherford 13: Sam Brandt was dominant on both sides of the ball for Bethany, passing for 177 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 175 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. On defense, he snagged two interceptions.

•    Tuttle 31, Anadarko 0: Tristin Truelove had 194 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries for the Tigers, who picked up only their second playoff win since 2014.

•    Hilldale 35, Bristow 21: Dawson Neighbors led the way for the Hornets with 208 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. “They played their tails off,” Hilldale coach Greg Werner said of Neighbors and Devin Hembry. “They are big time players.”

•    Poteau 16, Oologah 0: Easton Francis rushed for 160 yards as the Pirates picked up their first playoff win since 2015.

•    Blanchard 21, Cache 11: Bryce Madron scored on a 62-yard TD run in the third quarter to put Blanchard in front for good.
 
 

On tap this week…

•    Broken Bow at Clinton: Broken Bow’s defense has been stout all season long, and it’ll have to be to limit Atrel Bryson’s production. These two clubs have met five times overall and three times in a title game. Clinton has all five games, and most recently 28-0 in the 2004 4A title game.

•    Bethany at Wagoner: Bethany ventured east and upended Hilldale last year in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs’ defense will have its hands full with Sam Brandt -- Mr. Do Everything for the Bronchos.

•    Hilldale at Tuttle: The Hornets caught the attention of everyone last week with a massive upset win over Bristow. Now Hilldale is tasked with shutting down Carson Berryhill and the rest of Tuttle’s team this time around. These two haven’t met since 2009, and Tuttle is 2-0 against Hilldale.

•    Blanchard at Poteau: Bryce Madron vs. Easton Francis? Absolutely! Sounds like a great time. This is an excellent matchup with two rock-solid defenses. And they’re meeting for the first time.

PLAYOFF PICKS: Week 1 edition

11/9/2018 |  Ben Johnson

All hail Randy Turney and his picking skills. He made it look easy while beating the snot out of Swisher, Whitt and myself. He spent 11 weeks picking games and gradually putting all of us away -- well, most of us. Swisher might have an outside shot of catching him. We'll see how it plays out. Me, on the other hand, I have to face the music and wave the white flag. Picking for pride now! 

Week 10 picks - Coach Turney 19-7 | Whitt 19-7 | Swisher 18-8 | Ben 13-13

Overall - Turney 158-52 | Swisher 151-59 | Whitt 148-58 | Ben 140-70

Now I present picks for the first round of the playoffs:

Norman at Owasso

Michael Swisher: Owasso 38, Norman 24

Ben Johnson: Owasso 33, Norman 31

Whitt Carter: Owasso 34, Norman 24

Randy Turney: Owasso 28, Norman 7

Edmond Santa Fe at Union

Michael Swisher: Union 31, Edmond Santa Fe 21

Ben Johnson: Union 31, Edmond Santa Fe 13

Whitt Carter: Union 37, Edmond Santa Fe 13

Randy Turney: Union 32, Edmond Santa Fe 14

Del City at Booker T. Washington

Michael Swisher: Del City 33, Booker T. Washington 20

Ben Johnson: Del City 23, Booker T. Washington 19

Whitt Carter: Del City 27, Booker T. Washington 21

Randy Turney: Booker T. Washington 21, Del City 20

Lawton at Bixby

Michael Swisher: Bixby 28, Lawton 13

Ben Johnson: Bixby 28, Lawton 7

Whitt Carter: Bixby 41, Lawton 21

Randy Turney: Bixby 42, Lawton 20

Sapulpa at Midwest City

Michael Swisher: Midwest City 39, Sapulpa 24

Ben Johnson: Midwest City 36, Sapulpa 20

Whitt Carter: Midwest City 35, Sapulpa 14

Randy Turney: Midwest City 42, Sapulpa 7

Altus at Bishop McGuinness

Michael Swisher: Bishop McGuinness 28, Altus 14

Ben Johnson: Bishop McGuinness 24, Altus 16

Whitt Carter: Bishop McGuinness 37, Altus 24

Randy Turney: Bishop McGuinness 24, Altus 14

Guthrie at Duncan

Michael Swisher: Duncan 14, Guthrie 12

Ben Johnson: Duncan 20, Guthrie 13

Whitt Carter: Duncan 28, Guthrie 27

Randy Turney: Guthrie 21, Duncan 14

Claremore at Edison

Michael Swisher: Edison 24, Claremore 22

Ben Johnson: Claremore 29, Edison 23

Whitt Carter: Edison 34, Claremore 28

Randy Turney: Claremore 23, Edison 21

Coweta at Tahlequah

Michael Swisher: Tahlequah 27, Coweta 23

Ben Johnson: Tahlequah 30, Coweta 27

Whitt Carter: Tahlequah 30, Coweta 21

Randy Turney: Tahlequah 30, Coweta 16

Hilldale at Bristow

Michael Swisher: Bristow 38, Hilldale 30

Ben Johnson: Bristow 29, Hilldale 18

Whitt Carter: Bristow 37, Hilldale 31

Randy Turney: Bristow 42, Hilldale 10

Catoosa at Broken Bow

Michael Swisher: Broken Bow 30, Catoosa 12

Ben Johnson: Broken Bow 20, Catoosa 10

Whitt Carter: Catoosa 27, Broken Bow 24

Randy Turney: Broken Bow 38, Catoosa 20

Blanchard at Cache

Michael Swisher: Blanchard 31, Cache 30

Ben Johnson: Cache 37, Blanchard 32

Whitt Carter: Cache 21, Blanchard 20

Randy Turney: Blanchard 32, Cache 14

Seminole at Berryhill 

Michael Swisher: Berryhill 28, Seminole 20

Ben Johnson: Berryhill 36, Seminole 27

Whitt Carter: Seminole 37, Berryhill 35

Randy Turney: Berryhill 28, Seminole 14

Stigler at Locust Grove

Michael Swisher: Locust Grove 19, Stigler 16

Ben Johnson: Locust Grove 23, Stigler 22

Whitt Carter: Stigler 28, Locust Grove 26

Randy Turney: Locust Grove 24, Stigler 16

John Marshall at Plainview

Michael Swisher: John Marshall 22, Plainview 20

Ben Johnson: John Marshall 30, Plainview 26

Whitt Carter: Plainview 35, John Marshall 31

Randy Turney: John Marshall 27, Plainview 20

Victory Christian at Metro Christian

Michael Swisher: Victory Christian 30, Metro Christian 24

Ben Johnson: Metro Christian 42, Victory Christian 27

Whitt Carter: Metro Christian 34, Victory Christian 21

Randy Turney: Metro Christian 30, Victory Christian 24

Kellyville at Perry

Michael Swisher: Perry 24, Kellyville 21

Ben Johnson: Perry 24, Kellyville 17

Whitt Carter: Perry 27, Kellyville 20

Randy Turney: Perry 34, Kellyville 20

Spiro at Eufaula

Michael Swisher: Eufaula 20, Spiro 19

Ben Johnson: Eufaula 32, Spiro 22

Whitt Carter: Spiro 21, Eufaula 18

Randy Turney: Eufaula 24, Spiro 23

Okemah at Oklahoma Christian School

Michael Swisher: OCS 38, Okemah 20

Ben Johnson: OCS 43, Okemah 32

Whitt Carter: OCS 35, Okemah 28

Randy Turney: OCS 34, Okemah 21

Chisholm at Meeker

Michael Swisher: Meeker 30, Chisholm 28

Ben Johnson: Meeker 31, Chisholm 19

Whitt Carter: Chisholm 24, Meeker 20

Randy Turney: Meeker 32, Chisholm 14

Christian Heritage at Ringling

Michael Swisher: Ringlng 30, Christian Heritage 22

Ben Johnson: Ringlng 26, Christian Heritage 21

Whitt Carter: Ringling 31, Christian Heritage 28

Randy Turney: Ringling 28, Christian Heritage 7

Thomas at Frederick

Michael Swisher: Frederick 24, Thomas 14

Ben Johnson: Thomas 26, Frederick 22

Whitt Carter: Thomas 37, Frederick 24

Randy Turney: Thomas 14, Frederick 13

Central Sallisaw at Wayne

Michael Swisher: Central Sallisaw 34, Wayne 32

Ben Johnson: Wayne 33, Central Sallisaw 27

Whitt Carter: Wayne 42, Central Sallisaw 38

Randy Turney: Wayne 28, Central Sallisaw 18

Wynnewood at Gore

Michael Swisher: Gore 31, Wynnewood 28

Ben Johnson: Wynnewood 34, Gore 31

Whitt Carter: Gore 35, Wynnewood 31

Randy Turney: Wynnewood 20, Gore 18

Yale at Foyil

Michael Swisher: Foyil 30, Yale 22

Ben Johnson: Yale 44, Foyil 29

Whitt Carter: Yale 44, Foyil 36

Randy Turney: Yale 42, Foyil 12

Pioneer at Seiling

Michael Swisher: Seiling 24, Pioneer 21

Ben Johnson: Pioneer 45, Seiling 19

Whitt Carter: Seiling 42, Pioneer 40

Randy Turney: Pioneer 27, Seiling 22

Covington-Douglas at Paoli

Michael Swisher: Paoli 38, Covington-Douglas 28

Ben Johnson: Paoli 39, Covington-Douglas 28

Whitt Carter: Paoli 42, Covington-Douglas 32

Randy Turney: Paoli 34, Covington-Douglas 22

Medford at Graham-Dustin

Michael Swisher: Graham-Dustin 50, Medford 33

Ben Johnson: Graham-Dustin 49, Medford 32

Whitt Carter: Graham-Dustin 38, Medford 34

Randy Turney: Medford 34, Graham-Dustin 20

Tyrone at Fox

Michael Swisher: Tyrone 40, Fox 35

Ben Johnson: Tyrone 38, Fox 37

Whitt Carter: Fox 46, Tyrone 38

Randy Turney: Tyrone 38, Fox 20

Midway at Coyle

Michael Swisher: Coyle 39, Midway 30

Ben Johnson: Coyle 55, Midway 22

Whitt Carter: Coyle 36, Midway 30

Randy Turney: Coyle 48, Midway 12

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

Class 2A playoff preview

11/8/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Players to watch

- Laike Wilhelm (Newkirk): Perhaps the most widely unknown player to put up the best numbers this season. The senior tailback has rushed for 2,051 yards and 21 touchdowns on 261 carries this season.

- Jaxon Canard (OCS): Junior tailback has only rushed 133 times this year, but he's piled up 1,207 yards and 18 touchdowns in the process.

- Korbin Cox (Jones): Another year, another offensive standout for Jones. This time it's a sophomore running back who has collected 1,007 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground this season.

- Lance Spaulding and Trevor Stuever (Washington): The running duo has teamed up for 2,108 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.

- Taryn Kesler (Lindsay): Sophomore QB has thrown for 1,635 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. Also completed 91 of 150 attempts.

- Asher Link (Metro Christian): Junior quarterback has thrown for 2,037 yards and 21 touchdowns, and he's done a lot of that by not even playing in the second half during most district games.

- Austin Hines (Adair): The Bradbury family passed the torch to Hines last season at quarterback, and Hines has filled the void with big numbers. This season, Hines has passed for 1,746 yards and 17 touchdowns.

- Dalton Spring (Beggs): Senior quarterback is an exceptional athlete who can beat opponents through the air or on the ground. He's passed for 1,377 yards and 21 touchdowns this season while completing 74 of 128 pass attempts.

- Beau Teel (Sperry): Much like Spring at Beggs, Teel has a dual-threat QB for defenses to have to try and wrangle. He's passed for 1,365 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he also has a stout offensive line to allow him to run around on the ground, if necessary.

- Blade Horton and Austin Lambert (Coalgate): One of 2A's top rushing and passing duo this season. Horton has rushed for 1,500 yards and 30 touchdowns, and Lambert has completed 128 of 203 passes for 2,065 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Don't overlook... Sperry

The Pirates had things rolling up until the final week of the regular season when they lost an emotional roller coaster of a game against Beggs. Sperry still has a loaded roster with the likes of Beau Teel, Jacob Sutherland, Hayden Borth, Clay Johnson, Cooper Park, Walker Niver and plenty more. Sperry's road to the 2A semifinals is perhaps easier than some others since the Pirates could potentially be back at home for the quarterfinals with Coalgate arriving. Of course, that's subject to change. What's not changing is Sperry's roster that is talented enough to make a long run in the playoffs.

Favorite (potential) matchup - Holland Hall vs. Jones

Stage is set for a potentially intriguing matchup in the quarterfinals. The Dutch had its postseason halted in a road loss at Davis last season, so Holland Hall is out to rectify last year's outcome. Meanwhile, Jones is loaded yet again and the Longhorns took John Marshall to the wire before losing in last year's semifinals.

Coaching candor

How do other high school coaches see the 2A postseason playing out? We asked and they made their predictions (after being granted anonymity, of course). 

Coach One: "I'll take Millwood because they have all the pieces. They have a very good O-line and a very good D-line. They have great skill kids on both sides of the ball. They have speed and power. They have it all. Plus, they don't seem to care how you try and stop them. They adjust and play. Don't think anyone will really play them close unless they have injuries."

Coach Two: "I'm picking a Millwood-Beggs championship with Millwood winning the gold ball. Millwood is experienced and has athletes all over the field. They are big up front with great skill kids. Not much to say on them except they are good. I would pick Millwood 34, Beggs 13."

Coach Three : "Millwood and Beggs in the finals. I am curious if emotions can get Beggs over Millwood."

Prediction time

Michael Swisher: Millwood over Beggs - First of all, Beggs is a good football team. Now the Demons are riding a wave of emotion that can carry them a long way in the 2A bracket. They’ll no doubt be the darlings of the state as everyone outside of Millwood (and their weekly opponent) will be sentimentally pulling for them. But Millwood is also a really good football team. The Falcons aren’t quite the dominant force defensively they were a year ago and Washington proved they are susceptible earlier this year. However, Millwood will get it done yet again.

Ben Johnson: Millwood over Metro Christian - Yeah, I should probably take Beggs here, but it doesn't really matter who ends up in the title game opposite of Millwood. The Falcons are too good. Did you see what other 2A coaches had to say above? The bottom half of the bracket is pretty spread out when it comes to equal talent, but the same can't be said for the top half of the bracket. Millwood is just too good. Falcons win another gold ball. Book it!

Whitt Carter: Millwood over Beggs - Arguably the school with the most talent from Class 4A on down, Millwood has been everything you had hoped for in 2018. They have won 38 straight games and are looking for their third straight gold ball. The Falcons are loaded, featuring Oklahoma commit Marcus Major and Texas signee De'Maryion Houston, along with several others. They beat Class 3A favorite Heritage Hall to open the season and have only been tested once since. Meanwhile, Beggs has played a tough schedule and been through unbelievable circumstances, losing starting running back Kayson Tolliver tragically last week. The Demons rallied for a huge win over Sperry last week to win the district title. Beggs has more to play for than any team you will ever see. They have quarterback Dalton Spring and talented players around him. And it would be incredible to see them make another run to the state title game. But Millwood is too good, and the Falcons make it 43 in a row, hoisting their third straight gold ball.

Week 8: Top 10 games

10/16/2018 |  Ben Johnson

It's time for fall break, and some district titles could be decided this week.

Here's what's on tap:

1. 6AII No. 4 Midwest City (5-2) at 6AII No. 3 Del City (6-1): District 6AII-1 has become a three-team race, and this one will go a long way in deciding whether it's a two-horse race or not. If Midwest City wins, it remains a three-team sprint to the end -- so long as Del City knocks off Stillwater in two weeks. A win for Del City sets up a clash for district supremacy on Nov. 2. Midwest City has dominated this matchup with five straight wins dating back to 2013. Overall, Midwest City is 35-16 against its long-time rival.

2. 4A No. 2 Tuttle (7-0) at 4A No. 3 Blanchard (6-1): Buckle up for Blanchard tailback Bryce Madron against Tuttle's defense, which has yielded only 56 points this season. Also, can Blanchard slow down Tuttle quarterback Carson Berryhill? A win for Tuttle all but wraps up the 4A-2 crown. Since 2011, Blanchard has won four of the seven meetings, but before Tuttle had won all 13.

3. 4A No. 4 Bristow (7-0) at 4A No. 5 Wagoner (6-1): This had all the looks of two unbeaten teams clashing for district bragging rights up until Oologah upset Wagoner in overtime last week. Another loss all but keeps Wagoner from winning the 4A-3 crown, and it would be the first time since 2011 that the Bulldogs hadn't claimed a district title. As for Bristow, quarterback Tyler Wayland leads a dynamic rushing attack that's powered by a demoralizing offensive line. The Bulldogs will counter with Schyler Adair in the backfield.

4. 4A No. 7 Broken Bow (6-1) at 4A No. 1 Poteau (7-0): When it comes to two teams not liking one another, here is exhibit A. And this time the District 4A-4 title is up for grabs. A win for Broken Bow all but secures the district title, whereas Poteau still has Hilldale looming on the schedule. Neither one of these teams has given up more than 48 points this season, so don't expect a wild, high-scoring shootout. Poteau and Broken Bow have met every year since 1996, and it's been Poteau with wins in five victories in the last seven seasons.

5. 5A No. 6 Duncan (7-0) at 5A No. 2 Ardmore (7-0): The similarities are striking between these two. Both are 4-0 in 5A-1. Duncan has scored 268 points this season, compared to Ardmore's 267. Then on defense, the Tigers have given up 51 points, whereas Duncan has issued 53 points to opposing teams. So the only question remains is what prevails in the game: Duncan's balanced offensive attack or Ardmore's nonstop rushing attack? Ardmore has won five straight against the Demons, including a 28-7 victory last season.

6. 2A No. 3 Vian (6-1) at 2A No. 6 Holland Hall (5-2): These two generated a memorable showdown during the 2016 playoffs when Holland Hall edged past the Wolverines, 27-26. This time, however, Vian has River Simon and Bodhi Vann back as seniors with the 2A-5 title on the line. The winner can start preparing for the fourth-place finisher in 2A-6.

7. 3A No. 1 Heritage Hall (6-1) at 3A No. 6 Kingfisher (5-2): A Charger victory all but nails down the 3A-1 district title. A win for Kingfisher creates chaos at the top of the district with Heritage Hall, Kingfisher and John Marshall in a three-team clash to the end. The Yellowjackets have scored an average of 38.7 points per game, but can their defense slow down Conner Carey and Billy Ross on the other side of the ball?

8. B No. 6 Laverne (6-1) at B No. 1 Shattuck (6-0): Perhaps the first of two matchups this season? That's how it's gone the past two years. Laverne and Shattuck have squared off in district play -- both games won by Laverne -- and twice in Class B title games -- split between the two schools -- since 2016. Only wrench in the plans this year could be Seiling, a team sitting there unbeaten in B-1 play like Laverne and Shattuck.

9. 2A No. 2 Sperry (7-0) at Victory Christian (6-1): Pure excitement surrounded the outcome of last year's game -- a 26-21 win for Victory Christian. The Conquerors won on a Hail Mary pass at the end of the game when quarterback R.J. Wakley found Caleb Calhoon for a 33-yard touchdown pass. Both of those players are gone now for the Conquerors, who have to win to keep pace with Sperry in 2A-3. A win for Sperry creates a winner-take-all showdown with Beggs in week 10.

10. A No. 3 Minco (6-1) at Christian Heritage (4-3): District A-3 never disappoints when it comes to top-notch matchups each week, so it's no surprise to see this game crack the top 10. Despite being in third place in A-1 right now, Minco has given up the fewest amount of points in the district at 70. Christian Heritage isn't far off with 95. With Crossings Christian and Cashion atop the district standings, the winner of this one at least feels more secure in nabbing a playoff spot. Also, Christian Heritage is 3-0 all-time against Minco with the last game between the two being played in 2009.

Honorable mention

Edmond Santa Fe at Westmoore: The Wolves are looking to bounce back from last week's 35-7 loss to Broken Arrow. A win over Westmoore for Edmond Santa Fe would create a clash against Jenks for second place in 6AI-1 next week.

Muskogee at Booker T. Washington: Muskogee's two losses have been by a combined three points this season. Meanwhile, the Hornets continue to struggle on offense, and they just lost a receiving weapon in DJ Jones for the rest of the season.

Mustang at Owasso: Mustang desperately needs to win to keep its playoff hopes alive. Owasso is 3-1 in 6AI-2, but the Rams are issuing 24.7 points per game.

Weatherford at Cache: Weatherford can work its way back into 4A-1 contention with a win. For Cache, it's been quite a week with Arthur McDonald appearing on national shows with his highlight-reel TD run.

Idabel at Stigler: Idabel hammered Stigler last year, 62-10. But 3A-3 has proven to be chaotic every single week, so expect an outcome that further mucks up the 3A-3 standings.

Seminole at Checotah: More 3A-3 craziness here. At this point, both of these teams need victories to stay in postseason contention. Seminole is 4-1 against Checotah, but they haven't met since

Kellyville at Prague: Ponies and Red Devils -- what a combo. District 3A-2 has proven to be pretty deep, and someone among Meeker, Prague, Kellyville and Okemah will miss the playoffs. The outcome of this one could help determine who advances beyond the regular season.

Commerce at Rejoice Christian: Commerce's Chris Ibarra is coming off a monster week against Oklahoma Union last week -- 18 carries, 301 yards, four touchdowns. And that doesn't even account for his defensive contributions. The Ibarra vs. Andrew Crow showdown at running back should be a fun one to watch.

Oklahoma Bible Academy at Hooker: District A-1 is all but a done deal if Hooker wins. Oklahoma Bible Academy can make it an interesting final few weeks among Hooker, Fairview and itself with a win.

So who wins all the matchups? Check back for our weekly picks on Thursday.

*Photo courtesy of Chance Batey/Bristow

Week 4 picks

9/19/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Well, I can't lie, my performance in Week 3 was disgraceful. It's been a rough go of it for myself and Whitt this season. But we're just waiting for district play to kick it into gear.

Week 3 picks - Swisher 11-3 | Coach Turney 10-4 | Whitt 9-5 | Ben 8-6

Overall - Swisher 51-22 | Turney 48-25 | Ben 43-30 | Whitt 42-31

Week 4 picks comin' at ya:

Jenks at Broken Arrow

Michael Swisher: Broken Arrow 23, Jenks 14

Ben Johnson: Broken Arrow 24, Jenks 17

Whitt Carter: Broken Arrow 27, Jenks 17

Randy Turney: Broken Arrow 21, Jenks 20

Blanchard at Bethany

Michael Swisher: Blanchard 34, Bethany 25

Ben Johnson: Blanchard 32, Bethany 27

Whitt Carter: Blanchard 34, Bethany 31

Randy Turney: Blanchard 28, Bethany 7

Lawton at Midwest City

Michael Swisher: Midwest City 35, Lawton 30

Ben Johnson: Lawton 21, Midwest City 20

Whitt Carter: Midwest City 27, Lawton 17

Randy Turney: Midwest City 35, Lawton 31

Owasso at Union

Michael Swisher: Owasso 38, Union 30

Ben Johnson: Union 34, Owasso 28

Whitt Carter: Union 42, Owasso, 40

Randy Turney: Union 28, Owasso 24

Thomas at Hooker

Michael Swisher: Hooker 21, Thomas 18

Ben Johnson: Hooker 25, Thomas 24

Whitt Carter: Thomas 21, Hooker 14

Randy Turney: Hooker 20, Thomas 14

Noble at Duncan

Michael Swisher: Duncan 22, Noble 7

Ben Johnson: Duncan 28, Noble 24

Whitt Carter: Duncan 28, Noble 14

Randy Turney: Duncan 24, Noble 13

Wagoner at Catoosa

Michael Swisher: Wagoner 24, Catoosa 22

Ben Johnson: Catoosa 20, Wagoner 17

Whitt Carter: Wagoner 27, Catoosa 24

Randy Turney: Wagoner 34, Catoosa 20

Bixby at Sapulpa

Michael Swisher: Bixby 29, Sapulpa 20

Ben Johnson: Bixby 33, Sapulpa 31

Whitt Carter: Bixby 42, Sapulpa 21

Randy Turney: Bixby 30, Sapulpa 14

Lawton MacArthur at Ardmore

Michael Swisher: Ardmore 31, Lawton MacArthur 22

Ben Johnson: Ardmore 32, Lawton MacArthur 23

Whitt Carter: Ardmore 34, Lawton MacArthur 21

Randy Turney: Ardmore 22, Lawton MacArthur 7

Cashion at Christian Heritage

Michael Swisher: Cashion 33, Christian Heritage 14

Ben Johnson: Cashion 41, Christian Heritage 17

Whitt Carter: Cashion 37, Christian Heritage 27

Randy Turney: Cashion 34, Christian Heritage 14

Guthrie at Piedmont

Michael Swisher: Guthrie 28, Piedmont 21

Ben Johnson: Guthrie 30, Piedmont 20

Whitt Carter: Guthrie 21, Piedmont 13

Randy Turney: Guthrie 31, Piedmont 13

Stigler at Lincoln Christian

Michael Swisher: Lincoln Christian 31, Stigler 24

Ben Johnson: Lincoln Christian 22, Stigler 20

Whitt Carter: Lincoln Christian 38, Stigler 28

Randy Turney: Lincoln Christian 38, Stigler 20

Chandler at Jones

Michael Swisher: Jones 30, Chandler 19

Ben Johnson: Chandler 17, Jones 16

Whitt Carter: Jones 32, Chandler 20

Randy Turney: Jones 42, Chandler 14

Haskell at Sperry

Michael Swisher: Sperry 34, Haskell 10

Ben Johnson: Sperry 27, Haskell 20

Whitt Carter: Sperry 34, Haskell 13

Randy Turney: Sperry 20, Haskell 14

Meeker at Kellyville

Michael Swisher: Kellyville 19, Meeker 14

Ben Johnson: Kellyville 22, Meeker 18

Whitt Carter: Kellyville 21, Meeker 17

Randy Turney: Kellyville 18, Meeker 14

Spiro at Vian

Michael Swisher: Vian 33, Spiro 23

Ben Johnson: Vian 29, Spiro 21

Whitt Carter: Vian 42, Spiro 21

Randy Turney: Vian 31, Spiro 20

Pawnee at Tonkawa

Michael Swisher: Tonkawa 24, Pawnee 18

Ben Johnson: Tonkawa 20, Pawnee 16

Whitt Carter: Tonkawa 37, Pawnee 26

Randy Turney: Tonkawa 28, Pawnee 20

Davenport at Strother

Michael Swisher: Davenport 55, Strother 20

Ben Johnson: Davenport 61, Strother 12

Whitt Carter: Davenport 50, Strother 14

Randy Turney: Davenport 58, Strother 12

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

Week 4: Top 10 games

9/18/2018 |  Ben Johnson

District play has arrived in full force, and there are great games all over the state this week.

Narrowing down the list to the top 10 games wasn't easy, but here it is:

1. 6AI No. 2 Jenks (3-0) at 6AI No. 1 Broken Arrow (3-0): This game was an offensive showcase for both teams last year, despite a relatively low-scoring 26-13 final, which was won by Jenks. Both teams accumulated more than 400 yards on offense, and Noah Cortes rushed for 164 yards on 22 carries. But it was Jenks quarterback Ian Corwin who passed for 365 yards and three scores. And thus Jenks' domination of Broken Arrow throughout the years continued. The Trojans have gone 14-2 against Broken Arrow since the Tigers won back-to-back seasons against Jenks in 2002 and '03.

2. 4A No. 1 Blanchard (3-0) at 4A No. 5 Bethany (3-0): Heck of a way to get things started in 4A-2. Blanchard is 6-3 against Bethany since 2008, but the two club have altered wins in the series since 2013. And it was Blanchard who won last year, 17-0.

3. 6AII No. 6 Lawton at 6AII No. 2 Midwest City (2-1): Expect points aplenty. Between Lawton's Miles Davis and Midwest City's Preston Colbert, there should be plenty of offensive fireworks. Midwest City has won the last two meetings, including a 41-35 victory last season.

4. 6AI No. 3 Owasso (1-2) at 6AI No. 4 Union (1-2): The Rams have scored at will this season with Will Kuehne at quarterback, but Owasso's defense has failed to stop anyone. Owasso is yielding an average of 44 points per game, and that's exactly how much Union scored against the Rams in last year's regular-season showdown. But then Owasso got its revenge with a 21-14 victory in the 6AI title game.

5. A No. 5 Thomas (2-1) at A No. 1 Hooker (3-0): Hooker has punished some out-of-state teams recently with wins over Booker (Texas) and Clayton (New Mexico). But now the Bulldogs return the the Sooner State and get fifth-ranked Thomas in District 1 play. Thomas won last year's game, 20-0, and expect another moderately low-scoring game again this year.

6. 5A No. 10 Noble (2-1) at 5A No. 8 Duncan (3-0): Talk a one-sided matchup throughout history. Since 1999, Duncan is 8-0 against Noble and the closest result along the way a 21-0 win for Duncan in 2006. The rest have been routs, including the last meeting between the two -- a 41-0 pummeling in 2011.

7. 4A No. 2 Wagoner (3-0) at Catoosa (3-0): Copy and paste the Noble-Duncan series information here. Only it's Wagoner owning the series for more than two decades. Since 1996, Wagoner is 10-1 against Catoosa, with the Indians' lone victory in 2011 (45-27). The two clubs have shared District 4A-3 real estate since 2010, and this one will go a long way in determining who finishes atop 4A-3 this year.

8. 6AII No. 3 Bixby (2-1) at 6AII No. 8 Sapulpa (3-0): Eli Williams and Co. have posted some impressive wins over Edison, Claremore and East Central and are off to a 3-0 start -- the best start to a Chieftains' season since going 4-0 to begin the 2013 campaign. The winning streak in 2013 was snapped by Jenks in Week 5 and Bixby followed with a win over the Chieftains. That actually began a current five-game winning streak for the Spartans over Sapulpa, including last year's 48-10 rout.

9. Lawton MacArthur (1-1) at 5A No. 2 Ardmore (3-0): The Tigers may be the higher-ranked team here, but it's been Lawton MacArthur with all the wins in this series dating back to 2005. The Highlanders won last season against Ardmore, 36-7, but the games in 2016 and 2015 were both decided by one point apiece.

10. A No. 2 Cashion (4-0, 1-0 A-3) at Christian Heritage (2-1, 1-0): These two reunite for the first time since 2009. The Wildcats' offense gets its rightful share of attention, but so far it's been the Cashion defense that has been dominant, allowing a total of 18 points through four games. And in an incredibly-deep District A-3, every victory is important.

Honorable mention

5A No. 9 Guthrie at Piedmont: Bluejays are 7-1 since the two started playing each other in 2006.

Stigler at 3A No. 4 Lincoln Christian: District 3A-3 is going to be deep, and someone among Lincoln Christian, Seminole, Stigler, Checotah and Idabel is going to miss the playoffs. Look for plenty of offensive fireworks in this one.

Chandler at 2A No. 4 Jones: Jones is 4-0 against Chandler since 1999, including a 58-6 victory in last year's playoffs.

Haskell at 2A No. 2 Sperry: The last time these two met was 2007 -- a 20-7 win for Sperry.

Meeker at Kellyville: Both clubs are off to surprising 3-0 starts, and they meet for the first time.

Spiro at 2A No. 3 Vian: Wolverines are 4-0 against Spiro since 2006, including a 32-14 win in the last meeting in 2013.

Pawnee at Tonkawa: Playoffs spots in District A-5 look like they will be difficult to come by with the likes of Barnsdall, Morrison, Pawhuska, Tonkawa and Pawnee off to solid starts. Since 2008, Tonkawa has won seven of eight meetings against the Black Bears.

B No. 2 Davenport at Strother: The Bulldogs have mercy-ruled Strother the past two seasons, but Strother is coming off solid wins of its own against Bowlegs and Sasakwa. One problem for Strother: Davenport posted 80 points last week!

So who wins all the matchups? Check back for our weekly picks on Thursday.

Class 2A preview

7/6/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Look back at 2017

2017 district champs

2A-1: Chisholm - The Longhorns were golden when they weren't facing Washington in 2017. Luckily for them, Washington was in a different district, so Chisholm made an unbeaten 6-0 run through A-1 last season, including a 33-21 victory over Alva in October. But unfortuntaely for Chisholm, its only two losses were to Washington in non-district play in September and then in the second round of the playoffs in November.

2A-2: Millwood - A machine -- that's what Millwood was in 2017. The Falcons scored no fewer than 37 points in all 14 of their games, and they never gave up more than 18. That's pure dominance. And to cap it all off, Millwood outscored its opponents 228 to 7 in the postseason.

2A-3: Lindsay - The Leopards were hard to get a read on in 2017, but they finished atop 2A-3 by the end of the regular season. A 27-21 loss to Hobart landed Lindsay in a tie atop the district with Washington, but the Leopards followed that loss with a 38-21 victory over Washington to claim the tiebreaker. But while Washington was making a run to the state championship game, Lindsay ended up with a second-round loss to Alva to cap a 7-5 season.

2A-4: Davis - Head coach Jody Weber capped his 17-year run as the Wolves' head coach with the program's 34th district title. Davis knocked off every 2A opponent it faced in 2017 until it clashed with Washington in the semifinals. 

2A-5: Vian - The Wolverines coasted in 2A-5 play, winning all five contests comfortable. The closest was a 26-12 win over Okemah in late October. The district title segued into playoff wins over Panama and Victory Christian and the first two rounds, but then Millwood was waiting in the quarterfinals to pull the plug on Vian's postseason run.

2A-6: Valliant - Really only one word sums up 2A-6 in 2017: craziness. Five -- yes, five! -- teams finished atop the district standings at 4-2. It was Valliant that ended up with its fifth district crown, and then there was Hartshorne that missed the playoffs altogether. Valliant, Spiro and Antlers all won their first round playoff matchups, but none of the three advanced past the second round.

2A-7: Holland Hall - It was the first district championship for the Dutch, a team that had joined the OSSAA ranks in 2016 after transitioning over from the Southwest Preparatory Conference with mostly Texas teams. Holland Hall looked like a potential opponent for Millwood in the finals, but a furious comeback by Davis in the quarterfinals ended the Dutch's postseason run.

2A-8: Adair - The Warriors picked up their seventh straight district title, thanks in large part to a 36-14 win over Commerce in the final week of the regular season. Adair marched into the quarterfinals, where Alva dispatched the Warriors with a 40-8 rout.

Talking title game: Millwood 42, Washington 7

An underdog heading into the game, Washington struck first and looked like it might elevate Millwood's stress level for the first time during the 2017 season. But all the Falcons did was respond with 42 straight points to coast to their seventh state championship. Running back Marcus Major ran for 152 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries for the Falcons, and Dezmond Howard scored on both sides of the ball (a 40-yard TD reception and an 82-yard fumble return). Millwood ended up forcing four Washington turnovers in the game.

 

On to 2018...

Players to watch

- Marcus Major (Millwood): Not great news for the rest of Class 2A that Major returns in the Falcons' backfield in 2018. The Oklahoma commit had 1,155 yards and 23 touchdowns on 102 carries last season. Also mixed in 23 catches for 490 yards and five touchdowns.

- Laike Wilhelm (Newkirk): Another 1,000-yard rusher returning to the 2A landscape in 2018. Wilhelm totaled 1,097 yards and 16 touchdowns on 174 carries as a junior in 2017.

- Owen Ostroski (Holland Hall): Had a monster season as a freshman for the Dutch in 2017. Ostrokski was a key cog along the defensive front with 13 1/2 sacks.

- Gus Smith (Stratford): As a sophomore, Smith fell just short of the 1,000-yard rushing mark. He amassed 934 yards and nine touchdowns on 155 carries.

- Barrett Bradbury (Adair): The next in the long line of Bradbury's to shine in high school football. B.J. Bradbury led the Warriors to the 2015 championship, and now it's Barrett's varsity turn. As a sophomore in 2017, Barrett caught 55 passes for 1,011 yards and 17 touchdowns, and on defense he had 116 tackles and four interceptions.
- Austin Hines (Adair): The engineer of Adair's high-flying offense. During his junior season last year, Hines passed for 2,866 yards and 43 touchdowns while completing 166 of 275 pass attempts.
- Peyton Wilson (Luther): Burst onto the scene during his sophomore year in 2017. Tossed for 2,576 yards and 38 touchdowns while connecting on 64.3 percent (160 of 249) of his passes. 

- Beau Teel (Sperry): A standout two-way player for the Pirates in 2017. At quarterback, Teel passed for 2,120 yards and 21 touchdowns, and he added 671 yards and 15 touchdowns on 111 carries. 

- Tayden Lucero (Haskell): Haymakers' quarterback tossed for 751 yards and five touchdowns, but he did most of his damage with his lags, racking up 681 yards and 17 touchdowns on 155 carries.

- Dalton Spring (Beggs): The Demons lost talent from the 2017 roster that finished as the 3A runner-up. The Beggs returns Spring, who starred at quarterback during his junior season. He completed 107 of 179 passes for 1,967 yards and 21 touchdowns.

- Bodhi Vann (Vian): The leading rusher for the two-headed monster in Vian last season. Vann racked up 1,875 yards and 23 touchdowns on 256 carries. 
- River Simon (Vian): Vian's quarterback didn't need to pass the ball much last year with himself and Vann running the ball so often. Simon rushed for 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns, and he also led the Wolverines on defense with a team-high 91 tackles.
- Kaden Speer (Antlers): Completed 144 of 207 passes for 1,348 yards and 12 touchdowns during his junior campaign in 2017.
- Trevor Stuever (Washington): Tyler Stuever was Washington's key cog in the rushing game last year with 2,483 yards, and now Trevor takes over after a junior year that included 839 yards and nine touchdowns on 104 carries.

 

District debriefs

2A-1: Chisholm, Alva and Hennessey -- the top three finishers in the district last season -- all return to the 2A-1 mix. Perry and Newkirk are the only other familiar faces with Tonkawa and Pawhuska vacating. The biggest addition will be Oklahoma Christian School, which claimed the 3A-1 title last season. Luther, who finished second to Millwood in 2A-2, joins the district and so does Centennial.

2A-2: This district has undergone a full facelift. Millwood dominated in this space for two years, but they're relocated to a new 2A district. Now it's Jones as the central figure at the top, after moving down from 3A. Prague, who finished second to Jones in 3A-2, makes the move with the Longhorns. Okemah, a member of 2A-5 recently, makes the move as another playoff team last year. The rest of the district includes Henryetta, Holdenville, Kellyville, Meeker and Chandler.

2A-3: This becomes an eastside district for the next two years, after recently featuring Hobart, Lindsay and district champ Washington. Now it's occupied by Victory Christian, Beggs, Haskell and Sperry -- all playoff teams in 2A or 3A last season. Dewey, Morris and Caney Valley are three other additions, and Kiefer joins the group after not long ago being an eight-man team.

2A-4: Welcome to basically what was 2A-8 last season. Adair, 2A-8 champion last year, heads the district and they have familiar faces in Wyandotte, Chelsea and Nowata. Metro Christian falls two classes and joins 2A-4, it'll be joined by Chouteau, Kansas and Salina.

2A-5: It's Vian leading the pack again, but with almost a new crew around it. Westville, Tahlequah Sequoyah and Keys move in from 3A, and Holland Hall shifts over after cruising to the 2A-7 crown last year. The rest of the field includes Panama, Pocola and Spiro.

2A-6: Let's just hope this district doesn't turn into such a mess at the end of this season. It will feature Antlers, Valliant, Hartshorne, Wilburton and Hugo again. They will welcome Atoka, Eufaula and Heavener to the festivities for the next two years.

2A-7: Millwood's new landing spot -- and it comes with a perennial contender in Washington. The 2A title game rematch will come at some point during district play with Washington shifting over from 2A-3 and Millwood moving from 2A-2. The other six teams include Crooked Oak, Lexington, Little Axe, Star Spencer, Community Christian and Stratford. 

2A-8: This is practically 2A-4 from recent memory. Davis, Kingston, Coalgate, Marietta and Tishomingo will all recognize one another, and they'll have new district mates in Comanche, Dickson and Lindsay.

 

What’s new? (coaches on the move)

- Ron Smith, after leading Victory Christian to the 2A title game in 2016, stepped down after leading the Conquerors back to the playoffs in 2017. Now Dub Maddox takes over after serving as Jenks' offensive coordinator.

- Mike Shklar takes over at Alva after Taylor Schwerdtfeger's three-year run.

- Not long ago (2015) Haskell was in the Class 2A title game under Greg Wilson. Rusty Harris took over for one year in 2017, and now he's elevated to superintendent of Haskell Public Schools. One of his first hires was Frank Marsaln to run the football program.

- Lee Blankenship took over at Bartlesville not long after leading the Demons to the 3A championship game. Now the reins at Beggs have been handed over to David Tenison.

- Matt Hagebusch returned home to Chelsea, and at first he didn't intended to take over the football program. But now he'll lead the Dragons into the 2018 season after recently serving as head coach at Claremore Sequoyah.

- Chris McMullen led Keys back to the postseason, but he stepped down after the 2017 campaign. In steps Mitchell Crittenden, who was recently the head coach at another Cherokee County team, Hulbert, in the early 2010s.

- A Weber family member had been leading the Davis Wolves since 1988, but then Jody Weber stepped down this offseason after going 193-34 in 17 seasons. Now long-time assistant Greg Parker is the head coach for the Wolves.

Fun facts:

- No team in Oklahoma has a longer streak of consecutive playoff appearances than Davis. The Wolves have punched their playoff ticket for the past 34 seasons, dating back to 1984.

- Millwood owns a 28-game winning streak headed into the 2018 season.

Prediction time

Ben: Watch out for Metro Christian dropping down from Class 4A | Jones will be just fine despite J.D. Head moving out of the state | Get to know Sperry's Beau Teel -- he's really good | Vian continues to win big with a Simon family member leading the way (someone in that family ought to run for mayor) | Holland Hall will be good, but losing Vance Mullendore hurts | Beggs still has enough to talent to make a big splash in 2A | Davis makes another playoff appearance (shocker!) | Made it this far without mentioning Millwood, but here it is: Falcons lose a game in 2018 but still win the title.

Swisher: Ben touched on most the points I was going to...and then some | This will be the first time in three full decades a Weber isn't the head coach at Davis. | Like Ben said, the Wolves' tradition will easily carry on in 2018. It will be interesting to watch its trajectory beyond that | Last year's Millwood team was one of the best small-school teams this state has ever seen. How will this one match up? That's what I'm looking for. | Speaking of matching up: No 2A team can do that with the Falcons. Send that gold ball to northeast OKC.

Whitt Carter: No surprise here, going with Millwood.

Guest picker - Hall of Fame coach Randy Turney: Yep, make it 4 for 4. I'm going with Millwood to win the title.

*Photos courtesy of Joey Johnson & Abby Blankenship