Week 14 State area picks
By Robert Przybylo, Jason Kersey and Zach West
It’s crunch time for your lovable stooges. The games have dwindled from 20 to 10 here in the stretch run. Jason may have sealed his fate with the Plainview pick. Robert’s riding high with Bixby while Zach is playing it cool while trying to protect his lead. Will anyone gain ground this week?
Week 14
Union vs. Jenks
Robert – Union; Jason – Jenks; Zach – Jenks; Ryan – Union
Guthrie vs. Bixby
Robert – Guthrie; Jason -Guthrie; Zach – Guthrie; Ryan – Guthrie
McGuinness vs. Glenpool
Robert – McGuinness (but it’ll be a fight); Jason – McGuinness; Zach – McGuinness (LOCK); Ryan – McGuinness
Clinton vs. Kingfisher
Robert – Clinton; Jason - Kingfisher (LOCK); Zach – Clinton; Ryan – Clinton
Heritage Hall vs. Bethany
Robert – HHall; Jason – Bethany; Zach – Bethany (most evenly matched game); Ryan – HHall
Prague vs. Cascia Hall
Robert – Prague (Dakota Harris, baby!); Jason – Cascia Hall; Zach – Cascia Hall; Ryan – Cascia Hall
Washington vs. Okeene
Robert – Washington (LOCK); Jason – Washington; Zach – Washington; Ryan – Okeene
Woodland vs. Hominy
Robert – Woodland; Jason – Woodland; Zach – Hominy; Ryan – Woodland
Morrison vs. Dewar
Robert – Morrison; Jason – Morrison; Zach – Morrison; Ryan – Morrison
Shattuck vs. Grandfield
Robert – Shattuck; Jason – Shattuck; Zach – Shattuck; Ryan – Shattuck
Last week: Robert (15-5, 1-0); Jason (13-7, 0-1); Zach (16-4, 1-0); Ryan (16-4)
Overall: Zach (149-65, 11-1); Robert (145-69, 10-2); Jason – (143-71, 6-6)
Playoff standings: Zach (39-11); Robert (38-12); Jason (35-15); Ryan (39-11)
‘Charge’-ing ahead
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Bad and lame pun aside, I feel pretty good. With those state area picks, I’m the dork that likes to add little side comments about each game. With Heritage Hall and Henryetta, I said it would be the 2A game of the year.
After attending the game, I think I’m right although I admit to not being able to see Bethany-Alva from the week before.
I don’t know how our other “prep geniuses” work, but by the second quarter of any game I’m at, I start framing my story.
To put it mildly, my mind was working overtime in Henryetta on Saturday.
Early on, it appeared the Chargers could do no wrong. The offense wasn’t clicking by any means but the Heritage defense was controlling the game with a 10-0 advantage.
And then a fluke play happened. The Knights faced a 4th and 17 with 40 seconds to go in the first half. Bobby Bear, with no other choice, floats a ball to about the 10 yard line. Heritage’s Turner Petersen knocks the ball down but right into the hands of Henryetta’s Brett DeWitt for a 35-yard touchdown to cut the margin to 10-7 at half.
I’m starting to think how a fluke play turned the tide in the undefeated battle. The second half begins with the Knights just pounding it down Heritage’s throat. Nine straight runs brought Henryetta to the 1 yard line. Bear attempts a sneak, fumbles, and Heritage recovers.
Then the unthinkable happens. Charger QB Garrett Valdez, who came in with 26 TDs and 5 interceptions, throws pick No. 6 to Evan Crane. The senior did not have an interception the entire season.
Knight RB Colby Blondell carries Chargers on his back as he scores from 22 yards out to give Henryetta a 14-10 lead, making it only the second time HH trailed the entire season.
On Heritage’s next play, Valdez runs the option, picks up some yards, pitches it and it’s picked off by Rusty Gray.
Then something else unique happened. A team built on a high-powered offense needed its defense to get the job done, and Heritage did.
After exchanging punts, the Chargers offense finally started to click because Valdez and Petersen were finally able to develop a rhythm.
On the 69-yard, 12-play drive, the two connected twice for 34 yards with both receptions resulting in first downs. The key was a 27-yard connection that happened on the far sideline. With no view of the play, have to agree with the ref’s call that he was in.
Another first down put the Chargers at the 4 yard line. Three plays later, it was fourth and 2. Now my mind shifts to a HUGE defensive stand leads to upset.
But on fourth down, Valdez hooks up with Tucker Cason from 2 yards out for the 16-14 advantage.
On the next two Henryetta drives, the Knights try to get tricky. First was a halfback pass from Coy Blake that was picked off. After spending their timeouts on defense, Henryetta got the ball back with two minutes left.
Pulling a play from Boise State, Henryetta goes for the hook-and-ladder (or is it lateral) that backfires and leads to a 15-yard loss.
Game, set, match to the Chargers.
And the story is evident. Despite three quarters of maybe one of his worst performances ever, Valdez stepped up when needed most. And after talking with coaches and players, Garrett wouldn’t let them lose.
As I remarked in the box, too bad it was just a quarterfinal. A memorable and historic season came to a close for Kenny Speer’s boys while Andy Bogert’s squad lives to fight another day.
Heritage Hall plays Bethany on Friday night at Choctaw.
Time to eat some crow
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@oklahoman.com
When the playoffs began, I went against Guthrie because I didn’t think they could get by Tulsa East Central in the Class 5A semifinals.
Now, I’m eating crow.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Guthrie has dominated opponents all season and that didn’t change tonight. 45-14 was the final score but the game was over midway through the third quarter. Guthrie’s first-round win over Ardmore was my first time seeing the Bluejays up close and I came away impressed, and frankly if I could have changed my pick I would have, but I stuck by my decision all week.
There is no doubt in my mind Guthrie will raise the gold ball next week.
Lawton MacArthur and Bixby may hate to see that but maybe they should read that with a smile… after all, I picked Carl Albert to win it all (i.e. more crow).
Friday night scores…
Union 13, Muskogee 6
Guthrie 45, T. East Central 14
Glenpool 7, Broken Bow 6
Clinton 29, Tuttle 0
Bethany 24, Chandler 7
Prague 49, Hennessey 21
Woodland 21, Velma-Alma 8
Okeene 14, Pawnee 7
Morrison 48, Pond Creek-Hunter 0
Grandfield 54, Ringwood 24
Turpen’s Poetry Society
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Here are the full versions of all the poems/speeches Mike Turpen’s poety club has discussed. For more on the club and its members, read Friday’s Oklahoman.
The Man in The Arena
Speech at the Sorbonne (Paris, France)
April 23, 1910
By Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
It is not the critic who counts;
Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
Or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
Who strives valiantly;
Who errs, who comes short again and again,
Because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
But who does actually strive to do the deeds;
Who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions;
Who spends himself in a worthy cause;
Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
And who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly,
So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who
Neither know victory nor defeat.
_______________________
If
By Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master,
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-our tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve an sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
________________________________
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
Week 13 State Area Picks…
By Robert Przybylo, Jason Kersey and Zach West
Ahh, yet another week to show how much we (don’t) know. Robert had some crazy picks which has moved him to a tie for last. Zach was nearly untouchable as only a shocking loss by Carl Albert and a sensible Owasso pick kept him from going 15-0. Jason’s just happy his LOCK was able to win. Now, who is the real stooge? After compiling the picks of head writer Ryan Aber, he’s not immune to having egg on his face. His first playoff week was unreal at 14-1. Last week? Not so much, a 9-6 clip. With only 20 games this week, all games are up for grabs….
Week 13
Tulsa Union vs. Muskogee
Robert – Union (LOCK); Jason – Muskogee (no one’s tougher than a Rougher); Zach – Union; Ryan – Union
Jenks vs. Midwest City
Robert – Jenks; Jason – Jenks; Zach – Jenks (LOCK); Ryan – Jenks
Guthrie vs. Tulsa East Central
Robert – Guthrie (but close); Jason – Guthrie; Zach – Guthrie; Ryan – Guthrie
Lawton MacArthur vs. Bixby
Robert – Bixby (LM supporters let me hear it); Jason – Lawton Mac; Zach – Lawton Mac ; Ryan – Lawton Mac
Glenpool vs. Broken Bow
Robert – Glenpool; Jason – Broken Bow; Zach – Glenpool; Ryan – Glenpool
McGuinness vs. Wagoner
Robert – McGuinness; Jason – McGuinness; Zach – McGuinness; Ryan – McGuinness
Clinton vs. Tuttle
Robert – Clinton; Jason – Clinton (closer than last time); Zach – Clinton; Ryan – Clinton
Kingfisher vs. Plainview
Robert – Plainview; Jason – Plainview (LOCK); Zach – Kingfisher ; Ryan – Kingfisher
Bethany at Chandler
Robert – Chandler; Jason – Bethany; Zach – Bethany; Ryan – Bethany
Hennessey at Prague
Robert – Hennessey; Jason – Hennessey; Zach – Hennessey; Ryan – Hennessey
Cascia Hall at Davis
Robert – Davis; Jason – Cascia Hall; Zach – Cascia Hall; Ryan – Cascia Hall
Heritage Hall at Henryetta
Robert – Heritage Hall (game of 2A so far); Jason – Heritage Hall; Zach – HHall; Ryan – Heritage Hall
Okeene at Pawnee
Robert – Okeene; Jason – Pawnee; Zach – Pawnee; Ryan – Okeene
Woodland at Velma-Alma
Robert – Woodland; Jason – Velma-Alma; Zach – Velma-Alma; Ryan – Woodland
Rush Springs at Hominy
Robert – Rush Springs; Jason – Rush Springs; Zach – Rush Springs; Ryan – Rush Springs
Stroud at Washington
Robert – Washington; Jason – Washington; Zach – Washington; Ryan – Washington
Morrison vs. Pond Creek-Hunter
Robert – Morrison; Jason – Morrison; Zach – Morrison; Ryan – Morrison
Dewar vs. Timberlake
Robert – Dewar; Jason – Dewar; Zach – Dewar; Ryan – Dewar
Ringwood vs. Grandfield
Robert – Grandfield; Jason – Grandfield; Zach – Granfield; Ryan – Ringwood
Medford vs. Shattuck
Robert – Shattuck; Jason – Shattuck; Zach – Shattuck; Ryan – Shattuck
Last week: Robert (10-5, 1-0); Jason (11-4, 1-0); Zach (13-2, 1-0)
Overall: Zach (134-60, 10-1); Robert (130-64, 9-2); Jason (130-64, 6-5)
Playoff standings: Zach (24-6), Robert (23-7), Ryan (23-7), Jason (22-8).
Note: For Ryan’s scores to each game, read Friday’s Oklahoman.
Second round musings…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Boy oh boy, that McAlester-Carl Albert game this weekend is going to be great. Wait, you mean they BOTH didn’t make it. That’s not a rip on either the Buffs or the Titans, no, that’s a rip on yours truly.
Through two rounds, one lowly Stooge’s take on the football playoffs.
Class 6A
Surprise: Muskogee beats Norman North without Jameel Owens dominating the game. The Roughers are now 4-0 vs. the T’Wolves in the last two seasons.
Upset in the making: None. For us here in the OKC area it’s going to be a treat to see Jenks at UCO. As Ryan said when the playoffs started, Jenks-Union could happen in Norman. Now that would be a real treat.
Class 5A
Surprise: Straying away from Bixby over Carl Albert, it’s the dominance of Tulsa East Central so far. If you read this blog, you know how much I loved Durant and the White Brothers (Bo and Max). A 54-7 drubbing later, the Lions were out. And after pasting Duncan, 52-8, sheer dominance right now in Tulsa.
Upset in the making: Eh, if you can call Bixby over Lawton Mac an upset. This class has provided some fantastic games, they’re all a pick ‘em at this point.
Class 4A
Surprise: None really. Only thing that surprised me a bit was Glenpool giving up 24 points to Grove and Broken Bow allowing 25 to Miami. Those are two of the best defenses this side of McGuinness, so that’s the tiniest of tiny surprises.
Upset in the making: Not seeing it happen. I picked Glenpool to win, but the Irish have shown no signs at all of slipping.
Class 3A
Surprise: Take your pick of either Plainview surviving both games or Tuttle averaging 37 points in two road wins. I’ll take Tuttle. I admit I thought Tuttle was left for dead after late season stumbles. But with three teams from the district in the final four, well, now we know why.
Upset in the making: Nah, just enjoy these final three games. Me and my boy, Jason Kersey, have said all season that 3A is big enough for great, Division I talent but small enough for that excellent community support.
Class 2A
Surprise: Going to Lincoln County and Chandler. The Lions won two road games. Yeah, that’s no biggie but winning each by a single point shows great heart and composure in hostile environments.
Upset in the making: I think perhaps the best game in this class is Saturday night with Heritage Hall at Henryetta. The Knights and Chargers have been unreal in both wins. If any team deserves a third home game, it’s Henryetta. As I’ve said before, the Knights played Morris, Chandler and Prague all on the road.
Class A
Surprise: Bubba Hyde and Stroud. The Tigers had been slumping the last couple of years but Chris Elerick has things working now.
Upset in the making: What a story Hominy has been, but if the final is anything other than Washington-Rush Springs, it’ll be a shock.
Class B
Surprise: Pond Creek-Hunter over Cashion. Cashion had played all season with a chip on it shoulder for last year’s upset to Davenport. I don’t know if it just ran out of steam, piqued too early or what, but Lynn Shackelford’s boys are out.
Upset in the making: Hmm, Timberlake and Dewar should be a lot of fun. But they’re fighting for second place to Morrison.
Class C
Surprise: How incredibly wrong I was about Maud. Like, not even close. Ringwood beating Temple raised my eyebrows as well.
Upset in the making: Not so much. Shattuck looked human against Waynoka, but that doesn’t mean beatable.
Aikman surprises Henryetta with pregame speech
By Zach West
zwest@oklahoman.com
In the midst of one of the best seasons in school history, Henryetta players needed little motivation going into a second-round playoff game against Verdigris on Friday night.
They got some anyways, as school legend and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman surprised the team by giving the pre-game speech in the locker room. It was the first Henryetta game Aikman had seen in over 20 years, head coach Kenny Speer said.
“Everyone was surprised, shocked, and excited,” said Colby Blondell, a senior running back who, thanks to family ties with Aikman, was one of the few who knew the former Dallas Cowboy was coming. “He just talked about how he used to be a Hen … and encouraged us to have fun and play hard. A lot of (the players) wanted to play harder and better, to impress him.”
Aikman, who graduated from Henryetta in 1984, has worked as a color analyst for Fox Sports since his retirement from the Cowboys in 2001. Friday night, the three-time Super Bowl winner flew in before the game and flew back out immediately after, Speer said. But while he only was there a short time, his speech definitely impacted the team, who went on to defeat Verdigris 35-0.
“That’s a heck of a deal for the kids for him to come back and show the interest he shows in his old team,” Speer said. “He enjoys football, and he’s proud of what Henryetta has done.”
What Henryetta has done hasn’t been seen in a long time. By winning 2A-5, the team picked up its first district title since 1951. And Henryetta hadn’t finished 10-0 in a regular season since 1942. With the win over Verdigris, Henryetta secured a return trip to the Class 2A quarterfinals, where they will face No. 2 Heritage Hall.
This week, the players plan on writing a thank-you letter to Aikman, in which they will also hint they would like him to return for another playoff game.
“It means a lot to me just to see him coming,” Blondell said. “I’ve been a big Dallas Cowboys fan since I was a kid, and it just means a ton.”
Week 12 State Area Picks…
By Robert Przybylo, Jason Kersey and Zach West
Robert managed to run off a 13-2 record, yet lose the LOCK. Zach has steadied his ship and has taken the lead while Jason’s risk-taking mindset has led to some undesirable results. It’s week 2 of the playoffs, not much more needs to be said from your favorite Stooges…
Week 12
Bridge Creek at Hennessey
Robert – Hennessey; Jason – Bridge Creek; Zach – Hennessey
Muskogee at Norman North
Robert – Norman North; Jason – Muskogee (LOCK); Zach – Muskogee
Owasso at Midwest City
Robert – Midwest City; Jason – Midwest City; Zach – Owasso
McAlester at Lawton MacArthur
Robert – McAlester (no, not a misprint); Jason – Lawton Mac; Zach – Lawton Mac
Kingfisher at Sequoyah-Claremore
Robert – Kingfisher (LOCK); Jason – Kingfisher; Zach – Kingfisher
Chandler at Sequoyah-Tahlequah
Robert – Chandler; Jason – Seq-Tahlequah; Zach – Chandler
Seminole at Plainview
Robert – Plainview; Jason – Plainview; Zach – Plainview
Duncan at Tulsa East Central
Robert – T.E.C.; Jason – T.E.C.; Zach – T.E.C. (this one hurts)
Cashion at Pond Creek-Hunter
Robert – Cashion; Jason – Cashion; Zach- Pond Creek-Hunter
Tuttle at Vinita
Robert – Tuttle; Jason – Tuttle; Zach – Tuttle
Alva at Bethany
Robert – Bethany; Jason – Bethany; Zach – Bethany
Carl Albert at Bixby
Robert – Carl Albert; Jason – Carl Albert; Zach – Carl Albert
Velma-Alma at Texhoma
Robert – Velma-Alma; Jason – Velma-Alma; Zach – Velma-Alma
Star Spencer at Wagoner
Robert – Star Spencer; Jason – Wagoner; Zach – Wagoner
Shawnee at Guthrie
Robert – Guthrie; Jason – Guthrie; Zach – Guthrie (LOCK)
Last week: Robert (13-2, 0-1); Jason (11-4, 0-1); Zach (11-4, 1-0)
Season totals: Zach (121-58, 9-1); Robert (120-59, 8-2); Jason (119-60, 5-5)
Second round road trips
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@oklahoman.com
Being in the playoffs can sometimes mean traveling to face teams hundreds of miles away.
The longest such trip in the state this week belongs to Velma-Alma, which must travel 349 miles for its Class A second-round game against Texhoma, a panhandle town which borders Texas to its immediate south. According to Google Maps, that’s a road trip of six hours and 32 minutes and includes a lengthy trek through the Lone Star State.
Honorable mention goes out to Weatherford, located on I-40 in Western Oklahoma, which must travel 320 miles (4 hours, 54 minutes) to Broken Bow, located in southeastern Oklahoma just 20 minutes from Arkansas.
Also making a lengthy trip is Class B’s Laverne, located in northwestern Oklahoma, which must go 272 miles to Dewar (4 hours, 39 minutes).
