Heritage Hall at John Marshall — series history
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@opubco.com
In what has become a weekly tradition, I will break down the series history of a couple city-area high school games.
This one is a first for me since I’ve been posting sedries historys. When Heritage Hall and John Marshall meet up Friday, it will be for the first time. John Marshall has traditionally been a bigger school, but was cut in half last year with the creation of Centennial.
Week 8 Player of the Week candidates
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@opubco.com
To nominate someone for The Oklahoman’s high school football player of the week, leave a comment on this post. Here are some early candidates:
Cole Swayze, QB, Purcell: The freshman carried 17 times for 254 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-17 win over Bethany.
Johnny Morton, RB, Chandler: Morton carried the ball 10 times for 151 yards and a touchdown in Chandler’s 52-6 win over Morris.
Dax Dilbeck, QB, Deer Creek: Dilbeck, who is a regular on this post, ran the ball 13 times for 192 yards and two touchdowns and also threw two scores in a 49-14 win over Chickasha.
Jonathan Burton, RB, Enid: The sophomore ran 11 times for 226 yards and five touchdowns — all in the first half — in a 42-0 win over U.S. Grant.
Larone Richardson, RB, McGuinness: Richardson had 13 carries for 95 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-12 win over Guymon.
Justin Fogle, RB, Guymon: Fogle had 24 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to McGuinness.
Chris Carr, RB, Checotah: Carr had 20 carries for 182 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-0 win over Roland, as Checotah continued its undefeated season.
Ethan Biddy, RB, Tuttle: Biddy had 14 carries for 150 yards and three scores in a 55-3 win over Cache.
Jack Warren, QB, Oklahoma Chr.: Warren completed 13 of 21 passes for 221 yards with a touchdown, and added two rushing scores in his team’s 28-14 win over Cashion.
Andrew Bell, QB, Claremore Christian: Bell completed 23 of 27 passes for 445 yards and five touchdowns in a 60-20 win over Sasakwa.
Boneman’s Week 8 musings…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Well, after a two-week absence, I was back to being your “all-knowing” eye in the sky Friday night. Some things have changed drastically since I was last with you, looking at you El Reno and Norman North. Others, eh, par for the course (Bombers). Player of the week nominations and the other good stuff, send it this way. Let’s roll…
- I don’t know if there was a true eye-popping score from last night, but there were some things that caught my attention. Break up Checotah. 8-0 with a resounding 41-0 win against Roland. Chris Carr with four more touchdowns. Man, Checotah might just be known for more than Carrie Underwood. Side note: Checotah fans, how old is that joke to you guys at this point? I’ll come up with something original next week.
- How about that bounce back by Guthrie? What does Bluejays QB Keaton Callins need to do to get some love? Another three-touchdown performance in the 35-17 win against a tough Shawnee defense.
- My 6A sleeper is definitely Edmond North right now. Cody Crabaugh had another solid performance last night. The Huskies have a deep set of receivers and Joe Aska and Qua’Don Henderson give you all you need at RB. Defense is maturing, all signs point up right now for Jeremy Dombek and company. Looking forward to (and wish I was there) the showdown with Edmond Memorial and North next week.
- Heritage Hall impressed me last night. Nothing spectacular, just a solid 42-7 win against a formidable Newkirk team. Newkirk’s not that bad, added to the drive to get there, but the Chargers certainly did not lay an egg. Turner Petersen threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. Looks like the trick play worked last night with Graham King throwing a 63-yard bomb to Tanner France as well.
- I don’t get to brag too much about my picks (just look at my record), but kudos to Purcell. I never would have imagined freshman QB Cole Swayze running for almost 250 yards and three touchdowns, but you take ‘em however you can get ‘em, right? Purcell has gone under the radar here lately. I don’t think there’s a chance of that continuing anymore.
- After being 0-2, look out for the CHA Crusaders. Six wins in a row and very possibly could run the table the next two weeks. Look at the scores. I know I hyped up Chas Clemens in today’s roundup, but it’s the defense. After allowing 43 and 31 points in the first two games, CHA hasn’t allowed more than 14 points since.
- Couple of favorites doing what they do best with Max White of Durant and Dax Dilbeck of Deer Creek. Both ran for ridiculous amounts of yards in blowout wins. They’re not mirror images of each other, but they’re pretty similar. Dax will be at Oregon State while if memory serves me right, Max’s future is in baseball.
- I want Destiny Christian’s Arthur Mahoney and Community Christian’s Chris Potter on the same team. I want to see what would happen. The two only combined for 12 touchdowns this week. Mahoney only rushed for 284 while Potter only threw for 472, off nights for both. Seriously, the Christian school playoffs will be a lot of fun as always this season.
- How good is Edmond Memorial’s Kameron Doolittle? Every game in some shape or form, he makes a difference. Telling you, do the trick-or-treatin’ late at night, don’t miss the Bulldogs and Huskies next Friday.
- I touched on it in the roundup, but what about that game between Davis and Sulphur? That would have been a fun one to have been at. Davis stopping Sulphur at the 2 yard line? You can’t write scripts like that.
- Odd score of the night: Muldrow 3, Fort Gibson 0, OT. Muldrow fans, clue me in.
Well, I’ve bored you enough for one day. Let me know what I missed. Now it’s time for a long day of football. For the record, OU, Texas, Ohio State, LSU will win while our old friend Gerald Jones will help out with Tennessee beating Alabama. But like I said, look at my record, I don’t know much.
Drumright wins in overtime after failed 2-point conversion
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@opubco.com
I had to get some publicity for what might have been the most entertaining game of the night — Drumright at Barnsdall. Now, although I wasn’t there to witness it, it sounds like it was a doozy from what Barnsdall coach Billy Gates said.
Drumright won, 42-41, in overtime after Barnsdall quarterback Casey Cassity ran in a 7-yard touchdown and Gates called an unsuccessful two-point conversion. Barnsdall was looking for its first win of the year.
“The kids were out of gas,” Gates said. “It took all we had to score in the overtime period, so I didn’t think we could have gone with them again.”
Cassity ended with 113 yards rushing, 92 yards passing and four rushing touchdowns.
Prep chat: Ryan Aber
The Stooges: Week 8…
Mr. Ryan Aber (if that is his real name) must really be taking offense to not being a stooge because he’s just wiping up the floor with us now, that jerk. A three-game lead in Week 7 has given him a three-game lead on everyone. He is now a whopping 10 games better than Bonehead. Ray Ray and Jason were solid as usual on their LOCK picks while Boneman, yeah, when he says something, do the opposite. On with the show…
Week 8
Shawnee vs. Guthrie
Boneman: Guthrie; Jason: Shawnee; Ray: Guthrie; Ryan: Guthrie
Davis vs. Sulphur
Boneman: Sulphur; Jason: Davis; Ray: Davis; Ryan: Sulphur
Bethany vs. Purcell
Boneman: Purcell; Jason: Bethany; Ray: Bethany (LOCK); Ryan: Bethany
Morrison vs. Tonkawa
Boneman: Morrison (lesson learned); Jason: Morrison; Ray: Morrison; Ryan: Tonkawa
Okeene vs. Hennessey
Boneman: Hennessey; Jason: Okeene; Ray: Okeene; Ryan: Okeene
Midwest City vs. Putnam City
Boneman: MWC; Jason: MWC; Ray: MWC; Ryan: MWC
Mustang vs. Putnam North
Boneman: Mustang; Jason: Mustang (LOCK); Ray: Mustang; Ryan: Mustang
Carl Albert vs. Ardmore
Boneman: CAlbert (LOCK); Jason: CAlbert; Ray: CAlbert; Ryan: CAlbert
Millwood vs. Bethel
Boneman: The Wood; Jason: Millwood; Ray: Millwood; Ryan: Millwood
Edmond Santa Fe vs. Lawton
Boneman: ESF; Jason: ESF; Ray: ESF; Ryan: ESF
Last week: Boneman (6-4, 0-1); Jason (5-5, 1-0); Ray (6-4, 1-0); Ryan (9-1)
Overall: Ryan (65-20); Ray (62-23, 6-1); Jason (57-28 , 5-2); Boneman (55-30, 3-4)
Brand new Day for Bethany
By Matt Patterson
When Bethany opened this season, they were searching for a quarterback to replace JP Grasmick. They found what they were looking for in Silas Day who has 1,605 yards and 15 touchdowns with just four picks through seven games. He’s a big reason why Bethany is poised to win a district title.
“We knew he had the ability but he had never been tested in a varsity game,” coach Reagan Roof said. “He literally never played and we weren’t sure how he would handle it but he has exceeded our expectations in every way. He makes his reads and he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. That’s what you want out of a high school quarterback.”
Douglass quarterback developing into a playmaker
By Matt Patterson
If Douglass had a question mark heading into this season it might have been at quarterback. But the Trojans (5-2) have solved that problem thanks to junior Antyoun Smith who has helped lead an offense that has scored 289 points in seven games and came within a whisker of beating Star Spencer.
“We had guys who had just four varsity snaps between them at the start of the year,” coach Willis Alexander said. “And anytime you break in a new quarterback it’s tough. But Antyoun has exceeded our expectations. He makes good decisions and moves the chains when we need it. He’s playing well and should continue to get better.”
Tigers look for run-game answers
By Justin Harper
jharper@opubco.com
In two of its last three games, Norman has been held to single digits in rushing on more than 25 carries in each outing. It’s a frustrating thing for a Tigers program that has long run the ball with success.
However, Norman isn’t scrapping the playbook heading into Thursday’s game against Westmoore.
“We’re just trying to get better at what we’re doing,” said senior quarterback Trenton Wright. “We just need to focus and try to make more big plays.”
Still, Wright said more emphasis on the passing game may be required for the Tigers (2-5) to have more success.
“Maybe throw the ball more,” he said when asked for a solution. “If your run game isn’t working, that may be the best idea.”
Either way, Norman remains confident despite the tough start under first-year coach Greg Nation.
“We’re still going out there playing the same game as usual,” Wright said. “We’re not giving up or anything.”
Shawnee-Guthrie could turn into a shootout
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@opubco.com
Shawnee and Guthrie both have great offenses, which means their game Friday could easily turn into a shootout.
Guthrie quarterback Keaton Callins has thrown for over 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns this year. His primary target, Donte Foster, has 575 yards receiving and eight scores.
“The key is, we’ve got to put up a lot of points because obviously they’re going to have success,” Shawnee wide receiver and defensive back Brett Davis said. “They’re too good of a team to be held out of the end zone all night.”
Guthrie could well say the same thing about Shawnee. Sophomore quarterback Brayle Brown has had a great season so far, as has Davis.
