Chandler Lions
Chandler, OK 74834
Record: 5-3 | Unranked
vs Stroud | 14-21 | |
GAME LIVE NOW! | ||
vs Lone Grove | 21-17 | |
GAME LIVE NOW! | ||
@ Clinton | 21-0 | |
GAME LIVE NOW! | ||
vs Sequoyah Tahlequah | W | 49-7 9/27 |
@ Metro Christian | L | 35-0 10/4 |
vs Daniel Webster | W | 69-16 10/10 |
vs Daniel Webster | T | 0-0 10/11 |
@ Westville | 16-42 | |
GAME LIVE NOW! | ||
vs Central Tulsa | W | 47-6 10/25 |
@ Sperry | 11/1 7PM |
vs Dewey | 11/8 7PM |
Week 3 Picks
| Ben Johnson
Last week…
Michael Swisher: 10-2
Ben Johnson: 10-2
Whitt Carter: 9-3
Overall
Swisher & Ben: 28-8
….
….
Whitt: 24-12
Week 3 games
Metro Christian at Holland Hall
Jones at Lincoln Christian
Thomas at Cashion
Heritage Hall at John Marshall
Cherokee at Shattuck
Booker T at McGuinness
Muskogee at Coweta
Noble at Piedmont
Clinton at Millwood
Beggs at Chandler
Alex at Davenport
Pond Creek at Medford
Norman North at Yukon
Berryhill at Cushing
Our picks….
Whitt
Holland Hall
LIncoln
Cashion
Heritage Hall
Shattuck
Booker T
Muskogee
Piedmont
Clinton
Chandler
Davenport
Pond Creek
Norman North
Berryhill
Swisher
Holland Hall
Lincoln
Cashion
Heritage Hall
Shattuck
Booker T
Muskogee
Piedmont
Clinton
Beggs
Davenport
Pond Creek
Norman North
Berryhill
Ben
Holland Hall
Lincoln Christian
Cashion
Heritage Hall
Shattuck
Bishop McGuinness
Muskogee
Piedmont
Clinton
Beggs
Davenport
PC-Hunter
Yukon
Berryhill
Week 1 - OKpreps Standouts
| Ben Johnson
Top performers
Dewar
Joey Fowler - Passing 20 of 22 for 252 yards and 4 TD’s 0 int’s / Rushing 19 for 156 yards and 1 TD / 11 tackles on defense
Vian
Javyn Wright - 24 rushes 249 yards 3 tds / 1 passing td
Grove
Emmanuel Crawford - 29 rushes, 197 yards, 1 TD / 2 receptions, 33 yards
Lawton Mac
Nasir Kemper - 4TDs / Kickoff return TD / 98 yard TD run / 2 yard TD run / 21 yard TD reception / 250+ all purpose yards
Tonkawa
Tristan Burdick - 231 yds on 15 carries for 4 tds
Kellyville
Trevor Jones - 19 carries for 236 yds and 3 tds
Durant
Fransisco Avila - 19 rushes, 332 yards, 5 TDs
Stillwater
Qwontrel Walker - 29 carries, 228 yards, 5 TDs
Chelsea
Cash Ramsey - 23 carries, 300 yards, 4 TDs
Bixby
Mason Williams - 26/40 passing, 5 TDs, 231 yds
Honor roll
McLoud
Clint Campbell - Soph. RB - 15 carries for 121 yards, 2-TD’s, 2-2 pt. conv.
3 catches for 67 yards. 1 TD
Holland Hall
Owen Ostroski: 9 solo tackles/2 assisted/6.5 for loss/ 4 QB hurries/2 sacks/ 1 forced fumble
Depew
Tavin Hunt - 10 carries 117 yards and 2 rushing TDs. 2 catches for 25 yards. 15 tackles and 2 picks (1 being a pick 6)
Tulsa Memorial
Elvis Grayson: Senior - 2 rushing TDs / 1 catch for a 2pt Conv. / 8 Tackles 1 TFL
Scored 14 of team’s 15 points
He helped stop Central on 4th and inches late in the fourth quarter and got the first down to seal the game!
Inola
Landon Prows was 20-33 for 345 yards, 3 td's and 0 picks.
Gavin Williams caught 4 passes for 165 and 2 td's.
Thomas
Ethan Hamberlin 15 carries 211 yards 2 TD
Jayce Miller 8 tackles- Int- blocked punt
Cache
Hunter Tate. 6 carries 118 yards 2TDs, 2 receptions 63 yds 1TD / 7 Tackles / He only played first half
Dewar
Ty Whitlow - 11 catches for 193 yards and 3 TD’s
Lawton
Christian Houston - 20 carries 150 yards 2 tds
Ardmore
Anton Scallion - 16 carries for 190 yards & 3 TDs
Wagoner
Braden Drake - 159 yards on 18 carries with 2 tds. Also had 8 tackles
Isaac Smith - 8 tackles, 3 sacks, and a fumble recovery
Christian Heritage
Kye Davis - 10/17 passing, 262yds. 3 TDS and 1 int / 3 carries, 47 yds
Cade Hale - 5 receptions, 186 yds, 1 TD / 4 tackles
Cashion
Brexton Green - 7-198-4TDs receiving
Purcell
Sam Wofford - 12 tackles, 1 sack
Kody Kroth - 19-34 for 339 2tds no Ints
Crescent
Hunter Wilmoth - 10 rushes 150 yds 3 rushing td. 1 passing td
Chandler
Casmen Hill - 10 carries for 143 yds, 2 TD / 95 yard kick return for a TD / 4 receptions for 53 yds
Frederick
Adrian Gaytan - 9-14 passing, 167 yds 2 td’s
Pawnee
Trevor Mitchell - 19 rushes, 144 yards, 1 TD
Blake Skidgel - 20 rushes, 109 yards, 3 TDs
Carl Albert
Noah Dobson (offensive tackle) - Coaching staff graded him at a 90 percent
Antlers
Isaac Sorrells - Kick return for a TD / Rushing TD / two 2pt conversions / 48 yards receiving / 12 tackles
Grove
Greg McCurdy - 4 catches, 124 yards, 2 TDs
Weatherford
Sam Hoffman - 14 carries 174yds 4 TD’s / 7 tackles
Piedmont
Caden Hendren - 3 catches for 100 yards 2 TDS / 11 tackles on defense.
Collinsville
Oscar Hammond (WR/FS Junior) - 3 catches for 119, 2tds / 6 tackles
Verdigris
Alec James - 117 rushing yards and 2 TD / 40 receiving yards and 1 TD / 4 tackles
Checotah
Dontierre Fisher - 11 carries 156 yards, 3 tds
Washington
Luke Hendrix - 4 receptions 132 yards and 2 td
Atoka
Andrew McCall - 3 carries 158 yards rushing, two touchdowns
Salina
Jack Wilkins soph QB - 17 carries 157 yds rushing long of 66, 2 TD, 1 pass TD
Skiatook
Jace Woodrow (Corner) - 2 interceptions, 1 pick 6, 4 tackles.
Barnsdall
Hunter Auschwitz - 13 carries, 128 yards, 3 TDs / 4 tackles, 1 sack
Carson Auschwitz - 12 tackles, 5 for loss / 1 rush, 25 yards / 5 catches, 38 yards
Enid
Nate Gamble - 5 pancake blocks after rehabbing sprained ankle all week long
Porter
Caleb Brewer - 14 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
East Central
Cunu Fields - 6/10 passing, 241 yards, 5 TDs + 1 67-yard rushing TD
Stigler
Ridge McClary - 14 rushes, 115 yds, 1 TD
Bruce Engle - 12 tackles, 2 sacks
Chelsea
William Hampton - 4/9 passing, 63 yards, 2 TDs + 12 rushes, 121 yards, 2 TDs
Tahlequah
Malik McMurtrey - 26 rushes, 135 yards, 1 TD
Have a player of the week candidate? Let us know. Email Ben Johnson at benjohnsontdp@gmail.com
**PHOTO CREDIT - JASON ELMQUIST - STILLWATER NEWSPRESS
Week 4 picks
| Ben Johnson
Well, I can't lie, my performance in Week 3 was disgraceful. It's been a rough go of it for myself and Whitt this season. But we're just waiting for district play to kick it into gear.
Week 3 picks - Swisher 11-3 | Coach Turney 10-4 | Whitt 9-5 | Ben 8-6
Overall - Swisher 51-22 | Turney 48-25 | Ben 43-30 | Whitt 42-31
Week 4 picks comin' at ya:
Jenks at Broken Arrow
Michael Swisher: Broken Arrow 23, Jenks 14
Ben Johnson: Broken Arrow 24, Jenks 17
Whitt Carter: Broken Arrow 27, Jenks 17
Randy Turney: Broken Arrow 21, Jenks 20
Blanchard at Bethany
Michael Swisher: Blanchard 34, Bethany 25
Ben Johnson: Blanchard 32, Bethany 27
Whitt Carter: Blanchard 34, Bethany 31
Randy Turney: Blanchard 28, Bethany 7
Lawton at Midwest City
Michael Swisher: Midwest City 35, Lawton 30
Ben Johnson: Lawton 21, Midwest City 20
Whitt Carter: Midwest City 27, Lawton 17
Randy Turney: Midwest City 35, Lawton 31
Owasso at Union
Michael Swisher: Owasso 38, Union 30
Ben Johnson: Union 34, Owasso 28
Whitt Carter: Union 42, Owasso, 40
Randy Turney: Union 28, Owasso 24
Thomas at Hooker
Michael Swisher: Hooker 21, Thomas 18
Ben Johnson: Hooker 25, Thomas 24
Whitt Carter: Thomas 21, Hooker 14
Randy Turney: Hooker 20, Thomas 14
Noble at Duncan
Michael Swisher: Duncan 22, Noble 7
Ben Johnson: Duncan 28, Noble 24
Whitt Carter: Duncan 28, Noble 14
Randy Turney: Duncan 24, Noble 13
Wagoner at Catoosa
Michael Swisher: Wagoner 24, Catoosa 22
Ben Johnson: Catoosa 20, Wagoner 17
Whitt Carter: Wagoner 27, Catoosa 24
Randy Turney: Wagoner 34, Catoosa 20
Bixby at Sapulpa
Michael Swisher: Bixby 29, Sapulpa 20
Ben Johnson: Bixby 33, Sapulpa 31
Whitt Carter: Bixby 42, Sapulpa 21
Randy Turney: Bixby 30, Sapulpa 14
Lawton MacArthur at Ardmore
Michael Swisher: Ardmore 31, Lawton MacArthur 22
Ben Johnson: Ardmore 32, Lawton MacArthur 23
Whitt Carter: Ardmore 34, Lawton MacArthur 21
Randy Turney: Ardmore 22, Lawton MacArthur 7
Cashion at Christian Heritage
Michael Swisher: Cashion 33, Christian Heritage 14
Ben Johnson: Cashion 41, Christian Heritage 17
Whitt Carter: Cashion 37, Christian Heritage 27
Randy Turney: Cashion 34, Christian Heritage 14
Guthrie at Piedmont
Michael Swisher: Guthrie 28, Piedmont 21
Ben Johnson: Guthrie 30, Piedmont 20
Whitt Carter: Guthrie 21, Piedmont 13
Randy Turney: Guthrie 31, Piedmont 13
Stigler at Lincoln Christian
Michael Swisher: Lincoln Christian 31, Stigler 24
Ben Johnson: Lincoln Christian 22, Stigler 20
Whitt Carter: Lincoln Christian 38, Stigler 28
Randy Turney: Lincoln Christian 38, Stigler 20
Chandler at Jones
Michael Swisher: Jones 30, Chandler 19
Ben Johnson: Chandler 17, Jones 16
Whitt Carter: Jones 32, Chandler 20
Randy Turney: Jones 42, Chandler 14
Haskell at Sperry
Michael Swisher: Sperry 34, Haskell 10
Ben Johnson: Sperry 27, Haskell 20
Whitt Carter: Sperry 34, Haskell 13
Randy Turney: Sperry 20, Haskell 14
Meeker at Kellyville
Michael Swisher: Kellyville 19, Meeker 14
Ben Johnson: Kellyville 22, Meeker 18
Whitt Carter: Kellyville 21, Meeker 17
Randy Turney: Kellyville 18, Meeker 14
Spiro at Vian
Michael Swisher: Vian 33, Spiro 23
Ben Johnson: Vian 29, Spiro 21
Whitt Carter: Vian 42, Spiro 21
Randy Turney: Vian 31, Spiro 20
Pawnee at Tonkawa
Michael Swisher: Tonkawa 24, Pawnee 18
Ben Johnson: Tonkawa 20, Pawnee 16
Whitt Carter: Tonkawa 37, Pawnee 26
Randy Turney: Tonkawa 28, Pawnee 20
Davenport at Strother
Michael Swisher: Davenport 55, Strother 20
Ben Johnson: Davenport 61, Strother 12
Whitt Carter: Davenport 50, Strother 14
Randy Turney: Davenport 58, Strother 12
Let us know what you think. Tweet your predictions to us at @Skordle.
Week 4: Top 10 games
| Ben Johnson
District play has arrived in full force, and there are great games all over the state this week.
Narrowing down the list to the top 10 games wasn't easy, but here it is:
1. 6AI No. 2 Jenks (3-0) at 6AI No. 1 Broken Arrow (3-0): This game was an offensive showcase for both teams last year, despite a relatively low-scoring 26-13 final, which was won by Jenks. Both teams accumulated more than 400 yards on offense, and Noah Cortes rushed for 164 yards on 22 carries. But it was Jenks quarterback Ian Corwin who passed for 365 yards and three scores. And thus Jenks' domination of Broken Arrow throughout the years continued. The Trojans have gone 14-2 against Broken Arrow since the Tigers won back-to-back seasons against Jenks in 2002 and '03.
2. 4A No. 1 Blanchard (3-0) at 4A No. 5 Bethany (3-0): Heck of a way to get things started in 4A-2. Blanchard is 6-3 against Bethany since 2008, but the two club have altered wins in the series since 2013. And it was Blanchard who won last year, 17-0.
3. 6AII No. 6 Lawton at 6AII No. 2 Midwest City (2-1): Expect points aplenty. Between Lawton's Miles Davis and Midwest City's Preston Colbert, there should be plenty of offensive fireworks. Midwest City has won the last two meetings, including a 41-35 victory last season.
4. 6AI No. 3 Owasso (1-2) at 6AI No. 4 Union (1-2): The Rams have scored at will this season with Will Kuehne at quarterback, but Owasso's defense has failed to stop anyone. Owasso is yielding an average of 44 points per game, and that's exactly how much Union scored against the Rams in last year's regular-season showdown. But then Owasso got its revenge with a 21-14 victory in the 6AI title game.
5. A No. 5 Thomas (2-1) at A No. 1 Hooker (3-0): Hooker has punished some out-of-state teams recently with wins over Booker (Texas) and Clayton (New Mexico). But now the Bulldogs return the the Sooner State and get fifth-ranked Thomas in District 1 play. Thomas won last year's game, 20-0, and expect another moderately low-scoring game again this year.
6. 5A No. 10 Noble (2-1) at 5A No. 8 Duncan (3-0): Talk a one-sided matchup throughout history. Since 1999, Duncan is 8-0 against Noble and the closest result along the way a 21-0 win for Duncan in 2006. The rest have been routs, including the last meeting between the two -- a 41-0 pummeling in 2011.
7. 4A No. 2 Wagoner (3-0) at Catoosa (3-0): Copy and paste the Noble-Duncan series information here. Only it's Wagoner owning the series for more than two decades. Since 1996, Wagoner is 10-1 against Catoosa, with the Indians' lone victory in 2011 (45-27). The two clubs have shared District 4A-3 real estate since 2010, and this one will go a long way in determining who finishes atop 4A-3 this year.
8. 6AII No. 3 Bixby (2-1) at 6AII No. 8 Sapulpa (3-0): Eli Williams and Co. have posted some impressive wins over Edison, Claremore and East Central and are off to a 3-0 start -- the best start to a Chieftains' season since going 4-0 to begin the 2013 campaign. The winning streak in 2013 was snapped by Jenks in Week 5 and Bixby followed with a win over the Chieftains. That actually began a current five-game winning streak for the Spartans over Sapulpa, including last year's 48-10 rout.
9. Lawton MacArthur (1-1) at 5A No. 2 Ardmore (3-0): The Tigers may be the higher-ranked team here, but it's been Lawton MacArthur with all the wins in this series dating back to 2005. The Highlanders won last season against Ardmore, 36-7, but the games in 2016 and 2015 were both decided by one point apiece.
10. A No. 2 Cashion (4-0, 1-0 A-3) at Christian Heritage (2-1, 1-0): These two reunite for the first time since 2009. The Wildcats' offense gets its rightful share of attention, but so far it's been the Cashion defense that has been dominant, allowing a total of 18 points through four games. And in an incredibly-deep District A-3, every victory is important.
Honorable mention
5A No. 9 Guthrie at Piedmont: Bluejays are 7-1 since the two started playing each other in 2006.
Stigler at 3A No. 4 Lincoln Christian: District 3A-3 is going to be deep, and someone among Lincoln Christian, Seminole, Stigler, Checotah and Idabel is going to miss the playoffs. Look for plenty of offensive fireworks in this one.
Chandler at 2A No. 4 Jones: Jones is 4-0 against Chandler since 1999, including a 58-6 victory in last year's playoffs.
Haskell at 2A No. 2 Sperry: The last time these two met was 2007 -- a 20-7 win for Sperry.
Meeker at Kellyville: Both clubs are off to surprising 3-0 starts, and they meet for the first time.
Spiro at 2A No. 3 Vian: Wolverines are 4-0 against Spiro since 2006, including a 32-14 win in the last meeting in 2013.
Pawnee at Tonkawa: Playoffs spots in District A-5 look like they will be difficult to come by with the likes of Barnsdall, Morrison, Pawhuska, Tonkawa and Pawnee off to solid starts. Since 2008, Tonkawa has won seven of eight meetings against the Black Bears.
B No. 2 Davenport at Strother: The Bulldogs have mercy-ruled Strother the past two seasons, but Strother is coming off solid wins of its own against Bowlegs and Sasakwa. One problem for Strother: Davenport posted 80 points last week!
So who wins all the matchups? Check back for our weekly picks on Thursday.
Gray, Bacon reunited in Chandler
Football | | Jacob Unruh | NewsOK
Stroud's Elerick bulks up for junior year
| Ben Johnson
Grant Elerick's measurements won't jump off the page at you -- but he's working on it. Following a sophomore season, where he passed for 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns, Elerick is all about sizing up.
"Putting weight on and getting stronger and faster were my main focus points for my own self improvement," Elerick (6 feet tall, 150 pounds) said of his offseason activities leading up to his junior season this year. "As far as football goes, I went to various camps to improve all aspects of my game."
It may be a short sample size, but so far so good. In Stroud's 44-22 win over Chandler, Elerick completed 23 of 27 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns -- good enough to be voted as this week's Skordle Player of the Week.
"Overall, I was proud of how we performed as a team," Elerick said of the victory over the Lions. "Beating Chandler is always fun. It was a good game, but not a perfect game. There are still many areas we need to improve upon."
One area Elerick hopes the Tigers can alter their fortunes this season is in the health department. Myriad of injuries derailed the Tigers in 2017, resulting a 4-6 campaign and on the outside looking in during last season's playoffs.
"Last year, we struggled with injuries," Elerick said. "This year, to be successful, we need our best guys on the field as much as possible and without injuries. We have a lot of talent, so stepping up to the challenge and performing at the level that I know we can will be our main focus."
For Elerick, football in Stroud has become a full-time family activity. His father, Chris, is now in his 14th year at the helm for the Tigers. And Grant is joined by his twin brother, Drew, who plays wide receiver and linebacker.
"There are pros and cons that can go both ways with that," Grant Elerick said of playing for his dad and with his brother. "For the most part, I enjoy it. My brother is a great teammate and an all-around positive person. I am very grateful to be able to play with a guy like him.
"As a head coach, my dad set the bar really high for this season. There is more pressure and more on the table for me with him being my head coach, but I'm always ready to step up to a challenge. I enjoy playing for a guy like him."
And if Grant is anything like the player he's tried to mold himself after, he shouldn't have any problems coming his way.
"As of now, I love watching Baker Mayfield," Grant Elerick said. "The way he competes and the passion he has for the game is something I look up to. He is a true leader of men."
Class 2A preview
| Ben Johnson
Look back at 2017
2017 district champs
2A-1: Chisholm - The Longhorns were golden when they weren't facing Washington in 2017. Luckily for them, Washington was in a different district, so Chisholm made an unbeaten 6-0 run through A-1 last season, including a 33-21 victory over Alva in October. But unfortuntaely for Chisholm, its only two losses were to Washington in non-district play in September and then in the second round of the playoffs in November.
2A-2: Millwood - A machine -- that's what Millwood was in 2017. The Falcons scored no fewer than 37 points in all 14 of their games, and they never gave up more than 18. That's pure dominance. And to cap it all off, Millwood outscored its opponents 228 to 7 in the postseason.
2A-3: Lindsay - The Leopards were hard to get a read on in 2017, but they finished atop 2A-3 by the end of the regular season. A 27-21 loss to Hobart landed Lindsay in a tie atop the district with Washington, but the Leopards followed that loss with a 38-21 victory over Washington to claim the tiebreaker. But while Washington was making a run to the state championship game, Lindsay ended up with a second-round loss to Alva to cap a 7-5 season.
2A-4: Davis - Head coach Jody Weber capped his 17-year run as the Wolves' head coach with the program's 34th district title. Davis knocked off every 2A opponent it faced in 2017 until it clashed with Washington in the semifinals.
2A-5: Vian - The Wolverines coasted in 2A-5 play, winning all five contests comfortable. The closest was a 26-12 win over Okemah in late October. The district title segued into playoff wins over Panama and Victory Christian and the first two rounds, but then Millwood was waiting in the quarterfinals to pull the plug on Vian's postseason run.
2A-6: Valliant - Really only one word sums up 2A-6 in 2017: craziness. Five -- yes, five! -- teams finished atop the district standings at 4-2. It was Valliant that ended up with its fifth district crown, and then there was Hartshorne that missed the playoffs altogether. Valliant, Spiro and Antlers all won their first round playoff matchups, but none of the three advanced past the second round.
2A-7: Holland Hall - It was the first district championship for the Dutch, a team that had joined the OSSAA ranks in 2016 after transitioning over from the Southwest Preparatory Conference with mostly Texas teams. Holland Hall looked like a potential opponent for Millwood in the finals, but a furious comeback by Davis in the quarterfinals ended the Dutch's postseason run.
2A-8: Adair - The Warriors picked up their seventh straight district title, thanks in large part to a 36-14 win over Commerce in the final week of the regular season. Adair marched into the quarterfinals, where Alva dispatched the Warriors with a 40-8 rout.
Talking title game: Millwood 42, Washington 7
An underdog heading into the game, Washington struck first and looked like it might elevate Millwood's stress level for the first time during the 2017 season. But all the Falcons did was respond with 42 straight points to coast to their seventh state championship. Running back Marcus Major ran for 152 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries for the Falcons, and Dezmond Howard scored on both sides of the ball (a 40-yard TD reception and an 82-yard fumble return). Millwood ended up forcing four Washington turnovers in the game.
On to 2018...
Players to watch
- Marcus Major (Millwood): Not great news for the rest of Class 2A that Major returns in the Falcons' backfield in 2018. The Oklahoma commit had 1,155 yards and 23 touchdowns on 102 carries last season. Also mixed in 23 catches for 490 yards and five touchdowns.
- Laike Wilhelm (Newkirk): Another
1,000-yard rusher returning to the 2A landscape in 2018. Wilhelm
totaled 1,097 yards and 16 touchdowns on 174 carries as a junior in
2017.
- Owen Ostroski (Holland Hall): Had a monster season as a freshman for the Dutch in 2017. Ostrokski was a key cog along the defensive front with 13 1/2 sacks.
- Gus Smith (Stratford): As a sophomore, Smith fell just short of the 1,000-yard rushing mark. He amassed 934 yards and nine touchdowns on 155 carries.
- Barrett Bradbury (Adair): The next in the long line of Bradbury's to shine in high school football. B.J. Bradbury led the Warriors to the 2015 championship, and now it's Barrett's varsity turn. As a sophomore in 2017, Barrett caught 55 passes for 1,011 yards and 17 touchdowns, and on defense he had 116 tackles and four interceptions.
- Austin Hines (Adair): The engineer of Adair's high-flying offense. During his junior season last year, Hines passed for 2,866 yards and 43 touchdowns while completing 166 of 275 pass attempts.
- Peyton Wilson (Luther): Burst onto the scene during his sophomore year in 2017. Tossed for 2,576 yards and 38 touchdowns while connecting on 64.3 percent (160 of 249) of his passes.
- Tayden Lucero (Haskell): Haymakers' quarterback tossed for 751 yards and five touchdowns, but he did most of his damage with his lags, racking up 681 yards and 17 touchdowns on 155 carries.
- Dalton Spring (Beggs): The Demons lost talent from the 2017 roster that finished as the 3A runner-up. The Beggs returns Spring, who starred at quarterback during his junior season. He completed 107 of 179 passes for 1,967 yards and 21 touchdowns.
- Bodhi Vann (Vian): The leading rusher for the two-headed monster in Vian last season. Vann racked up 1,875 yards and 23 touchdowns on 256 carries.
- River Simon (Vian): Vian's quarterback didn't need to pass the ball much last year with himself and Vann running the ball so often. Simon rushed for 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns, and he also led the Wolverines on defense with a team-high 91 tackles.
- Kaden Speer (Antlers): Completed 144 of 207 passes for 1,348 yards and 12 touchdowns during his junior campaign in 2017.
- Trevor Stuever (Washington): Tyler Stuever was Washington's key cog in the rushing game last year with 2,483 yards, and now Trevor takes over after a junior year that included 839 yards and nine touchdowns on 104 carries.
District debriefs
2A-1: Chisholm, Alva and Hennessey -- the top three finishers in the district last season -- all return to the 2A-1 mix. Perry and Newkirk are the only other familiar faces with Tonkawa and Pawhuska vacating. The biggest addition will be Oklahoma Christian School, which claimed the 3A-1 title last season. Luther, who finished second to Millwood in 2A-2, joins the district and so does Centennial.
2A-2: This district has undergone a full facelift. Millwood dominated in this space for two years, but they're relocated to a new 2A district. Now it's Jones as the central figure at the top, after moving down from 3A. Prague, who finished second to Jones in 3A-2, makes the move with the Longhorns. Okemah, a member of 2A-5 recently, makes the move as another playoff team last year. The rest of the district includes Henryetta, Holdenville, Kellyville, Meeker and Chandler.
2A-3: This becomes an eastside district for the next two years, after recently featuring Hobart, Lindsay and district champ Washington. Now it's occupied by Victory Christian, Beggs, Haskell and Sperry -- all playoff teams in 2A or 3A last season. Dewey, Morris and Caney Valley are three other additions, and Kiefer joins the group after not long ago being an eight-man team.
2A-4: Welcome to basically what was 2A-8 last season. Adair, 2A-8 champion last year, heads the district and they have familiar faces in Wyandotte, Chelsea and Nowata. Metro Christian falls two classes and joins 2A-4, it'll be joined by Chouteau, Kansas and Salina.
2A-5: It's Vian leading the pack again, but with almost a new crew around it. Westville, Tahlequah Sequoyah and Keys move in from 3A, and Holland Hall shifts over after cruising to the 2A-7 crown last year. The rest of the field includes Panama, Pocola and Spiro.
2A-6: Let's just hope this district doesn't turn into such a mess at the end of this season. It will feature Antlers, Valliant, Hartshorne, Wilburton and Hugo again. They will welcome Atoka, Eufaula and Heavener to the festivities for the next two years.
2A-7: Millwood's new landing spot -- and it comes with a perennial contender in Washington. The 2A title game rematch will come at some point during district play with Washington shifting over from 2A-3 and Millwood moving from 2A-2. The other six teams include Crooked Oak, Lexington, Little Axe, Star Spencer, Community Christian and Stratford.
2A-8: This is practically 2A-4 from recent memory. Davis, Kingston, Coalgate, Marietta and Tishomingo will all recognize one another, and they'll have new district mates in Comanche, Dickson and Lindsay.
What’s new? (coaches on the move)
- Ron Smith, after leading Victory Christian to the 2A title game in 2016, stepped down after leading the Conquerors back to the playoffs in 2017. Now Dub Maddox takes over after serving as Jenks' offensive coordinator.
- Mike Shklar takes over at Alva after Taylor Schwerdtfeger's three-year run.
- Not long ago (2015) Haskell was in the Class 2A title game under Greg Wilson. Rusty Harris took over for one year in 2017, and now he's elevated to superintendent of Haskell Public Schools. One of his first hires was Frank Marsaln to run the football program.
- Lee Blankenship took over at Bartlesville not long after leading the Demons to the 3A championship game. Now the reins at Beggs have been handed over to David Tenison.
- Matt Hagebusch returned home to Chelsea, and at first he didn't intended to take over the football program. But now he'll lead the Dragons into the 2018 season after recently serving as head coach at Claremore Sequoyah.
- Chris McMullen led Keys back to the postseason, but he stepped down after the 2017 campaign. In steps Mitchell Crittenden, who was recently the head coach at another Cherokee County team, Hulbert, in the early 2010s.
- A Weber family member had been leading the Davis Wolves since 1988, but then Jody Weber stepped down this offseason after going 193-34 in 17 seasons. Now long-time assistant Greg Parker is the head coach for the Wolves.
Fun facts:
- No team in Oklahoma has a longer streak of consecutive playoff appearances than Davis. The Wolves have punched their playoff ticket for the past 34 seasons, dating back to 1984.
- Millwood owns a 28-game winning streak headed into the 2018 season.
Prediction time
Ben: Watch out for Metro Christian dropping down from Class 4A | Jones will be just fine despite J.D. Head moving out of the state | Get to know Sperry's Beau Teel -- he's really good | Vian continues to win big with a Simon family member leading the way (someone in that family ought to run for mayor) | Holland Hall will be good, but losing Vance Mullendore hurts | Beggs still has enough to talent to make a big splash in 2A | Davis makes another playoff appearance (shocker!) | Made it this far without mentioning Millwood, but here it is: Falcons lose a game in 2018 but still win the title.
Swisher: Ben touched on most the points I was going to...and then some | This will be the first time in three full decades a Weber isn't the head coach at Davis. | Like Ben said, the Wolves' tradition will easily carry on in 2018. It will be interesting to watch its trajectory beyond that | Last year's Millwood team was one of the best small-school teams this state has ever seen. How will this one match up? That's what I'm looking for. | Speaking of matching up: No 2A team can do that with the Falcons. Send that gold ball to northeast OKC.
Whitt Carter: No surprise here, going with Millwood.
Guest picker - Hall of Fame coach Randy Turney: Yep, make it 4 for 4. I'm going with Millwood to win the title.
*Photos courtesy of Joey Johnson & Abby Blankenship
Week 8 Pay Dirt Picks & Results
| 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
| 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
| Michael Swisher
6A Division-I
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Union
- Jenks
- Deer Creek
- Norman
- Edmond Memorial
- Mustang
- Moore
- Broken Arrow
6A Division-II
- Muskogee
- Stillwater
- Choctaw
- Sand Springs
- Piedmont
- Putnam City North
- Putnam City
- Sapulpa
- Southmoore
- Lawton Ike
Class 5A
- Carl Albert
- Del City
- Lawton Mac
- McAlester
- Guthrie
- Bishop McGuinness
- Collinsville
- Booker T. Washington
- Newcastle
- Shawnee
Class 4A
- Wagoner
- Elgin
- Tuttle
- Blanchard
- Broken Bow
- Clinton
- Poteau
- Sallisaw
- Bethany
- Weatherford
Class 3A
- Lincoln Christian
- Heritage Hall
- Sulphur
- Cascia Hall
- North Rock Creek
- Plainview
- Perkins-Tryon
- Sequoyah-Claremore
- Pauls Valley
- Idabel
Class 2A Division-I
- Washington
- Millwood
- Metro Christian
- Kingston
- Marlow
- Jones
- Kiefer
- Perry
- Crossings Christian
- Hugo
Class 2A Division-II
- Vian
- Adair
- Stroud
- Davis
- Holdenville
- Alva
- Beggs
- Colcord
- Kansas
- Community Christian
Class A Division-I
- Hooker
- Fairview
- Rejoice Christian
- Christian Heritage
- Walters
- Pawnee
- Pawhuska
- Pocola
- Hartshorne
- Wynnewood
Class A Division-II
- Woodland
- Mangum
- Regent Prep
- Hominy
- Talihina
- Thomas
- Texhoma
- Ketchum
- Central Sallisaw
- Velma-Alma
Class B Division-I
- Laverne
- Dewar
- Yale
- Turpin
- Garber
- Caddo
- Empire
- Hollis
- Keota
- Drumright
Class B Division-II
- Seiling
- Weleetka
- Covington-Douglas
- Okeene
- Wilson-Henryetta
- Copan
- Boise City
- Waukomis
- Shattuck
- Cyril
Class C
- Tipton
- Timberlake
- Ryan
- Welch
- Tyrone
- Maysville
- Geary
- Medford
- Paoli
- Sasakwa
Week 7 Pay Dirt Picks
| 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
| Michael Swisher
Week 7 High School Football Rankings
| Michael Swisher
6A Division-I
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Deer Creek
- Union
- Jenks
- Edmond Memorial
- Broken Arrow
- Moore
- Mustang
- Norman
6A Division-II
- Muskogee
- Stillwater
- Choctaw
- Sand Springs
- Piedmont
- Putnam City North
- Putnam City
- Sapulpa
- Lawton Ike
- Southmoore
Class 5A
- Carl Albert
- Del City
- Lawton Mac
- Collinsville
- McAlester
- Guthrie
- Bishop McGuinness
- Booker T. Washington
- Newcastle
- Shawnee
Class 4A
- Wagoner
- Elgin
- Tuttle
- Blanchard
- Broken Bow
- Grove
- Weatherford
- Clinton
- Poteau
- Cushing
Class 3A
- Lincoln Christian
- Heritage Hall
- Sulphur
- Plainview
- Cascia Hall
- North Rock Creek
- Bristow
- Perkins-Tryon
- Checotah
- Sequoyah-Claremore
Class 2A Division-I
- Washington
- Millwood
- Metro Christian
- Marlow
- Kingston
- Jones
- Hugo
- OCS
- Kiefer
- Chisholm
Class 2A Division-II
- Vian
- Adair
- Stroud
- Davis
- Holdenville
- Colcord
- Luther
- Salina
- Alva
- Beggs
Class A Division-I
- Fairview
- Hooker
- Rejoice Christian
- Hartshorne
- Christian Heritage
- Walters
- Pawnee
- Pawhuska
- Pocola
- Wynnewood
Class A Division-II
- Woodland
- Mangum
- Texhoma
- Regent Prep
- Hominy
- Talihina
- Thomas
- Ketchum
- Central Sallisaw
- Velma-Alma
Class B Division-I
- Laverne
- Turpin
- Dewar
- Yale
- Garber
- Caddo
- Empire
- Hollis
- Keota
- Pond Creek-Hunter
Class B Division-II
- Seiling
- Weleetka
- Covington-Douglas
- Okeene
- Wilson-Henryetta
- Shattuck
- Copan
- Cherokee
- Thackerville
- Boise City
Class C
- Tipton
- Ryan
- Timberlake
- Welch
- Tyrone
- Maysville
- Geary
- Sasakwa
- Medford
- Balko-Forgan
Week 6 Pay Dirt Picks
| 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
| Michael Swisher
SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 6 (2024) Part II - REVISITING AUBURN 25 YEARS LATER
| 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
| Michael Swisher
6A Division-I
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Deer Creek
- Union
- Jenks
- Edmond Memorial
- Moore
- Mustang
- Norman
- Broken Arrow
6A Division-II
- Muskogee
- Stillwater
- Choctaw
- Sand Springs
- Piedmont
- Putnam City North
- Putnam City
- Sapulpa
- Lawton Ike
- Southmoore
Class 5A
- Carl Albert
- Del City
- Bishop McGuinness
- Lawton Mac
- Collinsville
- McAlester
- Guthrie
- Claremore
- Booker T. Washington
- Newcastle
Class 4A
- Wagoner
- Elgin
- Tuttle
- Blanchard
- Broken Bow
- Grove
- Weatherford
- Bethany
- Clinton
- Poteau
Class 3A
- Lincoln Christian
- Heritage Hall
- Sulphur
- Plainview
- Cascia Hall
- Pauls Valley
- Bristow
- Seminole
- North Rock Creek
- Checotah
Class 2A Division-I
- Washington
- Millwood
- Metro Christian
- Marlow
- Kingston
- OCS
- Jones
- Crossings Christian
- Hugo
- Kiefer
Class 2A Division-II
- Vian
- Adair
- Stroud
- Davis
- Holdenville
- Colcord
- Kansas
- Alva
- Beggs
- Luther
Class A Division-I
- Fairview
- Hooker
- Rejoice Christian
- Hartshorne
- Tonkawa
- Christian Heritage
- Walters
- Pawnee
- Pawhuska
- Minco
Class A Division-II
- Woodland
- Hominy
- Mangum
- Regent Prep
- Texhoma
- Thomas
- Talihina
- Central Sallisaw
- Mooreland
- Ringling
Class B Division-I
- Laverne
- Turpin
- Dewar
- Yale
- Garber
- Pond Creek-Hunter
- Caddo
- Hollis
- Empire
- Keota
Class B Division-II
- Seiling
- Weleetka
- Okeene
- Covington-Douglas
- Wilson-Henryetta
- Shattuck
- Webbers Falls
- Thackerville
- Waukomis
- Copan
Class C
- Tipton
- Ryan
- Timberlake
- Welch
- Tyrone
- Maysville
- Waynoka
- Geary
- Paoli
- Sasakwa
Week 5 Pay Dirt Picks
| 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
| 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
| Michael Swisher
6A Division-I
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Union
- Deer Creek
- Jenks
- Moore
- Norman
- Edmond Memorial
- Mustang
- Broken Arrow
6A Division-II
- Muskogee
- Stillwater
- Choctaw
- Sand Springs
- Putnam City
- Putnam City North
- Piedmont
- Southmoore
- Sapulpa
- Bartlesville
Class 5A
- Carl Albert
- Del City
- Bishop McGuinness
- Lawton Mac
- Collinsville
- McAlester
- Guthrie
- Claremore
- Shawnee
- Booker T. Washington
Class 4A
- Wagoner
- Elgin
- Tuttle
- Blanchard
- Sallisaw
- Poteau
- Bethany
- Cushing
- Grove
- Weatherford
Class 3A
- Lincoln Christian
- Heritage Hall
- Sulphur
- Pauls Valley
- Plainview
- Seminole
- Cascia Hall
- Idabel
- Anadarko
- Muldrow
Class 2A Division-I
- Washington
- Millwood
- Metro Christian
- Jones
- Marlow
- Kingston
- OCS
- Mount St. Mary
- Chandler
- Crossings Christian
Class 2A Division-II
- Vian
- Adair
- Stroud
- Davis
- Holdenville
- Beggs
- Colcord
- Kansas
- Alva
- Luther
Class A Division-I
- Fairview
- Hooker
- Rejoice Christian
- Pocola
- Pawhuska
- Wynnewood
- Hartshorne
- Tonkawa
- Christian Heritage
- Walters
Class A Division-II
- Woodland
- Regent Prep
- Hominy
- Mooreland
- Mangum
- Thomas
- Velma-Alma
- Texhoma
- Talihina
- Central Sallisaw
Class B Division-I
- Laverne
- Turpin
- Dewar
- Yale
- Garber
- Pond Creek-Hunter
- Keota
- Caddo
- Hollis
- Empire
Class B Division-II
- Seiling
- Weleetka
- Okeene
- Covington-Douglas
- Wilson-Henryetta
- Shattuck
- Webbers Falls
- Thackerville
- Waukomis
- Copan
Class C
- Tipton
- Ryan
- Timberlake
- Welch
- Tyrone
- Maysville
- Mt. View-Gotebo
- Waynoka
- Paoli
- Sasakwa
Oklahoma State Fair Trip 2024 - Where is the Beef?
| 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
| 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
| Michael Swisher
6A Division-I
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Union
- Jenks
- Deer Creek
- Moore
- Mustang
- Norman
- Edmond Memorial
- Norman North
6A Division-II
- Muskogee
- Stillwater
- Choctaw
- Sand Springs
- Piedmont
- Putnam City
- Putnam City North
- Southmoore
- Bartlesville
- Sapulpa
Class 5A
- Carl Albert
- Collinsville
- Del City
- Bishop McGuinness
- Lawton Mac
- McAlester
- Guthrie
- Claremore
- Shawnee
- Booker T. Washington
Class 4A
- Wagoner
- Elgin
- Tuttle
- Blanchard
- Clinton
- Sallisaw
- Poteau
- Bethany
- Cushing
- Grove
Class 3A
- Lincoln Christian
- Heritage Hall
- Sulphur
- Pauls Valley
- Plainview
- Seminole
- Cascia Hall
- Idabel
- Perkins-Tryon
- Anadarko
Class 2A Division-I
- Washington
- Millwood
- Metro Christian
- Jones
- Kingston
- Marlow
- OCS
- Chisholm
- Prague
- Mt. St. Mary
Class 2A Division-II
- Vian
- Adair
- Stroud
- Davis
- Holdenville
- Beggs
- Colcord
- Kansas
- Alva
- Wyandotte
Class A Division-I
- Fairview
- Hooker
- Rejoice Christian
- Walters
- Pocola
- Pawhuska
- Wynnewood
- Hartshorne
- Tonkawa
- Warner
Class A Division-II
- Woodland
- Regent Prep
- Hominy
- Mooreland
- Mangum
- Thomas
- Velma-Alma
- Texhoma
- Talihina
- Central Sallisaw
Class B Division-I
- Garber
- Laverne
- Turpin
- Caddo
- Dewar
- Yale
- Hollis
- Pond Creek-Hunter
- Keota
- Empire
Class B Division-II
- Seiling
- Weleetka
- Okeene
- Covington-Douglas
- Wilson-Henryetta
- Copan
- Shattuck
- Webbers Falls
- Thackerville
- Waukomis
Class C
- Tipton
- Ryan
- Timberlake
- Welch
- Tyrone
- Geary
- Oaks
- Medford
- Maysville
- Mt. View-Gotebo
SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 3 (2024): A TRIBUTE TO COACH GLOVER
| 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 8th 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 8th 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
| Michael Swisher
6A Division-I
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Union
- Jenks
- Deer Creek
- Mustang
- Moore
- Norman
- Edmond Memorial
- Norman North
6A Division-II
- Muskogee
- Stillwater
- Choctaw
- Piedmont
- Sand Springs
- Putnam City North
- Southmoore
- Ponca City
- Putnam City North
- Sapulpa
Class 5A
- Carl Albert
- Collinsville
- Guthrie
- Del City
- Coweta
- Bishop McGuinness
- McAlester
- Lawton Mac
- Claremore
- Shawnee
Class 4A
- Wagoner
- Elgin
- Tuttle
- Blanchard
- Clinton
- Sallisaw
- Poteau
- Bethany
- Cushing
- Grove
Class 3A
- Lincoln Christian
- Heritage Hall
- Sulphur
- Pauls Valley
- North Rock Creek
- Plainview
- Seminole
- Cascia Hall
- Idabel
- Perkins-Tryon
Class 2A Division-I
- Washington
- Millwood
- Metro Christian
- Jones
- Kingston
- Marlow
- OCS
- Chisholm
- Chandler
- Heavener
Class 2A Division-II
- Vian
- Davis
- Adair
- Stroud
- Kansas
- Alva
- Beggs
- Holdenville
- Colcord
- Wyandotte
Class A Division-I
- Fairview
- Pocola
- Hooker
- Pawhuska
- Rejoice Christian
- Walters
- Tonkawa
- Wynnewood
- Hartshorne
- Warner
Class A Division-II
- Woodland
- Regent Prep
- Hominy
- Velma-Alma
- Thomas
- Mangum
- Mooreland
- Ringling
- Mounds
- Central Sallisaw
Class B Division-I
- Laverne
- Garber
- Turpin
- Caddo
- Dewar
- Yale
- Hollis
- Pond Creek-Hunter
- Keota
- Waurika
Class B Division-II
- Seiling
- Weleetka
- Okeene
- Covington-Douglas
- Wilson-Henryetta
- Webbers Falls
- Copan
- Shattuck
- Waukomis
- Thackerville
Class C
- Tipton
- Ryan
- Timberlake
- Maysville
- Mt. View-Gotebo
- Tyrone
- Welch
- Balko-Forgan
- Medford
- Waynoka
SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 2 (2024): RIBS
| 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 110th 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
| Michael Swisher
6A Division-I
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Jenks
- Union
- Deer Creek
- Mustang
- Moore
- Norman
- Norman North
- Broken Arrow
6A Division-II
- Muskogee
- Stillwater
- Choctaw
- Piedmont
- Sand Springs
- Putnam City North
- Southmoore
- Sapulpa
- Putnam City
- Lawton Ike
Class 5A
- Carl Albert
- Collinsville
- Coweta
- Guthrie
- Del City
- McAlester
- Bishop McGuinness
- Tahlequah
- El Reno
- Lawton Mac
Class 4A
- Wagoner
- Elgin
- Tuttle
- Blanchard
- Clinton
- Sallisaw
- Poteau
- Ardmore
- Bethany
- Cushing
Class 3A
- Lincoln Christian
- Heritage Hall
- Sulphur
- Idabel
- Pauls Valley
- Perkins-Tryon
- Cascia Hall
- North Rock Creek
- Plainview
- Seminole
Class 2A Division-I
- Washington
- Millwood
- Jones
- Metro Christian
- Kingston
- Marlow
- Prague
- OCS
- Crossings Christian
- Sperry
Class 2A Division-II
- Vian
- Davis
- Kansas
- Adair
- Stroud
- Alva
- Holdenville
- Henryetta
- Colcord
- Beggs
Class A Division-I
- Fairview
- Pocola
- Crescent
- Hooker
- Pawhuska
- Tonkawa
- Rejoice Christian
- Walters
- Wynnewood
- Stratford
Class A Division-II
- Hominy
- Woodland
- Regent Prep
- Apache
- Velma-Alma
- Thomas
- Ringling
- Mangum
- Central Sallisaw
- Mooreland
Class B Division-I
- Laverne
- Garber
- Dewar
- Turpin
- Caddo
- Yale
- Hollis
- Pond Creek-Hunter
- Keota
- OBA
Class B Division-II
- Seiling
- Weleetka
- Okeene
- Covington-Douglas
- Wilson-Henryetta
- Webbers Falls
- Copan
- Shattuck
- Cyril
- Cherokee
Class C
- Tipton
- Ryan
- Timberlake
- Maysville
- Mt. View-Gotebo
- Paoli
- Welch
- Geary
- Tyrone
- Waynoka