by Ben Johnson (@BenJohnsonTUL)11/21/2018 12:50:30 PM
posted in: Articles | 2,666 views
Four teams have punched their tickets to state championship games. Bixby and Stillwater rallied to claim their spots in the Class 6AII title game, and Jenks and Broken Arrow pulled off some heroics of their own to set up a 6AI title clash. But now they have the week, so the focus shifts to Class 5A and on down.
Here’s what to look for this week…
Class 5A
*Both games scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Friday
Semifinal matchups
No. 3 Collinsville (12-0) vs. No. 1 Carl Albert (12-0)
Where: Owasso High School
Last week: Carl Albert 42, Claremore 6; Collinsville 35, Guthrie 10
Players to watch
- Jake Tuttle (Collinsville): The Cardinals’ leading in a three-headed rushing attack. Tuttle has gained 910 yards and 14 touchdowns on 107 carries this season.
- Brayden Burd (Collinsville): Not far off Tuttle’s pace with 872 yards and 12 touchdowns on 75 carries.
- Ben Harris (Carl Albert): The Titans’ offensive engineer with 2,076 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing 123 of 219 passes this season.
- Reise Collier (Carl Albert): Junior linebacker has been a menace for the Titans all season long, totaling 142 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions.
Numbers to know
- These two clubs are meeting for the first time.
- Cardinals are 1-4 all-time in the semifinals -- at any level. Collinsville’s lone semifinal win was in 2015, a 23-3 victory over Skiatook to advance to the 5A title game.
- Thanks to Millwood’s loss last week, the Titans now own the state’s longest winning streak (34).
- Carl Albert has won 10 straight playoff games. The Titans beat Skiatook in last year’s semifinals, 42-12, to reach the championship game.
No. 5 Bishop Kelley (10-2) vs. No .2 Ardmore (12-0)
Where: Western Heights High School
Last week: Bishop Kelley 34, Bishop McGuinness 33; Ardmore 48, Coweta 13
Players to watch
- Zach Middleton (Bishop Kelley): The leading rusher in the run-heavy Comets offense. Middleton has totaled 759 yards and 11 touchdowns on 89 carries this season.
- Montrell Cozart (Bishop Kelley): Comets’ leading tackler with 96 takedowns this season, including six sacks.
- Tero Roberts (Ardmore): Three different Tiger ball carries have more than 600 yards this season, and Roberts leads the pack with 1,089 yards and seven touchdowns on 100 carries.
- Cameron Petties (Ardmore): The drive-finisher for the Tigers has a team-high 13 touchdowns, and he’s amassed 690 yards on only 72 carries this season.
Numbers to know
- These two have met once -- a 37-29 victory for Ardmore in the 5A quarterfinals in 2016.
- The Comets, 2-2 all-time in the semifinals, are making their first semifinal appearance since 1999.
- Ardmore is making its fourth semifinal appearance since 2011. The Tigers haven’t been in a championship game since 1992.
Class 4A
*Both games scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Friday
No. 1 Poteau (12-0) vs. No. 2 Tuttle (12-0)
Where: Allan Trimble Stadium (Jenks)
Last week: Tuttle 42, Hilldale 14; Poteau 36, Blanchard 14
Players to watch
- Carson Berryhill (Tuttle): Senior quarterback is completing 58.2 percent (99 of 170) of his passes for 1,632 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.
- Triston Truelove (Tuttle): Junior tailback is Tuttle’s leading rusher with 1,376 yards and 16 touchdowns on 217 carries.
- Easton Francis (Poteau): Junior standout does it all for the Pirates. He stepped into play quarterback last week for Jett Pitchford, who suffered a hamstring injury. Francis will likely have to do the same this week. This season, he’s rushed for 1,143 yards and 18 touchdowns on 180 carries, and he’s the Pirates’ punter with a 35.1-yard average per boot.
- Gunnar Thompson (Poteau): At 6 feet, 4 inches and 235 pounds, Thompson has emerged as a Division I prospect this season. While wrecking havoc on defense, he’s totaled 97 tackles and 11 sacks. He also can carry the ball on offense, or haul in a pass at tight end.
Numbers to know
- These two teams are meeting for the first time.
- Poteau is 1-7 in semifinal games since 1989. Lone semifinal victory was a 27-20 win over Douglass in 2013.
- Tuttle, with two state championships since the turn of the century, is 2-4 in semifinal games since 2001.
No. 6 Bethany (11-1) vs. No. 9 Clinton (11-1)
Where: Putnam City Stadium (Warr Acres)
Last week: Bethany 42, Wagoner 35; Clinton 28, Broken Bow 14
Players to watch
- Eddi Gonzalez (Clinton): Junior linebacker has racked up 107 tackles for a Red Tornadoes that is allowing 11.6 points per game.
- Juan Guzman (Clinton): The leading rusher for a Red Tornadoes rushing attack that features five different ball carriers over 350 yards this season. Guzman has 748 yards and eight touchdowns on 104 carries.
- Sam Brandt (Bethany): Junior quarterback has had a monster season, rushing for 1,132 yards and 22 touchdowns while also passing for 2,289 yards and 24 touchdowns. On defense, he’s posted 58 tackles and six interceptions.
- Jacob Kyle (Bethany): The Bronchos’ leading rusher with 1,262 yards and 14 touchdowns on 161 carries.
Numbers to know
- First meeting between the two teams.
- Bethany is 4-2 in the playoffs at the 4A level. The Bronchos’ season last year was ended by Ada in a 26-22 loss in the semifinals.
- Bethany’s last championship game appearance was in the 2003 Class 2A title game.
- Clinton has won 16 state championships with the most recent being in 2012.
- Since back-to-back title game appearances in 2011 and 2012, Clinton has appeared in the semifinals once -- a 28-21 loss to Oologah in 2016.