by Ben Johnson (@BenJohnsonTUL)11/21/2018 3:21:24 PM
posted in: Articles | 2,924 views
It’s a new age for Class 3A. No longer are there five rounds to navigate to win the championship. Heritage Hall, Lincoln Christian, Sulphur and Kingfisher are all one win away from the 3A title game. As for Class 2A and Class A, it’s business as usual with the quarterfinals this week while most of the other classes narrow their fields to two teams.
Here’s what to look for this week…
Class 3A
*Both games scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
No. 1 Heritage Hall (11-1) vs. No. 4 Lincoln Christian (11-1)
Where: Collins Stadium (Sapulpa)
Last week: Heritage Hall 44, Stigler 21; Lincoln Christian 34, Plainview 21
Players to watch
- Conner Carey (Heritage Hall): Senior tailback has emerged as the Chargers’ main weapon out of the backfield with 1,429 yards and 24 touchdowns on 160 carries.
- Hardy Bowers (Heritage Hall): Leading the Chargers with 135 tackles and nine sacks this season.
- Chase Ricke (Lincoln Christian): Junior quarterback has passed for 2,860 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 152 of 229 passes. He’s also added rushing to his arsenal lately, logging 176 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries last week against Plainview.
- Sam Brueggemann (Lincoln Christian): Ricke’s favorite in the target has hauled in 62 catches for 1,422 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Need to know
- Chargers have had previous success against Lincoln Christian in the playoffs. Chargers beat the Bulldogs in the 3A title game in 2015, and they also beat Lincoln Christian in the 2A semifinals in 2008.
- Heritage Hall is 7-3 in the semifinals.
- Lincoln Christian is 2-0 in semifinal games that aren’t against Heritage Hall. Last semifinal win was over Jones in 2015.
No. 3 Sulphur (11-1) vs. No. 6 Kingfisher (9-3)
Where: Edmond Santa Fe High School
Last week: Sulphur 56, Idabel 31; Kingfisher 35, Berryhill 15
Players to watch
- Trey Kiser (Sulphur): This is an obvious one. The senior running back/linebacker has dominated on both sides of the ball for the Bulldogs. He’s rushed for 2,312 yards and 35 touchdowns on 237 carries this season.
- Jett Sternberger (Kingfisher): Senior quarterback has passed for 2,067 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing 67 percent (156 of 233) of his passes. Also has mixed in 13 touchdowns on the ground.
- Trey Green (Kingfisher): Sternberger’s top target with 48 catches for 822 yards and 12 touchdowns. Also has 53 tackles and seven tackles for loss on defense.
Need to know
- Kingfisher is 2-1 against Sulphur in the playoffs. Most recent matchup was a 21-18 Kingfisher victory in the 3A championship game in 2003.
- Sulphur is 3-4 in all-time semifinal clashes. The Bulldogs last semifinal win was in 2004.
- Kingfisher is 6-6 in 12 previous semifinal appearances. Yellowjackets’ last semifinal win was in 2013 against Seminole before beating Blachard in the 3A championship game.
Class 2A
Quarterfinal matchups
Eufaula (10-2) at No. 5 Sperry (11-1)
Last week: Sperry 49, Kellyville 7; Eufaula 30, Coalgate 14
Players to watch
- Zac Anderson (Eufaula): Senior running back/linebacker posted 17 tackles and two sacks last week against Coalgate. He also rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries, and he added in a 93-yard touchdown completion.
- Beau Teel (Sperry): Senior QB has passed for 1,365 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Need to know
- All-time series is split at 1-1. Last matchup was in 2013 -- a 27-0 Eufaula victory.
- Eufaula’s last quarterfinal appearance was in 2005. Ironheads are 3-3 in the quarterfinals since 2000.
- Sperry’s last quarterfinal victory was 1992 against Adair. Pirates are 0-4 in the quarterfinals since 1993.
Adair (11-1) at No. 6 Vian (10-2)
Last week: Adair 30, Chisholm 20; Vian 27, Millwood 26
Players to watch
- Austin Hines (Adair): Senior quarterback has passed for 2,206 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns last week against Chisholm.
- Bodhi Vann (Vian): Senior tailback has rushed for 1,350 yards and 21 touchdowns on 137 carries this season. Vann rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown in the Wolverines’ win over Millwood last week.
Need to know
- Vian is unbeaten in three matchups with Adair -- the most recent being a 28-26 win in 2009.
- Vian has rushed for 3,425 yards this season.
- Vian is looking for its first semifinal appearance since back-to-back berths in 2012 and 2013.
- Adair has been in the quarterfinals every year since 2012. The Warriors have gone 2-4 over that span.
No. 7 Washington (10-2) at Metro Christian (11-1)
Last week: Washington 35, Holland Hall 20; Metro Christian 49, Jones 45
Players to watch
- Trevor Stuever (Washington): Senior quarterback has passed for 835 yards and nine touchdowns this season, and he’s also rushed for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns. On defense, he’s had 32 tackles and six interceptions.
- Asher Link (Metro Christian): Junior quarterback has completed 187 of 284 passes for 2,842 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Need to know
- Frist matchup between the two teams.
- Since 2014, Washington has appeared in the 2A quarterfinals three times and advanced once (last season with a 63-21 win over Commerce).
- Metro Christian is 2-6 all-time in the quarterfinals. Last quarterfinal victory was in the 2014 with a 16-13 win over Anadarko in 4A.
No. 8 Kingston (11-1) at No. 3 Beggs (11-1)
Last week: Kingston 41, Antlers 16; Beggs 49, Oklahoma Christian School 22
Players to watch
- Garrett Voyles (Kingston): Leading rusher for a Kingston team that is averaging 39.2 points per game this season.
- Dalton Spring (Beggs): Senior QB has passed for 1,585 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.
Need to know
- First matchup between these two teams.
- Kingston is back in the quarterfinals since 2015 and second time since 1988.
- Beggs has been to the quarterfinals seven times since 2001, but the Demons’ only win was last year on their way to the 3A championship game against John Marshall.