Week 1 - OKpreps Standouts

9/7/2020 |  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

BROKEN ARROW FIRES DAVID ALEXANDER

11/30/2020 |  Ben Johnson

BROKEN ARROW -- Some results over the weekend were stunning. But none near as shocking as the news from Broken Arrow to start the week.

In a release from the school on Monday morning, Broken Arrow announced it was stripping David Alexander of his head coaching duties. A move no one saw coming, including Alexander himself.

Two years after leading the Tigers to their first state championship, Alexander, 56, now finds himself without a head coaching gig. He went 60-23 in seven seasons and finished with a state runner-up finish in 2015.

“We appreciate and thank coach Alexander for his dedication and time with the program," said Chuck Perry, associate superintendent of student services, in a statement released by the district.

"His legacy has been cemented in the fact that he came home to his high school alma mater and was the first coach to take the program to the top of the mountain. After much consideration, though, we feel the timing is right and is in the best interest of the district to move in a new direction.”

Alexander gradated from Broken Arrow in 1982.

The district said the search for the next head coach begins immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playoff Picks - Nov. 27

11/27/2020 |  Korry Rogers

We are back! A good week for Whitt last week, who is still too far behind to matter.

We are one week closer to handing out gold balls, so let’s fire off some more picks for the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds!

Last week (overall):

Whitt: 16-3 (87-36)

Swish: 13-6 (91-32)

Ben: 13-6 (95-28)

---

WEEK 3 - PLAYOFF GAMES & PICKS

Playoff picks - Nov. 20

11/20/2020 |  Ben Johnson

PLAYOFF GAMES - WEEK 2 - PICKS

Broken Arrow @ Union
Westmoore @ Santa Fe

2020 Playoff Preview

11/20/2020 |  Ben Johnson

What we saw last week was technically the playoffs. Now it starts for real and we have some thoughts to share...

Quick playoff snapshot from the Skordle guys…

 

Ben Johnson

Most dangerous team

- Bixby (Class 6AII) - Duh! Most likely the best team in the state, regardless of class. Braylin Presley is the real deal. Good luck to anyone playing the Spartans.

 

Breakout player

Class 4A: Emmanuel Crawford (Grove) - Sophomore running back should start catching eyeballs real quick. Grove has a tough path through Hilldale and potentially Weatherford, but the Ridgerunners are a team to keep an eye on moving forward.

 

Upset alert

- Kind of taking this the opposite direction because I’ve heard chatter about some thinking Central will beat Lincoln Christian. I don’t see it. KT Owens and Co. are good but not good enough to take down the Bulldogs.

 

Best mascot

Class 2A - Atoka Wampus Cats - That’s too easy! Eufaula Ironheads is always solid, too.

 

Don't count this team out

Class 2A - Kellyville - Trevor Jones is rock solid at running back and Colton Ayres is solid at QB. Ponies take on a quality OCS team, and the winner should like its chances in that quadrant of the 2A bracket.

 

Class predictions

6AI - Owasso

6AII - Bixby

5A - Carl Albert

4A - Wagoner

3A - Holland Hall

2A - Vian

A - Cashion

B - Dewar

C - Timberlake

 

 

Michael Swisher

Most dangerous team - Choctaw (6AII) - Yes, Bixby is the best team. We all know that. Nobody’s arguing it. But Choctaw has just enough talent to be that dangerous sleeper. Not upset alert…but dangerous enough. Bixby has blown out everyone this year except Jenks (not a bad 6AI team if you weren’t aware) and….Choctaw. The Yellow Jackets played them within 11 in the regular season. 

 

Best first-round matchup - Newcastle at Tuttle (4A) - Piedmont and El Reno is intriguing. So is Booker T. and Midwest City. However, this matchup between friendly(?) neighbors is Week 2 rematch that saw the Tigers escape 24-21. 

 

Upset alert - OSSAA - Yeah, I took the easy way out and didn’t pick a team. But, in all seriousness, if we are able to get through this season and these playoffs, it will be an upset of sorts for it to have been pulled off. I took an unofficial poll prior to the season starting asking some fellow media members if they felt a football season would even take place. It ranged from “no” to “probably shouldn’t, but it’s possible.” There were no straight up “yes” answers. God bless anyone who has been affected directly or indirectly by COVID, and I mean that, but we needed football.

 

Don’t count this team out - Shattuck (B) - Yes, the Indians got BLASTED by Laverne in the final week of the regular season. Sure, maybe it’s not all “sunshine and rainbows” way out west. However, it’s still Shattuck. The three-time defending state champs have pulled off the improbable before. Am I saying it’s going to happen again? No, but don’t count them out.

 

Dream matchup - Pawhuska vs. Cashion (A) - Pawhuska is putting up numbers this year that would make most basketball coaches envious. Led by Bryce Drummond, the Huskies average 69.5 - YES, 70! (rounded up of course) - points a game. Cashion, meanwhile, prefers to not surrender points and only gives up 8.5 a game. It’s strength vs. strength if these two meets - as we suspect - in the Class A semifinals. The opposite units aren’t bad either. Cashion scores 48.6 a game while the Huskies give up 15.3. It has all the makings of a matchup classic. Of course, a win only puts you in the finals. The victor could very well get defending champ Ringling the next week.

 

Class predictions

6AI - Owasso

6AII - Bixby

5A - Carl Albert

4A - Weatherford

3A - Holland Hall

2A - Vian

A - Cashion

B - Laverne

C - Timberlake

 

Whitt Carter

Most dangerous team

Sulphur’s Smith ahead of the pack in 2020

11/12/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Story by Whitt Carter

Sulphur’s Logan Smith showed early on in his career that he had a chance to be a special player.

 

The 6-foot-1, 200 lb. senior always possessed elite speed and good size for a running back at the Class 3A level.

 

But did he ever think he would join the conversation as one of the best ever at Sulphur?

 

“Being in that category with some studs is crazy to think about,” he said. “Those are the guys I looked up to as a kid.”

 

Crazy as it sounds, Smith certainly has a seat at the table, as he currently leads the entire state – all classes – in rushing through the end of the regular season.

 

Smith has carried 173 times for 2,018 yards and 27 touchdowns, which are eye popping numbers at any level.

 

He is 304 yards ahead of Luke Tarman from Bishop McGuinness, the closest rusher to the distant Bulldog leader.

 

For Smith, his success this season can be attributed to a multitude of things, especially the guys he has around him and the creative play-calling from the Sulphur coaches.

 

“I have a lot of trust in my offensive line,” he said. “And the rest of the offense, too. And believing in coach (Corey) Cole to put us in the best spot for success on that specific down.”

 

Many that watch Sulphur each year and each week have seen Smith improve each year, but especially this season, where he took a huge jump from being very good to great.

 

“I just tried to stay dedicated in the weight room and have a focused mindset on what I wanted to accomplish in football and this season,” he said.

 

Smith thinks the weight room has been his biggest friend and key to his success, as it is something he has gone all-in on each day.

 

“Getting in there and working will eventually play a tremendous role in your success,” he said. “It is a big part of my everyday life and has made the biggest impact on the field for me.”

 

Strength and conditioning, along with track, has helped the senior develop top-level speed and agility, something he puts on display seemingly each week, as he is truly a big-play waiting to happen.

 

Smith has 18 touchdowns this year of 40 yards or more, including 11 in the last four games.

He has also rushed for over 300 yards in back-to-back games, including a 312-yard, six touchdown performance last Friday night in the win over Lone Grove, which followed a win over Plainview in which Smith racked up 351 yards and four scores.

 

“I think my strengths as a runner are my size, speed and vision,” he said. “And having the awareness to know when to cut or not.”

 

He also is a big-time weapon in the passing game, catching 15 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns this season. Smith also has a 53-yard punt return for a score.

 

The senior also has the luxury of having an offensive line that is experienced, and also, improving each week, helping pave the way for over 320 rushing yards per game as a team.

 

“I’d say the offensive line is the main reason why I have every yard I do,” Smith said. “They have done a great job and without them I wouldn’t have a single yard.”

 

Spoken like a true leader, which is something Sulphur head coach Jim Dixon has praised Smith for adopting as he has gotten older, developing into the leader for the 2020 Bulldogs.

 

“I try to focus on being a leader on an off the field and working hard no matter what happens that day,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to see guys like Trey (Kiser) lead us when I was younger and that’s just what I try to do.”

 

That’s how Smith wants to leave his legacy among the Sulphur greats, for leading the way and continuing to lead by example.

 

“I want to be remembered for my work ethic and leadership and honestly, how I impacted our team’s success,” he said.

 

What that success becomes is still yet to be determined, as the Dogs now shift focus to the playoffs.

 

But for Smith and his teammates, there is only one goal in mind.

 

“We want to win a state championship,” he said. “When you are at Sulphur, that’s the goal every year.”

 

How Smith envisions his team giving themselves a chance at accomplishing their ultimate goal is really no surprise.

 

“We have to stay true to what we do and trust in what we have been doing all year,” he said. “And we know if we keep working hard, we will give ourselves a shot.”

Photo credit: DeJay Arms

Week 10 picks

11/6/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Games

Jenks @ Westmoore

PC North @ Stillwater

Booker T @ Bixby

Lawton Mac @ Ardmore

Tahlequah @ Collinsville

Tuttle @ Blanchard

Poteau @ Broken Bow

Wagoner @ Skiatook

Lincoln @ Stigler

Kingfisher @ Anadarko

Sulphur @ Lone Grove

Vinita @ Verdigris

Adair @ Claremore Seq.

Christian Heritage @ Washington

Prague @ Chandler

Crescent @ Cashion

Thomas @ Texoma

Shattuck @ Laverne

Regent Prep @ Davenport

Midway @ Sasakwa

Whitt Carter

Jenks

Stillwater

Bixby

Ardmore

Collinsville

Tuttle

Poteau

Wagoner

Lincoln

Kingfisher

Sulphur

Verdigris

Adair

Washington

Chandler

Cashion

Thomas

Shattuck

Davenport

Sasakwa

Michael Swisher

Jenks

Stillwater

Bixby

Lawton Mac

Collinsville

Tuttle

Poteau

Wagoner

Lincoln Christian

Anadarko

Sulphur

Verdigris

Adair

Washington

Chandler

Cashion

Thomas

Shattuck

Davenport

Sasakwa

Ben Johnson

Jenks

Stillwater

Bixby

Ardmore

Collinsville

Tuttle 

Poteau

Wagoner

Lincoln

Kingfisher

Sulphur

Verdigris

Adair

Washington

Chandler

Cashion

Thomas

Shattuck

Davenport

Midway

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 10 (2020)

11/5/2020 |  Michael Swisher

By John Hardaway - I Even Eat BBQ on Pizza

Someplace I like to eat – Jo’s Famous Pizza

Jo’s Famous Pizza is one of my favorite pizza places in Oklahoma.

I visit the Edmond location regularly and will continue to do so forever. It’s a great place with awesome staff and service who will go beyond and above to continue earning your business. 

I have also been to the original Jo’s in Purcell a handful of times and it’s never disappointed either. 

What makes Jo’s so great in my opinion is the incredible crust that’s flaky and buttery every time. They also only use fresh ingredients for toppings. 

They have all the classic pizzas. If you like Pepperoni Pizza, you probably won’t find a better one around!

The entire top is going to be covered in pepperonis and the best part is the pepperoni grease works down into the crust. 

As for the specialty pizzas, I love the Cowboy (it’s BBQ, a shocker, I know) and the Taco. Trust me, it’s so good, but must be for dine-in only because of the cold lettuce topping it needs to be eaten immediately.