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 3 PICKS

9/20/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Here’s how things stand through Week 2 and 44 games picked by the Skordle fellas (and a few wives).

Last week

Michael Swisher: 11-2
Whitt Carter: 8-5
Ben Johnson: 11-2
Alicia Johnson: 11-2
Madison Carter: 9-4

Overall

Swisher: 37-7
Whitt: 27-17
Ben: 30-14
Alicia: 29-15
Madison: 25-19

Holland Hall at Metro Christian

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

Kingfisher at Bethany

Michael Swisher: Bethany
Whitt Carter: Bethany
Ben Johnson: Bethany

Kingston at Sperry

Michael Swisher: Sperry
Whitt Carter: Sperry
Ben Johnson: Sperry

Putnam City North at Choctaw

Michael Swisher: PC North
Whitt Carter: PC North
Ben Johnson: PC North

Edison at Claremore

Michael Swisher: Claremore
Whitt Carter: Edison
Ben Johnson: Edison

Mustang at Westmoore

Michael Swisher: Mustang
Whitt Carter: Westmoore
Ben Johnson: Mustang

Elgin at Plainview

Michael Swisher: Plainview
Whitt Carter: Plainview
Ben Johnson: Plainview

Clinton at Lawton MacArthur

Michael Swisher: Lawton Mac
Whitt Carter: Lawton Mac
Ben Johnson: Clinton

Pawhuska at Morrison

Michael Swisher: Pawhuska
Whitt Carter: Pawhuska
Ben Johnson: Pawhuska

Ponca City at Collinsville

Michael Swisher: Collinsville
Whitt Carter: Collinsville
Ben Johnson: Collinsville

Chickasha at El Reno

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

Oologah at Hilldale

Michael Swisher: Oologah
Whitt Carter: Oologah
Ben Johnson: Oologah

Checotah at Eufaula

Michael Swisher: Checotah
Whitt Carter: Eufaula
Ben Johnson: Checotah

Millwood at Cascia Hall

Michael Swisher: Millwood
Whitt Carter: Millwood
Ben Johnson: Millwood

Cashion at Crescent
Michael Swisher: Cashion
Whitt Carter: Cashion
Ben Johnson: Cashion

Hominy at Barnsdall
Michael Swisher: Hominy
Whitt Carter: Hominy
Ben Johnson: Barnsdall

CLASS PREVIEWS - 2A through C

9/5/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Rankings

2A

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

Class A

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

Class B

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

Class C

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

Our best guess(es)…

Class 2A

Michael Swisher: Vian - I could be way off on this one, but I’m going with a wildcard. Sperry dominated everyone in the playoffs and will be salty on defense. Metro will have the flashy offense. Both of them are great picks. I’ll take Vian, which is a steady force year in and year out.

Whitt Carter: Metro Christian - This class is wide open. Millwood will certainly have a say and I think Jones and Adair will be very good by year’s end, but I’ll go with the Patriots, who have some key pieces back including quarterback Asher Link.


Ben Johnson: Metro Christian - If the Patriots’ defense is solid, Metro Christian could be hard to beat with Asher Link leading the charge.

Class A

Michael Swisher: Cashion - The Wildcats have been good - really good - some years, but so unlucky. Other years they’ve caught some breaks, but maybe weren’t as good as the best in the class. This could be the year for Shack and the ‘Cats. He returns 21 starters from a team that won the toughest district in the class a year ago and went unbeaten in the regular season. If they stay healthy and Harman is at least productive at QB, they’ll be tough to top.


Whitt Carter: Ringling - (from the editor’s desk)… Whitt originally had Cashion. Then he got some inside intel that Ringling is really good. That’s the pick.


Ben Johnson: Stroud - I’ll go with the Elerick family to get it done and win a title this season.

Class B

Michael Swisher: Regent Prep - It’s really tough to pick against Shattuck, which just knows how to win in November and December, including last year’s 42-26 victory over Regent in last year’s title game. However, nobody will put more talent on the field than Regent this year and it will equate into a state title.


Whitt Carter: Shattuck - If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I have learned in previous years to basically auto pick these guys to win it all. Although there are some teams that can challenge, it won’t be enough.


Ben Johnson: Regent Prep - (insert what Swisher said right here)

Class C

Michael Swisher: Tipton - See Class 5A and Class 3A. Not picking against Tipton. @me,


Whitt Carter: Southwest Covenant - Crazy not to go with Tipton, but the talent coming back on offense for SW Covenant is unreal. I think that’s enough to knock off the big bad Tigers and win it all.


Ben Johnson: SW Covenant - Tipton can’t win them all. Might as well go with the Patriots.

Week 1 picks

9/5/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Zero week was all about Swisher flexing on both myself and Whitt. Let’s see if we can’t bring him back down to earth this week….

Zero Week
Michael Swisher: 11-3
Whitt Carter: 7-7
Ben Johnson: 8-6

(Should mention that my wife and Whitt’s wife are picking on the side, and once I can get these picks posted on time I’ll make sure to include Madison Carter’s picks so she doesn’t get mad at me anymore!)

Millwood at Heritage Hall

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

Broken Arrow at Union

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

Carl Albert at Midwest City

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

Bixby at Jenks

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

Booker T. Washington at Bishop Kelley

Michael Swisher: Booker T. Washington
Whitt Carter: Booker T. Washington
Ben Johnson: Booker T. Washington

Bishop McGuinness at Del City

Michael Swisher: Del City
Whitt Carter: Del City
Ben Johnson: Bishop McGuinness

Lincoln Christian at Jones

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

Tuttle at Kingfisher

Michael Swisher: Tuttle
Whitt Carter: Tuttle
Ben Johnson: Tuttle

Sapulpa at Edison

Michael Swisher: Sapulpa
Whitt Carter: Sapulpa
Ben Johnson: Sapulpa

Crossings Christian at Rejoice Christian

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

Norman at Norman North

Michael Swisher: Norman
Whitt Carter: Norman North
Ben Johnson: Norman

Claremore at Bartlesville

Michael Swisher: Claremore
Whitt Carter: Claremore
Ben Johnson: Bartlesville

Broken Bow at Idabel

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

Cascia Hall at Holland Hall

Michael Swisher: Holland Hall
Whitt Carter: Cascia Hall
Ben Johnson: Cascia Hall

Vian at Eufaula

Michael Swisher: Vian
Whitt Carter: Vian
Ben Johnson: Vian

Davenport at Weleetka

Michael Swisher: Davenport
Whitt Carter: Davenport
Ben Johnson: Davenport

Medford at Buffalo

Michael Swisher: Buffalo
Whitt Carter: Buffalo
Ben Johnson: Buffalo

Week 1 - Top 10 games

9/4/2019 |  Ben Johnson

An absolutely tremendous slate of games this week. Let’s get to it…

1. Millwood at Heritage Hall
One team was thought to be the preeminent favorite in its class last year until it was upset in the playoffs by Vian. That was Millwood in 2018. One team was head and shoulders above every other team in its class and coasted to a state championship. That was Heritage Hall in Class 3A, of course. Not too shabby when these two clash, and they do it again this year after Millwood won last year, 30-20.
 
2. Broken Arrow at Union
This one had been one-sided for quite some time, and Broken Arrow put a stop to that last season. Union still owns a 38-5 record all-time against Broken Arrow, but the Tigers took out frustration of 14 straight losses by dismantling Union, 33-10. The Tigers went on to win the state championship and finally join Union among the ranks of state champions in 6AI. One matchup to watch will be Union’s passing game against Broken Arrow’s secondary, led by the likes of Oregon commit Myles Slusher, who had an interception return for a touchdown in a blowout win over Mansfield on Saturday.
 
3. Carl Albert at Midwest City
This one had been all Midwest City, dating back to 1976 when the Bombers started their six-game winning streak against Carl Albert. But the Titans put a stop to that with a 28-21 victory last season. Then the Titans did what they always do – win a 5A championship.
 
4. Bixby at Jenks
Both were dominant last week with wins over teams in Mansfield, Texas, last week. Jenks’ defense was stout, pitching a shutout against Mansfield Legacy, while Bixby’s offense was unstoppable against Mansfield Timberview. Bixby managed to thwart Jenks in 2017, but the Trojans won this matchup last  year, 28-14, and they now own a 47-13 record against Bixby.
 
5. Booker T. Washington at Bishop Kelley
The Hornets were shut out last week in a loss to North Little Rock (Ark.), and they’ll get another stout defensive challenge from Bishop Kelley, who lost to Booker T. Washington last year, 24-14.
 
6. Bishop McGuinness at Del City
Plenty of offensive firepower will be on the field for both teams, including Del City’s Quinlan Ganther and Bishop McGuinness’ Dominic Richardson. Del City won this one last year, 47-7.
 
7. Lincoln Christian at Jones
Bust out the calculators for this one; could be plenty of points being scored. Both teams soared on offense last week, with Lincoln Christian beating Inola, 51-19 and Jones knocking off Oklahoma Christian School, 56-8. Last year it was Lincoln Christian that prevailed over Jones, 34-19.
 
8. Tuttle at Kingfisher
Tuttle knocked off Kingfisher 26-14 last season, and now the reigning 4A champions will explore life without quarterback Carson Berryhill.
 
9. Sapulpa at Edison
The Chieftains, powered by Eli Williams, a TCU commit, at quarterback, took down Edison, 34-13, last season. But it wasn’t long after that game that Edison running back – now a Nebraska commit – Sevion Morrison started taking down every Edison rushing record that ever existed.
 
10. Crossings Christian at Rejoice Christian
Two heavy favorites in Class A, and for good reason. Rejoice Christian won both matchups last season – 21-20 in the regular season and 33-14 in the playoffs. In fact, Rejoice has won the past four showdowns with Crossings, dating back to 2016.

 
Honorable mentions
Norman at Norman North
Claremore at Bartlesville
Broken Bow at Idabel
Cascia Hall at Holland Hall
Vian at Eufaula
Davenport at Weleetka
Medford at Buffalo

WEEK 1 RANKINGS

9/1/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Class 6AI

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

Class 6AII

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

Class 5A

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

Class 4A

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

Class 3A

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

Class 2A

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

Class A

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

Class B

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

Class C

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

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

SKORDLE ALL-STATE: Small school team and top honors

1/11/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Putting together an All-State team sounds like fun and games, but when you start narrowing down the field, you hate yourself for leaving off a player here or a player there. Trust me when I say it was not pleasant leaving off guys like Lincoln Christian’s Chase Ricke, Metro Christian’s Asher Link or Fairview’s Kade Dillard on the small school All-State list.

For the small school team, it consists of players in Class 3A through Class C. Each class also had a designated Player of the Year, Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP.

The teams were chosen by those who covered high school football for Skordle all year long: Michael Swisher, Whitt Carter and myself (Ben Johnson).

And ps, there’s some hope in doing a podcast here before too long to discuss the thought process and how we ended up picking the teams. As for now, check out this year’s small school selections…

Class superlatives

Class 3A

Player of the Year: CONNER CAREY (Heritage Hall) - A receiver by trade throughout most of his varsity career, Carey was called upon to switch to running back for his senior season. And he passed the test with flying colors. At 5 feet, 11 inches and 195 pounds, Carey rushed for 1,844 yards and 32 touchdowns on 204 carries. While leading the Chargers to another championship, Carey accounted for 163 yards on the ground and five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving). On offense, Carey finished with 2,002 yards rushing and 1,315 yards receiving and 48 combined touchdowns. Carey was also a key contributor on defense during his senior season with 57 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions.
Heritage Hall coach Brett Bogert: “Conner had one of the best individual all-around seasons by a Charger since I’ve been coaching here. He broke (Wes) Welker’s single-season touchdown record! It was awesome to watch him grow as a player and leader while excelling on the big stage this season. We will miss him.”

Offensive MVP: JETT STERNBERGER (Kingfisher) - Despite missing two games, the Yellowjackets quarterback propelled Kingfisher all the way to the 3A semifinals. Sternberger, little brother of Texas A&M star Jace Sternberger, crushed opponents on the ground and through the air during his senior campaign. He completed 180 of 270 passes for 2,411 yards and 33 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He also ran for 481 yards and 13 touchdowns on 127 carries.
Kingfisher coach Jeff Myers: “Jett has been a tremendous asset to us the last two years. His ability to run our offense has been a big reason for our success. Add in the injuries and changes we’ve endured at running back and offensive line, and his performances are even more impressive. We will certainly miss his presence as a player and a leader next year.”

Defensive MVP: TREY KISER (Sulphur) - One of the state’s best two-way players in 2018, Kiser was a standout at 6 feet, 200 pounds. On defense, Kiser racked up 131 tackles and eight sacks for a Sulphur defense that yielded only 16.9 points per game. Kiser was also one of the state’s best ball carriers with 2,572 yards and 39 touchdowns on 293 carries. He even set a new Sulphur record with 403 yards on just 15 carries in the Bulldogs’ win over rival Davis on Sept. 7.
Sulphur coach Jim Dixon: “He’s the best player I’ve ever coached. He’s truly as good as anyone I’ve ever coached. I’m really proud of the way he worked every year and his effort each day. And he was very, very blessed with a lot of ability. He’s a great kid and was a heck of a player.”

Class 2A

Player of the Year: BEAU TEEL (Sperry) - A two-year standout for the Pirates, Teel guided Sperry to its first-ever OSSAA championship without a blowout victory over Beggs. Along the way, the senior quarterback passed for 2,305 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 133 of 233 passes. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Teel accounted for 31 tackles, two sacks and an interception at linebacker. He polished off his career with 10,046 total yards through the air (7,635) and on the ground (2,411).
Sperry coach Robert Park: “State champion quarterback for the Sperry Pirates. Nobody else can say that.”

Offensive MVP: RYAN JOHNSON (Metro Christian) - Was the closest thing to a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in Oklahoma during the 2018 season, right alongside Heritage Hall’s Billy Ross Jr. Johnson was a nightmare for opposing defenses with 2,036 yards and 28 touchdowns on 184 carries. He also hauled in 47 passes from quarterback Asher Link for 609 yards and five touchdowns. And just for the heck of it, he completed 4 of 5 passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson helped spark the Patriots to a 2A semifinal run, which ended with a loss to eventual runner-up Beggs.
Metro Christian coach Jared McCoy: “He’s a great player. His best games were against our best competition and he did whatever he had to do to help us win. He averaged over 100 yard rushing and 100 yards receiving in our four playoff games. His kind of stats are really difficult to attain while operating in a pass-first offense where our quarterback also led 11-man football in passing yards. Ryan also had two late interceptions against Broken Bow to help us win that game and a couple of key tackles on defense in the playoffs that helped us beat Jones and Washington. I’m most proud of the type of young man Ryan is. He’s a 4.0 student that’s loved by his teachers, coaches and fellow students. He’s extremely gifted, yet very grounded and humble for the way God has gifted him.”

Defensive MVP: RIVER SIMON (Vian) - Perhaps the hardest postseason superlative to hand out goes to a soon-to-be West Point cadet. The Army signee is another in a long line of Simon standouts at Vian. The 6-foot, 215-pound middle linebacker guided the Wolverines to the 2A quarterfinals, thanks to 128 tackles and eight sacks to cap off his senior season. “He was really, really good,” an opposing 2A coach said. “A great linebacker and one of the best tacklers I have seen.” On offense, he rushed for 466 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, and he even graded at 92 percent while blocking at tight end.
Vian coach Gary Willis: “Toughest- and hardest-working player that I’ve ever coached. He’s played through a lot of pain throughout his high school career.”

Class A

Player of the Year: ZACH HALE (Christian Heritage) - The Crusaders had themselves a solid regular season, and they capped it off with a win over Crescent to steal the No. 4 spot in District A-3. That’s when the real fun started for Christian Heritage. While captivating the state as postseason darlings, the Crusaders knocked off Ringling, Thomas, Stroud and Rejoice Christian on their way finishing as Class A runners-up to Tonkawa. And leading the charge was Hale, a two-way standout at quarterback and free safety. Hale finished the season with 2,638 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 193 of 309 passes, and he also ran for 867 yards and 11 touchdowns. On defense, he amassed 202 tackles, including 73 in the playoffs. Hale also finished his senior season with one sack and eight interceptions.

Offensive MVP: JACOB BRUCE (Hulbert) - When you finish as the state’s leading rusher for a season, you’re probably due for some accolades. When you re-write the state’s record book for rushing yards, you’re guaranteed some postseason shine. And that’s what Bruce did in 2018, finishing his senior season with 3,268 yards and 41 touchdowns on 306 carries. He capped his career with 8,586 yards, which is 143 more than the previous record holder, Luther’s Larry Dupree (8,443). Bruce also scored on two kickoff returns this season while averaging 28.6 yards per return. For good measure, he added 57 tackles and five interceptions on defense.

Defensive MVP: SIMEON SHEPARD (Tonkawa) - In a district full of offensive stalwarts, Tonkawa used defense to win the District A-5 crown -- and eventually the Class A championship. The Buccaneers gave up more than 20 points only twice, and neither one of the occurrences surfaced in the postseason. And all the while, Shepard was leading the way as the Bucs’ leading tackler, alongside fellow defensive star Braydon Hampton. Shepard’s impressive senior season included 176 tackles, 27 sacks/tackles for loss, four interceptions, including to returns for touchdowns (69 and 48 yards).

Class B

Player of the Year: GATLIN GOODSON (Shattuck) - Leading the Indians to their second consecutive title -- and third in four years -- was Goodson, who did it all for Shattuck. The senior quarterback rushed for 1,760 yards and 31 touchdowns on 124 carries. He passed on occasion and finished with 441 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 21 of 37 attempts. At free safety, he recorded 72 tackles and three interceptions.

Offensive MVP: BRADEN GILBERT (Regent Prep) - Only two other passers in the history of Oklahoma high school football have had better seasons, yardage-wise, than what Gilbert put forth for the Rams. Gilbert passed for 4,065 yards and 63 touchdowns this season, and settled just behind Locust Grove’s Mason Fine (5,006 in 2014 and 4,227 in 2015) and Norman North’s Brandon Marquardt (4,609 in 2016). Gilbert’s 63 touchdowns were third-best in a single season, and he completed 195 of 328 passes along the way. The junior quarterback also rushed 105 times for 555 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading the Rams to the Class B title game.

Defensive MVP: JAXSON WALKER (Davenport) - The junior middle linebacker made sure life was miserable for opposing offenses throughout the 2018 season. The Bulldogs gave up only 11.5 points per game prior to losing to Shattuck in the Class B semifinals, and leading the way was Walker with 98 tackles, one sack and two interceptions.

Class C

Player of the Year: SEMAJ MCBRIDE (Tipton) - The Tigers’ dynamic ball carrier finished off his varsity career by guiding Tipton to its third consecutive championship. And to help secure the Tigers’ seventh title, McBride took over in the second half of the championship game with 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns while adding in 43 receiving yards and a TD catch. He logged 128 carries for 1,654 yards during his senior campaign, and he hauled in 18 catches for 611 yards. He scored 26 total touchdowns. On defense, he collected 46 tackles, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Offensive MVP: BEN WEBB (Southwest Covenant) - Junior quarterback was instrumental in getting the Patriots to the Class C title game. Capped his year off by completing 109 of 177 passes for 2,130 yards and 40 touchdowns, and he also ran for 374 yards and nine touchdowns on 63 carries.

Defensive MVP: BRYCE WAUGH (Tipton) - Senior defensive end led the Tigers’ defense throughout the season, including five shutout victories throughout the regular season. Waugh was instrumental for the Tigers while coming up with 73 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions.

SMALL SCHOOL ALL-STATE TEAM

Coach of the Year: ROBERT PARK (Sperry) - He’s spent two decades at Sperry, and in his 20th season Park claimed his first championship with the Pirates. In fact, it was Sperry’s first OSSAA championship with a 35-14 victory over Beggs in the 2A title game. Not bad for a coach of a program who most figured to have no shot at winning the gold ball. That’s because Millwood was the clear frontrunner by most who follow 2A football, but that was all derailed by Vian in the second round. The Pirates may have lost the District 2A-3 crown to Beggs with a Week 10 loss, but the Pirates rebounded and outscored opponents 252 to 55 in the playoffs, including a 56-8 thrashing of Adair to reach the state finals.

Offense

QB: Braden Gilbert (Regent Prep) - Junior quarterback logged the fourth-best season in Oklahoma history, yardage-wise. Threw for 4,065 yards and 63 touchdowns, which is the third-best among single season TD records in the Sooner State.
RB: Andrew Crow (Rejoice Christian) - Senior tailback rushed for 2,554 yards and 43 touchdowns and even had 10 catches for 192 yards and a score.
RB: Jacob Bruce (Hulbert) - Became the state’s all-time leading rusher by churning out 3,268 yards and 44 touchdowns during his senior season. Finished his career with 8,586 yards on the ground.
RB/WR: Ryan Johnson (Metro Christian) - One of the state’s best rushing-receiving players with 2,036 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground and 47 receptions for 609 yards and five touchdowns through the air during his senior season.
WR: Jack Wright (Regent Prep) - Led the state in receiving as Gilbert’s top target. Junior wideout hauled in 81 catches for 1,840 yards and 34 touchdowns.
WR: Sam Brueggeman (Lincoln Christian) - Was quarterback Chase Ricke’s favorite target in the passing game, and Brueggeman finished with 67 receptions, 1,487 yards and 17 touchdowns during his junior season.
OL: Melvin Swindle (Heritage Hall) - Sophomore offensive lineman paved the way for the Chargers offense, which averaged 39.5 points per game, including 69 and 50 in the 3A semifinals and finals, respectively.
OL: Baylor Christy (Beggs) - Senior Missouri State signee was the key cog on the Golden Demons’ offensive line, which spearheaded Beggs’ efforts in averaging 43.3 points per contest.
OL: Eli Russ (Plainview) - Senior Oklahoma State signee received a 95 percent overall grade for his efforts along the Indians’ offensive front.
OL: Perry Lewis (Millwood) - Junior guard was instrumental in the Falcons averaging 352.3 yards and 48.3 points per game.
OL: Brandon Collier (Cashion) - Junior tackle led the Wildcats’ high-octane offense that posted 375.5 yards and 40.5 points per game.

Defense

DL: Walker Niver (Sperry) - Junior defensive end finished with 80 tackles and 10 sacks for a Pirates defense that only allowed 174 points in 15 games.
DL: Kaavn Green (Crescent) - Senior tackle had 81 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and seven sacks for the Tigers.
DL/LB: Jaden McDaniel (Heritage Hall) - Senior defensive specialist had 100 tackles and 12 sacks.
LB: Zac Anderson (Eufaula) - Finished his career with the Ironheads with 159 tackles and 12 sacks during his senior season.
LB: Trey Kiser (Sulphur) - Senior standout had 131 tackles and eight sacks on defense while also serving as one of the better running backs in the state.
LB: Laike Wilhelm (Newkirk) - Senior collected 129 tackles and two sacks on defense and also turned produced 2,243 yards and 25 touchdowns rushing on offense.
LB: Simeon Sheperd (Tonkawa) - Set a new Tonkawa record with 176 tackles during his senior season. Also had 27 sacks, four interceptions and six fumble recoveries.
DB: Conner Carey (Heritage Hall) - Senior two-way player had 57 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. Also led the Chargers with 1,844 rushing yards and 32 TDs.
DB: Zach Hale (Christian Heritage) - The Crusaders’ sparkplug through the playoffs who finished off his senior season with 202 tackles, one sack and eight interceptions. Also passed for 2,600-plus yards and 33 touchdowns.
DB: Gatlin Goodson (Shattuck) - Senior free safety had 72 tackles and three interceptions. Also served as quarterback and ran for 17,60 yards during his senior season.
DB: Dawson James (Berryhill) - Sophomore snagged 12 interceptions while also recording 30 tackles for the Chiefs.

Special teams

K: Alex Felkins (Holland Hall) - Columbia signee was the state’s leader with 15 field goals. Senior kicker’s longest in 2018 was 41 yards.
P: Zach Ramay (Fairview) - Senior averaged 39.7 yards per punt for the Yellowjackets in 2018.
KR/PR: DeMariyon Houston (Millwood) - Finished the season with three kickoff returns for 184 yards and one touchdown, and also had four punt returns for 145 yards and a touchdown. Senior wideout also caught 35 passes for 772 yards and 11 TDs.
ATH: Beau Teel (Sperry) - Passed for 2,305 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushed for 14 touchdowns. Senior linebacker also had 31 tackles, two sacks and one interception.
ATH: Jett Sternberger (Kingfisher) - Senior quarterback completed 180 of 270 passes for 2,411 yards and 33 touchdowns. Also ran for 481 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

And let us know what you think. Tweet at Skordle or email Ben Johnson at benjohnsontdp@gmail.com.


*Photo credit: Russell Stitt

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 PREVIEW: Classes 2A, A & B QUARTERFINALS and C FINALS

11/30/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Christian Heritage’s coaching staff wanted to give Zach Hale a break. The Crusaders’ senior quarterback/safety had Christian Heritage leading Stroud late in the second quarter, so his coaching staff wanted to give him a moment to catch his breath.
That’s when Stroud’s Colby Davis returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. Needless to say, Hale didn’t come off the field the rest of the night.
“Funny story now, but it wasn’t funny at the time,” Christian Heritage coach Tony Merrell said. “One of our coaches asked if we could get him off our kickoff team for one play, because he looked tired or something. They immediately ran the next kick back, and Zach let me know -- as it was being returned for a touchdown -- that he is never coming off the field again.”
Then Merrell had a quick second to think.
“I agreed with him,” he said.
And once again, it was Hale and Co. crashing the Class A playoff scene last week. Hale passed for 214 yards and four touchdowns, and he also ran for 52 yards. After four of Christian Heritage’s five touchdowns, Hale also had a hand in the successful two-point conversions.
On defense, Hale recorded 13 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery to guide the Crusaders into their first semifinal appearance.
“He has been so good, and he’s an All-State safety and he keeps getting better as a quarterback,” Merrell said. “We have so many guys that are playing at a high level, and it’s just fun to be part of.”
Up next for Christian Heritage (9-4) is a date with third-ranked Rejoice Christian at Cushing High School in the semifinals. The Crusaders are a game away from the title game after taking down Ringling, Thomas and Stroud to this point.
“Oh man, what a run,” Merrell said. “And really, you have to throw Crescent in there after playing them in Week 10. Those are really good football teams with great coaches. We are playing at a really high level, and to be honest, we are still getting better. We have guys playing their best games of the year these last few weeks.”

Class 2A

No. 5 Sperry vs. Adair

Where: Lantow Field (Claremore High School)

Last week

- Sperry 44, Eufaula 13: Beau Teel passed for 132 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 73 yards and two more touchdowns for the Pirates. Joe Whiteley added three sacks on defense, and he caught four passes for 96 yards for a touchdown for Sperry.
- Adair 38, Vian 27: Austin Hines passed for 360 yards and four touchdowns, and Barrett Bradbury caught 12 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns. Bradbury then added 18 tackles on defense.

Need to know

- The all-time series is tied at 3-3. The last meeting was last season -- a 50-26 win for Sperry.
- Adair appeared in back-to-back semifinals in 2015 and 2016, going 1-1 with a win over Chisholm in 2015. The Warriors went on to win their only title the same season.
- Sperry has gone 1-5 in semifinal games. The Pirates’ only win was in 1968 -- 8-0 against Marietta.

Metro Christian vs. No. 3 Beggs

Where: Collins Stadium (Sapulpa High School)

Last week

- Beggs 36, Kingston 31: TJ Austin scored the game-winning touchdown with 50 seconds left as Beggs rallied to knock off the Redskins.
- Metro Christian 34, Washington 28: Ryan Johnson rushed for 130 yards and caught nine passes for 130 yards. The Patriots turned back Washington on fourth-and-goal late in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory.

Need to know

- The all-time series is 1-1. The last meeting was in 2003 -- a 48-13 win for Metro Christian.
- The Patriots are 1-1 in the semifinals. The lone win was in 2010 against Anadarko.
- Beggs is 3-1 in the semifinals. The Demons beat Sulphur 37-28 in the semifinals last year before losing to John Marshall in the Class 3A playoffs.

Class A

No. 7 Tonkawa vs. Fairview

Where: Ranger Field (Northwest Oklahoma State University in Alva)

Last week

- Tonkawa 20, Hobart 13: Braydon Hampton scored on a 3-yard TD run with 22 seconds left to propel Tonkawa to the win.
- Fairview 54, Commerce 21: Quarterback Kade Dillard completed 8 of 14 for 232 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 21 carries for 219 yards and three touchdowns for the Yellowjackets.

Need to know

- Tonkawa is 6-4 all-time against Fairview. The last meeting was in 2013 -- a 17-7 win for Tonkawa.
- Tonkawa is 8-2 in the semifinals. The Buccaneers’ last semifinal appearance was in 2009 - a 24-22 win over Hennessey.
- Fairview is 2-2 in the semifinals. Fairview’s last semifinal appearance was 1999 -- a 36-17 win over Haskell.

No. 3 Rejoice Christian vs. Christian Heritage

Where: Cushing High School

Last week

- Christian Heritage 39, Stroud 22
- Rejoice Christian 33, Crossings Christian 14: Andrew Crow rushed for 247 yards and three touchdowns for the Eagles.

Need to know

- This is the first meeting between the two teams.
- Rejoice Christian is 0-2 in the semifinals -- both losses occurring in Class B in 2013 and 2012.
- This is Christian Heritage’s first appearance in the semifinals.

Class B

No. 2 Davenport vs. No. 1 Shattuck

Where: D. Bruce Selby Stadium (Enid)
Last week: Davenport 52, Waurika 0; Shattuck 67, Dewar 20

Need to know

- Shattuck is 2-0 all-time against Davenport. These two met in last year’s semifinals -- a 48-16 win for Shattuck.
- Davenport is 6-4 in the semifinals. The Bulldogs last semifinal win was 40-14 over Dewar in 2015.
- Shattuck sports a 12-3 record in the semifinals. The Indians have appeared in a championship game every year since 2015.

No. 3 Regent Prep vs. No. 8 Wetumka

Where: Bill Jensen Field (Choctaw High School)
Last week: Regent Prep 68, Laverne 52; Wetumka 51, Burns Flat-Dill City 6

Need to know

- These two are meeting for the first time.
- Regent Prep wideout Jack Wright had 17 receptions for 351 yards and seven touchdowns in the Rams’ win over Laverne last week.
- This is Regent Prep’s first appearance in a semifinal game.
- Wetumka is 2-0 in semifinal games -- last appearance was a 32-14 win over Kiefer in 2010.

Class C Championship

No. 2 Tipton vs. No. 1 Southwest Covenant

Where: Milam Stadium (Southwest Oklahoma State University, Weatherford)
Last week: Tipton 50, Pond Creek-Hunter 28; Southwest Covenant 42, Buffalo 20

Need to know

- Tipton is 3-0 against Southwest Covenant -- last meeting was last season, a 52-12 win for the Tigers
- Tipton is 6-2 in title games. The two-time defending champion in Class C beat Pond Creek-Hunter 56-8 in last year’s title game.
- This is Southwest Covenant’s first appearance in a championship game.

PLAYOFF PICKS: Week 3 edition

11/21/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Time to schedule the Randy Turney championship parade. He's all but wrapped up the Skordle picking crown for 2018.

Playoff picks - Week 2 - Coach Turney 16-9 | Whitt 16-9 | Swisher 15-10 | Ben 15-10

Overall - Turney 197-68 | Whitt 181-84 | Ben 174-91 | Swisher 180-85

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

Carl Albert vs. Collinsville

Michael Swisher: Carl Albert 24, Collinsville 20

Ben Johnson: Carl Albert 23, Collinsville 17

Whitt Carter: Carl Albert 34, Collinsville 28

Randy Turney: Carl Albert 28, Collinsville 21

Bishop Kelley vs. Ardmore

Michael Swisher: Ardmore 28, Bishop Kelley 14

Ben Johnson: Bishop Kelley 20, Ardmore 19

Whitt Carter: Ardmore 28, Bishop Kelley 17

Randy Turney: Ardmore 24, Bishop Kelley 14

Bethany vs. Clinton

Michael Swisher: Bethany 28, Clinton 24

Ben Johnson: Bethany 29, Clinton 24

Whitt Carter: Clinton 28, Bethany 20

Randy Turney: Clinton 21, Bethany 20

Poteau vs. Tuttle

Michael Swisher: Poteau 19, Tuttle 17

Ben Johnson: Poteau 32, Tuttle 21

Whitt Carter: Tuttle 35, Poteau 21

Randy Turney: Tuttle 23, Poteau 14

Heritage Hall vs. Lincoln Christian

Michael Swisher: Heritage Hall 34, Lincoln Christian 24

Ben Johnson: Heritage Hall 30, Lincoln Christian 20

Whitt Carter: Heritage Hall 41, Lincoln Christian 27

Randy Turney: Heritage Hall 28, Lincoln Christian 21

Kingfisher vs. Sulphur

Michael Swisher: Sulphur 33, Kingfisher 20

Ben Johnson: Kingfisher 21, Sulphur 18

Whitt Carter: Sulphur 34, Kingfisher 27

Randy Turney: Sulphur 30, Kingfisher 21

Adair at Vian

Michael Swisher: Vian 23, Adair 18

Ben Johnson: Vian 23, Adair 14

Whitt Carter: Adair 28, Vian 27

Randy Turney: Vian 30, Adair 22

Eufaula at Sperry

Michael Swisher: Sperry 30, Eufaula 12

Ben Johnson: Sperry 20, Eufaula 13

Whitt Carter: Sperry 34, Eufaula 21

Randy Turney: Sperry 27, Eufaula 14

Kingston at Beggs

Michael Swisher: Beggs 42, Kingston 24

Ben Johnson: Beggs 31, Kingston 21

Whitt Carter: Beggs 41, Kingston 27

Randy Turney: Beggs 31, Kingston 18

Washington at Metro Christian

Michael Swisher: Washington 34, Metro Christian 33

Ben Johnson: Washington 33, Metro Christian 31

Whitt Carter: Metro Christian 42, Washington 35

Randy Turney: Washington 21, Metro Christian 14

Commerce at Fairview

Michael Swisher: Fairview 35, Commerce 28

Ben Johnson: Fairview 24, Commerce 23

Whitt Carter: Fairview 34, Commerce 14

Randy Turney: Fairview 35, Commerce 14

Rejoice Christian at Crossings Christian

Michael Swisher: Rejoice Christian 34, Crossings Christian 18

Ben Johnson: Rejoice Christian 21, Crossings Christian 19

Whitt Carter: Rejoice Christian 35, Crossings Christian 31

Randy Turney: Rejoice Christian 22, Crossings Christian 21

Stroud at Christian Heritage

Michael Swisher: Stroud 38, Christian Heritage 31

Ben Johnson: Stroud 26, Christian Heritage 21

Whitt Carter: Stroud 28, Christian Heritage 20

Randy Turney: Stroud 20, Christian Heritage 14

Tonkawa at Hobart

Michael Swisher: Hobart 27, Tonkawa 21

Ben Johnson: Tonkawa 22, Hobart 21

Whitt Carter: Hobart 27, Tonkawa 21

Randy Turney: Hobart 32, Tonkawa 22

Shattuck at Dewar

Michael Swisher: Shattuck 40, Dewar 24

Ben Johnson: Shattuck 43, Dewar 37

Whitt Carter: Shattuck 52, Dewar 24

Randy Turney: Shattuck 46, Dewar 6

Waurika at Davenport

Michael Swisher: Davenport 48, Waurika 30

Ben Johnson: Davenport 55, Waurika 15

Whitt Carter: Davenport 48, Waurika 28

Randy Turney: Davenport 52, Waurika 12

Wetumka at Burns Flat-Dill City

Michael Swisher: Wetumka 31, Burns Flat-Dill City 18

Ben Johnson: Wetumka 38, Burns Flat-Dill City 33

Whitt Carter: Burns Flat-Dill City 42, Wetumka 40

Randy Turney: Wetumka 38, Burns Flat-Dill City 14

Regent Prep at Laverne

Michael Swisher: Regent Prep 22, Laverne 16

Ben Johnson: Regent Prep 44, Laverne 41

Whitt Carter: Regent Prep 48, Laverne 34

Randy Turney: Regent Prep 26, Laverne 20

Buffalo vs. Southwest Covenant

Michael Swisher: Southwest Covenant 42, Buffalo 36

Ben Johnson: Southwest Covenant 51, Buffalo 47

Whitt Carter: Buffalo 42, Soutuwest Covenant 36

Randy Turney: Southwest Covenant 28, Buffalo 26

Tipton vs. Pond Creek-Hunter

Michael Swisher: Tipton 33, Pond Creek-Hunter 22

Ben Johnson: Tipton 39, Pond Creek-Hunter 28

Whitt Carter: Tipton 48, Pond Creek-Hunter 44

Randy Turney: Tipton 48, Pond Creek-Hunter 14

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

PLAYOFF PREVIEW: 3A SEMIFINALS & 2A QUARTERFINALS

11/21/2018 |  Ben Johnson

It’s a new age for Class 3A. No longer are there five rounds to navigate to win the championship. Heritage Hall, Lincoln Christian, Sulphur and Kingfisher are all one win away from the 3A title game. As for Class 2A and Class A, it’s business as usual with the quarterfinals this week while most of the other classes narrow their fields to two teams.

Here’s what to look for this week…

Class 3A

*Both games scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

No. 1 Heritage Hall (11-1) vs. No. 4 Lincoln Christian (11-1)

Where: Collins Stadium (Sapulpa)
Last week: Heritage Hall 44, Stigler 21; Lincoln Christian 34, Plainview 21
Players to watch
- Conner Carey (Heritage Hall): Senior tailback has emerged as the Chargers’ main weapon out of the backfield with 1,429 yards and 24 touchdowns on 160 carries.
- Hardy Bowers (Heritage Hall): Leading the Chargers with 135 tackles and nine sacks this season.
- Chase Ricke (Lincoln Christian): Junior quarterback has passed for 2,860 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 152 of 229 passes. He’s also added rushing to his arsenal lately, logging 176 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries last week against Plainview.
- Sam Brueggemann (Lincoln Christian): Ricke’s favorite in the target has hauled in 62 catches for 1,422 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Need to know
- Chargers have had previous success against Lincoln Christian in the playoffs. Chargers beat the Bulldogs in the 3A title game in 2015, and they also beat Lincoln Christian in the 2A semifinals in 2008.
- Heritage Hall is 7-3 in the semifinals.
- Lincoln Christian is 2-0 in semifinal games that aren’t against Heritage Hall. Last semifinal win was over Jones in 2015.

No. 3 Sulphur (11-1) vs. No. 6 Kingfisher (9-3)

Where: Edmond Santa Fe High School
Last week: Sulphur 56, Idabel 31; Kingfisher 35, Berryhill 15
Players to watch
- Trey Kiser (Sulphur): This is an obvious one. The senior running back/linebacker has dominated on both sides of the ball for the Bulldogs. He’s rushed for 2,312 yards and 35 touchdowns on 237 carries this season.
- Jett Sternberger (Kingfisher): Senior quarterback has passed for 2,067 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing 67 percent (156 of 233) of his passes. Also has mixed in 13 touchdowns on the ground.
- Trey Green (Kingfisher): Sternberger’s top target with 48 catches for 822 yards and 12 touchdowns. Also has 53 tackles and seven tackles for loss on defense.
Need to know
- Kingfisher is 2-1 against Sulphur in the playoffs. Most recent matchup was a 21-18 Kingfisher victory in the 3A championship game in 2003.
- Sulphur is 3-4 in all-time semifinal clashes. The Bulldogs last semifinal win was in 2004.
- Kingfisher is 6-6 in 12 previous semifinal appearances. Yellowjackets’ last semifinal win was in 2013 against Seminole before beating Blachard in the 3A championship game.

Class 2A

Quarterfinal matchups

Eufaula (10-2) at No. 5 Sperry (11-1)

Last week: Sperry 49, Kellyville 7; Eufaula 30, Coalgate 14
Players to watch
- Zac Anderson (Eufaula): Senior running back/linebacker posted 17 tackles and two sacks last week against Coalgate. He also rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries, and he added in a 93-yard touchdown completion.
- Beau Teel (Sperry): Senior QB has passed for 1,365 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Need to know
- All-time series is split at 1-1. Last matchup was in 2013 -- a 27-0 Eufaula victory.
- Eufaula’s last quarterfinal appearance was in 2005. Ironheads are 3-3 in the quarterfinals since 2000.
- Sperry’s last quarterfinal victory was 1992 against Adair. Pirates are 0-4 in the quarterfinals since 1993.

Adair (11-1) at No. 6 Vian (10-2)

Last week: Adair 30, Chisholm 20; Vian 27, Millwood 26
Players to watch
- Austin Hines (Adair): Senior quarterback has passed for 2,206 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns last week against Chisholm.
- Bodhi Vann (Vian): Senior tailback has rushed for 1,350 yards and 21 touchdowns on 137 carries this season. Vann rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown in the Wolverines’ win over Millwood last week.
Need to know
- Vian is unbeaten in three matchups with Adair -- the most recent being a 28-26 win in 2009.
- Vian has rushed for 3,425 yards this season.
- Vian is looking for its first semifinal appearance since back-to-back berths in 2012 and 2013.
- Adair has been in the quarterfinals every year since 2012. The Warriors have gone 2-4 over that span.

No. 7 Washington (10-2) at Metro Christian (11-1)

Last week: Washington 35, Holland Hall 20; Metro Christian 49, Jones 45
Players to watch
- Trevor Stuever (Washington): Senior quarterback has passed for 835 yards and nine touchdowns this season, and he’s also rushed for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns. On defense, he’s had 32 tackles and six interceptions.
- Asher Link (Metro Christian): Junior quarterback has completed 187 of 284 passes for 2,842 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Need to know
- Frist matchup between the two teams.
- Since 2014, Washington has appeared in the 2A quarterfinals three times and advanced once (last season with a 63-21 win over Commerce).
- Metro Christian is 2-6 all-time in the quarterfinals. Last quarterfinal victory was in the 2014 with a 16-13 win over Anadarko in 4A.

No. 8 Kingston (11-1) at No. 3 Beggs (11-1)

Last week: Kingston 41, Antlers 16; Beggs 49, Oklahoma Christian School 22
Players to watch
- Garrett Voyles (Kingston): Leading rusher for a Kingston team that is averaging 39.2 points per game this season.
- Dalton Spring (Beggs): Senior QB has passed for 1,585 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.
Need to know
- First matchup between these two teams.
- Kingston is back in the quarterfinals since 2015 and second time since 1988.
- Beggs has been to the quarterfinals seven times since 2001, but the Demons’ only win was last year on their way to the 3A championship game against John Marshall.

*Photo credit: Russell Stitt

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 5 Player of the Week Poll

10/1/2018 |  Ben Johnson

The Skordle Week 5 Player of the Week poll is sponsored by:

Noah Cortes (Broken Arrow) - Senior tailback rushed for 200 yards and a single-game school-record six touchdowns on 14 carries in the Tigers’ 63-7 win over Norman.

Cameron Gunville (Seminole) - Junior tailback rushed for 319 yards and four touchdowns on 41 carries in the Chieftains’ 50-31 victory over Lincoln Christian.

Corey Ramsey (Okemah) - Senior running back rushed for 359 yards and seven touchdowns on 16 carries in the Panthers’ 70-32 victory over Holdenville.

Brant Hager (Verdigris) - Junior quarterback completed 22 of 33 passes for 537 yards and five touchdowns. Also rushed for 24 yards and one touchdown in the Cardinals’ 45-35 win over Vinita.

Austin Hines (Adair) - Senior quarterback completed 14 of 23 passes for 496 yards and seven touchdowns in the Warriors’ 48-21 win over Wyandotte..

Tayden Lucero (Haskell) - Senior quarterback had 23 carries for 271 yards and four touchdowns, and also completed 9 of 17 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. On defense, had 10 tackles and an 81-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Haymakers’ 44-16 win over Dewey.

Stevie Orr (Davenport) - Senior quarterback rushed for 123 yards and five touchdowns on 18 carries. Completed 20 of 34 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 50-38 win over Dewar.

Josiah Markum (Okla. Christian Academy) - Senor tight end caught nine passes for 398 yards and seven touchdowns. On defense, he finished with four tackle, one interception, one sack, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery in OCA’s 63-42 win over Northeast.

Honorable Mention

Nick Jones (Eufaula) - Rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass in only one half against Hartshorne in the Ironheads’ 41-6 win.

Michelle Artzberger (Lawton Mac) - Caught eight passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Also had six tackles on defense in the Highlanders’ 48-0 win over Southeast.

Cade Shropshire QB (Checotah) - Passed for 172 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns on 16 carries in the Wildcats’ 55-26 win over Okmulgee.

Wyatt Conley (Minco) - Passed for 148 yards and one touchdown and also ran for one touchdown. On defense, had an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown in Minco’s 34-8 win over Watonga.

Laquan Wells (Idabel) - Passed for 186 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 88 yards and three touchdowns in the Warriors’ 70-12 win over Webster.

Dae Dae Leathers (Tahlequah) - Rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in Tahlequah’s 14-7 win over Skiatook.

Danny Brockup (Inola) - Senior running back scored three touchdowns while rushing for 176 yards on 20 carries. Also had one catch for 45 yards in the Longhorns’ 42-0 win over Claremore Sequoyah.

Andrew Crow (Victory Christian) - Rushed for five touchdowns on offense and had two interceptions on defense in the Eagles’ 54-0 win over Fairland.

Garrett Williams (Victory Christian) - Threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns, also rushed seven times for 58 yards and two touchdowns in the Conquerors’ 63-16 victory over Morris.

Jaxon Canard (OCS) - Rushed for 182 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries in the Saints’ 42-22 win over Newkirk.

Senior LB/WR Jonathan Buskirk (Regent Prep) - Had 15 tackles and three tackles for loss on defense. On offense, had two catches for 44 yards and a touchdown in Regent Prep’s 32-22 win over Yale.

Michael Marin (Barnsdall) JR RB - Junior tailback had 244 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries in the Panthers’ 50-36 win over Langston Hughes.

Qwontrel Walker (Stillwater) - Rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. Also had a 44-yard touchdown reception in the Pioneers’ 31-13 win over Midwest City.

Will Dunigan (Spiro) - Caught five passes for 130 yards and one touchdown. On defense, he had 14 tackles in Spiro’s 47-14 win over Westville.

Shade Watie (Tahlequah Sequoyah) - Rushed for 148 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries. Also had six catches for 77 yards and one touchdown in the Indians’ 34-13 win over Pocola.

Drake Roush (Holland Hall) - Completed 14 of 23 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Also had eight tackles on defense in a 49-21 win for the Dutch over Keys.

Conner Carey (Heritage Hall) - Rushed for 188 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Also had three catches for 86 yards in the Chargers’ 27-20 win over John Marshall.

Nate Asbill (Sallisaw) - Rushed for 274 yards and four touchdowns in the Black Diamonds’ 42-21 win over Stilwell.

OLB Cole McMurphy (Crossings Chr) - Recorded 17 tackles and a touchdown off his own blocked punt in Crossings Christian’s 16-14 win over Crescent. 

Makai Blades (Glenpool) - Rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries in the Warriors’ 66-0 win over Hale.

Collin Oliver (Edmond Santa Fe) - Recorded 17 tackles, three tackles for loss, one tackle for a safety and a fumble recovery in the Wolves’ 30-14 win over Yukon.

Blake Lair (Coweta) - Caught six passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ 41-7 win over Durant.

Jahkobie Smith (Del City) - Completed 17 of 22 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns in Del City’s 49-13 win over Putnam City West.

Jeff Foreman (Del City) - Caught 10 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 49-13 win over PC West.

Miles Davis (Lawton) - Rushed for 256 yards and a touchdowns on 35 carries in the Wolverines’ 34-17 win over Deer Creek. 

Trenton Skinner (Shawnee) - Caught seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Also threw a touchdown pass in the Wolves’ 32-27 win over Ponca City.

Brennan Presley (Bixby) - Caught three passed for 51 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 25 yards. Even completed a pass for 34 yards. On defense, he had a 36-yard interception return in the Spartans’ 21-7 win over Booker T. Washington.

Jimmie Coleman (Muskogee) - Rushed for 206 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries. Also caught three passes for 49 yards in the Roughers’ 45-27 win over Sand Springs.