STATE TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS!

3/6/2019 |  Ben Johnson

No introduction needed. Here are the "expert" picks for state tournaments taking place this weekend. (Oh, and listen to the podcast while you're at it!)

Class 6A

Boys

Ben Johnson - Edmond Memorial: There are so many players to love in this field -- Putnam City West’s Rondel Walker, Sapulpa’s Camryn Dennis, Putnam City North’s Micah Thomas, Booker T. Washington’s Bryce Thompson and so many more. But Shane Cowherd is bringing a team with talent across the board. There’s a reason the coaches in the state have the Bulldogs as the top-ranked team, so I’ll side with Cowherd and Co. over Booker T. Washington in the finals.

Michael Swisher - Edmond Memorial: The Bulldogs snuck in after losing to Midwest City and squeaking by rival Santa Fe. They’ll play better this week and bring the trophy down south.

Whitt Carter - Booker T Washington: This will be a fantastic tournament filled with teams that can win it. But I’ll take the Hornets, as they have the experience in big games and are hungry for a title. They had to watch Memorial win two in a row in Class 5A and this year their get one of their own. Another side note, BTW’s Seth Hurd is my favorite and the most underappreciated player in the state.

Girls

Ben - PC West: Reckless abandon is what the Patrios will play with this weekend, just like they’ve done all year. Not a ton of big-time scorers for PC West, but last year’s runner-up will hoist the gold ball this year.

Michael - Putnam City West: No. 1 in Oklahoma. Nationally-ranked. Haven’t lost to a team from Oklahoma. Won’t this weekend, either.

Whitt - Putnam City West: They were right there last year and had their title taken in the waning seconds by Owasso. All they’ve done this year is go 23-1 with a loss to Skyline, TX and dominate the teams inside the state of Oklahoma. Their relentless style of play and approach will be the difference, as they finish on Saturday this time and cut down the nets.

Class 5A

Boys

Ben - Memorial: Boone twins. It’s that simple. The Chargers have been a dynamo in 5A with two straight titles and now going for a third. Northwest Classen is good, but can Davion Warden and Co. make it to the title game and then take down the Chargers? I don’t see it.

Michael - Memorial: Lenny Hatchett has Del City playing so well, but I can’t pick against Memorial. Neither should you.

Whitt - Memorial: Let’s all be honest, this is the easiest pick from any of the classes. Bobby Allison and gang are just on another level. The Boone twins will, once again, wow the crowds at the Mabee Center with their athleticism and impact on both ends of the floor. The Chargers get another one, sending Kalib and Keylan out with a bang.

Girls

Ben - Piedmont: Per usual, the 5A girls field is pretty much anyone’s for the taking. Rogers is dangerous, but then so is El Reno with Ashlyn Evans-Thompson leading the charge. Coweta is young but talented, and East Central is always a threat. But for this year, I’ll go with the Wildcats, led by Delanie Crawford (14.8 points a game) and Maci Attalla (13.6).

Michael - Piedmont: El Reno beating Ardmore at area put the bracket in a funk as it appears loaded at the bottom. Coach Carr’s team will emerge from that and then claim gold on Saturday.

Whitt - Ardmore: They suffered a surprising and tough loss to El Reno at the area tournament last week, but I think that may work to the Lady Tigers advantage by waking them up. This team rolled through the first part of the season, losing their first game in late January. Ardmore cuts down the nets and gets its’ third gold ball.

Class 4A

Boys

Ben - Kingfisher: Some unbelievable talent in this field -- Broken Bow’s Josh Jones (20.4 points per game), Central’s B.J. Jefferson (16), Elgin’s Conner Slater (16.3), Kingfisher’s Trey Green (17) and Heritage Hall’s Trey Alexander (24.8). And what’s scary is a lot of these teams will return a lot of talent next season. But for now, I’m zeroing in on a Kingfisher-Heritage Hall title game for a second straight year. This time the gold ball goes to Jett Sternberger, Matt Stone, Bijan Cortes and Co.

Michael - Kingfisher: I live in Kingfisher. I have to pay my bills. I have to pick the Yellowjacket. Oh, and they’re really, really good. And hungry. If they get by dangerous Elgin in the quarters, look out.

Whitt - Kingfisher: The class that everyone is excited for will take center stage at the Fairgrounds for all three days. Heritage Hall beat the Yellowjackets in the title game last year and are 26-0 this year. But the star-studded Kingfisher remembers that loss last March and will want revenge. They get it and send out their seniors with a second gold ball.

Girls

Ben - Anadarko: Top half of the bracket -- Holland Hall, Muldrow, Elgin and Classen SAS -- is STACKED. Again, STACKED. That’s part of the reason I went with Anadarko. The Warriors still have their work cut out for them, but I’m rolling the dice with Kaylee Borden (12 points a game), Averi Zinn and the rest of the Anadarko team to win its third gold ball.

Michael - Muldrow: Coaches tell me Classen SAS is as talented as they’ve seen in 4A in a while. And they’re young as they start three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. That said, I’m going with Muldrow. Taylen Collins can match up with Littlepage-Buggs and Hannah Boyett can handle the pressure. And that’s just a semifinal. Don’t overlook Anadarko, either (it appears I am).

Whitt - Anadarko: A fairly wide open class, there are a handful of teams I could see winning it. I’ll go with the tradition-rich Anadarko, who beat one of the favorites, Classen, last Friday in the area finals. When the Lady Warriors get the press up and running, you better handle the pressure or things can unravel quickly.

Class 3A

Boys

Ben - Millwood: Kingston’s Jacob Germany is as good as it gets in this field, but I’ll side with the athleticism of the Falcons here. Give me Justin Wilson and Isaiah Williams and the rest of the Falcons.

Michael - Here’s hoping for a Kingston-Millwood final (all apologies to you other six). I’ve got personal ties to Millwood, so the fan in me is pulling for the Falcons all the way. The business side in me says Kingston won’t be denied.

Whitt - Millwood: I’ll take the Falcons to win the gold ball here. Several really good teams that you can pick here, including Kingston or Sequoyah on the other side. Ultimately, I think Millwood gets the winner of that eventual semifinal and beats them. Millwood has not lost inside the class this year and that won’t change this weekend.

Girls

Ben - Christian Heritage: Up from 2A, the Crusaders are still loaded. Tahlequah Sequoyah is probably the favorite, but I’ll side with Olivia Curtis and Rylee Langerman.

Michael - Sequoyah-Tahlequah: CHA has won the last two 2A crowns and is a sleeper, but this isn’t 2A and the Lady Crusaders aren’t as deep as they have been. Larry Callison rides into the sunset with another state championship.

Whitt - Christian Heritage: Another class with some big time teams, but I’ll take CHA to win another title as it took the jump up a class this season. They know how to win and ultimately get past Sequoyah in what would be an awesome semifinal. Side note, I am really picking my alma mater, the Sulphur Lady Bulldogs - in Toby Todd we trust.

Class 2A

Boys

Ben - Hennessey: Total guess here, so I’m siding with Hennessey, who -- along with Hooker -- has only lost twice this season.

Michael - Hooker: This is the most wide-open bracket in OKC, in my opinion. Any number of teams can win…and also get beat Thursday. Hooker is one of them.

Whitt - Dale: They are coming off a big win over Hooker last week to punch their ticket to the state tourney. They have played well inside the class this year, going 12-2, only losing to Cashion a month ago and Rock Creek back in January.

Girls

Ben - Dale: I’m programmed to believe that Dale wins everything when its in any state tournament field. Pirates win again.

Michael - Howe: No Cashion and no CHA this year, which have been Howe’s kryptonite the last three years. Dale is in the way, but Jalei Oglesby caps her stellar career with the gold ball.

Whitt - Latta: I’ll go with what many would consider a sleeper pick here, but give me the Lady Panthers. They are a long team and present a bunch of problems defensively. They will have to get past top-ranked Dale in the semis and it would be the rubbermatch between the two.

PODCAST: More basketball on tap this week

3/6/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Made a big podcast addition this week. Ben & Swisher are joined by the Oklahoman's Jacob Unruh.

Jacob & Swisher recap the highlights and the championship moments from the Class A & Class B state tournaments.

Then the guys break down the state tournaments from 2A through 6A. And of course, PREDICTIONS! (Most sure to go wrong, in Ben's case).

Have feedback for the show? Tweet at us - @michaelswisher or @benjohnsontul | Or email us at ben@skordle.com

And as always, thanks for listening!

STATE TOURNAMENT WRESTLING: Complete class-by-class roundup

2/25/2019 |  Ben Johnson

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

Class 3A wrap-up

Perry wins another title; Bridge Creek claims first individual crowns

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

Class 4A wrap-up

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

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

Class 5A wrap-up

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

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

Class 6A wrap-up

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

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

Class 4A playoff preview

11/7/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Players to watch

- Gunnar Thompson (Poteau): A 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end who is starting to get recognition by Division I coaches has wrecked havoc on opposing offenses all year long with 74 tackles and nine sacks. He's also chipping in on offense at tight end with 22 catches for 375 yards and three touchdowns.

- Bryce Madron (Blanchard): Junior tailback has powered the Lions' offense all season long with 1,499 yards and 31 touchdowns on 146 carries.

- Tavien Woodworth (Fort Gibson): Junior running back has eclipsed 200 carries through 10 games with 201 rushes for 1,474 yards and 17 touchdowns.

- Jose Oritz (Catoosa): Senior tailback has amassed 1,198 yards and 17 touchdowns on 151 carries this season.

- Sam Brandt (Bethany): Junior quarterback does it all for the Bronchos. He's carried the ball 99 times for 805 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he's also completed 106 out of 163 passes for 1,717 yards and 16 touchdowns. On defense, he's logged 50 tackles and two interceptions.

- Carson Berryhill (Tuttle): Senior quarterback has tossed 19 touchdowns while completing 83 of 144 passes for 1,324 yards. 

- Devin Hembry (Hilldale): Rushed 88 times for 1,011 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Hornets this season.

Don't overlook... Bristow

The Pirates were forced to move up a class from the past several seasons, but it's worked out swimmingly. Bristow has outscored opponents by a combined score of 478 to 206, and the Pirates' lone loss was a 29-28 contest in overtime against Wagoner. Tyler Wayland at quarterback is as dangerous as it gets, and the Pirates will attempt to control the game in the trenches.

Favorite (potential) matchup - Bristow vs. Poteau

Both teams face an uphill battle to get to this point, but what a showdown it would be. Bristow's dominating running game against Poeau's defense would be a sight to behold. 

Coaching candor

How do other high school coaches see the 4A postseason playing out? We asked and they made their predictions (after being granted anonymity, of course). 

Coach One: "For the semifinals, I'll go with Broken Bow against Wagoner. Bow is really fast but Wagoner knows how to win. I'll also go with Bristow against Blanchard. Bristow has the fasteset backfield in maybe 4A history. So I"ll go with Bristow. In the finals, Wagoner won the first time and will win the second time. After all, they are Wagoner."

Coach Two: "Tuttle is the total package. They are extremely physical on both sides of the ball. They have tremendous line and skill kids. They don't have a weakness that can be spotted. Really good players at all positions. To top if off, they are extremely well coached."

Prediction time

Michael Swisher: Poteau over Wagoner - I’ll be the first to admit I have no idea what’s going to happen in the 4A playoffs. I think you could play out the bracket 10 times, get different matchups in the final each time and have six or seven different teams bring home the gold ball. That’s the long way of saying I wouldn’t be surprised if neither of these teams are in the title tilt. So why not Poteau? Pirates win their first-ever football crown.

Ben Johnson: Poteau over Wagoner - Could be in store for a rematch of last year's first round matchup that Wagoner barely won. The Bulldogs deploying Schyler Adair against the Pirates' defense would be exceptional to witness. I would like to go with Bristow in the championship game, but I picked Poteau at the beginning of the season so I'll stick with the Pirates.

Whitt Carter: Tuttle over Clinton - Arguably the most wide-open class in the state should make for a fun few weeks of playoff games. The Red Tornadoes missed the playoffs last year for the first time since the Civil War, but are more than back. Clinton finished 9-1 with the lone loss by just a touchdown in week 2 to Class 3A favorite Heritage Hall. The recipe is the same, as Clinton runs the football right at you and plays great defense, a recipe for success in November and December. Meanwhile, Tuttle has been as impressive as anyone in the class this year, as they too are back among the elite after finishing 6-5 a year ago. Quarterback Carson Berryhill leads a great Tigers' offense that has wins over Kingfisher, Plainview, Bethany, Cushing and Blanchard - all playoff teams. I picked Tuttle to win it at the beginning of the year and I'm sticking with the Tigers. 

*Photo courtesy of John Sullivan Photography

Week 1 rankings

8/27/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Here's the top 10 in each class heading into Week 1.

Class 6AI

1. Broken Arrow (3) - 1-0

2. Owasso (2) - 1-0

3. Jenks (3) - 1-0

4. Union (4) - 0-1

5. Norman North (5) - 0-0

6. Mustang (6) - 0-0

7. Westmoore (7) - 0-0

8. Norman (8) - 0-0

9. Edmond Santa Fe (9) - 0-0

10. Yukon (10) - 1-0

Class 6AII

1. Booker T. Washington (1) - 0-1

2. Midwest City (2) - 1-0

3. Stillwater (3) - 0-0

4. Bixby (4) - 0-1

5. Lawton (5) - 0-0

6. Del City (6) - 0-0

7. Putnam City (7) - 0-0

8. Sand Springs (8) - 0-0

9. Muskogee (9) - 0-0

10. Shawnee (10) - 0-1

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert (1) - 0-0

2. Bishop McGuinness (2) - 0-0

3. Coweta (3) - 0-0

4. Ardmore (4) 0-0

5. Skiatook (5) - 0-0

6. Collinsville (6) - 0-0

7. Altus (7) - 0-0

8. Bishop Kelley (8) - 0-0

9. Lawton MacArthur (9) - 0-0

10. Ada (10) - 0-0

Class 4A

1. Blanchard (1) - 0-0

2. Wagoner (2) - 0-0

3. Poteau (3) - 1-0

4. Tuttle (4) - 1-0

5. Oologah (5) - 0-0

6. Bethany (6) - 0-0

7. Weatherford (7) - 1-0

8. Hilldale (8) - 0-0

9. Fort Gibson (9) - 0-0

10. Cache (NR) - 1-0

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall (1) - 0-0

2. John Marshall (2) - 0-0

3. Berryhill (3) - 0-0

4. Kingfisher (4) - 0-0

5. Lincoln Christian (6) - 1-0

6. Cascia Hall (7) - 1-0

7. Plainview (8) - 1-0

8. Sulphur (4) - 0-1

9. Seminole (9) - 0-0

10. Idabel (10) - 0-0

Class 2A

1. Millwood (1) - 0-0

2. Vian (2) - 0-0

3. Beggs (3) - 0-0

4. Holland Hall (4) - 1-0

5. Sperry (5) - 0-0

6. Jones (6) - 1-0

7. Chisholm (7) - 0-1

8. Washington (8) - 0-0

9. Adair (9) - 1-0

10. Kingston (10) - 0-0

Class A

1. Thomas (1) - 0-0

2. Commerce (2) - 0-0

3. Hooker (3) - 0-0

4. Hominy (4) - 1-0

5. Minco (5) - 1-0

6.  Crescent (8) - 1-0

7. Rejoice Christian (7) - 0-0

8. Cashion (9) - 1-0

9. Morrison (10) - 1-0

10. Wynnewood (6) - 0-1

Class B

1. Laverne (1) - 0-0

2. Shattuck (2) - 1-0

3. Davenport (3) - 0-0

4. Regent Prep (4) - 0-0

5. Depew (5) - 0-0

6. Dewar (6) - 0-0

7. Alex (7) - 0-0

8. Pioneer (8) - 0-0

9. Empire (9) - 1-0

10. Prue (10) - 1-0

Class C

1. Tipton (1) - 0-1

2. Pond Creek-Hunter (2) - 0-0

3. Coyle (3) - 0-0

4. Timberlake (4) - 0-1

5. SW Covenant (5) - 0-0

6. Sharon-Mutual (6) - 0-0

7. Buffalo (7) - 0-0

8. Tyrone (8) - 0-0

9. Fox (9) - 0-0

10. Covington-Douglas (NR) - 1-0

Let us know your thoughts on the rankings. Tweet to @benjohnsontul or @skordle 

Zero Week rankings

8/19/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Skordle will provide rankings each week throughout the football season. Here are the top 10 in each class before action starts in Zero Week...

Class 6AI

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

Class 6AII

1. Booker T. Washington
2. Midwest City
3. Stillwater
4. Bixby
5. Lawton
6. Del City
7. Putnam City
8. Sand Springs
9. Muskogee
10. Shawnee

Class 5A

1. Carl Albert
2. Bishop McGuinness
3. Coweta
4. Ardmore
5. Skiatook
6. Collinsville
7. Altus
8. Bishop Kelley
9. Lawton MacArthur
10. Ada

Class 4A

1. Blanchard
2. Wagoner
3. Poteau
4. Tuttle
5. Oologah
6. Bethany 
7. Weatherford
8. Hilldale
9. Fort Gibson
10. Broken Bow

Class 3A

1. Heritage Hall
2. John Marshall
3. Berryhill
4. Kingfisher
5. Sulphur
6. Lincoln Christian
7. Cascia Hall
8. Plainview
9. Seminole
10. Idabel

Class 2A

1. Millwood
2. Vian
3. Beggs
4. Holland Hall
5. Sperry
6. Jones
7. Chisholm
8. Washington
9. Adair
10. Kingston

Class A

1. Thomas
2. Commerce
3. Hooker
4. Hominy
5. Minco
6. Wynnewood
7. Rejoice Christian
8. Crescent
9. Cashion
10. Morrison

Class B

1. Laverne
2. Shattuck
3. Davenport
4. Regent Prep
5. Depew
6. Dewar
7. Alex
8. Pioneer
9. Empire
10. Prue

Class C

1. Tipton
2. Pond Creek-Hunter
3. Coyle
4. Timberlake
5. Southwest Covenant
6. Sharon-Mutual
7. Buffalo
8. Tyrone
9. Fox
10. Paoli

*Skordle's rankings will also double as my Associated Press weekly ballot.

Let me know your thoughts on the rankings. Tweet at me (@benjohnsontul) or email me at benjohnsontdp@gmail.com.

Class 4A preview

7/6/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Look back at 2017

2017 district champs

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

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

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

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

Talking title game: Heritage Hall 14, Ada 0

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

On to 2018...

Players to watch

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

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

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

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

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

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

District debriefs

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

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

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

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

What’s new? (coaching moves)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fun fact:

Prediction time

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

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

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

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

*Photos courtesy of Von Castor

New coach, same old championship-winning Fort Gibson

3/15/2018 |  Ben Johnson

OKLAHOMA CITY — Win championships — that’s what the Glover family does. On Saturday at State Fair

Arena, Kayci Glover joined the long lineage of title winners in her family when Class 4A No. 1 Fort Gibson hauled in its fourth championship in eight years with a 55-41 rout of second-ranked Harrah.

Glover’s sisters, Jodi and Allie, had previously won titles for the Tigers, and her mom, Liz, became a star in the state by winning championships and scoring points at Roff.

Now Kayci is part of the club.

“I had one last chance to do it,” Glover said after scoring 15 points for Fort Gibson. “So now it feels good.”

Leading the way for Fort Gibson (27-3) was Zoe’ Shieldnight with 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. It was also the Tigers’ first championship under first-year coach Chuck London, who took over for Jerry Walker.

“Coach London stepped up to the plate, and we knew he could do it,” Glover said. “I love him, and he did a great job with us.”

Erika Ankney had 15 points for Harrah (25-4), and Ali Brzozowki added 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Panthers trailed 32-30, but a 23-11 burst from Fort Gibson in the fourth quarter put the game away.

“For us, it’s toughness, believing in each other and fighting to the very end,” London said of pulling away late. “That’s’ what we’ve done all year.”

Box Score

No. 1 Fort Gibson 55, No. 2 Harrah 41

Harrah (25-4): Erika Ankney 15, Ali Brzozowski 11, Kiara Lovings 9, Piper King 3, Kambri Ingraham 2, Katie King 1.

Fort Gibson (27-3): Zoe Shieldnight 17, Kayci Glover 15, Zoey Whitely 6, Danielle Johnson 6, Laney Swink 6, Reese Webb 4, Alexis Wright 1.

Fort Gibson beats Harrah for 4A girls title

Girls Basketball | 3/10/2018 | Berry Tramel | The Oklahoman

Fort Gibson point guard Kayci Glover didn’t score points the way her mother did in high school. But Glover has something her mother never accomplished. A state championship. Glover scored 17 points Saturday, matching teammate Zoe Shieldnight for game-high, as Fort Gibson beat Harrah 55-41 to win the Class 4A girls state championship at State Fair Arena.