Week 8 - Top Performers

10/25/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Choctaw

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

Verdigris

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

Colcord

Stormy Odle 225 total offense 2 TDs

Bishop McGuinness

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

Berryhill

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

Broken Bow

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

Plainview

Morgan Pearson 3 receptions 109 yds 1 TD 

Caden Pickens defense- 15 tackles 5 TFL   

Del City

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

Weatherford

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

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

Adair

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

QB Nate Ratcliff - 13/20 285 5 TD’s

El Reno

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

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

Mounds 

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

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

Yale

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

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

Eufaula

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

Beggs

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

Hilldale

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

Wewoka

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

Okemah

Mikey Cruz - rushing 28/234 yds 5 TD

Kurtis Wilson - passing 8/14 144 yds 3 TD

Claremore

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

Kellyville

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

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

Wagoner 

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

(All in the first half)

Lawton

Donovan Dorsey - 7-9 192 yards passing 2 tds

Union

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

Pryor

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

Steve Edwards steps down at Glenpool

11/21/2019 |  Ben Johnson

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

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

Trent Worley named head coach at Kiefer

2/5/2019 |  Ben Johnson

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

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

LEEDEY'S BROADBENT TO TAKE OVER RED OAK GIRLS PROGRAM

5/10/2023 |  Michael Swisher

Luke Broadbent will be in the same type of situation.

He’s just moving to the other side of the state to do it.

Broadbent on Monday was approved as the new girls basketball coach at Red Oak.

The Cashion native has spent the last five years coaching the Leedey girls program.

His teams were 90-55 in that stretch went to the Class B state quarterfinals three of the last four years.

Broadbent, who has family roots in the western Oklahoma community, didn’t come by the decision to leave easily.

“I love Leedey. I love this community and, especially, I love my kids here,” he said.

“They are such incredible kids. We have been blessed with a lot of success during my time here.”

Yet, Broadbent, his wife and newborn baby will be packing up and moving 300 miles to the southeast.

“I will always have fond memories of being here,” Broadbent said of Leedey. “But Red Oak offered me something that I just could not turn down.”

The schools are reflective of one another.

Both are in rural settings.

Both have strong softball traditions (Leedey has eight slow pitch titles; Red Oak has seven slow pitch, including 2023, and eight fastpitch crowns).

Both have realized their share of success in girls basketball as well.

Leedey has made 22 total trips to state with one title.

Red Oak has been 10 times, eight of those trips since 2011.

The Lady Eagles have been in the state finals three times during that stretch, but haven’t reached Oklahoma’s elite eight since 2019.

The 2023 squad was 22-5 under Casey Butcher and reached the Class A area finals before dropping consecutive games to Riverside and Quinton. Butcher will remain the Lady Eagles' softball coach.

Red Oak will offer the same type of circumstances for Broadbent, just in a different setting. While Broadbent admits the move is a “a big one,” he also says the opportunity for success awaits.

“I think Red Oak is one of - if not THE - staples of small schools east of I-35,” he said. “ It’s got great administration, great kids and great coaches and tremendous tradition.”

SKORDLE'S FINAL 6A SOCCER RANKINGS

4/27/2023 |  Korry Rogers

It's postseason time in Oklahoma high school soccer and this year’s playoffs in 6A boys and girls are shaping up to be elite competition.

Here is a look at our final rankings of the season, the playoff brackets and our picks for the "final four" in each bracket:

 

6A Girls Final Rankings 

 

1. Norman North (14-0) (7-0) W14              
2. Edmond North (10-2) (6-1) W4      
3. Deer Creek (10-4) (7-0) W7            
4. Union (13-1) (6-1) W3        
5. Jenks (9-2) (6-1) W2
6. Owasso (12-2) (6-1) W5                              
7. Bixby (9-5) (6-1) W5
8. Edmond Memorial (10-3) (6-1) L1
9. Yukon (9-3-1) (5-2) W3
10. Westmoore (8-5) (6-1) W6         

 

11. Mustang (10-4) (5-2) W1
12. Broken Arrow (7-4) (5-2) W1
13. Norman (10-5) (4-3) L2
14. Booker T. Washington (7-5) (5-2) L1
15. Edmond Santa Fe (6-8) (4-3) W3
16. Enid (9-5) (4-3) L2

 

Playoff Brackets  - 6A Girls

 

#4 Deer Creek vs. #15 Edmond Santa Fe

                                                                          

#10 Westmoore vs. #9 Yukon

 

#7 Bixby vs. #16 Enid

                                                                          

#5 Jenks vs. #12 Broken Arrow

 

***

 

#2 Edmond North vs. #14 Booker T. Washington

                                                                          

#6 Owasso vs. #3 Union

 

#1 Norman North vs. #13 Norman 

                                                                           

#8 Ed. Memorial vs. #11 Mustang 

 

 

6A Girls Final Four Prediction:  

Deer Creek vs. Jenks / Edmond North vs. Norman North

 

 

6A Boys Final Rankings 

 

1. Broken Arrow (13-2) (7-0) W7                        
2. Norman North (10-4) (7-0) W6                       
3. Westmoore (10-2) (6-1) W6
4. Jenks (9-2) (6-1) W1                                     
5. Deer Creek (10-3) (6-1) L1                             
6. Owasso (9-4) (6-1) W6
7. Edmond Memorial (12-2) (5-2) W4
8. Edmond North (9-5) (6-1) W2
9. Mustang (11-3) (5-2) L2
10. Putnam City West (12-2) (6-1) W3

 

11. Stillwater (11-3) (6-1) W3
12. Bartlesville (6-4) (5-2) W1
13. Tulsa Union (7-4) (4-3) W3
14. Northwest Classen (11-4) (4-3) L1
15. Bixby (6-6) (3-4) W2
16. Capitol Hill (7-4) (4-3) W2

 

Playoff Brackets  - 6A Boys

 

#4 Deer Creek vs. #16 Capitol Hill

                                                                          

#3 Westmoore vs. #7 Edmond Memorial

 

#1 Broken Arrow vs. #13 Union

                                                                           

#8 Edmond North vs. #12 Bartlesville

 

**

 

#4 Jenks vs. #15 Bixby

                                                                           

#6 Owasso vs. #11 Stillwater

 

#2 Norman North vs. #14 Northwest Classen

                                                                           

#10 Putnam City West vs. #9 Mustang

 

 

6A Boys Final Four Prediction:  Edmond Memorial vs. Broken Arrow / Jenks vs. Norman North

LITTLEJOHN LANDS BIXBY GIRLS JOB

4/24/2023 |  Michael Swisher

The door was opened.

Rylie Littlejohn knew she had to walk through.

Littlejohn on Monday accepted the girls head coaching position at Bixby High School.

She’ll succeed Tina Thomas, who stepped away after eight successful seasons, including a pair of state runner-up finishes.

Littlejohn makes the Bixby move after three seasons at the helm of the Preston Lady Pirate program, one that got back to the state tournament this year for the first time since 2017.

“That was the hardest part,” said Littlejohn, who broke the news to her Preston team on Monday afternoon.

“If there was a reason I didn’t want to do this, it was them. Although I graduated a big core of the team, I still had three coming back that have been with me since they were freshmen.

“Leaving their senior year was not easy.”

But, she said, when the Bixby job opened up, she couldn’t help but be interested.

For starters, Littlejohn and her husband Chase, the Preston boys’ coach, live in Bixby.

“It’s five minutes from my house,” she said.

When the Littlejohns have had their opportunities, they’ve taken in some Bixby basketball games.

“When I’ve watched the program, I’ve thought, ‘I want to be a part of that,’” Littlejohn said. “Now, did I think it would happen this soon? No.

“But I feel God opened this door and if he opened it, I need to walk through it.”

The former Rylie Torrey, Littlejohn helped lead Locust Grove to a state championship as a player in 2015.

Her collegiate career landed her at Oral Roberts where she picked up both a bachelor’s and master’s degree prior to accepting the Preston job before the 2020-21 season.

Her first team won 14 games. Then 21 the next year.

The 2022-23 squad went 24-6 and made it to the 2A state tournament before being knocked out by Pawhuska.

While Bixby also graduated a large core of its talent, Littlejohn knows she doesn’t have to rebuild.

“It’s a good foundation and they know what winning looks like,” Littlejohn said. “They did graduate a big class with a lot of college talent, but hopefully there are more college-level players coming up.”

A school the size of Bixby, she said, certainly offers the opportunity.

“There’s so much to choose from and you can practically build the program the way you want,” she said.

She’ll begin that process later this spring during Bixby’s rounds of tryouts.

In the meantime, Littlejohn said she’s glad to be past the toughest part of the entire process.

“Talking to my Preston team today was brutal,” she said. “But I know this was the best career move as far as what’s best for me and my family.”

SKORDLE'S UPDATED 6A SOCCER RANKINGS

4/20/2023 |  Korry Rogers

And down the stretch they come.

District championships and playoff spots are on the line as the Oklahoma high school soccer regular season winds down the next two weeks before the playoffs launch in May.

Here are where the Skordle folks see the rankings for Class 6A for games played through April 14:

 

6A Girls

 

1. Norman North (12-0) (5-0) W12
2. Edmond North (8-2) (4-1) W2
3. Tulsa Union (11-1) (4-1) W1
4. Mustang (10-2) (5-0) W8
5. Deer Creek (8-4) (5-0) W5
6. Jenks (7-2) (4-1) L1
7. Edmond Memorial (8-2) (4-0) W7
8. Owasso (9-2) (3-1) W2
9. Norman (10-3) (4-1) W2
10. Bixby (7-5) (4-1) W3

 

Teams still in play-off contention:

 

• Yukon (7-3-1) (3-2)
• Westmoore (7-5) (5-1)
• Edmond Santa Fe (5-8) (3-3)
• Moore (8-5) (3-3)
• Enid (9-3) (4-1)
• Sand Springs (8-3) (3-2)
• Booker T Washington (6-4) (4-1)
• Broken Arrow (5-3) (3-1)

 

--

 

6A Boys

 

1. Mustang (11-1) (5-0) W7
2. Jenks (8-1) (5-0) W8
3. Deer Creek (9-2) (5-0) W5
4. Broken Arrow (11-2) (5-0) W5
5. Norman North (8-4) (5-0) W4
6. Westmoore (9-2) (5-1) W5
7. Edmond Memorial (11-2) (4-2) W3
8. Owasso (7-4) (4-1) W4
9. Edmond North (7-5) (4-1) L1
10. PC West (10-2) (4-1) W1

 

In the Playoff Hunt still:

 

• NW Classen (10-3) (3-2)
• Norman (5-6) (3-2)
• Capitol Hill (6-3) (3-3)
• Stillwater (9-3) (4-1)
• Enid (8-5) (3-2)
• Union (5-4) (2-3)
• Bartlesville (5-3) (4-1)
• Ponca City (8-4) (2-2)
• Booker T Washington (4-5) (2-3)

SKORDLE'S UPDATED 6A SOCCER RANKINGS

3/29/2023 |  Korry Rogers

(Ed. note: These rankings have been compiled by a committee consisting of several people associated with soccer in the state. We have dubbed them the Skordle Futbol Committee.) 

With district games starting across Oklahoma high school soccer, here's how we ranked the 6A teams this week as they begin their push for playoff seeding. 

6A Girls

1) Norman North (6-0)
2) Edmond North (5-1)
3) Union (7-0)
4) Jenks (3-1)
5) Owasso (3-1)
6) Mustang (6-2)
7) Broken Arrow (2-1)
8) Deer Creek (3-4)
9) Yukon (4-2-1)
10) Edmond Memorial (2-2)

6A Boys
1) Mustang (7-1)
2) Edmond Memorial (7-0)
3) Broken Arrow (6-2)
4) Deer Creek (4-2)
5) Jenks (3-1)
6) Union (3-1)
7) Norman North (4-2)
8) Westmoore (4-1)
9) Edmond North (4-2)
10) Bixby (3-2)

Skordle's Preseason Large School Soccer Rankings

3/2/2023 |  Michael Swisher

(Ed. note: Although his daughter is currently playing in three leagues and he is listed as the author, Michael Swisher is not smart enough to compile these rankings. They will be compiled each week by a committee consisting of several people associated with soccer in the state. We have dubbed them the Skordle Futbol Committee.) 

6A Girls

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

 

6A Boys

1. Norman North
2. Jenks
3. Deer Creek
4. Broken Arrow
5. Mustang
6. Union
7. Edmond North
8. Bixby
9. NW Classen
10. Edmond Memorial

 

5A Girls

1. Bishop McGuinness
2. Piedmont
3. Bishop Kelley
4. Collinsville
5. Noble
6. McAlester
7. Lawton MacArthur
8. El Reno
9. Sapulpa
10. Claremore

5A Boys

1. Santa Fe South
2. Bishop Kelley
3. Southeast
4. Tulsa East Central
5. Lawton Eisenhower
6. Tulsa Will Rogers
7. Tulsa Memorial
8. Tulsa Edison
9. Piedmont
10. Bishop McGuinness

 

--

 

WEEK 1 – MATCHES OF THE WEEK

 

Friday March 3, 2023

 

GIRLS

 

Deer Creek (6A #1) vs. Norman North (6A #4) – State Championship Rematch

 

Bishop Kelley (5A #3) vs. Yukon (6A #9)

 

Union (6A #6) vs. Owasso (6A #10)

 

Edmond Sante Fe vs. Edmond Memorial (6A #7)

 

 

BOYS

 

Broken Arrow (6A #4) vs. Mustang (6A #5)

 

Oklahoma Christian School (3A) vs. Heritage Hall (3A)

 

Jenks (6A #2) vs. Mustang (6A #5)

 

Edmond Santa Fe vs. Edmond Memorial (6A #10)

Deer Creek (6A #3) vs. Norman North (6A #1)

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 10 (2022): The Popcorn Ball

11/3/2022 |  Michael Swisher

While out trick-or-treating with my kids Monday night, I was having a discussion with some of the other parents in our group about my Halloween experiences as a kid. 

I vividly remember always loving the houses that gave away homemade cookies, brownies, caramel apples and - especially - popcorn balls.

I was reminiscing and remembering the good ol’ days when people used to hand out these homemade treats and it really made Halloween special. 

As my kids were about midway through the evening and collecting a ton of Halloween candy, all three of them came running back to me telling they were just given popcorn ball. 

They all wanted to know what it was exactly and if it was good?  

Is it good?!?!?!?!?!