Mid-Del Players of the Week
Something a little different this week after the performances from the second round of the playoffs:
Offense
Carl Albert quarterback J.T. Realmuto flat took over Carl Albert’s game against Tulsa Kelley on Friday night.
With the Comets focusing on slowing down the versatile Tre Porter, things were more opened up for Realmuto on the ground.
And the Titans’ senior took full advantage, carrying the ball 40 times for 180 yards and four touchdowns — two in overtime — in Carl Albert’s 34-31 double overtime win. For his performance, Realmuto earns the Mid-Del Offensive Player of the Week honors.
One of the defining moments to Carl Albert’s season up until this point has been the fourth and 1 play from deep in the Titans’ territory against Shawnee. The Wolves stopped Carl Albert on that play, a Realmuto keeper to the outside. Shortly after, Shawnee scored what proved to be the game-winning score.
Since then, though, Carl Albert’s offense has woken up. Last week was the first time since that Oct. 2 game that the Titans were held to less than 40 points. Realmuto, and the emergence offensively of Porter, have certainly been two of the biggest parts of that.
Defense
Until early in the fourth quarter of the Carl Albert-Tulsa Kelley game, the Titans were dominant defensively against one of the best offensive lines in the state. The best of Carl Albert’s defenders was David Lambeth. Lambeth had 15 tackles, 2 for a loss, and forced a fumble to earn the Mid-Del Defense Player of the Week honors.
Other:
Greg Austin, Midwest City: The Bombers quarterback threw for nearly 300 yards and a touchdown in Broken Arrow’s 24-17 win over Midwest City. Austin improved throughout the season and gives Midwest City a bright future at quarterback for next season. For the year, Austin threw for around 1,900 yards.
Semifinal sites set
Here’s the semifinal times/dates:
Class 6A
Jenks vs. Southmoore, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Putnam City Stadium
Tulsa Union vs. Broken Arrow, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, University of Tulsa
Class 5A
El Reno vs. Carl Albert, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Putnam City Stadium
Bixby vs. Guthrie, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Stillwater High School
Class 4A
Weatherford vs. Douglass, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Yukon
Star Spencer vs. Sallisaw, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sapulpa
Class 3A
Seq. Claremore vs. Cascia Hall, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Collinsville
Berryhill vs. Dewey, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Skiatook
Class B
Garber vs. Laverne, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Woodward
Ryan vs. Canton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Norman
Class C
DC-Lamont vs. Timberlake, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Enid
Seiling vs. Forgan, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Woodward
Semifinal sites set
Here’s the semifinal times/dates:
Class 6A
Jenks vs. Southmoore, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Putnam City Stadium
Tulsa Union vs. Broken Arrow, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, University of Tulsa
Class 5A
El Reno vs. Carl Albert, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Putnam City Stadium
Bixby vs. Guthrie, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Stillwater High School
Class 4A
Weatherford vs. Douglass, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Yukon
Star Spencer vs. Sallisaw, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sapulpa
Class 3A
Seq. Claremore vs. Cascia Hall, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Collinsville
Berryhill vs. Dewey, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Skiatook
Class B
Garber vs. Laverne, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Woodward
Ryan vs. Canton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Norman
Class C
DC-Lamont vs. Timberlake, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Enid
Seiling vs. Forgan, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Woodward
Semifinal sites set
Here’s the semifinal times/dates:
Class 6A
Jenks vs. Southmoore, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Putnam City Stadium
Tulsa Union vs. Broken Arrow, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, University of Tulsa
Class 5A
El Reno vs. Carl Albert, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Putnam City Stadium
Bixby vs. Guthrie, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Stillwater High School
Class 4A
Weatherford vs. Douglass, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Yukon
Star Spencer vs. Sallisaw, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sapulpa
Class 3A
Seq. Claremore vs. Cascia Hall, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Collinsville
Berryhill vs. Dewey, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Skiatook
Class B
Garber vs. Laverne, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Woodward
Ryan vs. Canton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Norman
Class C
DC-Lamont vs. Timberlake, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Enid
Seiling vs. Forgan, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Woodward
Semifinal sites set
Here’s the semifinal times/dates:
Class 6A
Jenks vs. Southmoore, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Putnam City Stadium
Tulsa Union vs. Broken Arrow, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, University of Tulsa
Class 5A
El Reno vs. Carl Albert, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Putnam City Stadium
Bixby vs. Guthrie, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Stillwater High School
Class 4A
Weatherford vs. Douglass, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Yukon
Star Spencer vs. Sallisaw, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sapulpa
Class 3A
Seq. Claremore vs. Cascia Hall, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Collinsville
Berryhill vs. Dewey, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Skiatook
Class B
Garber vs. Laverne, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Woodward
Ryan vs. Canton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Norman
Class C
DC-Lamont vs. Timberlake, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Enid
Seiling vs. Forgan, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Woodward
Capsule: Broken Arrow at Midwest City
By Ryan Aber
raber@opubco.com
Broken Arrow (9-2) at Midwest City (9-2)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Jim Darnell Stadium, Midwest City
Winner plays: Tulsa Union-Lawton winner next Friday-Saturday at neutral site TBD.
Broken Arrow (L, Tulsa Union; W, Owasso; W, Tulsa Washington; W, Sapulpa; W, Muskogee; L, Jenks; W, Sand Springs; W, Tulsa Memorial; W, Claremore; W, Bartlesville; W, Enid)
Why the Tigers can win: If you take out the season-opening 17-6 loss to Tulsa Union, Broken Arrow has scored 24 or more points in every game. The Tigers have one of the most balanced offenses around, led by running back Steven Hopper and quarterback Archie Bradley.
Midwest City (L, Del City; W, Moore; L, Southmoore; W, Edmond Memorial; W, Westmoore; W, Lawton Eisenhower; W, Edmond North; W, Putnam City; W, Norman; W, Putnam West; W, Putnam North)
Why the Bombers can win: Because last week was their wake-up call. Midwest City blew through District 6A-2, so it’s not too surprising that once the Bombers get to the playoffs, it was going to take a bit for MWC to get acclimated to a four-quarter game again. The Bombers survived, though, and figure to be ready for a battle this week. Midwest City’s defense could be the difference.
Stat leaders
RUSHING
Broken Arrow
Steven Hopper: 140 carries, 944 yards, 9 TDs
Andrew Griffin: 112 carries, 746 yards, 3 TDs
Midwest City
James Flanders: 107 carries, 679 yards, 11 TDs
J.R. Head: 90 carries, 553 yards, 8 TDs
PASSING
Broken Arrow
Archie Bradley: 84-141, 1,301 yards, 19 TDs, 3 INTs
Midwest City
Greg Austin: 113-219, 1,594 yards, 12 TDs, 11 INTs
RECEIVING
Broken Arrow
Alex Cochran: 32 catches, 531 yards, 6 TDs
Robbie Price: 26 catches, 390 yards, 3 TDs
Midwest City
Cole Eddy: 50 catches, 800 yards, 8 TDs
Cortrael Colbert: 16 catches, 236 yards, 4 TDs
TACKLES
Broken Arrow
John Coleman: 119
John Bullock: 96
Will Watford: 91
Midwest City
Emanuel Maxwell: 161
Dominique Jones: 112
Brandon Lewellen: 87
Key matchup: Alex Cochran and Robbie Price vs. Midwest City DBs. The Bombers are best when they force teams to run right into the teeth of their defense. If the Tigers can pass effectively, Midwest City can’t be quite as aggressive against the run. If Midwest City can take away the pass, it could be a long night for the Tigers.
The pick: Broken Arrow 21, Midwest City 17. Broken Arrow doesn’t want to send Ron Lancaster off with anything less than a state championship. I’m not sure that’s going to happen, but I do think the Tigers make it at least one more week.
Mid-Del video
Here’s a video from this morning talking about the two Mid-Del football playoff games Friday:
Carl Albert at Tulsa Kelley and Broken Arrow at Midwest City
Mid-Del Player of the Week: James Davis, Carl Albert
James Davis of Carl Albert celebrates after sacking Lawton MacArthur QB Dylan Warner
It’d be easy to pick Tre Porter or J.T. Realmuto and be done with it but James Davis was all over the place Friday in Carl Albert’s 51-19 blowout of Lawton MacArthur. Davis stands not too far above five feet tall but certainly makes any team taking him lightly pay.
On Lawton MacArthur’s first play on offense, after Carl Albert already led 17-0, Davis sacked Highlanders quarterback Dylan Warner. Davis didn’t let up there, either, consistantly making plays on defense and making sure there would be no Lawton MacArthur comeback.
“The kid is phenomenal,” Carl Albert quarterback J.T. Realmuto said. “He might be the smallest guy on the field but he doesn’t play like it.”
I was talking with a writer before the game as the team’s captains went out for the coin toss. I pointed out Davis to him and said, “That guy starts … on the defensive line.” The writer said, “I bet those MacArthur players are laughing.”
“They won’t be laughing very long,” I said, relaying a story James had told me early in the season about defenders shutting up really quick once the game started.
And they certainly weren’t. Davis made that sack on the first play and never looked back.
Other contenders:
Cole Eddy, Midwest City: Eddy had a 36-yard touchdown reception from Greg Austin in Midwest City’s 21-16 win over Putnam North on Friday night.
Tre Porter, Carl Albert: If Davis’ start was perfect, so was Porter’s. Porter took the handoff from J.T. Realmuto on the Titans’ first offensive play and took it 39 yards for a touchdown. By the time the game was over, Porter had three touchdowns — two rushing and one receiving. He had 15 carries for 164 yards and one catch for a 26-yard touchdown.
J.T. Realmuto, Carl Albert: After the game, Realmuto undersold his role in Carl Albert’s offense. “All I had to do early was turn around and hand the ball to Tre,” he said. And while the Titans probably would’ve still won if that’s all Realmuto did, he did so much more. He finished with 19 carries for 167 yards and three rushing touchdowns, including one of 50 yards. He also threw the pass to Porter for the score.
Sterling Wright, Carl Albert: Yeah, I know, there are a lot of Carl Albert names here but it’s hard to leave any of them out after the beating they dished out Friday night. Wright, like Porter and Davis, started things off on the right foot. His might’ve been even better than Porter’s and Davis’ starts, though. Wright took the opening kick, which Porter let bounce by him, picked it up at the 5 and took it 95 yards for the touchdown. Wright’s return set in motion a series of events that saw the Titans leading 17-0 before Lawton MacArthur ever controlled the ball.
Another Henry to KU: Millwood’s Trayvon picks Jayhawks
Millwood's Trayvon Henry committed to Kansas on Tuesday
With Millwood linebacker Trayvon Henry picking Kansas on Tuesday, another state player has chosen to go to a Big 12 school other than OU or OSU.
There are now 12 in-state players committed to playing for Big 12 schools.
Kansas: Trayvon Henry, Millwood
Missouri: Xavier Smith, Edmond North
Oklahoma State: Calvin Barnett, Tulsa Washington; Johnny Deaton, Sand Springs; Chris Littlehead, Sequoyah-Tahlequah
OU: Aaron Colvin, Owasso; Bronson Irwin, Mustang; Jarrett Lake, Jenks; Julian Wilson, Southmoore
Texas Tech: Delans Griffin, Clinton; Tre Porter, Carl Albert; Denton Simek, Prague
With Henry’s commitment, that leaves just one top 10 player in the state (according to The Oklahoman Super 30) uncommitted. That is Tulsa Central’s Demarco Cobbs (No. 1). After that, though, there are far fewer committed players. The other uncommitted players on the 30 list include Tulsa Washington’s Eric Bennett, Fort Gibson’s Courtney Gaston, Midwest City’s Dominique Jones, Madill’s Darryl Fields, Midwest City’s Emmanuel Maxwell, Jenks’ Bob Graham, Lawton MacArthur’s Tuswani Copeland, Del City’s Chris McAlister, Southmoore’s Kyaunn Thompson, Muskogee’s Jeremy Burton, John Marshall’s Ken Berry, Star Spencer’s Darren Rideau and Glenpool’s Marco Nelson.
