Rankings Preview: Oct. 3
Class 6A
1. Jenks (1)#5-0
2. Tulsa Union (2)#4-1
3. Broken Arrow (3)#4-1
4. Norman North (7)#4-0
5. Edmond North (5)#5-0
6. Lawton (NR)#5-0
7. Southmoore (4)#4-1
8. Del City (8)#4-1
9. Midwest City (9)#3-2
10. Bartlesville (10)#5-0
So last week 5A was the rankings that gave me the most problems. This week it was 6A. Southmoore’s loss to Putnam North, Lawton’s win over Mustang, Edmond North’s allowing 28 points to Norman and Del City’s close win over Edmond Santa Fe all came into play here. Norman North looks like the team to beat in the West, especially after Southmoore’s surprising loss to Putnam North. Putnam North could very well be a top 10 team but Southmoore’s overall resume is better at this point. Southmoore beat Del City and Midwest City and those two wins give the SaberCats the resume to stay ranked. There will definitely be some shakeups here next week as well, with Lawton playing at Del City next week. Jenks is playing at Broken Arrow next week as well but I’d expect Jenks to win that and the top 3 not change. Though with the distractions for Jenks this week, who knows.
Class 5A
1. Tulsa Kelley (1)#5-0
2. El Reno (2)#5-0
3. Shawnee (3)#5-0
4. McAlester (4)#5-0
5. Tulsa Washington (5)#3-2
6. Carl Albert (6)#3-2
7. Tulsa East Central (7)#4-1
8. Lawton MacArthur (8)#4-1
9. Ada (9)#5-0
10. Bixby (10)#2-3
After so much changing around last week, things remain exactly the same here. Two top 10 teams lost but I’ll defend Carl Albert and Bixby staying where they were, as both played close games with higher-ranked, undefeated opponents. Carl Albert lost by 3 to Shawnee and Bixby lost by 4 to undefeated No. 1 Tulsa Kelley. Carl Albert’s two losses have come to Tulsa Washington and Shawnee. Bixby has lost three times but those losses came to Class 6A No. 1 Jenks, Class 5A No. 1 Tulsa Kelley and Class 4A No. 1 Glenpool. I thin that’s a more impressive resume than Pryor’s 5-0 with close games against Skiatook (0-5) and Jay (3-2).
Class 4A
1. Glenpool (1)#5-0
2. Sallisaw (2)#5-0
3. Weatherford (3)#5-0
4. McGuinness (4)#3-2
5. Douglass (5)#4-1
6. Wagoner (6)#4-1
7. Grove (7)#4-1
8. Poteau (8)#5-0
9. Star Spencer (9)#3-2
10. Broken Bow (NR)#2-3
One change here with a couple teams losing. No. 4 McGuinness loses by a single point to No. 3 Weatherford on the road and No. 10 and previously unbeaten Tecumseh loses to No. 9 Star Spencer. McGuinness is easy to keep in the same position, although I did give consideration to flipping McGuinness and Douglass. Thought about leaving Tecumseh at No. 10 but the 40-0 blowout was too much to overlook. Fort Gibson and Muldrow were considerations but both lost big to top 10 teams this week. So Broken Bow re-enters the picture. Broken Bow’s three losses — Sallisaw, McAlester and Metro Christian — are all to quality opponents.
Class 3A
1. Cascia Hall (1)#4-0
2. Tuttle (2)#5-0
3. Sequoyah-Claremore (3)#5-0
4. Madill (4)#5-0
5. Checotah (5)#5-0
6. Bethany (6)#5-0
7. Metro Christian (7)#5-0
8. Anadarko (9)#5-0
9. Clinton (10)#3-2
10. Blanchard (8)#4-1
Pretty straightforward here as the top 7 stay the same, Anadarko moves up to No. 8 after improving to 5-0 for the first time since the 1920s. Clinton moves up a spot and Blanchard drops two to No. 10.
Class 2A
1. Lincoln Christian (1)#4-1
2. Davis (4)#5-0
3. Sequoyah-Tahlequah (5)#5-0
4. Lexington (7)#5-0
5. Vian (6)#4-1
6. Heritage Hall (8)#2-3
7. Kingfisher (3)#3-2
8. Millwood (2)#3-2
9. Bridge Creek (9)#4-1
10. Pawhuska (NR)#5-0
The big drop here is Millwood, who falls six spots to No. 8 after losing to Jones. Kingfisher also fell, four spots, to No. 7. Davis jumps up two spots to No. 2. Heritage Hall also moves up two spots. Pawhuska enters the rankings at No. 10 after Sperry’s loss to Verdigris.
Class A
1. Okeene (1)#5-0
2. Tonkawa (2)#5-0
3. Ringling (3)#4-0
4. Hennessey (4)#5-0
5. Stroud (5)#5-0
6. Commerce (6)#5-0
7. Woodland (7)#3-2
8. Talihina (8)#5-0
9. Watonga (9)#4-1
10. Oklahoma Bible (10)#5-0
No changes here as all of the top 10 won. Someone asked me last week about the possibility of dropping No. 1 Okeene and moving up No. 2 Tonkawa after Okeene needed overtime last week against Texhoma. I’ll be keeping an eye on those teams over the next few weeks but for right now, Okeene keeps the top spot.
Class B
1. Garber (1)#5-0
2. Canton (3)#5-0
3. Laverne (2)#3-2
4. Porter (4)#5-0
5. Ryan (6)#5-0
6. Fox (7)#4-1
7. Kiefer (NR)#5-0
8. Weleetka (8)#4-1
9. Alex (9)#4-1
10. Davenport (NR)#4-1
Another complicated one here with No. 5 Depew losing to unranked Davenport and No. 9 Alex beating No. 10 Allen. I dropped Depew out after its loss despite owning a win over No. 8 Weleetka earlier this season. Kiefer deserves to be in after beating Davenport in double overtime in the second week and staying undefeated. That was Davenport’s only loss so far.
Class C
1. Shattuck (1)#5-0
2. Timberlake (2)#5-0
3. Temple (4)#4-1
4. Seiling (3)#4-1
5. Thackerville (5)#4-1
6. Covington-Douglas (6)#3-2
7. Deer Creek-Lamont (7)#5-0
8. Maud (9)#5-0
9. Claremore Chr. (NR)#4-1
10. Boise City (NR)#3-2
EDITED: Temple and Seiling switch places near the top after Seiling loses to Timberlake 52-6. Maud moves up a spot to No. 8 with a win over Sasawka, who drops out. Claremore Christian makes its debut, as does Boise City. Sasakwa and Waynoka falls out. falls out.
Sept. 26 Rankings
Decided to sleep on this week’s rankings, especially with Tulsa Kelley’s upset over Tulsa Washington in 5A making me seriously rethink those rankings.
Class 6A
1. Jenks (1)#4-0
2. Tulsa Union (2)#3-1
3. Broken Arrow (3)#3-1
4. Southmoore (4)#4-0
5. Edmond North (6)#4-0
6. Mustang (7)#3-1
7. Norman North (8)#3-0
8. Del City (5)#3-1
9. Midwest City (9)#2-2
10. Bartlesville (NR)#4-0
Not a whole lot of shuffling here with just two of the top 10 losing, and both of those dropping games to higher-rated teams. I dropped Del City three spots to No. 8 and moved Edmond North, Mustang and Norman North up a slot. Del City stays just above Midwest City, whose losses came to Southmoore and Del City. Bartlesville, which beat Muskogee 35-30 to improve to 4-0, enters the rankings for the first time. Considered leaving PC North ranked but looking at the teams they’ve beaten in the context of the first four weeks, Bartlesville appears to be the better candidate. Also thought about Lawton for that spot but the only win that stands out for them looking back at things is the win over Lawton MacArthur. But the Wolverines will get their chance to move into the rankings in a big way this week when they host Mustang.
Class 5A
1. Tulsa Kelley (9)#4-0
2. El Reno (3)#4-0
3. Shawnee (4)#4-0
4. McAlester (10)#4-0
5. Tulsa Washington (1)#2-2
6. Carl Albert (2)#3-1
7. Tulsa East Central (5)#3-1
8. Lawton MacArthur (6)#3-1
9. Ada (7)#4-0
10. Bixby (8)#2-2
OK, here’s the one that gave me the most heartburn this week. The only team to lose was Tulsa Washington but their loss to Tulsa Kelley forced me to go through and rethink the entire rankings in 5A. Kelley moves up to No. 1 all the way from No. 9. The Comets’ overall resume is the most impressive. El Reno and Shawnee each move up a spot as Carl Albert, despite its 69-12 win over Capitol Hill, drops to No. 6 because of Washington’s loss. The Hornets beat Carl Albert handily in the season-opener. McAlester also makes a big jump. These rankings are likely to experience some wild shuffling in the next few weeks. Next week’s premier battle in the class comes with Carl Albert traveling to Shawnee. Tulsa Central fell to East Central but likely would’ve been ranked if any other ranked team had slipped up.
Class 4A
1. Glenpool (1)#4-0
2. Sallisaw (2)#4-0
3. Weatherford (3)#4-0
4. McGuinness (4)#3-1
5. Douglass (5)#3-1
6. Wagoner (6)#3-1
7. Grove (7)#3-1
8. Poteau (8)#4-0
9. Star Spencer (NR)#2-2
10. Tecumseh (NR)#4-0
The top 8 remain the same as all won in Week 4. Star Spencer moves back in the rankings and Tecumseh enters the rankings for the first time this season after a 4-0 start. It came down to Tecumseh and Fort Gibson for the last spot. Fort Gibson is 3-1 but has looked impressive since an opening-week loss to Sequoyah Tahlequah. Broken Bow and Muldrow fall out of the rankings. Broken Bow has lost three games in a row to really good teams they’ve got to prove they can play at that level. They’ve got Hilldale next week, then what should be a comfortable win over Tulsa Webster before finishing up with a brutal stretch that starts at Wagoner, then at Poteau, at home vs. Muldrow and finishing the season at home against Fort Gibson.
Class 3A
1. Cascia Hall (1)#3-0
2. Tuttle (2)#4-0
3. Sequoyah-Claremore (3)#4-0
4. Madill (5)#4-0
5. Checotah (6)#4-0
6. Bethany (7)#4-0
7. Metro Christian (8)#4-0
8. Blanchard (9)#4-0
9. Anadarko (NR)#4-0
10. Clinton (4)#2-2
This is another one that took me a little while to decide how to rank the teams. Clinton obviously had to drop behind Anadarko after getting beat by the Warriors on Friday night (Even if Delans Griffin didn’t play). The big question was what to do about Clinton. It came down to Clinton, Newcastle, Dickson, Berryhill and Bristow for the last spot. Looking at all of the teams resumes, I eliminated Newcastle, Dickson and Berryhill. That left me with Bristow and Clinton. Both have played Chandler, with Clinton winning 28-0 and Bristow winning 7-0. That was partially the tiebreaker. I also still think Clinton’s going to be really good if Delans Griffin comes back healthy.
Class 2A
1. Lincoln Christian (1)#3-1
2. Millwood (2)#3-1
3. Kingfisher (3)#3-1
4. Davis (4)#4-0
5. Sequoyah-Tahlequah (5)#4-0
6. Lexington (7)#4-0
7. Vian (6)#3-1
8. Heritage Hall (8)#1-3
9. Bridge Creek (9)#3-1
10. Sperry (10)#3-1
The only change here to speak of is the flip-flop of Lexington and Vian after Lexington beat SeeWorth 62-8 and Vian lost to No. 5 Sequoyah-Tahlequah 49-28. I did seriously consider switching Kingfisher and Davis. I’m still not sure I made the right call on those two but I’m leaving them where they are for now.
Class A
1. Okeene (1)#4-0
2. Tonkawa (2)#4-0
3. Ringling (3)#3-0
4. Hennessey (4)#4-0
5. Stroud (6)#4-0
6. Commerce (7)#4-0
7. Woodland (8)#2-2
8. Talihina (9)#4-0
9. Watonga (NR)#3-1
10. Oklahoma Bible (NR)#4-0
Another difficult one here after OCS’ loss to Watonga on Friday night. The top four stayed the same, with 6-9 each moving up a spot. The newcomers this week are Watonga and Oklahoma Bible. Watonga’s only loss came to Class 2A No. 3 Kingfisher to start the season. Oklahoma Bible is undefeated, with a 15-0 win over Texhoma two weeks ago. Texhoma took No. 1 Okeene to triple overtime this week. OCS and Apache dropped out.
Class B
1. Garber (1)#4-0
2. Canton (3)#4-0
3. Laverne (2)#3-1
4. Porter (4)#4-0
5. Depew (5)#3-1
6. Ryan (10)#4-0
7. Fox (6)#3-1
8. Weleetka (7)#3-1
9. Alex (8)#3-1
10. Allen (NR)#4-0
A little bit of shuffling ere with Canton and Laverne traded spots. Didn’t give much thought to dropping Laverne lower (specifically below Porter) because I believe that B-1 is the toughest district around at the top. I still think Garber, Canton and Laverne are the top three teams in the class. Allen moves into the rankings.
Class C
1. Shattuck (1)#4-0
2. Timberlake (2)#4-0
3. Seiling (3)#4-0
4. Temple (4)#3-1
5. Thackerville (5)#3-1
6. Covington-Douglas (6)#2-2
7. Deer Creek-Lamont (7)#4-0
8. Waynoka (9)#4-0
9. Maud (10)#4-0
10. Sasakwa (NR)#4-0
The only ranked team to lose was Corn Bible, who fell to Tipton. Waynoka and Maud moved up a spot and Sasakwa into No. 10. Considered Tipton for that spot and will keep an eye on them but, for now, undefeated wins out.
Rankings Sept. 19
Class 6A
1. Jenks (1)#3-0
2. Tulsa Union (2)#2-1
3. Broken Arrow (3)#2-1
4. Southmoore (4)#3-0
5. Del City (6)#3-0
6. Edmond North (7)#3-0
7. Mustang (8)#2-1
8. Norman North (9)#2-0
9. Midwest City (10)#1-2
10. Putnam North (NR)#3-0
Owasso drops from No. 4 to out. I try not to be reactionary so I was I bit slower to drop Owasso but the Rams HAVE to show some semblance of offense to prove they belong in the top 10. I know, a lot of that has to do with the loss of Joe Lindsay and Trent Spurgeon, but Owasso just doesn’t deserve it right now. That led to everyone else moving up a spot, including Midwest City, who lose to Southmoore in double overtime. The Bombers proved they belonged in the top 10 with that win, especially scoring 35 on Southmoore’s defense. Moving into the No. 10 spot is Putnam North. The Panthers have won three games big in non-district play. Lawton was the other contender for the spot but they struggled before finally putting away Altus.
Class 5A
1. Tulsa Washington (1)#2-1
2. Carl Albert (2)#2-1
3. El Reno (3)#3-0
4. Shawnee (4)#3-0
5. Tulsa East Central (5)#2-1
6. Lawton MacArthur (6)#2-1
7. Ada (8)#3-0
8. Bixby (9)#1-2
9. Tulsa Kelley (10)#3-0
10. McAlester (NR)#3-0
Tulsa Washington stays in the top spot despite the loss to Class 6A Broken Arrow, though there was no real consideration to dropping the Hornets. They beat No. 2 Carl Albert to start the season and No. 5 Tulsa East Central last week. Bixby finally gets in the win column and moves up a spot, thanks to Carl Albert’s 38-6 blowout of Duncan. Tulsa Kelley also moves up a spot, while McAlester makes its first appearance in the rankings this season after a 26-18 win over Ardmore improved the Buffs to 3-0.
Class 4A
1. Glenpool (1)#3-0
2. Sallisaw (2)#3-0
3. Weatherford (6)#3-0
4. McGuinness (7)#2-1
5. Douglass (3)#2-1
6. Wagoner (5)#2-1
7. Grove (8)#2-1
8. Poteau (10)#3-0
9. Broken Bow (4)#1-2
10. Muldrow (NR)#3-0
This was a tough one to rank this week with McGuinness’ win over Millwood weighing against Douglass’ last week and Broken Bow, Star Spencer and Wagoner all losing. In the end, Weatherford and McGuinness made big jumps. Both have signature wins and it was hard to have either behind Douglass after what the Irish did to Millwood tonight. Star Spencer drops out although I’d imagine the Bobcats will be back ranked shortly. Poteau moves up two spots to No. 8 and Muldrow is the newcomer at No. 10. Broken Bow hangs in the top 10 after a loss to 3A Metro Christian.
Class 3A
1. Cascia Hall (1)#2-0
2. Tuttle (2)#3-0
3. Sequoyah-Claremore (3)#3-0
4. Clinton (4)#2-1
5. Madill (6)#3-0
6. Checotah (7)#3-0
7. Bethany (8)#3-0
8. Metro Christian (9)#3-0
9. Blanchard (10)#3-0
10. Purcell (5)#2-1
The only change here is Purcell dropping from No. 5 to No. 10 after losing Lexington 20-0. I considered dropping Purcell out but a couple of the candidates to move into the rankings also lost so I kept Purcell in there.
Class 2A
1. Lincoln Christian (2)#2-1
2. Millwood (1)#2-1
3. Kingfisher (3)#2-1
4. Davis (4)#3-0
5. Sequoyah-Tahlequah (5)#3-0
6. Vian (6)#3-0
7. Lexington (8)#3-0
8. Heritage Hall (7)#0-3
9. Bridge Creek (10)#1-1
10. Sperry (NR)#2-1
Another flip-flop at the top with Millwood’s loss and Lincoln’s win. Some people wondered last week when I said Millwood and Lincoln were clearly the top two teams but Lincoln’s loss was to one of the top teams in Arkansas regardless of class. I was surprised by Millwood’s loss tonight but the Falcons have got to find a running game to be successful deep into the playoffs in 2A. Sperry slides in at No. 10 after Sulphur lost to Elgin.
Class A
1. Okeene (1)#3-0
2. Tonkawa (2)#3-0
3. Ringling (3)#2-0
4. Hennessey (4)#3-0
5. OCS (5)#3-0
6. Stroud (6)#3-0
7. Commerce (7)#3-0
8. Woodland (8)#1-2
9. Talihina (9)#3-0
10. Apache (10)#3-0
There’s no change here with all 10 teams winning in the third week. In fact, the only top 10 team with a loss is No. 8 Woodland but they lost to No. 1 Okeene and No. 2 Tonkawa so I’m pretty comfortable with then where they are. I did give some consideration to Pawnee and will keep and eye on the Black Bears, though.
Class B
1. Garber (1)#3-0
2. Laverne (2)#3-0
3. Canton (3)#3-0
4. Porter (5)#3-0
5. Depew (6)#2-1
6. Fox (7)#3-0
7. Weleetka (4)#2-1
8. Alex (8)#2-1
9. Watts (9)#3-0
10. Ryan (NR)#3-0
Porter, Depew and Fox move up one spot each after Depew beats Weleetka. Copan’s loss to Oaks also opens the door for Ryan to move into the top 10 after a 42-14 win over Caddo.
Class C
1. Shattuck (1)#3-0
2. Timberlake (2)#3-0
3. Seiling (3)#3-0
4. Temple (4)#2-1
5. Thackerville (5)#2-1
6. Covington-Douglas (6)#1-2
7. Deer Creek-Lamont (7)#3-0
8. Corn Bible (8)#3-0
9. Waynoka (9)#3-0
10. Maud (NR)#3-0
The top nine stays the same as all of those teams pull off wins. But Forgan’s loss to Shattuck, couple with Maud’s win over Macomb boosts Maud into the top 10.
At look at the rankings: Class 6A-A
Eight-man will have to wait another day as my eyes are about to slam shut but here’s Class 6A-A with a short explanation with each class.
Class 6A
1. Tulsa Union (1)#1-0
2. Jenks (2)#1-0
3. Broken Arrow (4)#0-1
4. Owasso (5)#1-0
5. Del City (11)#1-0
6. Southmoore (6)#1-0
7. Edmond North (10)#1-0
8. Mustang (9)#1-0
9. Muskogee (8)#0-1
10. Norman North (13)#1-0
Rankings review
I take a little different approach when formulating rankings. I don’t drop teams every time when they lose. Never understood why a No. 10 team who lost to a No. 1 team had to drop. That’s why you’ll see Broken Arrow moved up a notch in 6A despite losing to Tulsa Union. The Tigers lost in a close game and couldn’t see jumping Owasso (who’s without its regular starting QB) or Southmoore (who struggled to run the ball in its opening win) over Broken Arrow. I struggled with how to order the bottom part of the rankings. Del City’s win was huge so I jumped them ahead of winners Southmoore, Edmond North and Mustang. There were flaws with each of those team’s wins (although I don’t hold North’s against them as much as the other two, since it was a rivalry game). We’ll see some more shaking out in the next couple weeks with some big matchups. Midwest City might still be a top 10 team by the time it’s all said and done. Along with the Bombers, Putnam North and Lawton are bubbling right outside the top 10.
Class 5A Rankings
1. Tulsa Washington (1)#1-0
2. Carl Albert (2)#0-1
3. El Reno (5)#1-0
4. Lawton MacArthur (6)#1-0
5. Bixby (4)#0-1
6. Guthrie (3)#0-1
7. Tulsa East Central (7)#1-0
8. Shawnee (8)#1-0
9. Duncan (11)#1-0
10. Ada (12)#1-0
It was tough at the top of 5A with Nos. 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10 all losing. In the end, I decided to keep Carl Albert at No. 2 because I can’t see jumping El Reno or Lawton MacArthur up over the Titans right now. And El Reno win next week would give serious consideration to a jump. Lawton Mac’s win was certainly impressive and the Highlanders could also be moving up with continued wins. I just think Tulsa Washington is heads and shoulders above everyone else in the class right now. It’s hard to judge just where Bixby and Guthrie are right now but we’ll find out soon enough. I don’t drop teams just because tey lost but Guthrie’s offense worries me and Bixby got hammered so I wasn’t hesitant of dropping them behind El Reno and Lawton Mac. Tulsa Kelley and Deer Creek are just outside the top 10, as is Ardmore and Coweta.
Class 4A
1. Glenpool (1)#1-0
2. Broken Bow (2)#1-0
3. Sallisaw (3)#1-0
4. Douglass (5)#1-0
5. McGuinness (6)#1-0
6. Grove (7)#1-0
7. Wagoner (8)#1-0
8. Weatherford (9)#1-0
9. Star Spencer (4)#0-1
10. Collinsville (10)#1-0
With just one team in the top 10 losing, the only real question here is how far does Star Spencer fall with its big loss to Millwood. The answer winds up being to No. 9 from No. 4. No. 1 Glenpool’s win wasn’t overly dominant but the Warriors are still No. 1. The others ahead of Star Spencer all had big wins, either in blowout fashion or in McGuinness’ and Weatherford’s cases, wins over highly regarded opponents. Poteau and McLoud are hanging around just outside the rankings.
Class 3A
1. Cascia Hall (1)#1-0
2. Tuttle (3)#1-0
3. Sequoyah-Claremore (4)#1-0
4. Clinton (2)#0-1
5. Purcell (5)#1-0
6. Madill (7)#1-0
7. Checotah (6)#1-0
8. Bethany (7)#1-0
9. Metro Christian (9)#1-0
10. Blanchard (10)#1-0
Another relatively stable class, with Clinton the only top 10 team with a loss. Figured they’need to go fall under at least Tuttle and Seq.-Claremore. Elgin and Newcastle ate just outside the top 10.
Class 2A
1. Lincoln Christian (2)#1-0
2. Millwood (3)#1-0
3. Kingfisher (5)#1-0
4. Davis (6)#1-0
5. Sequoyah-Tahlequah (7)#1-0
6. Heritage Hall (1)#0-1
7. Vian (9)#1-0
8. Chandler (4)#0-1
9. Lexington (13)#1-0
10. Sulphur (8)#0-1
Another class with some interesting dilemmas. How far does Heritage Hall drop? What about Chandler? Who fills out the bottom of the top 10? The answers: To 6th because their defense performed well yet they clearly have a ton of work to do on offense. Chandler drops four spots to eighth. Chandler should be significantly better by the end of the year but thhe Lions have to grow up quick. Sulphur stays in the top 10 in large part due to the rash of losses at the bottom and just outside the top 10.
Class A
1. Okeene (1)#1-0
2. Tonkawa (2)#1-0
3. Morrison (3)#1-0
4. Ringling (4)#0-0
5. Hennessey (6)#1-0
6. OCS (7)#1-0
7. Woodland (5)#0-1
8. Stroud (9)#1-0
9. Hominy (8)#0-1
10. Commerce (12)#1-0
I dropped Woodland down two spots after its 31-6 loss to No. 1 Okeene. Woodland’s going to be pretty good by season’s end but needs some ore consistency. Stroud and Hominy switch spots after Stroud beats Chandler and Cleveland beats Hominy.
District previews: Classes 6A-C
If you missed your school’s district football preview, here’s all the links for every district.
District previews: Classes 6A-C
Class 6A
District 6A-1: Lawton’s Sunny Puletasi learns quickly
District 6A-2: D’Juan Brooks stepping up for Edmond Memorial
District 6A-3: Jenks still strong without Jarrett Lake
District 6A-4: Choctaw trying to build tradition
Class 5A
District 5A-1: Coach Tom Cobble says it’s a good time to be in El Reno
District 5A-2: Carl Albert QB J.T. Realmuto could see time on defense
District 5A-3: Tulsa Washington unanimous No. 1
District 5A-4: McAlester poised to rebound; East Central wants more
Class 4A
District 4A-1: McGuinness’ offensive line a concern
District 4A-2: Tecumseh is strong up front
District 4A-3: Home playoff game is Collinsville’s goal
District 4A-4: Broken Bow coach high on Eric Dockins
Class 3A
District 3A-1: Tuttle battling lack of experience
District 3A-2: Madill trio has coach Kerry Roberts looking for big things
District 3A-3: Jody Iams’ Eagles rely on Wing-T
District 3A-4: Metro Christian gains valuable asset in QB Beau Marsaln
Class 2A
District 2A-1: Marc Robinson still growing for Heritage Hall
District 2A-2: Little Axe ready for breakthrough?
District 2A-3: Washington’s Chance Pistole moving to fullback; Bridge Creek rebuilding its line
District 2A-4: Atoka QB commands attention
District 2A-5: Chandler counting on Brandon Cummings
District 2A-6: Toughness key for Valliant
District 2A-7: Verdigris has 15 experienced seniors
District 2A-8: Colcord hoping to build on strong finish
Class A
District A-1: Hennessey avoids logjam at quarterback
District A-2: OCS’ Jack Warren hasn’t forgotten loss
District A-2 notes: Trio vying for QB job at CHA
District A-3: District loaded with talented teams
District A-4: Bray-Doyle deals with adversity
District A-5: Tough three weeks for Stroud
District A-6: Talihina a cut above the rest
District A-7: Morrison ready to reload
District A-7 notes: Barnsdall seniors looking for wins
District A-8: Commerce looks to preserve streak
Class B
District B-1: Could district dominance repeat?
District B-2: Paoli defense is a strength
District B-3: Weightlifting competition inspires OCA
District B-4: Copan’s secret is out
Class C
Shattuck closing in on record win streak
District C-1: Finding running back key for Forgan
District C-2: Aaron Vondrak to lead Thackerville
District C-3: Seiling to turn QB Zach McDonald loose
District C-4: Maud’s Jarrid Resler works way back
Final tennis rankings (boys and girls)
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
The tennis season is over and so too is the speculation about all the rankings. Duncan coach Phil Barnes has passed along to me both the final boys and girls rankings as decided by the Oklahoma Tennis Coaches Association.
Girls
1. Bishop McGuinness: No surprise here. The Irish won their 11th straight title and totally deserve the honor. If this was an AP football/basketball poll, girls would receive all first-place votes.
2. Bishop Kelley: Won three straight titles before McGuinness came along in 5A and denied it. Andrea Lewis and Meredith Burns don’t have to take a back seat to anybody, and it was a joy to watch them play.
3. Duncan: Yep, when I said 5A was top-heavy all season, wasn’t kidding. First three teams are from the class. Melanie Barnes will anchor the crew next season.
4. Heritage Hall: Three and four are tough. Only because I’ve seen Heritage more would I flip ‘em. The 4A champs will have Julie Labarthe back, Carissa Villaflor grew tremendously as a player this season while Sarah Bowen might end up being one of the most athletic players the state has seen.
5. Edmond North: And here is your 6A champ. Rachel Mitcham will return at No. 1 singles and Huskies should be knockin’ on the door again.
6. Jenks
7. Edmond Memorial
8. Broken Arrow
9. Cascia Hall
10. Shawnee
Only change in my rankings would be Chargers at No. 3 and Duncan at No. 4. That’s it, pretty fair assessment of the season by the rankings committee.
Boys
1. Putnam North: 6A was the cream of the crop in the boys and no team was better when it mattered most than David Diefenderfer’s Panthers. Chris Haworth’s goal: back-to-back-to-back undefeated seasons.
2. Union: Almost as dominating as Haworth, No. 2 singles player Trevor Horstmann couldn’t be touched. Add in some great drama in the doubles play, and Union didn’t relinquish its four-year reign without a fight.
3. Bishop Kelley: Cruised to third straight 5A championship. One more year of Cale Hammond means good times for tennis fans and bad news for the rest of 5A.
4. Cascia Hall: Getting to be as dominant as McGuinness girls. Commandos are a well-oiled machine and Chase Tomlins will be going for that rarity of being a four-time champion next season.
5. Edmond Memorial: A sentimental favorite as I feel no team progressed from the beginning of the year to the end like Bulldogs. Randy Mays will still have a lot of weapons at his disposal next season.
6. Edmond North
7. Metro Christian
8. Ada
9. McGuinness
10. Heritage Hall
Based on familiarity again, would switch McGuinness and Ada. Already looking forward to next season as so many teams were so young this season that next year can’t help but provide even more drama.
Speaking of drama, time for the All-City Team. A little more research, but like I said, pretty confident with the selections.
Boys Tennis Preview (what to watch for)
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Once again, we put our fate in the hands of Mother Nature and hope to conclude the boys state tennis tournament this weekend. We’ll see.
It’s been an exciting season so far with several teams/players really stepping up. You can be the best all season, but this is the weekend you need to bring it.
Class 6A
Oh boy, what a three-team race this should be between Putnam North, Edmond Memorial and Union.
I’ve seen Putnam North and Edmond Memorial several times and know how strong they are. Only saw Union once, but coach Kevin Gannon is one of the best in the state.
Player to watch: Chris Haworth, Putnam North. Really, I’m not his PR agent, but it does feel like I’ve written a lot about the sophomore throughout this season.
He’s made a lot of strides since being that freshman that lost a three-set classic to Omar Aly (formerly of Jenks) last year in the quarterfinals.
He’s grown six inches and more than that, he’s dealt with nerves and adversity and has been coming out on top time after time.
What will be interesting is to see if any of the other teams (Edmond North, Norman North, Jenks) upset some of the favorites.
I would not be shocked to see Edmond North, spurred by the girls title, perform better than it has all season.
Some names to watch: EM: Duncan Fugitt (No. 1 S), Omar Karim (No. 2 S). EN: Nick Jordan (No. 2 S), Eric Olson and Baylor Spring (No. 2 D). Norman North: Kevin Boyd and Sam Geurkink (No. 1 D). PCN: Wil Rodwell (No. 2 S). Muskogee: Brandon Finerty (No. 1 S).
Predicted order of finish: 1. Union; 2. Putnam North; 3. Edmond Memorial.
Class 5A
Not as much drama here as Bishop Kelley won’t be playing second-fiddle to anybody in this class.
Cale Hammond, at No. 1 S, leads the most loaded team in the field and the question will be if the Comets can sweep the field.
Player to watch: John Byrne, No. 1 singles, Bishop McGuinness: Don’t the boys have to become better players going against the girls in practice? Seriously, though, the boys are a lot deeper than last year.
I expect to see Byrne playing in at least the semifinals and depending on his draw, if he can upset Hammond or Evan McElwain (Booker T.), might have a real story.
Also fun to watch the Irish doubles team of Ryan Randolph and Jake Brown. The basketball players are athletes first but have learned a lot about tennis in their few years together.
Big blow to Carl Albert, who will be without No. 1 singles star Austin Manger because of injury.
Predicted order of finish: 1. Bishop Kelley; 2. Booker T.; 3. McGuinness.
Class 4A
Another no-brainer here as Cascia Hall should coast to another team title. Chase Tomlins leads the solid Commando group.
Dick Villaflor lost almost his entire team from last year, but you know Heritage Hall will be among the top and competing in championships. That team is about a year away.
OCS, led by Austin Bell, will also be in the mix of things as the battle for second will be very interesting.
Also be keeping my eyes on Classen. Sparked by freshman Melissa Dang last week, the boys are pumped to equal her success.
Player to watch: Chris Chan, Classen. I remember being impressed with him as a freshman last year at No. 2 singles. He’s made the jump up to No. 1, and it’s a tough field. Don’t know how far he’ll go, but I know the team will be out there in full force to give him support.
For much more on Classen, read Friday’s Oklahoman.
Predicted order of finish: 1. Cascia Hall; 2. Heritage Hall; 3. OCS.
See ya out on the courts.
Girls Tennis Preview (what to watch for)
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Biggest thing to watch for is the weather. Here’s to hoping we get everything in this weekend.
As much as I love tennis, it’s the first sport that has to be called off with even the smidgest amount of rain.
Ever played on a slippery court? You like having healthy legs? Don’t play on a slippery court unless you want to mess up your knees, or ankles or hamstrings. It’s brutal.
But with that said, what should you be watching for this weekend at the state tournament?
Class 6A
Biggest question: Can anyone pose a real threat to Jenks? I don’t think so. Admittedly, haven’t seen the Trojan girls this season. Just been looking at the numbers and remember how strong they were last year.
Edmond Memorial has the best chance while Edmond North is solid, too. If you combined the schools, they’d be dynamite.
But as is, see it being Jenks-EM-EN finish.
Player to watch: Rachel Mitcham, Edmond North. The No. 1 singles field is about as open as can be.
With Jennifer Buntz of Jenks, Mackenzie Zaloudek of Enid and Lindsay Choi of Edmond Memorial, it’ll be a real battle for the crown.
When Mitcham is on her game, she’s the best. She’ll have to bring it this weekend.
Class 5A
Biggest question: Will McGuinness sweep? I’m not trying to be a jerk, but that is the drama for me. Whitney Ritchie and Mia Lancaster are some of the best juniors in the country (not just state) and the No. 1 doubles team of Katelyn Connelly and Emily Conrad would be singles players just about anywhere else.
This is a loaded field, though. Andrea Lewis of Bishop Kelley, Melanie Barnes of Duncan, Meredith Burns of BK immediately come to mind as real threats who could pull off an upset or two.
The real battle will be for second b/w Duncan and Bishop Kelley. And based on what I’ve seen, I’m going to go for a minor upset and say Duncan places second with BK closely behind.
Player to watch: I’ma say Andrea Lewis of Bishop Kelley. She’s a two-time state champion. When she played Whitney Ritchie earlier this year, she lost 6-0, 6-0. There were extenuating circumstances, but still, think Lewis will have a lot of pride if the two meet in the championship.
Class 4A
Biggest question: Will Heritage Hall’s new line-up prove dividends? Dick Villalfor changed up his crew late in the game, moving No. 2 singles player Sarah Bowen to No. 1 doubles and moving No. 1 doubles player Carissa Villaflor to the No. 2 singles spot.
He said it will give him the best chance at state in both positions but definitely an interesting move. Tough to question someone who has won as many championships as Villaflor.
Heritage Hall and Cascia Hall were pretty dominant at their regionals and have been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 throughout the season, and that order shouldn’t change here. Chargers come out on top.
Player to watch: Julie Labarthe, Heritage Hall. Was a little too young for Peta Maree Lancaster of McGuinness last year in the final. But I would have loved to have seen a Labarthe-Ritchie singles championship this year.
Oh well. Labarthe has been as good as advertised and is routinely posting at least one 6-0 set in just about every match she’s had lately.
Should be a fun weekend. See ya on the courts.
