Week 7 picks

10/10/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Well, what we have here is two hotly-contested showdowns for first and third place. Swisher and Coach Turney are locked in a battle for first place, while Whitt and myself charge hard after the bronze.

Week 6 picks - Coach Turney 14-4 | Whitt 13-5 | Ben 13-5 | Swisher 13-5

Overall - Swisher 91-35 | Turney 91-35 | Ben 84-42 | Whitt 84-42

And per usual, my apologies in advance to the teams I pick below:

Carl Albert at Guthrie

Michael Swisher: Carl Albert 33, Guthrie 17

Ben Johnson: Carl Albert 30, Guthrie 16

Whitt Carter: Carl Albert 28, Guthrie 21

Randy Turney: Carl Albert 31, Guthrie 14

Broken Arrow at Edmond Santa Fe

Michael Swisher: Broken Arrow 38, Edmond Santa Fe 14

Ben Johnson: Broken Arrow 41, Edmond Santa Fe 19

Whitt Carter: Broken Arrow 34, Edmond Santa Fe 14

Randy Turney: Broken Arrow 28, Edmond Santa Fe 7

Stillwater at Lawton

Michael Swisher: Stillwater 35, Lawton 21

Ben Johnson: Stillwater 23, Lawton 22

Whitt Carter: Stillwater 42, Lawton 34

Randy Turney: Stillwater 35, Lawton 20

Cascia Hall at Berryhill

Michael Swisher: Berryhill 24, Cascia Hall 12

Ben Johnson: Berryhill 20, Cascia Hall 19

Whitt Carter: Cascia Hall 32, Berryhill 28

Randy Turney: Berryhill 28, Cascia Hall 20

Victory Christian at Beggs

Michael Swisher: Beggs 28, Victory Christian 10

Ben Johnson: Beggs 33, Victory Christian 24

Whitt Carter: Beggs 35, Victory Christian 27

Randy Turney: Beggs 21, Victory Christian 20

Plainview at Sulphur

Michael Swisher: Plainview 24, Sulphur 22

Ben Johnson: Plainview 29, Sulphur 23

Whitt Carter: Sulphur 28, Plainview 24

Randy Turney: Sulphur 34, Plainview 31

Buffalo at Pond Creek-Hunter

Michael Swisher: PC-Hunter 30, Buffalo 14

Ben Johnson: PC-Hunter 43, Buffalo 22

Whitt Carter: PC-Hunter 31, Buffalo 12

Randy Turney: PC-Hunter 34, Buffalo 22

Booker T. Washington at Sapulpa

Michael Swisher: Booker T. Washington 31, Sapulpa 30

Ben Johnson: Booker T. Washington 27, Sapulpa 24

Whitt Carter: Booker T. Washington 42, Sapulpa 28

Randy Turney: Booker T. Washington 31, Sapulpa 22

Stigler at Seminole

Michael Swisher: Seminole 34, Stigler 17

Ben Johnson: Seminole 23, Stigler 20

Whitt Carter: Seminole 34, Stigler 21

Randy Turney: Seminole 34, Stigler 20

Tonkawa at Morrison

Michael Swisher: Morrison 18, Tonkawa 14

Ben Johnson: Morrison 26, Tonkawa 16

Whitt Carter: Morrison 27, Tonkawa 21

Randy Turney: Morrison 38, Tonkawa 14

Yukon at Westmoore

Michael Swisher: Yukon 17, Westmoore 16

Ben Johnson: Yukon 21, Westmoore 17

Whitt Carter: Westmoore 21, Yukon 20

Randy Turney: Westmoore 24, Yukon 17

El Reno at Duncan

Michael Swisher: Duncan 24, El Reno 21

Ben Johnson: Duncan 32, El Reno 17

Whitt Carter: Duncan 28, El Reno 14

Randy Turney: El Reno 28, Duncan 21

Bethany at Cushing 

Michael Swisher: Bethany 31, Cushing 17

Ben Johnson: Bethany 33, Cushing 27

Whitt Carter: Bethany 35, Cushing 13

Randy Turney: Bethany 30, Cushing 24

Catoosa at Cleveland

Michael Swisher: Catoosa 36, Cleveland 25

Ben Johnson: Catoosa 28, Cleveland 18

Whitt Carter: Catoosa 37, Cleveland 21

Randy Turney: Catoosa 20, Cleveland 14

Kingfisher at Perkins-Tryon

Michael Swisher: Kingfisher 31, Perkins-Tryon 28

Ben Johnson: Kingfisher 27, Perkins-Tryon 21

Whitt Carter: Kingfisher 35, Perkins-Tryon 21

Randy Turney: Kingfisher 34, Perkins-Tryon 20

Okemah at Meeker

Michael Swisher: Meeker 33, Okemah 21

Ben Johnson: Meeker 34, Okemah 24

Whitt Carter: Okemah 33, Meeker 24

Randy Turney: Meeker 28, Okemah 12

Stratford at Washington

Michael Swisher: Washington 27, Stratford 23

Ben Johnson: Washington 32, Stratford 19

Whitt Carter: Washington 28, Stratford 20

Randy Turney: Washington 38, Stratford 20

Hooker at Okeene

Michael Swisher: Hooker 31, Okeene 13

Ben Johnson: Hooker 29, Okeene16

Whitt Carter: Hooke 35, Okeene 13

Randy Turney: Hooker 34, Okeene 7

Covington-Douglas at Southwest Covenant

Michael Swisher: SW Covenant 48, Covington-Douglas 30

Ben Johnson: SW Covenant 44, Covington-Douglas 25

Whitt Carter: SW Covenant 45, Covington-Douglas 31

Randy Turney: SW Covenant 42, Covington-Douglas 20

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

Week 7: Top 10 games

10/9/2018 |  Ben Johnson

Some rock-solid games this week as district races tighten up.

Here's what's on tap this week:

1. 5A No. 1 Carl Albert (6-0) at 5A No. 7 Guthrie (6-0): Bluejays beat Carl Albert every year from 2010 to 2015, but the Titans have posted back-to-back blowouts over Guthrie, including last year's 55-10 contest. Carl Albert running back Dadrion Taylor is also expected back after suffering a knee injury earlier in the season.

2. 6AI No. 1 Broken Arrow (6-0) at 6AI No. 4 Edmond Santa Fe (6-0): Tigers have been machine-like all season long. The Wolves pulling the upset would be one to send shockwaves throughout 6AI.

3. 6AII No. 1 Stillwater (6-0) at 6AII No. 5 Lawton (4-2): Pioneers are 0-4 against Lawton since the two clubs started playing district contests in 2014. And this one was going to feature a stellar running back showcase, but Stillwater tailback Qwontrel Walker was ejected in the fourth quarter against Choctaw last week, leaving his status for this week up in the air. Meanwhile, the Wolverines will ride the hot hand of Miles Davis at tailback.

4. 3A No. 8 Cascia Hall (5-1) at 3A No. 2 Berryhill (6-0): These two teams have met 10 times since 1999 and Cascia Hall is one nine of those games. The Chiefs' lone victory in the series was in 2004. Winner all but locks up the District 3A-4 crown.

5. 2A No. 9 Victory Christian (6-0) at 2A No. 5 Beggs (5-1): Former district mates are reunited in 2A-3 play this year. From 2010 to 2015, the two teams split the series 3-3. Winner here still has to tangle with Sperry to claim the district title.

6. 3A No. 4 Plainview (5-1) at 3A No. 5 Sulphur (5-1): Sulphur beat Plainview 35-12 last season, but prior to that Plainview had won the last eight clashes between the two teams.

7. C No. 4 Buffalo (6-0) at C No. 1 Pond Creek-Hunter (6-0): Winner all but wraps up the District C-1 championship. And to this point, Pond Creek-Hunter opponents are averaging four points per game.

8. 6AII No. 6 Booker T. Washington (3-3) at 6AII No. 7 Sapulpa (5-1): Chieftains came up with an overtime win over Muskogee last week, and a win over the Hornets would be a massive statement. One advantage Sapulpa does have is at the quarterback position with Eli Williams.

9. Stigler (5-1) at 3A No. 6 Seminole (5-1): All of a sudden everyone in District 3A-3 is chasing after Idabel. And it's looking more and more like a quality team will be left out of the playoff picture in the suddenly-deep 3A-3. The winner here at least feels somewhat more at ease with a postseason spot more obtainable.

10. Tonkawa (6-1) at A No. 3 Morrison (6-0): Tonkawa has a two-game winning streak going against Morrison, but it's the Wildcats who are ranked heading into this one. District A-5 is deep, so a win here moves one of these two closer to the district title.

Honorable mention

Yukon at Westmoore: Top three spots in 6AI-1 appear to be spoken for among Broken Arrow, Jenks and Edmond Santa Fe. So for a regular season matchup, it all but serves as a "win and you're in; lose and you're out" tilt. And Westmoore is 6-0 against Yukon since 2006.

El Reno at Duncan: The Demons are unbeaten but now the schedule tightens up. A win for Duncan sets up an epic showdown against Ardmore next week for 5A-1 supremacy. A win for El Reno has the Indians feeling better about securing a postseason spot. El Reno beat Duncan 41-40 last season.

Bethany at Cushing: Despite a minus-nine scoring margin in six games this season, the Tigers are 3-0 in District 4A-2. A win for Cushing could work toward some must-see games against Blanchard and Tuttle to close out the regular season in a few weeks.

Catoosa at Cleveland: District 4A-3 looks like it'll come down to Bristow or Wagoner at the top. So that leaves three -- maybe four (Catoosa, Cleveland, Grove and Oologah) -- competing for the final two playoff spots.

Kingfisher at Perkins-Tryon: We're finding out that a lot of districts have some solid depth, and 3A-1 falls in that category. Heritage Hall and John Marshall are locks for playoffs spots, so it's up to Kingfisher, Perkins, Mannford and Mount Saint Mary to challenge for the final two spots.

Okemah at Meeker: Since 2008, Okemah has won seven of the last eight matchups. Both of these clubs need a win to have a shot at possibly winning or finishing in the top two spots of 2A-2.

Stratford at Washington: Washington pushed Millwood to the limit last week. And despite a 1-2 mark in 2A-7, Stratford has to be taken seriously in the playoff mix.

Hooker at Okeene: Winner here gets a chance to challenge Oklahoma Bible Academy for District A-1 bragging

Covington-Douglas at Southwest Covenant: Winner all but wraps up the C-3 title.

So who wins all the matchups? Check back for our weekly picks on Thursday.

*Photo courtesy of Guthrie Booster Club

5 Games to Watch - Week 7

10/14/2021 |  Michael Swisher

We are just about halfway through the season. This is the point of the season where teams are really starting to figure out their identity. 

Coaches are figuring out if they need to make any other adjustments and how they should approach the final stretch before the playoffs. 

This is the most critical part of the season as teams fight out for home-field advantage…or even just a spot in the playoffs. 

Keep an eye out for these games on the Skordle app:

1. #2 McAlester 6-0 (3-0 in 5A-3) @ #3 Coweta 6-0 (3-0 in 5A-3) 

From what we’ve seen the past two weeks, defending 5A champion Carl Albert has slowly crept its way back in the top-five in the class. Regardless, Class 5A is still wide open this year and this game will largely affect the home field advantage and seeding race. Can senior quarterback Trent Boatright end his high school career in style with a state championship and end Carl Albert’s streak of five straight 5A titles? He and the rest of the Buffalo firepower are hungry for a road win this week. On the other side, it’s a pretty identical story. The Coweta Tigers are led by senior quarterback Gage Hamm who hasn’t thrown an interception all season. Hamm has 15 touchdowns in the air and four on the ground for the Tigers. This might be the biggest games for both seniors. It will be a blast to see which senior comes out on top.  

2. #2 Lincoln Christian 7-0 (3-0 in 3A-3) @ #4 Seminole 6-0 (2-0 in 3A-3)

Did you know that Lincoln Christian has been so dominant this season that its second-string quarterback has appeared in six of their seven games? Even the third string quarterback was awarded the opportunity to appear just a few weeks ago in a district game at Sequoyah where he went 10-15 for 80 yards and a touchdown. The only tough game the Bulldogs have had was a non-district road trip at Jones when they hung on 31-29. Other than that, it has been blowout after blowout for the Bulldogs. But the Chieftains are going to be fired up as well, especially after their past two clutch wins each by one possession. They’ve had their struggles on defense, but a home win for the Seminole faithful this week would be a huge boost for the Chieftains. 

3. #1 Jenks 5-1 (3-0 in 6AI-1) @ #4 Edmond Santa Fe 4-2 (3-0 in 6AI-1)

The only Edmond school that has a chance at a state championship hosts its biggest game all season when Jenks comes to town. Santa Fe is on a four-game winning streak since losing its first two at home. Jenks is almost in the same scenario, but the Trojans’ stellar defense is one of the main reasons they have gotten the job done. The two specific games were the 22-0 shutout against Union and the 31-14 win at Broken Arrow. Another reason that this Trojan team is dangerous is only losing to Bixby 23-15 especially since Bixby is pretty much blowing out everyone else on their schedule. Two teams on a winning streak in a tough Edmond atmosphere will be very dramatic. 

4. #4 Lawton MacArthur 6-0 (3-0 in 5A-1) @ #8 Noble 5-1 (3-0 in 5A-1)

The Highlanders of Lawton Mac have a long road trip ahead of them this week when they travel to the Noble Bears. And I mean it…… these could be the Bad News Bears of Oklahoma. Noble went 4-7 last season and the Bears are just three spots shy of reaching the top-five in 5A. Despite losing to Midwest City earlier in the season, 14-12, the Bears have scored at least 40 points or more in all five of their wins this season. There is a lot of promise for this program and this offense will be a huge challenge for the Highlanders defense. 

5. #5 Sand Springs 5-1 (2-1 in 6AII-2) @ #1 Bixby 6-0 (3-0 in 6AII-2) 

I will have to say that 70-7 win at Choctaw last week might have been the most impressive win I have ever seen out of the Bixby Spartan powerhouse. This program has literally been a dynasty. I still can’t get over the fact that the Spartans have won six out of the seven 6A-II state championships since the new class formation in 2014. But you have to admit that the Sand Springs Sandites have been the most surprising team in the class for 2021 considering last season was the first season they earned a winning record since 2016. They may have lost a heartbreaker last week to Booker T. Washington, but they could still finish out the year strong and be the 6A-II most improved team. It’ll be interesting to see what they have to show to Bixby this week. 

Skordle Staff Picks - Week 7

10/14/2021 |  Michael Swisher

Remember us? We are back after a couple of weeks off, ready to give you the crystal ball into week 7 of high school football in Oklahoma.

Beggs Stuns Metro Christian in Pivotal 2A-7 Clash

10/13/2021 |  Michael Swisher

The Beggs Demons stunned two-time defending state champ Metro Christian 24-22 last Friday to take a big step toward a potential District 2A-7 championship.

The Demons never completed a pass, but instead rode the legs of C.J. Brown and Red Martel.

The duo combined for 257 rushing yards as Beggs took the lead late in the first quarter and never surrendered it.

The win bumped the fourth-ranked Demons to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the district and in a tie with Victory Christian.

Second-ranked Metro Christian dropped to 4-2 and 2-1.

The Patriots turned it over on their first two possessions of the game as Beggs forced a fumble on the second play from scrimmage and then safety Braylon Davis picked off Metro’s Kirk Francis after the Patriots had driven inside the Beggs 10.

That set up a 51-yard touchdown run by Brown. Ayden Hamilton’s keeper on the conversion made it 8-0 late in the first.

The following Patriot drive saw Francis pass for 70 yards all the way down the field and Tagg Campbell punched in the touchdown with a 3-yard run. After the extra point by Brayden Haveman, the Demons’ lead was down to 8-7 with just seconds left in the first quarter.

Later in the second quarter, Beggs punter Chance Jordan pinned the Metro Christian offense inside its own 10. 

On second down, Francis dropped back to pass and delivered a short crossing route that got tipped and bounced around. 

Demon defensive lineman Chance Jordan came away with an interception and walked easily into the end zone.

Another Hamilton two-point conversion gave Beggs the 16-7 halftime lead.

Metro Christian thwarted a Beggs drive to open the second half by forcing a fumble.

The Patriots capitalized and turned that into points when Francis found Seth McCoy for a 17-yard touchdown.

McCoy bounced off multiple Demon defenders and dove in to the end zone before Dax Dancer’s two-point conversion shortened the deficit to 16-15.

After the fourth quarter featured both defenses stepping up, the game was ultimately decided on back-to-back plays.

Metro Christian drove inside the Beggs 10 with under 5:00 to play.

Campbell got three straight carries, but was short of the goal line.

On 4th and goal from the 2, Metro called his number again.

Campbell took the carry to the left, but lost the ball while crossing the goal line.

After a discussion between referees, it was determined he fumbled before crossing the line, giving the ball to the Demons on the touchback.

On the very next play, Martel took off for an 80-yard touchdown run. 

The two-point conversion was good, again by Brown, and the Demons led 24-15 with under four minutes remaining.

Metro didn’t fade away.

The Patriots quickly drove the field, bolstered by Francis’ passing and a 28-yard run by Campbell.

Francis eventually scored on a 1-yard run, pulling the Patriots within two points with under 2:00 left.

An onside kick was recovered by Beggs and the Patriots had all three timeouts at their disposal. 

Four straight plays by the Demon offense were turned away and Metro Christian had hope as the Patriots had 46 yards to go and no timeouts. 

Francis threw three straight incompletions and faced a 4th and 10. 

A Hail Mary attempt came up short as the ball traveled just out of reach of receiver Walker Holder, who was alone in the back of the end zone, allowing Beggs to hold onto the win.

Martel finished the game with 129 yards on just 11 touches for Beggs while Brown finished with 23 carries for 122 yards.

For Metro Christian, Francis was 26 of 43 for 310 yards. Speedster J.J. Shelby was his favorite target, but Reid Roth finished with over 100 yards receiving.

The Patriots were hurt by four turnovers - two interceptions by Francis and two fumbles.

Metro Christian can keep itself in the district title race this week when it travels to Victory Christian.

Beggs hosts Morris this week and its showdown with Victory Christian looms in Week 10.

5 Games to Watch - Week 6

10/7/2021 |  Michael Swisher

This week is full of rivalries, rivalries and more rivalries. Let’s talk about the fact that there’s another #1 vs #2 matchup, a 5A rivalry featuring the top two teams in their district already having two losses and the classic Mid-Del showdown. There is a lot to look forward this week and you definitely won’t want to miss any of the action.

1. #1 Bixby 5-0 (2-0 in 6AII-2) @ #2 Choctaw 4-1 (2-0 in 6AII-2)  

Revenge? A rematch of the 2020 6AII state championship? A fight to claim first in the district? Yeah, this is no doubt the best game of the week and possibly the game of the whole regular season. This is also one of the biggest home games for Choctaw in its school history. I’m also pretty sure almost the entire state of Oklahoma - outside of Bixby - will be rooting for the Yellowjackets to take down the two-time defending state champion Bixby Spartans. This game will determine a lot of seeding implications, but this could once again be the title game. The top-ranked Spartans just came off of yet another blowout win against a Putnam City West team that didn’t score until the fourth quarter in a game that was 67-0 at halftime. But we can’t forget about two weeks ago when Choctaw claimed a statement win against Booker T. Washington, 29-20. Out of all of the Yellowjackets’ four wins, this was the one they needed the most considering BTW is just behind them in the rankings at #3. Will this be the year Choctaw dethrones Bixby? 

2. #6 Carl Albert 3-2 (2-0 in 5A-2) @ #7 Bishop McGuiness 3-2 (2-0 in 5A-2) 

Are the Titans back already? After all, it sure seems like they woke up after dropping their first two to Midwest City and Del City. The embarrassing one though was when Eagles of Del City came to Carl Albert and hung 52 points on the Titans. Not to mention that Carl Albert only had a single touchdown in the second half. But since then, the Titans have gotten at least halfway back to themselves. A rivalry win on the road at Guthrie last week? That was the first test. Now they have to go to one of the hardest places in all of 5A. If they steal another one on the road Friday night against the Irish, this will turn from a “rebuilding year” to another championship year really fast. And to surprise everyone on a “rebuilding year”? That’s the definition of a top-tier football program. The Irish also lost to Del City earlier this year and they don’t have any quality wins on their résumé. But they are the Irish and they are at home and they desperately want revenge against the Titans. This game not only has a big say in who wins the district championship, but it’s also been a state championship preview. Carl Albert has defeated the Irish in the last two 5A title games and four of the last five. Anything can happen. I’ve heard from a Carl Albert graduate that this is probably the most heated rivalry in all of 5A. 

3. #3 Booker T. Washington 4-1 (1-1 in 6AII-2) @ #4 Sand Springs 5-0 (2-0 in 6AII-2) 

As mentioned, the Hornets lost a close one in Choctaw a couple weeks back. But if you’re a Hornet fan, you shouldn’t be too upset about that loss since it’s a very talented Yellowjacket team. The Hornets had a big bounce back win at home over Bartlesville 63-0. The blowout was largely behind phenomenal rushing performances by DJ McKinney and Ethan Washington, who each had a pair of rushing touchdowns and over 100 rushing yards. You can’t complain about that one bit if you’re a Hornet fan. Something that will be interesting though is how the Hornets will respond from a road atmosphere because you know Sand Springs will be fired up to garner a statement win.

4. Midwest City 4-1 (2-0 in 6AII-1) @ #5 Del City 4-1 (2-0 in 6AII-1) 

This is the classic Mid-Del rivalry, but few expected either one of these squads to have the kind of season they’re having right now. I didn’t think we would be talking about even one of these teams beating Carl Albert. But the beauty of high school and college sports is upset after upset. The Eagles have statement wins over Carl Albert, Bishop McGuiness and Stillwater, which is why they have journeyed their way into the top-five in 6AII. A win at home against their top rival could put them up even higher depending on how the teams ahead of them perform. 

5. #8 Bristow 4-1 (2-0 in 4A-3) @ #5 Grove 5-0 (2-0 in 4A-3) 

Talk about a battle between a high-power offense and a high-power defense. Last week, Bristow scored its only three points in the fourth quarter and managed to win 3-0. You don’t hear that kind of score very often. Also a reminder that Wagoner is the defending 4A state champion. Not allowing a single point against Wagoner says a lot. Ever since losing their opener to Cushing, the Pirates of Bristow have allowed an average of 10 points a game. That could be a challenge to Grove. The Ridgerunners may have a high scoring offense, but they are lacking on defense. Having homefield advantage will help the Ridgerunners tremendously, but Bristow has had momentum as well. 

Del City Dominant in Stillwater Road Win

10/7/2021 |  Michael Swisher

The Del City Eagles manhandled Stillwater 30-7 on the road last Thursday night in a matchup of top-10 6A-II teams.

Del City dominated the line of scrimmage, punishing the Pioneer defense with its run heavy offense. 

Del City senior quarterback Virgil Yates shined as the key contributor in the running game along with fellow senior running mate Ethan Lawrence. 

The two combined for 44 rushing attempts and more than 350 yards on the ground. 

The Del City defense put together an all around great performance by allowing under 300 total offensive yards from the Pioneer offense. 

Stillwater only put together one full drive in the third quarter as the Pioneers struggled to execute and finish drives throughout the game. 

Stillwater got solid performances from quarterback Gage Gundy and Holden Thompson from the backfield. 

Thompson shined late in the game after getting increased touches following the first couple of drives. 

The first quarter went on with neither team being able to capitalize on their drives. Del City attempted two field goals and Stanley Johnson made one from 21 yards and missed one from 44 and led the game early 3-0 near the end of the first quarter.

Del City drove down the field to start the second period. 

Yates ran in from seven yards out to post the first touchdown of the game. 

After a Johnson point after attempt, the Eagles led the game 10-0 with 10 minutes left in the first half. 

On the ensuing drive, Gundy found Thompson down the field for a 33-yard gain to kickstart their best drive of the half. After entering Eagle territory, a holding penalty derailed the drive and set up a 4th and 12 at the Eagle 39. 

The Pioneers attempted a fake punt where Heston Thompson got the ball on a sweep play. 

The Eagle special teams unit was prepared for the play and tackled him for a loss of nine yards. 

Two plays later, the Pioneer defense came up with a fumble from running back Jayson Smith. 

The Del City defense answered the bell yet again as Jaylin Sweet picked off a Gundy deep pass. 

Yates and Lawrence ran all over the defense on the next drive. 

Lawrence had a touchdown called back by a holding penalty late in the second quarter. 

Johnson had his field goal attempt of 34 yards blocked to end the half and the score stayed at 10-0.

In the second half, Stillwater got the ball first and after a quick first down, its drive sizzled to a stop and punted to Del City. 

Yates ran for41 yards on the Eagles’ first play to set them up at the Stillwater 25. 

Lawrence capped off the two-play drive with a touchdown from there, increasing their lead to 17-0 with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter. 

Stillwater answered when Holden Thompson had a 76-yard carry on second down to reach the 1 yard line. This set up a Gundy’s touchdown run to shed the Eagle lead to 17-7. 

The Eagles answered back even more quickly on the next drive after a long kickoff return by Braelon Adamah. 

On first down, = Lawrence executed a 49-yard carry to set up a first and goal. Yates ran in for a touchdown from a yard out to take a commanding 24-7 lead late in the third quarter. 

Going into the fourth, the lead looked insurmountable for the Pioneers. 

With just under 10 minutes left in the game, Yates found Sweet for a 14-yard touchdown pass for the last score of the game. 

In a final ditch effort for the Stillwater offense, they had a drive reach inside the 10 deep in Eagle territory. 

The Del City defense was perfect as the Eagles shut the door on a late game score. Three straight plays were stuffed from inside the 3. 

Del City would then retain possession from their own 1 and run the clock out. 

Del City’s defense came up with four sacks and one turnover while the offense dominated the ground. 

Yates and Lawrence shined brightest as they combined for over 95 percent of the yards on the ground.

Del City (4-1, 2-0) looked dominant in Week 5 and is now tied with Midwest City atop 6AII-1.

The win sets up a big matchup this Friday between the two. 

Stillwater (3-2, 1-1) will look to bounce back in Week 6 in their matchup against U.S. Grant and make a push for the playoffs going into the last five weeks of the regular season.

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 6 (2021)

10/5/2021 |  Michael Swisher

The Great Burger Debate

If you watched the premier of the SKORDLE Pay Dirt Pick’Em Show last week, you may have seen the discussion about burgers in Oklahoma and specifically Onion Burgers and the Meers Burger. 

One could argue that these are the two most iconic burgers in Oklahoma. 

The short debate exchange centered around one guest making the statement “I would eat dog food before I would eat an onion burger.” 

This was soon followed up by statements promoting the high quality of the famed Meers burger, only to be rebuked with statements basically saying it was “OK” and nothing special. 

I have had many El Reno-style (Sid’s and Johnnie’s) Onion Burgers in my lifetime. I even love making them on my new Blackstone.

I also made my first trip to Meers Burger this past summer to finally check it out and I was glad I did.

As for the Onion Burger, its roots are in the Great Depression when hamburger cost was high, but onions were cheap.

To stretch the hamburger meat supply as well as keep costs down, onions were cooked directly into the patties. 

What resulted, almost by accident, was pure greatness! 

El Reno even has an Fried Onion Burger Day Festival which I would love to attend some day in the future. 

As for Meers, it is definitely a destination food road trip in Oklahoma that everyone needs to make.