CLASS 3A PREVIEW

8/28/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Class 3A preview

Rankings

**1. Heritage Hall
2. Lincoln Christian
3. Plainview
4. Berryhill
5. John Marshall
6. Sulphur
7. Kingfisher
8. Seminole
9. Cascia Hall
10. Perkins-Tryon
**Last year’s champion

Our best guess(es)

Michael Swisher: Heritage Hall -- Much like CA in Class 5A, I’m going to take the Chargers until someone proves me wrong. Even in years when Heritage Hall doesn’t overwhelm you with talent, it plays tough, disciplined football. The Bogerts always have them primed for big games and I have no reason to believe this year will be any different.

Whitt Carter: Heritage Hall -- This team lost some very key players from last year’s title team. But they return some guys primed for a breakout and seem to be on another level than most in this class currently.

Ben Johnson: Lincoln Christian -- The combination of Chase Ricke and Sam Brueggeman gives the Bulldogs a great chance to upend Heritage Hall in the 3A race.

Verdigris two-way standout commits to Arkansas State

6/26/2019 |  Ben Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

STATE TOURNAMENT WRESTLING: Complete class-by-class roundup

2/25/2019 |  Ben Johnson

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Zane Coleman stepped off the podium and started fielding multiple requests. Everyone inside Jim Norick Arena wanted to snap a photo with the newest member of the four-time state champion club.
The Choctaw senior joined the exclusive membership with a 1-0 victory over Broken Arrow’s Bryce Mattioda, making it 37 wrestlers to be share the lofty accomplishment.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Coleman, the 170-pound senior who did it with his dad, Benny Coleman, coaching him to all four championships. “I dreamed about this forever, and now that it’s come true I couldn’t be happier.”
Finishing as Class 6A’s Most Outstanding Wrestler of the state tournament capped Coleman’s career and wrapped up a 41-1 season. He’ll soon depart for Tempe, Arizona, where he’ll join the Arizona Sun Devils program.
“They have a great coaching staff,” Zane Coleman said, “and I think we’re the No. 2 recruiting class right now, so we have good things coming.”

Class 3A wrap-up

Perry wins another title; Bridge Creek claims first individual crowns

The state’s preeminent wrestling program did what it normally does to end each wrestling season: pose with a trophy to memorialize another team championship. For Perry, that’s now 43 team championships. The closest to the Maroons? Tuttle and Midwest City with 16.
“It’s pretty awesome to win as a team,” Perry’s Ryan Smith told the Stillwater NewsPress. “Since I’ve been a freshman, we’ve won every year. All of my teammates did what they’re supposed to do.”
Smith picked up one of three individual championships for the Maroons. Smith beat Walters’ Remington White, 4-2, to capture the 113 title. Dylan Avery (132) and Hadyn Redus (152) claimed the Maroons other two championships.
- Smith, DePron lead Bridge Creek: The Bridge Creek Bobcats had waited long enough, so Kolton Smith made sure to make quick of his opponent. Smith, at 126 pounds, pinned Marlow’s Anthony Orum in 58 seconds to claim Bridge Creek’s first individual championship.
Then Kolby DePron followed at 145 with another title, picking up a 10-8 victory over Geary’s Landon Holt to double up the Bobcats’ hardward in one evening.
“It feels insane,” DePron said. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. … I hardly remember the match. Just an adrenaline rush; I went out and barfed everywhere.”
- Marlow finishes second: Perry was too far out of reach, but Marlow still made plenty of noise in the championship matches on Saturday night. Tyler Lawson (106) picked up a title with a 6-2 over Vian’s Braylen Rodgers, and Kobey KIzarr pinned Pawhuska’s Price Perrier at 6:57 to pick up the Outlaws second title.
Perry topped the 3A leaderboard with Marlow in second place with 91 points.
- Other 3A titles: Vinita’s Alex Prince won the 120 crown with an 8-3 win over Newkirk’s Dayton Cary. Sperry’s Bryce Carter beat Comanche’s Cade Cook 6-4 at 170 pounds. Blackwell’s Drake Barbee (182) pinned Inola’s Brody Jenkins at 2:33.
All three became first-time champions.
Checotah’s Cade Shrosphire beat Marlow’s Tyler Lavey, 3-2, in an ultimate tiebreaker. Vian’s River Simon (182) pinned Perry’s Kohl Owen at 3:41. Comanche’s Konner Doucet picked up a 15-0 technical fall over Berryhill’s Nico Lopez for the 220 crown, and Davis’ Cooper Webb won the heavyweight crown by pinning Perry’s Teaguan Wilson at 1:20. All four became repeat champions. It was the second for Shrosphire, Simon and Webb, and Doucet picked up his third in three years. He’ll attempt to become a four-time state champion as a senior next season.

Class 4A wrap-up

Long breaks McLain’s title drought; Tuttle picks up title No. 16

McLain’s TJ Long put the Titans back on the wrestling map at State Fair Arena. In perhaps the match of the night, Long went back and forth with Tuttle’s Logan Farrell in the 126-pound title bout before ultimately picking up a 12-10 win in sudden victory.
It was McLain’s first individual championship since 1977 (Greg Hawkins at 178 pounds).
“It sounds like I just wrote my name in the record books,” Long said.
Long, last year’s runner-up at 126 pounds, capped his senior season at 36-0.
“I lost in the finals last year,” Long said. “And I said, ‘that’s not happening this year. I’m known for clutch situations, so I was like, ‘I got this.’”
- Tuttle wins again: There was never a doubt -- even before the weekend started -- as to who would claim the 4A championship. Tuttle made it look easy again, claiming 229 points to cruise to its 16th championship in its program’s history.
“I transferred to Tuttle my eighth grade year to experience this, and it’s great,” said Plott, ranked third nationally at 170 pounds. “The group of guys we have right now is like a family. We hang out a lot, and we’re all really close.”
Garrett Steidley (113), Ryder Ramsey (132), Brady DeArmond (145), Luke Surber (152), Plott and Carson Berryhill (195) each picked up individual crowns for the Tigers. Reese Davis (120), Farrell (126), Bryce Dauphin (138), Harley Andrews (160) and Kavan Guffey (182) were all runners-up at their respective weights.
-- Cascia Hall sophomore Eli Griffin picked up a 9-1 major decision win over Cushing Luke Ahrberg for his second title in two years. The Commandos have claimed at least one individual title every year since Mike Bizzle won the school’s first in 2002.
-- Heritage Hall’s Val Park beat Dauphin 3-0 for his third consecutive championship. He became the school’s fourth wrestler to win at least three individual championships, with Rodrick Mosley being the most recent with his title at 152 last season.
-- Cushing picked it first individual championships since 2014. Jacob Ahrberg finished the season 26-0 with a 9-8 win over Tuttle’s Harley Andrews. Gage Hockett followed at 182 and beat Tuttle’s Kavan Guffey 3-2 in an tiebreaker. Hockett finished the season 32-0.
-- Bristow’s Luke Fortney pinned Poteau’s Seth Ford at 3:06 to claim the 220 championship, Bristow’s first since 2007.
-- Other 4A champions included Wagoner’s Braden Drake (120) and Blanchard’s Ryder Wiese at heavyweight.

Class 5A wrap-up

Collinsville, Skiatook split 5A title; Borror wins for a 3rd time

The pressure was sitting squarely on Korbin McLaughlin’s shoulders. The Skiatook senior needed a victory at 220 pounds for the Bulldogs to have a chance at the Class 5A championship.
Collinsville was leading Skiatook 137 to 133, and a win by decision by McLaughlin would be enough to pull the Bulldogs even. Anything better than that would give Skiatook the championship outright, two weeks after celecrating a dual state title in Shawnee.
McLaughlin wound up beating Claremore’s Seth Seago, 4-1, meaning Skiatook and Collinsville both left Jim Norick Arena with first-place honors.
Collinsville finished with four individual champions, including junior Caleb Tanner (132) beating Skiatook’s Cody Francis, 9-0, for his third title in three years. Two Cardinal freshmen claimed their first titles: Cameron Steed (106) and Jordan Williams (113). Rocky Stephens (120) followed with a title by posting an 8-0 win over Carl Albet’s Jayston Cato.
Skiatook sophomore Josh Taylor (126) picked up his second championship in as many seasons with a 9-3 win over Collinsville’s Jordan Cullors. Then the Bulldogs’ Cougar Anderson capped an unbeaten season (38-0) by pinning Piedmont’s Landis Scoon at 4:36 for the 152 crown.
For Collinsville, it’s the Cardinals’ second straight championship, and Skiatook claimed its first title since 1987.
- Borror bests 182 field: Piedmont’s Austin Cooley jumped out to an early lead against Coweta’s Talon Borror. But Borror didn’t let that last long, rallying to pin Cooley at 2:43 to pick up his third consecutive championship.
“There’s a lot of hard work that goes into it,” Borror said. “Now it’s time call it a career.”
Well, high school career, that is. Borror wrapped up his senior varsity stint at 38-2 and now will head to Norman and join the Sooners.
“We’re building a good team and have a lot of good recruits coming in,” Borror said. “Looking to make a run at the top.”
- Hicks prevails for Durant’s 1st title: Durant’s Cody Hicks trailed early on, but he rallied for a 6-4 win over Glenpool’s Gage Hight. Now Hicks will forever be known as the first Durant wrestler to win an individual championship for the Lions.
And he celebrated accordingly by jumping into his brother’s arms.
“He’s eight years older than me, and he’s always worked with us,” Hicks said of his brother, Colby. “(To jump into his arms) was an amazing moment.”
-- Other 5A champions included Altus’ Kobi Gomez (138), Lawton Mac’s Christiain Maldonado (170) and Matthew Santos (195) and Duncan’s Hunter Jump (160), a former champion at Lawton Mac before moving to Duncan.
Piedmont’s Josh Heindselman, named 5A's most outstanding wrestler, also picked up his second state championship at heavyweight by pinning Lawton Mac’s Montana Phillips at 3:13.

Class 6A wrap-up

Tigers back on top with 6A crown; Mustang nabs 4 titles

If there’s ever a constant about Class 6A, it’s that the teams like to pass around the team championship. Sure enough, it was Broken Arrow’s turn again with the Tigers claiming their first crown since 2015.
Broken Arrow was the lone 6A team to crack the 100-point barrier and compiled 158 points by weekend’s end. Mustang was second with 96, and Choctaw was third at 75.
The Tigers’ Jackson Cockrell (113) and Jared Hill (120) both lost in the finals before Reece Witcraft registered Broken Arrow’s first individual title at 132. Witcraft toppled Owasso’s Zeke Washington -- for the second week in a row -- with a 6-3 decision for his second straight state championship.
Broken Arrow sophomore Emmanuel Skillings (182) nabbed his first championship with a 5-1 victory over Owasso’s Taylor Fleming, and then Zach Marcheselli (220) etched his name into the Oklahoma record book with his fourth state championship. He made history by beating Edmond North’s Jake McCoy 10-4 in his final varsity match.
For Broken Arrow, that’s now two four-time state champions after Brandon Tucker accomplished the feat from 2000 to 2003.
- Mustang crowns 4: Mustang threw the biggest party on the outskirts of the 6A mat inside State Fair Arena on Saturday night. It had been since 2005 that the Broncos snared an individual state championship, so Mustang made sure to celebrate accordingly for each of the four titles.
Tucker Owens (113) claimed Mustang’s first title with a 9-0 victory over Cockrell of Broken Arrow. Then John Wiley, the No. 4 seed out of the West Regional, picked up a 5-1 win over Stillwater’s Carter Young for title No. 2 for Mustang.
Tate Picklo followed at 160 and pinned Putnam City’s Rene Martinez to cap off an unbeaten 43-0 season. The Broncos’ final state title was courtesy of Judson Rowland and his last-second, 11-10 win over Deer Creek’s Carson Savage.
-- Choctaw claimed three individual championships. Coleman won at 170, Gabe Johnson (145) knocked off Deer Creek’s Micah Lugafet, 9-4, and heavyweight Marquonn Journey beat Jenks’ Caleb Orr, 3-1.
- Other 6A champions included:
-- Bixby’s Zach Blankenship: Won the 120 title as a freshman with a pin of Broken Arrow’s Jared Hill at 5:12.
-- Ponca City’s Spencer Schickram picked up the 138 title with a 10-0 major decision over Broken Arrow’s Blake Gonzalez.
-- Jenks junior Drake Vannoy picked up his second championship by beating Sand Springs’ Scott Patton, 5-1.

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 3A preview

7/6/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Look back at 2017

2017 district champs

3A-1: Oklahoma Christian School - Kingfisher gave OCS a run for its money in district play, but the Saints marched to a 28-22 victory against the Yellowjackets to close out the regular season. In the playoffs, Mason Arnold, who rushed for 1,368 yards his senior season, and the Saints almost knocked off Beggs, but the Demons moved on an eventually made the 3A championship game.

3A-2: Jones - The Longhorns were machine-like in 2017. It was a near cakewalk to 13-0, and it was the same story in the first three rounds of the playoffs. But then John Marshall got in the way. That's when Jones' season came to a half at 13-1.

3A-3: John Marshall - The Bears had weapons for days on their way to the 3A-3 title and the Class 3A crown. Both Devonte Lee and Trey Eason rushed for more than 1,000 yards, but it was Lee who amassed 2,175 yards and 35 touchdowns before heading off to Nevada to start his collegiate career.

3A-4: Sulphur - The only blemish the Bulldogs endured in the season's first 13 weeks was a loss to John Marshall out of district play. Beyond that, the Bulldogs rolled right up until the 3A semifinals. There, Beggs derailed Sulphur and its plans to advance to the title game.

3A-5: Berryhill - Had all the makings of a team poised to make a run at the title in 2017. The Chiefs pulled out a seven-point win over Sperry in district play for the crown, and Berryhill's defense was stout all season long. But then Tahlequah Sequoyah pulled off a 32-30 upset in the second of the 3A playoffs to stun Berryhill.

3A-6: Beggs - The Demons had no problem scoring points last season. Quarterback Dalton Spring and all his weapons put up 592 points in 14 weeks, including eight performance of 40-plus points. Beggs stormed its way to the 3A finals, but there points were hard to come by in a 14-7 loss to John Marshall.

3A-7: Jay - No one pegged as the 3A champion before the 2017 season started. That's when Gabe Simpson and company steamrolled their way to a 9-1 regular season, including an unbeaten run through district play. But in the second round of the playoffs, Sperry ousted the Bulldogs from the playoffs.

3A-8: Idabel -Offering up stout defense all year long, the Warriors only slip-up in district play was against Eufaula. Idabel did, however, knock off Muldrow, who tied with the Warriors atop the district standings. In the playoffs, Idabel beat Bristow in the second round of the postseason, but John Marshall ended the Warriors' season in the quarterfinals.

 

Talking title game: John Marshall 14, Beggs 7

Both John Marshall and Beggs could put up points at will in 2017, but neither succeeded in doing so in the championship game. The two teams combined for six turnovers in the title game, but it was Devonte Lee's 51-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter to put the Bears ahead for good. Lee rushed for 223 yards on 25 carries in John Marshall's first championship since 1995.

 

On to 2018...

Players to watch

- Jett Sternberger (Kingfisher): The Yellowjacket quarterback was instrumental on offense all year long in 2017. Sternberger completed 183 of his 282 passes for 2,398 yards and 35 touchdowns.

- Trey Kiser (Sulphur): Bulldog tailback is gaining traction on the recruiting scene, thanks to his monster junior year in 2017. He rushed for 1,937 yards and 25 touchdowns on 195 carries, and he mixed in 100 tackles on defense.
- Jamon Dennis (Seminole): In 2017, Dennis was one of two 1,000-yard rushers for the Chieftains. Dennis racked up 1,121 yards and 12 touchdowns on 184 carries.

- Cameron Gunville (Seminole): Gunville joined Dennis in the 1,000-yard rushing club with 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns on 167 carries.

- LaQuan Wells (Idabel): Wells did it all for the Warriors in 2017. Wells threw for 1,694 yards and 26 touchdowns, and he also ran the ball 115 times for 653 yards and eight touchdowns. Then he mixed in 17 catches for 164 yards.

- Chase Ricke (Lincoln Christian): Emerged on the scene last year as a sophomore and immediately took command of the Bulldogs' passing attack. Ricke passed for 3,055 yards and 25 touchdowns while completing 222 of 367 attempts.
- Cody Ross (Berryhill): The Chiefs were led on offense by Ross, who completed 132 of 211 passes for 2,319 yards and 29 touchdowns.

- Jerod Leviston (John Marshall): Leviston takes over the Bears' offense with the departure of Devonte Lee. Last season, Leviston passed for 1,698 yards and 19 touchdowns.
- Kaysen Fisher (Mount Saint Mary): The leader of the Rockets' defense last season with 106 tackles and five sacks.

- Aaron Wolcott (Mannford): Landry Wasson was the key cog for Mannford on offense last season, but now Wolcott will look to build on his 919 yards and six touchdowns on 180 carries last season.
- Billy Ross (Heritage Hall): A situational tailback during his freshman and sophomore years, Ross emerged as a key playmaker for the Chargers in 2017. He had 1,388 yards and 22 touchdowns on 168 carries, and he also caught 31 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns. Then on defense, he added 49 tackles.

- Cole Crosswhite (Kingfisher): His rushing totals were down last year, but his effectiveness wasn't. Crosswhite is a true dual threat with lightning-quick moves and surprising power packed into his smaller frame.

 

District debriefs

(Note: Class 3A has only four districts for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.)

3A-1: Things could get interesting here. First off, there's Heritage Hall, who faced limited resistance en route to a 14-0 season and the 4A title in 2017. The Chargers drop down a class and now share district space with the reigning 3A champion, John Marshall. Then mix in a solid Kingfisher team and 3A-1 offers up plenty of intrigue from start to finish. Also vying for the 3A-1 crown the next two seasons will be Blackwell, Bridge Creek, Mount Saint Mary, Mannford and Perkins-Tryon.

3A-2: Shades of 3A-4 from the last couple of seasons. Sulphur and Plainview will again clash for district supremacy, and they're once again joined by Pauls Valley and Lone Grove. Bethel, Douglass, Purcell and Marlow round out the rest of the district.

3A-3: Break out the gas card for this group of eight, which spans from the far southeast corner of the state up through east Tulsa. Idabel, Stigler and Roland all stick together in the move from 3A-8. The rest includes a mixture of Checotah, Seminole, Okmulgee, Webster and Lincoln Christian.

3A-4: Berryhill, Claremore Sequoyah and Verdigris will all be familiar with one another, while Inola, Locust Grove and Jay move in from 3A-7. Then there's Cascia Hall and Vinita who both shift down from Class 4A.

 

What’s new? (coaching moves)

- Dusty Raper is now in charge at Pauls Valley, taking the place of Matt Weber.

- Speaking of Matt Weber, he's now in charge at Marlow.

- Former Roland coach Jeff Streun left, and assistant coach Waymon Potts was elevated to head coach.

- Tragedy struck Okmulgee in the offseason when head coach Carl Lee died due to complications with kidney cancer. The Bulldogs' new head coach is Bruce Munden, who was recently the head coach at Hale.

- Dennis Parker retired at Idabel, and Jeffrey Gibson is now the head coach.

- Matt Hennesy led a resurgence at Locust Grove, and he took over at Pawhuska this summer. Now David Blevins is the head coach for the Pirates.

- Rob Gilbreath spent eight seasons as the head coach at Claremore, and now he's back in Claremore again -- this time as the head coach at Claremore Sequoyah.

 

Fun facts:

- Brett Bogert took over for his dad, Andy, prior to the 2015 season. In three years at the helm for the Chargers, Brett Bogert is 40-1 -- the only loss being a quarterfinal setback against Cascia Hall in 2016.

- Cascia Hall head coach Joe Medina has been in charge of the midtown Tulsa school since 1999. During that time, Medina has gone 202-39.

- Then there's Mike Snyder at Seminole. Snyder has led the Chieftains since 1980 and has a record of 352-113.

 

Prediction time

Swisher - You know about Kingfisher's Trey Green and his basketball exploits. You'll read more about him and football this year | Captain Obvious: 3A-1 is a bit top-heavy | Defending champ John Marshall lost a lot of talent and its OC, but coaches tell me they don't expect a huge drop-off on the field | The class is loaded with quality teams. Maybe not "great" teams, but really good ones that will make the top-10 tough to pick each week | I can't go against Heritage Hall until someone beats the Chargers. Tough pre-district schedule will help prepare them for two anticipated district games and then a strong playoff run.

Whitt Carter - Sulphur's Trey Kiser is Oklahoma's best-kept secret | No, seriously. He might just be the best player in the class | Although 3A looks much different now, the smaller-sized class is loaded with good teams | And it's even tougher with the addition of Heritage Hall and Cascia Hall, both down from Class 4A | Familiar programs like Kingfisher, Lincoln Christian, Berryhill and Plainview will certainly be tough to beat | But can anyone beat the aforementioned Chargers? | They won it all in a class above last year and are the clear favorite to win their fourth state title in five years.

Ben - Yowza, 3A-1 is loaded at the top -- of course, like Swisher said, that's plainly obvious | Sulphur will lay low and rack up victory after victory and then start wrecking havoc on the rest of the field come playoff time | Always feel like Mike Snyder and Seminole are overlooked, and I'm guilty of that nearly every year. But shocker, the Chieftains will be good yet again | Lincoln Christian's statkeeper will be one of the hardest-working individuals on Friday nights this season | Cascia Hall returns to 3A and wins District 4 | Going chalk here with Heritage Hall to win the 3A crown. No reason to doubt Brett Bogert, so why start now?

Guest picker - Hall of Fame coach Randy Turney - Gotta go with Heritage Hall here.

*Photos courtesy of Joey Johnson & Russell Stitt

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. 

Week 4 Pay Dirt Picks

9/26/2024 |  Korry Rogers

	MARK 12-0	JACOB 10-2	TOM 9-2	Mark 7-5
Timberlake @ Balko-Forgan
Beggs @ Community Christian
Sequoyah Tahlequah @ Chandler
Blanchard @ Harrah
Texhoma-Goodwell @ Southwest Covenant
Kingfisher @ Pauls Valley
Central Sallisaw @ Wewoka
Garber @ Covington Douglas
Jenks @ Bixby
Choctaw @ Piedmont
Del City @ Collinsville
Sulphur @ Perkins-Tryon

Week 4 High School Football Rankings

9/23/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

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

6A Division-II

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

Class 5A

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

Class 4A

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

Class 3A

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

Class 2A Division-I

1. Washington
2. Millwood
3. Metro Christian
4. Jones
5. Kingston
6. Marlow
7. OCS
8. Chisholm
9. Prague
10. Mt. St. Mary

Class 2A Division-II

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

Class A Division-I

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

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

Class B Division-II

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

Class C

1. Tipton
2. Ryan
3. Timberlake
4. Welch
5. Tyrone
6. Geary
7. Oaks
8. Medford
9. Maysville
10. Mt. View-Gotebo

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 3 (2024): A TRIBUTE TO COACH GLOVER

9/17/2024 |  Michael Swisher

There are times in life where no words are adequate to truly express what a person means to you. Moments of immense sadness normally tend to be tied to the loss of a loved one. 

That person can be a family member, a close friend or an impactful mentor. This week I feel like I lost all three of those when my coach, David Glover, passed from this earth. 

Coach Glover’s positive impact on me is not worthy of any words or sentences I could ever type, but doing so allows me to remember him and process the immense levels of sadness I have felt this past week. 

While writing this, I find threads of joy and appreciation of the relationship I had with Coach and that helps me cope with the grief of losing someone that has meant the world to me. 

My family moved to Fairview from Hennessey the summer before my 8^th grade school year. I knew who Coach Glover was - the Fairview girls coach - but I didn’t know him. 

I always thought he looked like a college or NBA coach because he was always well dressed in a suit and tie. 

He coached with passion and confidence and his girls played that way. The Fairview Lady Jackets were as good as anyone playing in Oklahoma at the time. 

Coach Glover’s 1995 team lost the state semifinals the last year of 6-on-6 girls’ basketball in Oklahoma. A fellow coach and longtime friend of his once told me, “Glove was a heck of 6-on-6 coach!”

During my first year of school at Fairview, Coach Glover made it a point to seek out the new 8^th grader who loved basketball. Coach did this to help a new kid become comfortable and feel a part of a school and community. 

He did this with a welcoming smile and a smooth delivery. 

As I moved towards high school, I would be in the same building as Coach Glover. He was someone I really liked and I knew he liked me because he was constantly giving me a hard time, but never in a harsh or serious way. 

Coach loved to bring me back down a couple notches in the hallway of the high school or in the gym and it was exactly what I needed at the time. 

Coach did this in a way that let me know he was keeping up with me.

Coach Glover’s girls’ team my freshman year of high school was excellent. It was the first year of 5-on-5 for all classes in Oklahoma. 

The Fairview Lady Jackets made it all the way to the state championship game at the Fairgrounds, losing to Inola by 2 points. I vividly remember it was an excellent game as I cheered in the student section at State Fair Arena like so many small-town Oklahoma kids do if their school is lucky enough to make it there. 

I also remember specifically watching Coach Glover “coach” a lot that year from the student section. 

My sophomore year of high school was when my relationship with Coach Glover became special and meaningful. I had Coach Glover in class every day and he would be my assistant coach in varsity basketball. 

I was about to become “Phat” for the rest of my life and let me tell you a story why. 

Coach Glover was my Sophomore English teacher. Coach was an excellent classroom teacher and I absolutely loved going to his class. 

For me personally, he was this awesome, funny, confident and highly-successful coach who had an incredible ability for teaching and reaching students in the classroom. 

We had a vocabulary test every week, which he taught out of this little old notebook. I learned how to write a five-paragraph essay. 

My favorite thing in his classroom was reading books together as a class, normally in a play format with characters assigned by Coach. Of all the stories we read together in class, Of Mice and Men was his favorite. 

When it came to reading it that school year, Coach cast himself as George and I was Lennie. 

In the book, Lennie asks George several times, “When are we going to get that little place to live on the fat of the land?” 

If you have ever read the book or watched the movie, you know exactly what I’m talking about. 

During the class readings, Coach gave me the nickname “Phat.” Thankfully he changed the spelling to be cool and hip from the “F” to “Ph” and it stuck. 

Coach called me Phat from that point forward for the rest of his life. It didn’t matter about the situation or who was around, if Coach was talking to me, it was only Phat and it always made me laugh. 

I can hear the exchanges between us in class just like it was yesterday.  

 

Coach Glover was also our assistant boys’ basketball coach my sophomore year and he was fantastic in that role. We spent a tremendous amount of time together in practices. 

He gave me encouragement, confidence and advice. We shot a lot of baskets together before and after practices.

 My favorite part was that he wanted to shoot, too, and demanded “change” on all his makes. Coach could really shoot the basketball, a self-described smooth lefty. 

I spent a lot of time rebounding and him shooting with him talking some mild trash the entire time. I was, however, smart enough to never shoot him for dollars. 

Coach hid the gym key under his mailbox for us players to use anytime. This was the kind of thing you can do when you coach and play in a small rural town. 

The number of times I went to get that key would be too many times to even guess. 

Coach and I also shot a lot of baskets together over the years, either in the gym or in his driveway. It’s the kind of activity two people who love basketball and each other do, while talking about anything and everything other than basketball. 

That following summer would be the start of some of the most enjoyable times that I ever had with Coach Glover as a referee for his summer league. 

For the next three summers, Coach and I along with Adam and Matt Diesselhorst reffed a ton of summer league games together. The pay was low, but the experience together was a blast. 

Cyndy Glover always took care of us with some Paul Bunyan bread and Sonic drinks. I wrote about this in 2020.

My junior year, my parents bought Coach Glover’s old black 1985 GMC Jimmy for me to drive. It was a stick shift and it backfired all the time. 

When it would do this, it scared the heck out everyone nearby. It literally sounded like a shotgun being fired into a tin bucket. It makes me giggle just thinking about how loud it was and how often it happened. 

I drove that Jimmy for several years and that little V6 couldn’t pass a single car, even going downhill and putting the gas pedal to the floorboard. 

During my junior and senior years of high school, I had two amazing experiences with Coach Glover. I was his teacher’s aide in the coaches’ office and he was the head baseball coach.

 These two years of my life are what made me want to be a coach.  

Being Coach Glover’s aide in the coaches’ office for the next two years was simply awesome. All the coaches shared an office together. 

I heard and participated in all the discussions, good and bad, of all the games and practices. I bet I only got asked to leave (“go shoot Phat”) a handful of times. 

The best part of this experience was talking about whatever was going on at the school or on all the teams. It was a great experience and one I cherish greatly to this day. 

Secondly, Coach Glover was my head baseball coach. There are a ton of great stories from these two years of high school baseball. 

In the last high school game I ever played in any sport, I was pitching and was just getting hammered on the mound. We were down several runs in an elimination game. 

Simply put, I was awful and coach left me in way too long. I never wanted to come out of any game and I could tell he didn’t want to come get me either, but he had to. 

When I got to the dugout ahead of him, I went and sat by myself. I was really upset because I felt like I let my teammates, and especially him, down.  

High school sports were over for me. 

When Coach Glover got back to the dugout, he came and put his arm around me. In classic Coach Glover fashion, he started telling funny stories from the two baseball seasons we had together, trying to make my heartache a little better.

Coach Glover was a heck of a golfer and he would let me borrow his golf cart anytime I wanted if he wasn’t using it. Coach finally told me, after calling him repeatedly, and said, “Phat quit calling me every time you want to go out there and just make sure to put it back on the charger.” 

Occasionally, Coach would allow me to join his round of golf and I was always asking for pointers because my game needed lots of improvement. 

During my sophomore year of college, I finally decided to do what I really wanted to do since being an office aide for Coach in high school. 

That was ditching my pursuit of a business degree and pursuing a teaching degree and becoming a coach. I remember telling Coach Glover and he was genuinely excited for me. 

My first head coaching job was when I was 22 years old. I called or emailed Coach a bunch of times that year. I was learning fast that I really didn’t know anything about coaching and being a teacher, but he always encouraged me, challenged me to work hard and to create meaningful relationships with my players. 

Coach would always listen to what I had to say and mentor me. 

For the next several years, I would cross paths with Coach regularly while he was at Newkirk, Bethel and Okarche while I was at Morrison and Cashion. 

I would see him and Cyndy at a lot of basketball games, but also many other sporting and school events. Coach would call, text or email often about my games he watched mainly to let me know he cared about how I was doing. 

When Coach moved onto the OSSAA to be the director of small school basketball for the state of Oklahoma, this became a new situation in our relationship. 

We didn’t always agree on whatever we were discussing, but every single call ended with him saying “Love ya Phat” and I would reply “Love ya Coach.” 

We understood we were both doing what we thought was best at the time. 

Coach was an excellent basketball director! He would always take a call or reply to an email from the hundreds of schools, administrators or coaches he served at the OSSAA. 

Coach worked diligently on drawing up the playoffs for B-4A every year and he wanted to get it right. Coach had lots of Oklahoma state maps with push pins and rubber bands in his office and at his house creating playoff brackets. 

I know he really cherished his time at the Big House representing the OSSAA. He loved watching hoops with Cyndy and their grandkids sitting right next to him.

 

I loved to go and sit with him at the State Fairgrounds which was his happy place. I always thought he was perfect for that job and he was excellent at it. 

When Coach moved to Kingfisher, I would get to see him regularly at ballgames. I also made it a point to try and stop by his house when I was in town. 

Coach and Cyndy had my kids over to swim in their pool during the summer. 

I really enjoyed going over to his house to see him prior to the start of the state basketball tournaments. We would visit and talk about all the teams and who might win, because Coach loved the state tournament! 

Looking back now, I wish I had stopped in more and stayed longer.

Coach and Cyndy attended a lot of my teams’ games just to watch me coach. In 2021, they were sitting in the front row to watch my team at the Tournament of Champions. 

Just last year at the Lomega Junior High Tournament in Loyal, they stayed after the Kingfisher game there were there to watch just to see my son, Jack, play his game.

This really meant a lot to me. 

If you have or had a relationship with a coach, teacher, sponsor or principal like the one I had with Coach Glover, you are truly fortunate and you should count yourself blessed. 

Coach Glover has been coaching me for the last 30 years of my life, not just a single or couple of seasons like most people experience. 

I will never take this for granted, but rather know I was beyond fortunate. 

Coach, thank you for everything you ever did for me! You gave me comfort, confidence, discipline, laughter and guidance whenever I needed it most. 

If I can make just 1% of the positive impact on my own family, players and students that you made on me, I know that would be substantial and profound. 

I would never have been a teacher, coach or the person I’m today if it wasn’t for you and your immeasurable influence on me. 

Rest in peace coach and I hope you are hitting it long and straight in Heaven!

        Love, 

                        Phat

Cyndy Glover World Famous Baked Beans

In addition to the Paul Buyan Bread recipe linked above, I have also included Cyndy Glover’s World-Famous Baked Beans. She made this all the time for cookouts and get togethers. The Hardaway boys (my dad included) loved it so much, my mom asked her for the recipe. This is a picture of the actual recipe Cyndy shared with my mom.  I love the notes my mom wrote on the recipe *SO GOOD* and “The boys love this”. This recipe is incredible and the best baked beans you will ever have. 

Week 3 High School Football Rankings

9/17/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

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

6A Division-II

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

Class 5A

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

Class 4A

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

Class 3A

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

Class 2A Division-I

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

Class 2A Division-II

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

Class A Division-I

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

Class A Division-II

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

Class B Division-I

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

Class B Division-II

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

Class C

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

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 2 (2024): RIBS

9/12/2024 |  Michael Swisher

Simple question: Who doesn’t like ribs? 

Whether it's pork ribs (spare ribs, St. Louis ribs, baby back ribs) or beef ribs (dino ribs), ribs are a culinary staple for any BBQ lover. 

Pork ribs are pretty much a no-fail mission in BBQ, second only behind  pulled pork when it comes to ease and edibility. 

The reality is that about anyone or any place can cook up some solid, edible pork ribs in many different shapes, sizes and flavors that can satisfy any hungry BBQ lover. 

Beef ribs, on the other hand, take a lot more craftsmanship and patience to get done just right.

But when they are, they are almost magical. 

When I visit a BBQ place for the first time, I almost always get the “Texas Trinity” which is pork ribs, sausage and sliced brisket. 

I do this as a way to sample the primary staples of any good BBQ restaurant. 

Now, ribs are never the deal breaker in forming my opinion of the top end quality of BBQ establishment (that lies with sliced brisket), but I often find that ribs (along with sausage) can save the day for a particular visit if the sliced brisket isn't up to my lofty standards. 

If you come across a place that does smoked beef ribs (dino ribs), I highly recommend giving these a try. 

Beef ribs can be hard to find sometimes and many places (normally highly quality establishments) only sell them on special days of the week or occasions. 

They tend to be pretty expensive, BUT, this is because they are really incredible when done right. 

Imagine some of the best, rich, flavorful brisket you have ever tasted, but on a big handle. That’s a beef rib for the most part. If you see it somewhere, I encourage you to get it!

Now, if you are brave or skilled enough to smoke some ribs at home, this is where I feel ribs really have the opportunity to be excellent without a lot of crazy techniques and difficulty. 

At-home (DIY) meat smokers can produce some really great ribs on a pellet, stick or electric smoker. Just follow the easy-to-find, tried-and-true Johnny Trigg method (Google search) with maybe your own twist or variation based on your experiences and wants when it comes to your ribs. 

My preference has been 2 hours uncovered, 3 hours covered and 1 uncovered on my offset stick burner smoker. 

I want to have guaranteed, fall off the bone, delicious ribs as opposed to the competition ribs, so I like the extra hour in the foil to get them nice and soft with plenty of pull back off the ends of the bone. 

Despite the above method, which I have described and used for many years, the best ribs I have ever smoked were by complete accident and have never been replicated since. 

My good friend Layne Jones – BBQ, Tea and Red Dirt music connoisseur – can attest to the quality of these ribs and the complete lack of preparation or general care that produced them. 

It was 3 racks of St. Louis style pork ribs on a cheap big box store smoker. I literally sprinkled the ribs with some retail seasoning blend, put them on the smoker and packed the fire box with as much charcoal and hickory wood that I could fit in there. 

I left the smoker going for hours, never checking the ribs once – not the temp, not the fire box – and I came and ate the best ribs I have ever had, primarily because of the exceptional bark. 

Still to this day I don't know why or how they came out so great, but man they were and I have been chasing these same ribs ever since. 

Maybe my problem now is that I do care and that is actually the method here - not caring as much, not peeking and not worrying about temperature control. 

Like the old saying goes “If you're looking, you're not cooking.”

Before we finish up with some beautiful rib pictures, we have to share the  iwasatthegame.com “Fun Fact of the Week.” 

When I asked Chris for something interesting to share with our millions and millions of readers (not really) he wanted people to know about some very long-standing football rivalries in Oklahoma. 

 

Since 1944, HARTSHORNE and WILBURTON have played every year with HARTSHORNE leading the series 54-26. I don’t have the total number of times these teams have played but the earliest I could find was in 1922.

 

IDABEL and BROKEN BOW will be squaring off for their 110^th time this Friday night, according to my calculations. The Warriors and the Savages first squared off in 1915 with BROKEN BOW leading the ALL-TIME series 62-45-2.

 

The most games played since 1944 between 2 teams is ARDMORE vs DUNCAN and IDABEL vs HUGO. These matchups have happened 81 times with each playing some years twice (playoffs and regular season). Neither one of these rivalries are scheduled for this year during the regular season.

Are you ready for some rib pictures? Here you go!

Week 2 High School Football Rankings

9/10/2024 |  Michael Swisher

6A Division-I

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

6A Division-II

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

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert
2. Collinsville
3. Coweta
4. Guthrie
5. Del City
6. McAlester
7. Bishop McGuinness
8. Tahlequah
9. El Reno
10. Lawton Mac

Class 4A

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

Class 3A

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

Class 2A Division-I

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

Class 2A Division-II

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

Class A Division-I

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

Class A Division-II

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

Class B Division-I

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

Class B Division-II

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

Class C

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