by Ben Johnson (@BenJohnsonTUL)11/20/2020 3:35:07 PM
posted in: News | 3,015 views
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