CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDUP & FINAL RANKINGS
by Ben Johnson (@BenJohnsonTUL)
12/11/2018 2:09:39 PM
posted in: Articles | 2,212 views
by Ben Johnson (@BenJohnsonTUL)12/11/2018 2:09:39 PM
posted in: Articles | 2,212 views
David Alexander sought out his family with pure pandemonium all around him. While players, fans and coaches started celebrating Broken Arrow’s 28-20 victory over Jenks in the Class 6AI title game, Alexander scanned the Chapman Stadium crowd for his loved ones.
“What I’ll remember will be finding my family and letting some of the emotion out that I had bottled up during the week prior to the game,” said Alexander, whose father, Larry Alexander, passed away Nov. 24.
Broken Arrow’s first football championship was accompanied by a two-hour, nine-minute weather delay, thanks to severe weather rolling through late in the fourth quarter. That allowed Alexander a brief second or two to chat with his father.
“When I was waiting on the team to come out of the tunnel,” Alexander said. “That’s the most quiet I get. Just a few people on the sideline.”
As for the rest of the evening, it was Alexander and his team having to demonstrate some patience. Luckily the Tigers were prepared.
“We had a plan in place from Tuesday on, about being ready for the delay,” Alexander said. “First, and most importantly, I talked to the team before and after our last three practices that we would be delayed.”
Knowing what was coming, the Tigers slipped into the visiting locker room and tried to rest for a bit.
“When we got inside, we took all the pressure off of the kids,” Alexander said. “We had them take off their shoes and pads. We had them sit down -- or lay down -- and relax. And the booster club brought in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for everyone.”
The game restarted at 11:41, and Broken Arrow was forced to punt not long after. With 1:28 left, Jenks went from its own 12-yard line to Broken Arrow’s 5-yard line in six plays.
But Broken Arrow’s Myles Slusher picked off Jenks quarterback Ian Corwin in the end zone with 20 seconds left, and the Tigers were free to celebrate their first championship.
“Pure elation,” Alexander said, “for the players, school and the town of Broken Arrow. A moment of sheer joy.”
Broken Arrow secured its first championship with Quintevin Cherry and Noah Cortes combining for 266 yards and four touchdowns on 51 carries.
“This is a very special group of seniors. Five of them are three-year starters, and they believed that all of their hard work would pay off.”
Final 6AI rankings
1. Broken Arrow - 13-0
2. Jenks - 11-2
3. Union - 9-3
4. Owasso - 7-5
5. PC North - 8-3
6. Edmond Santa Fe - 7-4
7. Norman - 6-5
8. Moore - 5-6
9. Yukon - 6-4
10. Westmoore - 5-5
Class 6AII: Bixby 34, Stillwater 13
OWASSO -- Stillwater’s Qwontrel Walker was one of the most heralded running backs in the state all season long. But it was Bixby’s wildcat formation that prevailed on the ground in the 6AII title game.
Cade Cavender, the Spartans’ wildcat quarterback, rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries as the Spartans won their third championship in four years.
“The wildcat formation was put in for short yardage and down-and-distance, but when we realized that it kept working, we decided to keep running it.”
And Stillwater was powerless to stop it.
“I have the easiest part in that formation behind the outstanding line we have,” Cavender said. “They opened up plenty of holes that I could have ran through.”
Walker put Stillwater in front 6-0 in the first quarter, but a Braden Roller 12-yard touchdown run tied the game, and Cavender broke the tie with a 60-yard TD run in the second quarter.
The Pioneers tied the game at 13 heading into the halftime locker rooms, thanks to Walker’s 5-yard touchdown run.
From there, it was all Bixby in the second half -- and after a long weather delay.
Cavender had scoring runs of 4 and 2 yards in the second half, and Brennan Presley followed with a 9-yard touchdown run.
“To win the state championship my senior year is amazing,” Cavender said. “Not very many kids get to win their last high school game.”
Final 6AII rankings
1. Bixby - 12-1
2. Stillwater - 12-1
3. Midwest City - 9-3
4. Booker T. Washington - 8-4
5. Del City - 7-4
6. Lawton - 6-5
7. Sapulpa - 7-4
8. Muskogee - 6-5
9. Choctaw - 4-6
10. Bartlesville - 4-6
Class 5A: Carl Albert 17, Ardmore 10
EDMOND -- Carl Albert won its state-leading 36th straight game, thanks to Ben Harris’ 74-yard touchdown pass to Chris Veales in the third quarter that put the Titans in front for good.
Final 5A rankings
1. Carl Albert - 14-0
2. Ardmore - 13-1
3. Collinsville - 12-1
4. Bishop Kelley - 10-3
5. Bishop McGuinness - 9-3
6. Guthrie - 9-3
7. Claremore - 7-5
8. Coweta - 5-7
9. Duncan - 9-2
10. Altus - 8-3
Class 4A: Tuttle 35, Bethany 28
YUKON -- Carson Berryhill scored a 29-yard touchdown run with 2:21 left to propel Tuttle to a 14-0 season and its first championship since 2005.
Final 4A rankings
1. Tuttle - 10-4
2. Bethany - 12-2
3. Clinton - 11-2
4. Poteau - 12-1
5. Wagoner - 10-2
6. Blanchard - 9-3
7. Broken Bow - 9-3
8. Hilldale - 9-3
9. Bristow - 9-2
10. Cache - 8-3
Class 3A: Heritage Hall 50, Sulphur 14
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Heritage Hall’s Conner Carey scored five touchdowns -- all in the first half -- as the Chargers won their fourth championship in the last five seasons.
Final 3A rankings
1. Heritage Hall - 13-1
2. Sulphur - 12-2
3. Kingfisher - 9-4
4. Lincoln Christian - 11-2
5. Plainview - 9-3
6. Idabel - 8-4
7. Berryhill - 11-1
8. Stigler - 9-3
9. John Marshall - 8-3
10. Seminole - 8-3
Class 2A Sperry 35, Beggs 14
OWASSO -- Sperry scored 35 unanswered points to claim its first state championship. Quarterback Beau Teel scored two rushing touchdowns, and Joe Whiteley, Bryce Carter and Walker NIver all had TD rushes for their own for Sperry.
Final 2A rankings
1. Sperry - 14-1
2. Beggs - 13-2
3. Metro Christian - 12-2
4. Adair - 12-2
5. Vian - 10-3
6. Washington - 10-3
7. Kingston - 11-2
8. Millwood - 11-1
9. Jones - 10-2
10. Holland Hall - 9-3
Class A: Tonkawa 21, Christian Heritage 6
STILLWATER -- Quarterback Braydon Hampton piled up 26 yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries for Tonkawa, which won its first title since 2009.
Final Class A rankings
1. Tonkawa - 14-1
2. Christian Heritage - 10-5
3. Rejoice Christian - 13-1
4. Fairview - 10-4
5. Hobart - 10-3
6. Cashion - 11-1
7. Stroud - 11-2
8. Crossings Christian - 10-3
9. Ringling - 10-1
10. Hooker - 11-1
Class B: Shattuck 42, Regent Prep 26
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Bralyn Hill rushed for 140 yards and two late touchdowns on 17 carries to propel Shattuck to another Class B championship.
Final Class B rankings
1. Shattuck - 14-0
2. Regent Prep - 14-1
3. Davenport - 13-1
4. Laverne - 8-3
5. Wetumka - 10-4
6. Dewar - 11-2
7. Snyder - 10-1
8. Keota - 8-3
9. Waurika - 11-1
10. Alex - 8-4
Class C: Tipton 50, Southwest Covenant 34
WEATHERFORD -- Jeremiah Smith rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries to guide Tipton to the Class C championship.
Final Class C rankings
1. Tipton - 12-2
2. Southwest Covenant - 12-1
3. Buffalo - 12-1
4. Pond Creek-Hunter - 11-2
5. Coyle - 8-3
6. Medford - 6-5
7. Paoli - 10-2
8. Tyrone - 8-3
9. Covington-Douglas - 6-5
10. Sharon-Mutual - 5-6