Moore: Added emphasis on running game may be key
Moore’s most pressing need is for someone to step up on offense. The Lions have a good defense, but that won’t lead to victories without putting points on the board.
So far this season the Lions have averaged 4.8 points per game. That has to change. Coach Scott Myers has one of the youngest teams in Class 6A, but there are some playmakers in the bunch.
The most likely candidate to add a spark to the Lions’ offense is running back Ethan Glidden. The junior has quietly run for 158 yards on 24 carries. That’s not a lot of yards over four games, but it’s 6.6 yards per carry, which any runner would take. He’s also scored one of the Lions’ three touchdowns this season and has the longest play of the year so far.
Nobody else has even reached triple digits rushing for Moore. Still, Chris Clark is averaging 4.9 yards a carry, which is solid. And more carries for tough-running Dalton Hilliard wouldn’t hurt. Not coincidentally, Giddens, Clark and Hilliard have accounted for all the Lions’ TDs this season.
That trio of runners should provide Moore a stout running game. That would do nothing but help quarterback Vova Razryvin, who is still learning the position on the fly and having tough results because of it. Razryvin is a decent runner, but teams are keying on him right now. If the focus shifted to Giddens, Clark and Hilliard, Razryvin would benefit. His passing would also improve because opponents would have to load up the box to stop the run if Glidden and crew began having success.
Myers knows what he’s doing and obviously nobody wants Moore to have success more than he does. He’ll get the right people the ball. And right now, that would appear to be Glidden, Clark and Hilliard.
Mid-Del Alumni Report, Sept. 27
Here’s a look at how Mid-Del alumni did in this weekend’s college football action. Know someone who’s left off? Let me know either here or at raber@opubco.com.
Carl Albert
ADD: Graig Cooper, Jr, RB, Miami (Fla.): Cooper had 11 carries for 55 yards in the Hurricanes’ 31-7 loss to Virginia Tech. Cooper also returned three kicks for 74 yards and a punt.
Daytawion Lowe, Fr., DB, OSU: Lowe had 4 tackles in the Cowboys’ 56-6 win over Grambling.
David Oku, Fr., RB, Tennessee: Oku had 1 catch for 8 yards in Tennessee’s 34-23 win over Ohio. He also returned a kickoff for 19 yards.
Joe Stoner, Fr., LB, New Mexico: Stoner had 2 tackles in New Mexico’s 20-17 loss to New Mexico State.
David Vaughn, Jr., S, Pittsburg State: Vaighn had 4 tackles in the Gorillas’ 45-40 loss to Missouri Western.
Del City
DeAuntra Rideau, Sr., DB, Arkansas Tech: Rideau saw his first action of the season, picking up 2 tackles in the Wonder Boys’ 59-14 win over Arkansas-Monticello.
Derrick Jackson, RFr., NG, Tulsa: Jackson had 4 tackles and a fumble recovery in Tulsa’s 56-3 win over Sam Houston State.
Midwest City
Kevin Gaddis, Fr., CB, Rice: Gaddis had 2 tackles in Rice’s 36-17 loss to Vanderbilt.
Brandon Love, Sr., OL, NSU: Love started on the offensive line as NSU ran for 206 yards in a 17-7 win over East Central.
John Flanders, So., DB, Tulsa: Flanders had 2 tackles in Tulsa’s 56-3 win over Sam Houston State.
LaRon Moore, Jr., DB, Texas Tech: Moore had 5 tackles, one for a loss, in the Red Raiders’ 29-28 loss to Houston.
Vershon Moore, RFr., RB, Washburn: Moore ran for 55 yards and a touchdown in the Ichabods’ 36-21 win over Central Missouri. He also had 3 catches for 33 yards.
Jamad Williams, Jr., RB, Tulsa: Williams played but recorded no stats in Tulsa’s 56-3 win over Sam Houston State.
OKC Alumni Report, Sept. 27
Here’s a look at how Oklahoma City alumni did in this weekend’s college football action. Know someone who’s left off? Let me know either here or at raber@opubco.com.
Douglass
David Smith, Jr., LB, Langston: Smith had 3 tackles, one for a loss, in Langston’s 17-14 win over Incarnate Word.
Da’Sor Horton, Jr., LB, NEO: Horton returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown in NEO’s 41-29 win over Arkansas Baptist.
John Marshall
Nate Cotton, Jr., DB, SNU: Cotton had 6 tackles and 3 pass breakups in SNU’s 56-35 loss to Olivet.
Clarence McDonald, So., K, Langston: McDonald had six punts for a 38.3 yard average and hit three of his punts inside the 20 in Langston’s 17-14 win over Incarnate Word.
Millwood
Adryan Adams, Sr., DB, North Texas: Adams had five tackles, one for a loss, and two pass breakups in North Texas’ 37-21 loss to Middle Tennessee State.
Gerald Jones, Jr., WR, Tennessee: Jones had 1 catch for 4 yards in Tennessee’s 34-23 win over Ohio.
Prentice Muse, Sr., DB, UCO: Muse had 9 tackles in UCO’s 27-23 loss to Texas A&M-Commerce
Tramain Swindall, So., WR, Texas Tech: Swindall had 3 catches for 38 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown, in the Red Raiders’ 29-28 loss to Houston.
Northeast
Kenyad Blair, So., WR, NEO: Blair had a 62-yard reception for a touchdown in NEO’s 41-29 win over Arkansas Baptist.
Ishmael Underdown, So., DB, Missouri Southern: Underdown had 2 tackles in Mo. Southern’s 44-36 loss to Nebraska-Omaha.
Southeast
Gerald McCoy, Jr., DT, OU: The Sooners had a week off before traveling to play Miami this weekend.
Star Spencer
Terry Hardeman, Sr., LB, UCO: Hardeman started but recorded no statistics in UCO’s 27-23 loss to Texas A&M-Commerce.
Westmoore: It’s a whole new outlook with Rhodes
After beating Putnam City Friday, the big question for those who have been watching Westmoore this season is this: Where did this Jonathan Rhodes kid come from?
Rhodes, a sophomore, played his first game at running back against the Pirates and promptly ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
Rhodes didn’t come out of nowhere, though. The little speedster has been playing cornerback for the Jaguars on the opposite side of standout Stanley West. But in his first game as a running back, he left quite an impression.
Junior Cody Feuerborn ran for 81 yards on 10 carries and has already shown that he’s a productive runner. Now, with Rhodes and Feuerborn in the mix, Westmoore’s offense just got a whole lot better. Aside from the yards the running backs will account for directly, the fact that the Jags have a threat in the running game will open things up for receivers like West and take some heat off of sophomore QB Trevor Thompson.
The 20-17 double-overtime win over Putnam City also changes the outlook of the season. A win over the Pirates, who were picked to finish ahead of Westmoore by district coaches, shows that Westmoore is capable of making the postseason.
Also, making a huge impact Friday was Cody Cates, who led the defense with 13 tackles. Eleven of those stops were solo.
Playoffs? They’re well within Norman’s reach
A year ago after a rough start, Norman won two straight games to give the Tigers hope for a big season. Now it’s déjà vu. Although, Norman wants the similarities to end with the two straight victories.
With a 38-7 obliteration of Putnam City West Friday, the Tigers moved to 2-2 on the season. The win backed up a 16-0 win over More the week before.
Now comes the hard part. Norman lost its final six games last year and that’s a fate these Tigers can avoid. Granted, the pair of wins wasn’t over the best teams (neither has won a game), but Norman is capable of winning some of the remaining six contests.
The Tigers will have a serious test this week in Edmond North. And not to say they can’t beat the Huskies, because they are capable of that upset, but the ensuing three weeks certainly bring winnable games.
Norman hosts Edmond Memorial on Oct. 9, travels to Putnam City on Oct. 15 and hosts Westmoore on Oct. 23. Those are opponents Norman should be competitive with. In fact, the Tigers should expect nothing less.
Playing at Midwest City on Oct. 30 will be a tough chore, but hosting Lawton Eisenhower in the season finale on Nov. 6 will give Norman a chance to close with a victory.
Five wins would likely get the Tigers into the playoffs. That means winning just three of the six games listed. And that’s completely feasible.
Norman North’s Davis notches most-wanted stat
Norman North junior Daniel Davis is receiving a lot of attention this season, and rightfully so. The defensive end/tight end is having an impact year on both sides of the ball. He leads the team in tackles (29) and sacks (5) and has an interception. He also has five receptions for 130 yards and handles the punting.
However, in talking to Davis last week, he said the stat he wanted most is to get in the scoring column.
“I’d like to score a touchdown,” he said with a laugh. “I haven’t dome that since I was a running back my freshman season. That was fun, I’m not going to lie. So, it’d be nice to get a touchdown.”
Well, Davis didn’t have to wait long. In his first outing after professing his desire to get in the end zone, the 6-2, 215-pounder did it twice in the T-Wolves’ 38-17 romp of Putnam City North Friday night. More impressively, he did it from both of his positions. He started with a defensive TD, picking off a Jace James pass and racing 32 yards for the second-quarter score. Then in the third, Davis snared a Brad Valentino pass and outran two defenders to the end zone on a 65-yard touchdown reception.
So, now the question is, what’s the next stat Davis wants to crack?
Southmoore loses Thompson; Long in familiar spot
For the second straight season, a major knee injury has ended the season early for Southmoore running back Kyaunn Thompson.
After coming back from a torn ACL suffered in game five of last year, Thompson suffered another ACL injury in practice last week. The senior had played in just two games this season after battling a sore hamstring early.
That means sophomore Andrew Long will be the primary ball carrier for the undefeated SaberCats. But, really, that’s not that new of a role. Long played five games last year as a freshman after Thompson’s season was ended. And this year, while Thompson was nursing his hamstring injury, Long took over as the starting running back.
Though young, Long is a more than adequate replacement. In fact, the kid has proven to be among the better runners in Class 6A.
Thompson was averaging more than 100 yards a game rushing last year when he was hurt. This year, though, the senior had just eight carries for 12 yards and two receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown.
Long, meanwhile, has averaged 6.4 yards per carry (39 for 248 yards) and run for a pair of touchdowns and scored twice on receptions. He has 206 yards on 12 catches.
It’s a shame for Thompson, who likely would have gotten a college scholarship. How that will play out now remains to be seen. He’ll likely get a chance to play somewhere, but it might be at a junior college or smaller school. He probably would have gotten Division I-A looks had he stayed healthy.
Alumni report: Private schools, Pt. IV…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Back for another edition. That’s the second straight week Heritage Hall product Wes Welker hasn’t played for the Patriots. New England was able to get the win this time, though. See someone I missed? Let me know.
Brandon Noohi, QB, Central Oklahoma (Mt. St. Mary’s): Noohi was 36-of-51 for two touchdowns and an INT, but it wasn’t enough as Texas A&M-Commerce scored with 2 seconds left to win 27-23.
Tucker Cason, LB, UCO (Heritage): Cason had two tackles and one of five UCO interceptions in the loss.
Tucker Holland, WR, UCO (OCS): Holland had two catches for nine yards and added two tackles for the Bronchos.
Joey Fallon, UCO (OCS): Fallon had one tackle and forced a fumble.
Quinton Prince, NG, UCO (Heritage): Started again for UCO and recorded three tackles.
Rob Mitchelson, RB, Dartmouth (Heritage): Mitchelson had eight carries for 27 yards in a 44-14 loss to New Hamsphire.
Alumni report Edmond Schools, Pt. IV
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Oh, heartbreak hotel for Santa Fe’s Reggie Smith. The 49ers lost on a last-second TD pass to the Minnesota Vikings. Same as always, if you know someone, drop me a line.
Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State (Santa Fe): Taking advantage of mop-up time, Weeden was 4-of-7 for 77 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 13 yards in the Cowboys’ blowout victory vs. Grambling State.
Matt Jackson, WR, Central Oklahoma (Santa Fe): It was an unusually small day for Jackson who had two catches for 15 yards in UCO’s tough 27-23 loss at Texas A&M-Commerce.
Caleb Prince, DB, UCO (Memorial): A game for the ages with six tackles, two of them for loss. Oh yeah, those three interceptions might be noteworthy, too. Huge game for Caleb.
Jake Olivarez, OT, Southwestern (Santa Fe): Started at left tackle in a 66-3 defeat to Tarleton State.
Steve Day, QB, SWOSU (Santa Fe): Rough outing for Day, who was 14-of-32 for 117 yards and three interceptions.
J.R. Hammond, WR, SWOSU (Santa Fe): Had minus 2 rushing yards but did have three receptions for 27 yards.
Daeshon Bufford, Tulsa (Santa Fe): In limited time, Bufford had two tackles in Tulsa’s rout of Sam Houston State.
Jared St. John, Tulsa (Santa Fe): Saw his first action of the season but didn’t record any stats.
Jermaine Mowarin, Southern Nazarene (Memorial): Mowarin had two stops in SNU’s loss to Olivet Nazarene.
Marquis Hamilton, WR, Iowa State (North): Continues to be bright spot for Cyclones and leads team with 15 catches for 266 yards and 2 TDs.
Zopon Williams, Missouri Southern (Santa Fe): Williams had two tackles in a 44-36 loss. Santa Fe’s Steven Sumpter did not play.
West Metro Alumni Report
Mustang product Josh Cooper has become a regular part of the Oklahoma State passing game.
Checking in on the alumni from Yukon, Mustang and the PC trio in Saturday’s college football action:
Josh Cooper, WR, Oklahoma State (Mustang): Three catches for 57 yards in the Cowboys’ 56-6 win over Grambling State.
Josh Shene, K, Mississippi (PC North): Made a 42-yard field goal and an extra point in the Rebels’ 16-10 loss to South Carolina on Thursday night. He’s perfect on the year, hitting all three field goals (from 27, 42 and 42 yards) and all 12 extra points he has tried.
Kenny Brown, Texas A&M (PC North): Made two tackles on special teams.
Jared Homer, K, Northeastern State (Mustang): Made a 35-yard field goal and two extra points in NSU’s 17-7 win over East Central.
Dantren Anderson, LB, Mid-American Nazarene (PC North): Had four tackles (1.5 for loss) in a 55-14 loss to Lindenwood.
Southern Nazarene
Dante Campbell, LB, Yukon - Recorded three tackles; Jerrod Gatz, OL, Putnam City – Started at left guard; Matt Ligon, QB, Putnam City – One carry for 10 yards and completed one of two passes for 13 yards; Gabe John, WR, Mustang – Caught two passes for 19 yards; Myron McKinney, OL, PC North – Started at left tackle. SNU lost 56-35 to Olivet Nazarene.
