A-2 All-District team
Here’s the District A-2 All-District team. Have another district’s awards? E-mail them to raber@opubco.com.
District A-2 All-District
Most Valuable Player: Jacob Smart, Minco
Offensive MVP: Cade Baade, Minco
Defensive MVP: Jarod Cross, Okeene
Quarterback of the Year: Bret Wardlaw, Okeene
Running Back of the Year: Garret Wilson, Okeene
Wide Receiver of the Year: Steven Whalen, Minco
Tight End of the Year: Landon LaRue, Crescent
Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year: Carrie Farmer, Minco
Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year: Justin Kessen, Crescent
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Tanner O’Kelley, Okeene
Linebacker of the Year: Britt Bosler, Cashion
Cornerback of the Year: Cody Day, Okeene
Safety of the Year: Hunter Mason, Cashion
Kicker of the Year: Tristen Lacey, Crescent
Coach of the Year: Clint Warren, Minco
Quarterbacks: Preston Walker, Crescent; Derek Gabrial, Pioneer
Running backs: Hayden George, Hunton; Michael Cronister, Crescent; T.J. Martin, Cashion.
Wide Receivers: Chase Carter, Okeene; Aaron Murray, Hinton; Jacob Overton, Minco.
Offensive Lineman: J.T. Lee, Minco; Zac Tarrent, Crescent; Kendall Boling, Hinton; Dexton Robertson, Cashion; Matt Schneider, Pioneer.
Tight End: Holden Hedges, Pioneer.
Defensive Linemen: Brandon Nixon, Cashion; Tidel Garrison, Hinton; Shakeal Jones, Crescent; Colby Ruthardt, Minco.
Linebackers: Mason Howe, Okeene; Dakota Bare, Minco; Justin Baker, Hinton.
Defensive Backs: Cris Henderson, Pioneer; Zach Miller, Crescent; Tyler Mitchum, Minco; Nathen Rackley, Okeene.
Kicker: Gabriel Rui, Hinton
All-District 4A-2 posteseason honors
Here are the coaches’ selections for All-District in 4A-2:
Player of the Year: Dawson Myers, Cushing
Offensive Player of the Year: Eddie Reynolds, Harrah
Defensive Player of the Year: Cayman Bundage, Douglass
Special Teams Player of the Year: Chris Compton, Douglass
Receiver of the Year: Abraham Luna, Santa Fe South; Eric Delay, Cleveland
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Diamonte McClellan, Douglass; Blaine Atchely, Tecumseh
Quarterback of the Year: Ivan Zavala, Santa Fe South
Offensive Back of the Year: Alton Adkins, Glenpool
Tight End of the Year: Richard Griffin, Harrah
Defensive End of the Year: Brock Hubble, Cushing; Travis Johnson, Harrah
Defensive Tackle of the Year: Josh Smith, Glenpool; Dustin Malloy, Cleveland
Inside Linebacker of the Year: Jas’Sen Stoner, Douglass; Brandon McDonald, Harrah
Outside Linebacker of the Year: Drake Stevens, Glenpool; Kyle Knight, Cushing
Safety of the Year: Phillip Spess, Cleveland; Tanner Shepard, Tecumseh
Cornerback of the Year: Jake Queen, Harrah
Kicker of the Year: Ben Henley, Cleveland
Special Recognition: Blake Murray, Cushing
Coaches of the Year: Barrett Shupe, Cushing; Jerry Braziel, Santa Fe South
All-District by team
Cleveland: Frankie Mackey, Kolton Hansen, Matt Gayle, Josh Casebott
Cushing: Marshal Dilley, Ben Loftis
Douglass: Andrew Bailey, O’Sha Clark, Deonte Childs, Camron Dizer
Glenpool: Zach Parnell, Tyler Harrison, Connor Ferrell, Austin Wills, Matt Lafitte, Matt Meeks, Trent Cleveland, Hunter Green, Tyler Dunn, Taylor Howell, Jordan Bullock, Matt Lena, Cody Marshall
Harrah: Tyler Humphrey, Corey Beder, Houston Ward
Sante Fe South: Daniel Gardado, Abel Hererra, Aaron Johnson
Tecumseh: Jacob Bender, Jackson Ryan
2A-7 All-District Team
Here’s the District 2A-7 All-District team. Have another district’s awards? E-mail them to raber@opubco.com.
District 2A-7 All-District
Coach of the Year: Eddy Scott, Pawhuska
District MVP: Connor Pulley, Newkirk
Offensive MVP: Cameron Kirk, Pawhuska
Defensive MVP: Max Simmons, Lincoln Christian
Special Teams MVP: Alex Green, Lincoln Christian
QB: Caleb Captain, Chelsea
RB: Zack Simmons, Lincoln Christian
OL: Jeremy Iron, Pawhuska
WR: Curtis Foreman, Chouteau
DL: Hayden Delozier, Chelsea; Steven Robledo, Caney Valley; John Jones, Chouteau
DE: Ty Nelson, Pawnee
ILB: Michael Brakey, Newkirk
OLB: Lonnie Tharp, Chelsea
CB: Taurus Yorkman, Chelsea
Safety: Kyle James, Chelsea
Meritorious: Hudson Baab, Lincoln Christian; Trevor Summitt, Newkirk; Trent Soldier, Chouteau
All-District Per Team:
Caney Valley: Dillon Ward, John David Martin
Chelsea: Austin Gill, Logan Doles
Lincoln Christian: Alex Melton, Brennen Evans, Cole Warren, Ethan Scott
Newkirk: P.J. Butler, Nathan Dowell, Caleb McCammon, Brent Ballagh
Pawhuska: Nate Myers, Alex Valencia, Jermie Tuller, Thatcher Taylor, Gene Bigsoldier, Max Pester, Norris Bighorse, Aaron Dove
Pawnee: Cody Roberts, Russ Toothman, Aaron Burns, Harley Brewer, Trey Kent
Honorable Mention:
Newkirk: Dylan Sprueill, Dalton Hasselbring
6A-2 All-District team
Here’s the 6A-2 All-District team. Have another districts awards? E-mail them to raber@opubco.com.
District 6A-2 All-District
Awards
Coach of the Year: Lance Manning, Edmond Santa Fe
Player of the Year: Casey Curtis, Putnam City
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Trevor Thompson, Westmoore
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Jarion Tudman, Edmond North
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Crouch, Edmond Santa Fe
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Kyle Factor, Westmoore
Linebacker of the Year: Brendon Pitzer, Edmond North
Co-Defensive Back of the Year: Conner Bays, Edmond Santa Fe
Co-Defensive Back of the Year: Archie Ocloolee, Westmoore
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Patrick Diaz, Lawton
Offensive Back of the Year: Jesse Mathews, Edmond North
Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year: Brandon Dewitt, Lawton
Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year: Cole Parsons, Edmond North
Co-Wide Receiver of the Year: Austin Bowling, Westmoore
Co-Wide Receiver of the Year: Tre Kelly, Edmond Santa Fe
Special Teams Player of the Year: Michael Ryan, Mustang
All-District team
Del City: Stephon Herd, WR; Josh McNaughton, DL; Jerel Jeten, DB; Larry Long, DB.
Edmond North: Jarion Tudman, RB; Jared Benway, RB; Cole Parsons, OL; Troy Davis, TE; Jesse Mathews, QB; Russell Sivard, DL; James Duncan, DL; Christian Contreass, DB; Regan Land, LB; Bryndan Pitzer, LB; Christian Peterson, DB.
Edmond Santa Fe: Tre Kelly, WR; Taylor Ashcraft, LB; Chris Carter, DL; Conner Bays, DB; Josh Crouch, DL; Zach Birts, DB; Michael Onuoha, DL; Brandon Roberts, OL; Chad Reitz, OL; Ryan Frazier, LB; Matt Freeman, K; Allston Hadley, OL.
Lawton: Brandon Bartlett, DeMarious Littles, Freddie Taito, Vincent Thomas, Corey Pilgrum, Adam Castro, Jacquan Beck, Dometreas Pyfer, Jordan Gouge.
Mustang: Arron Smith, OL; Derek Garvin, WR; A.J. Ashman, RB; Michael Ryan, K.
Putnam City: Casey Curtis, RB; Rontez Smith, TE; Anthony Hogg, DB; Damion Brown, DL; Elie Rushing, LB; Derrick Rovers, DL; Conner Nichols, TE; Jeff Tanner, DL.
U.S. Grant: Christian Nicholson, DE; Jacob Tavares, OL; Cory Hooks, RB; Derrick Young, DB.
Westmoore: Kyle Factor, DL; Trevor Thompson, QB; Austin Bowling, WR; Archie Ocloolee,. DB; Dalton Craig, WR; Preston Higgins, DL; Blake Martin, DB; Corey Lassiter, OL.
McAlester’s Dalton Wood looking to step in to replace Tony Kiefer next season
McAlester freshman quarterback Dalton Wood throws a pass during the Top of the World scrimmage in Norman on Aug, 26. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
McAlester quarterback Tony Kiefer, who amassed over 12,000 total yards in his stellar career, played his last game as a Buffalo in Saturday’s semifinal loss to Guthrie.
The Buffaloes will certainly miss Kiefer’s production, but waiting in the wings is another potential great one.
Freshman Dalton Wood (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) was impressive in a preseason scrimmage in Norman, where he ran McAlester’s offense with poise and efficiency in a half-game against Deer Creek, which ended in a 28-28 tie. Wood was playing in Kiefer’s place while he recovered from a minor injury.
Wood is still only 14 years old; he won’t turn 15 until late December.
“He’s still gotta mature some, but he’s got all the tools,” said McAlester coach Bryan Pratt.
District 6A-1 All-District team
Here’s the 6A-1 All-District team. I also have the 6A-2 team to post a bit later. Have another? E-mail me at raber@opubco.com.
District 6A-1 All-District
Awards
Coach of the Year: Steve Huff, Midwest City
Most Valuable Player: James Flanders, Midwest City
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Corben Jones, Yukon
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian McDonald, Lawton Eisenhower
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Daniel Burton, Putnam North
Running Back of the Year: Dre Holman, Putnam North
Wide Receiver of the Year: Tae Douglas, Lawton Eisenhower
Defensive Player of the Year: Zeke Lewis, Midwest City
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Tyrone Beverly, Lawton Eisenhower
Linebacker of the Year: Taylor Lewis, Moore
Defensive Back of the Year: Derek Deeds, Yukon
All-District team
Choctaw: Luke Cotton, LB; Marcese Dickson, LB; Zac Reynolds, OL; Jared Nelson, OL; Jay Styers, WR.
Edmond Memorial: Matt Hickman, LB; Gavin Fouts, RB; Jon Scheihing, OL; Ry Huff, QB; Mac Wilsey, OL; Bryce Robinson, DB.
Lawton Eisenhower: Kacey Totte, LB; Kevin McClain, DB; Nick Shegog, DB; Grayden Gatlin, OL; Devante Baker, LB; Dee Simmons, DB; Dajon Reed, DL.
Midwest City: Ricky Reevs, DB; Zeke Lewis, LB; Ronnie Davis, DB; Austin Roberson, LB; James Flanders, RB; C.J. Smith, DL; Dakota Moran, OL; Chris Shannon, DL; Michael Wisby, WR; Devin Crisp, OL; Deonn McKay, LB; Antonio Martin, DB.
Moore: Brandon Eddins, LB; Grant Linstead, WR; Taylor Lewis, LB; Joe Haddox, LB; Jamal Carter, DL; Corey Reeves, QB; Dakota Gilbert, OL.
Norman North: Riley Nolan, C; Joe Toney, OL; Brad Birchfield, WR.
Putnam North: Daniel Burton, OL; Dre Holman, RB; Bray Humphreys, DL; Gaige Webster, WR; Vidale Grant, DB; Leigh Comfort, OL; J’mon Ratliff, OL.
Yukon: Corben Jones, QB; Derek Deeds, DB; Austin Bevill, WR; Tyrell Barker, DL; Lantz Parks, C; Sheldon Kearby, DL; Hunter Meyn, DB; Tyler Bush, OL; Will Paddock, OL; Zach Hazebaker, OL; Jansen Jarrett, LB.
1954: The year Oklahoma high school football had no playoffs
This cartoon appeared alongside Daily Oklahoman sports editor John Cronley's column on Nov. 3, 1953. The column lambasted the Oklahoma Highschool Athletic association's decision to abolish high school playoffs for the 1954 season. FROM THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVE
What started as research for a story turned into a fascinating look into one odd year in Oklahoma high school football.
In October 1953, the Oklahoma Highschool Athletic association voted to abolish football playoffs.
The playoffs had been around for nine seasons, and would go on as scheduled for 1953. But in 1954, there were no crowned state football champions.
On the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities’ Association website, on the page where it lists past football state champions, 1954 says, “No championship due to membership vote of ‘too much football.’ Had regular season games only, but were reinstated the next year.”
According to Daily Oklahoman archive stories, common reasons given to abolish the playoffs were 1) too much emphasis on winning; 2) increased pressure on coaches; 3) a longer season.
The vote was taken the association’s annual business meeting, but, according to reports, representatives from a large number of schools weren’t present at the meeting.
A Nov. 3, 1953 Daily Oklahoman column by sports editor John Cronley reported, “with more than 200 schools playing the grid game, only 122 votes were cast.”
The official vote was 78-44, in favor of abolishing the playoffs.
Cronley’s column went on to lambaste the association’s decision. Here are some excerpts:
… Where is the harm in giving the boys something extra to play for, a giant goal each year, an added incentive to strive for, an objective of which to be so proud if achieved?”
Why not decide on the field of battle just what teams are supreme? Isn’t that the basic aim of all sports?
Now it will be back to that ‘mythical’ business, with nothing settled entirely to the satisfaction of all.
(That remind you of anything?)
It all makes for more youngsters playing a better brand of football, and in some places the big kid program is sold primarily on the grounds of being something for the after school hours rather than roaming of streets.
Now ask yourself, what is the youths’ goal from grade through highschool if it isn’t the hope of some day being able to claim he played on the best darn prep team in the country?
So it may be that the die is cast permanently. If so, let the voters answers these queries — If a moderate helping of football is good for a boy, is more of it bad, and if football playoffs are undesirable, why allow to stand such practices in basketball and baseball?
The playoffs were abolished with a simple majority vote, but to reestablish the playoffs would take a three-fourths vote, which was considered all but impossible.
The association tried something different in December 1953 that was as confusing as it was unlikely to work.
The association’s secretary, Lee K. Anderson, and the board of control devised a plan that would have schools vote on having playoffs by classes.
Here was the catch, though: If a majority of schools in any class voted to reestablish playoffs for their class, another vote was conducted of all football playing schools, and that vote would require a three-fourths majority.
A Dec. 8, 1953 Daily Oklahoman article read: “Anderson said the board took the view that most school administrators would take action to give any class the playoffs if schools in that class indicated they wanted the championship series.”
Some classes did vote to reestablish their playoffs, but the wider vote failed, and there were no playoffs in the 1954 season.
Polls and the general sentiment of Oklahomans at the time were firmly for a playoff system.
A Nov. 15, 1953 column by Daily Oklahoman sports writer Lew Johnson said: “In our travels around the state, and during chats with coaches, players and fans, we have found the people to be angry and disgusted with the association.”
Here are excerpts from a Nov. 8, 1953 letter to the editor from Ada resident W.A. Hubbard:
Personally, I am of the opinion that the playoff system was the most progressive move made by the Oklahoma Highschool Athletic Association in the past 20-odd years and its abolition the most retarding.
With the playoff setup, every, the players, student body, and fans, had something to anticipate: competition, honor to be gained and a goal to be reached. Without the playoffs, what’s left? A conference title over a small portion of the state; a rearrangement of schedules; a mythical championship, perhaps, which proves nothing.
Momentum began building to bring back the playoffs between the 1953 and 1954 football seasons.
And by the Oct. 29, 1954 business meeting, the restoration of the playoffs in Classes A, B and C was No. 1 on the agenda.
(Class 2A schools remained firmly against a playoff and didn’t have one again until the 1956 season).
A Ray Soldan Daily Oklahoman column, which ran five days before the board meeting, listed six reasons why the playoffs should be restored:
1) The players themselves want the playoff
2) Fans favor them
3) A better brand of football is produced under the playoffs because there is an added incentive for coaches and players alike
4) Clear-cut state champions are determined
5) It actually shortens the season for all schools except the playoff participants. And those schools certainly don’t mind a lengthened campaign
6) Other assets include financial gains for the schools and increased salaries for the coaches.
Morris superintendent John B. Turner led the charge, speaking passionately at the meeting before the balloting. Turner first began lobbying for a playoff system in 1943.
Saying he represented the fans and student-athletes that weren’t present, Turner went into a impassioned plea for the playoffs while blasting the “slovenly approaches to football players in Oklahoma,” according to a Oct. 30, 1954 Daily Oklahoman article.
He went on to blast school officials for, “not supporting coaches who sweat for two hours every day, and thereby hold your jobs and get raises in pay for you by producing winning teams.”
He continued, saying that playoffs are, “a full expression of democratic process,” and that adding “manly competition in football stops juvenile delinquency.”
After Turner’s speech, Classes A, B and C voted to restore football playoffs for the 1955 season.
In a Dec. 5, 1954, football postseason column, Soldan called the lack of playoffs that season the “Disappointment of the year.”
“With fans, players and coaches like rallying to the defense of the playoff system, the highschool officials saw the error of their previous decision and overwhelmingly voted the football championships back in for the 1955 season,” Soldan wrote.
The 1955 season would be memorable for two reasons — the return of the playoffs, and the first season where black and white athletes played together in many schools, according to Soldan’s Sept. 4, 1955 column.
Then, at the association’s business meeting in October of that year, Class 2A playoffs were restored.
So there is your Oklahoma high school football history lesson for the day.
I love history, so once I started to realize how interesting this was, it became my Sunday evening.
Hope you enjoyed this little trip back in time. I sure did.
Fan Poll: Vote for the OKC-Area Football Player of the Week for the third round of the playoffs
The season is winding down, but you still have a chance to let us know who you thought was the Player of the Week in Week 3 of the high school football playoffs around the Oklahoma City area.
Pick one of the five selections from the poll below, or write in your own candidate in the comments section, where you can tell us why your choice deserves Player of the Week honors.
The results of the poll will appear in Wednesday’s Oklahoman. Voting ends at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
So cast your vote, discuss and debate the best performance from Week 3 of the playoffs:
Bryan Dutton, QB, Guthrie
Scored a rushing touchdown and threw for two more TDs to help seal Guthrie’s spot in the Class 5A state championship game with a 28-25 win over McAlester on Saturday.
Hennessey defense
Vian came in having scored at least 34 points in every game, and at least 47 in eight of their last nine, but Hennessey gave up just over 200 yards and just seven points to advance to the Class 2A semifinals.
Michael Lowe, QB, Jones
Threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another score, both in the fourth quarter of Jones’ 29-28 comeback win over Stroud in the Class 2A quarterfinals. Lowe also had another rushing TD earlier in the game.
Marc Robinson, RB/LB, Millwood
Rushed 16 times for 105 yards and three touchdowns, while also helping the Millwood defense shut down the Lincoln Christian run game in a 40-14 Falcon win in the 2A quarterfinals.
Barry J. Sanders, RB/DB, Heritage Hall
Sanders got it done on both sides of the ball, scoring from the running back position, and also with a pick-six as the Chargers routed Seminole 49-20 on Friday to advance to the 3A semifinals.
Douglass’ Stephen Clark, Tulsa Washington’s Juwan Parker show skills on big stage
Douglass point guard Stephen Clark averaged 32.5 points per game at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest in Duncanville, Texas.
Douglass point guard Stephen Clark would have preferred a victory, but he did everything he could to get one at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest in Duncanville, Texas.
Clark scored 42 points in a 90-80 loss to Dallas-Kimball on Saturday night at an event that included teams from Louisiana, Georgia and North Carolina.
The Trojans went 0-2 on the weekend, falling in a tight game to Tulsa Washington on Friday. Tulsa Washington’s Juwan Parker and Phabian Glasco each scored 22 in the 68-59 win. Clark had a game-high 23.
Team-wise, the weekends went very differently for Clark and Parker (the Hornets won twice), but both nationally known recruits took advantage of the big stage to show their skills. Each player has more than a dozen scholarship offers already, and both were impressive at Hoopfest.
In particular, Clark showed his ability to run his team from the point guard position, which he wasn’t asked to do for the Trojans the last two seasons.
“As he develops his feel for the position, Clark should expand his playmaking and he looks to be on his way to being a viable option at the point for high majors,” wrote Rivals.com basketball recruiting analyst Eric Bossi.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK
McAlester misses Alvery Braxton in loss to Guthrie
SAPULPA — McAlester was without one of its top playmakers in Saturday’s semifinal loss to No. 1 Guthrie.
Senior receiver Alvery Braxton, who had 1,049 yards receiving and 13 TD catches on the season, tore his meniscus earlier this week in what coach Bryan Pratt called a “freak,” non-football injury.
“That hurt us a little bit,” Pratt said. “We’re not here to make excuses, though.”
McAlester’s other star receiver, Tulsa commit Adam Boyd, was very impressive in Saturday’s loss. He had 38 yards rushing and 79 receiving, and was tough for Guthrie’s defenders to bring down on several occasions.
Another factor that hurt McAlester was the weather. It was very windy in Sapulpa on Saturday, which limited the Buffaloes’ ability to throw the ball around the field.
Quarterback Tony Kiefer entered Saturday’s game with 3,380 yards and 36 TD passes, as well as 1,439 yards rushing and 25 TDs, on the season. He scored three times on the ground, but only once through the air, and that was on a screen that was taken 43 yards for a score by Cody Lefors.
“The weather hurt us probably more than it did them,” Pratt said. “If we were playing in normal conditions without the wind, things might have gone differently.”
Kiefer was limited to 142 passing and 19 rushing yards by Guthrie’s defense.
