Football: A Life in the Week of…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
So you wanna be a high school sportswriter, huh? If your answer to that was a resounding yes, then last week was your dream. Few weeks are better than the start of football practice. And my answer was yes, and I had a heckuva time.
There are more important weeks, but the second week in August tells ya ‘it’s time to get back to work.’
And for me (and fellow chum Scott Wright), that’s exactly what we did.
While Scott was back in his old stomping grounds of the West Metro and getting acquainted with OKCPS schools, I went wherever the wind blew me.
OK, that’s not true, but here’s a short account of the week that was for The Boneman:
Tuesday
- Got things started at midnight at Star Spencer. Good food, great energy, a lot of fun. For a short video with Stevo Henderson, here ya go.
- An OSSAA meeting took up most of the day but did hit Heritage Hall at night. Those sophomores are now juniors and getting bigger every time. For a short video with Sterling Shepard, here ya go.
Wednesday
- Started with a trip to Millwood for our HS cover photo shoot with Josh Turner and Brandon Swindall. Always good to talk with those boys. For a short video with Turner, here ya go.
- From there, time to hit the Mid-Del area and Midwest City. Love the speed, love the talent on this teams, hated the 2 p.m. start. For a short video with Ricky Reeves, here ya go.
- Closed up the day with a trip to Bishop McGuinness. Coach Kenny Young can talk your head off, but it’s always entertaining. For a short video with Quinn Shanbour, here ya go.
Thursday
- Started at Edmond Memorial. The atmosphere under second-year coach Justin Merideth is incredible, love watching the ‘Dogs. For a short video with Cale Olbert, here ya go.
- Went straight from Memorial to Guthrie and catching up with Rafe Watkins and the boys. And it was starting to get a little hot around this time. For a short video with Bryan Dutton, here ya go.
- Up next was my first trip to Santa Fe South for a photo shoot with Abraham Luna, the best WR you haven’t heard of. Like this team’s attitude. For a short video with Jameson Ballinger, here ya go.
- After a trip to Heritage for a photo shoot with Barry Sanders, time for another midnight practice. Edmond North does it right. You get da pads, let’s go at midnight. For a short video with Jared Benway, here ya go.
Friday
- First time to Cashion. Not to sound elitist, but I was very impressed with the facilities at Cashion. No video with Jeremy Seaton because it was incredibly windy but look for a future story.
- Wanted to go to Deer Creek, signals got crossed. Instead, went to Edmond Santa Fe. Bruce Gowen’s boys are young, but they’re going to be good – just a question of how soon? For a short video with Patrick Hinton, here ya go.
- And concluded the week with a stop at Casady for the Blue-White scrimmage. Only three seniors, but coach Koby Scoville has done a good job with the Cyclones. For a short video with Garrison Lee, here ya go.
And then all day Saturday and all day today (Sunday), just working on the football preview. Back to the grind Monday as I still wanna hit Deer Creek (always feel better after talking to Grant Gower) and Del City, among other spots.
Oklahoma Showdown small school wrapup, Day 2
Atoka makes the long trip worth it
The nearly three-hour drive back to Atoka in Southeast Oklahoma was a little easier for the Wampus Cats after the Class 3A team won the small school division of the 7-on-7 Oklahoma Showdown at Edmond North Saturday night.
“We came a long way for this,” Atoka receiver/defensive back Caon Brooks said. “Not a lot of people believe in us, but we want to show people that we can win a championship. That’s what we came here to do.”
After a so-so offensive performance on Friday, Atoka and quarterback L.T. Pfaff, who could break the state career passing record this fall, utilized a variety of talented receivers like Brooks, Jordan Harrison and Trey Stephens to pour on points all day Saturday, concluding with a 32-8 win over Class A Cashion in the title game.
Pfaff was awarded the Bull’s-eye Award as the top quarterback, Harrison received the Sticky Hands Award for the top receiver and Brooks got the Lockdown Award for the best defensive back.
“The offense was clicking a lot better (Saturday),” Pfaff said.
“I’m not gonna lie, the first day was horrible,” Brooks added. “We talked before the games (Saturday) about how we wanted to go out and show ‘em what we’ve got, and that’s what we did.”
Atoka and Cashion each entered tournament play as the No. 4 seed on its side of the bracket after going 3-2 in the round-robin. But both were on point offensively, running through competition to reach the title game.
Cashion, one of the smallest schools competing, earned victories over bigger schools Millwood and Sequoyah-Tahlequah in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Atoka reached the finals with two straight victories that came down to the final possession.
Pfaff hit Brooks for a 40-yard touchdown as the horn sounded to beat top-seeded Woodward in the quarterfinals, and the two connected again from five yards out in the second overtime to defeat Oklahoma Christian in the semifinals.
Saints building momentum in summer
With a good mix of experienced veterans and new players, this week’s 7-on-7 tournament provided some valuable experience for Oklahoma Christian.
Jack Warren quarterbacked the Saints to the semifinals before a double-overtime loss to Atoka, but he said every play is key for him and the team’s spread offense.
“It was frustrating to lose, but we had a successful day. We had a win over a good Bethany team,” Warren said. “We’re getting guys experience. This 7-on-7 is important for us, because right now, getting reps is a big deal. We need all we can get.”
Ballinger, Luna a dangerous combo
One of the top eye-catching prospects in the small-school division was Santa Fe South receiver Abraham Luna. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound junior repeatedly got open deep for easy scores in helping SFS to the quarterfinals.
And he was quick to credit 6-foot-2 senior quarterback Jamison Ballinger for helping him and his fellow receivers excel.
“He’s really good and we practice together really hard so that we know what each other is doing all the time,” Luna said. “If we run the right route, or even if we mess up, he finds us and puts it on the money, so we just have to finish the job and catch the ball.”
Cashion: Jeremy Seaton video…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
It’s not hard trying to find Jeremy Seaton on a football field for Cashion. He’s the one who looks like he doesn’t belong with the rest of the group.
The Wildcats make do with what they have better than most teams, but Seaton is a special talent. He’s a kid that would excel at a 4A, 5A team with no issues.
Luckily for Lynn Shackelford and company, Seaton isn’t going anywhere. Cashion has done a great job of maintaining their success since moving from eight-man to 11-man a couple of years ago.
And as Seaton enters his senior season, the team will definitely be relying on him for leadership and production.
Here’s a short video with Seaton following Thursday’s efforts at the Edmond North team camp.
Big Team Camp at Edmond North: Day 3…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
What am I going to get up at 8 in the morning for now? The team camp at Edmond North has come and gone, and it was a great experience for the 13 teams.
I decided to cut out some of the video interviews Friday so I could instead watch the scrimmages more intently.
For those that missed it, videos with Hennessey’s Derrick Luetjen, Cashion’s Jeremy Seaton and Norman North’s Brad Valentino are up on NewsOK now.
Thoughts and Observations
- MVP of the camp: Bixby. The Spartans are in 6A and let everyone know about it this week. Bixby concluded the camp by scoring two touchdowns against Norman North while also forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass in the final play of the scrimmage. It was an impressive display by Bixby. Up until that point, thought Norman North had the best camp as TWolves had some great moments, especially hard hits on D.
- In the next scrimmage, Bishop McGuinness was dominant over Deer Creek. Running back LaRone Richardson scored both touchdowns for the Irish as McGuinness also picked off a pass and stifled the Antlers’ offensive attack. The McGuinness kids were probably the most vocal of any group this week, they were really into it with each play.
- The final scrimmage I got to fully see was Midwest City and Edmond North, and the Bombers speed was on full display. It’s tough to grade the Huskies accurately as Jared Benway is going to mean a lot to that team. However, James Flanders did score for the Bombers, and it was also funny to see Trevon Lewis playing fullback, a spot he will play this year.
- Coach Eric Cardin has had McLoud in the playoff hunt on a regular basis, but the Redskins are going to be a-hurtin’ this year because of youth. Cardin did say he’s not worried about the long term future, and he’s glad to have WR Travis Carroll back after dislocating his kneecap last year.
- Really good camp for OCS, said head coach Derek Turner. Where some coaches used the three days as more of a feeling out process, the Saints were looking to find some answers. Turner believes they did so, especially on defense at linebacker.
- Woodward is going to be solid. The Boomers kinda get lost in the shuffle because of where they’re at, but the Boomers looked good this week. That run in basketball last year caught my attention, so I got my eye out for Woodward.
- Couldn’t find a coach/player that didn’t feel better about their respective team after these three days. If you were out there, you’d understand as the players brought it for this being the first week of June.
- And finally I’m giving a shout out to Meeker and MWC players and Deer Creek coaches for wearing BLACK in the hot sun. I was drippin’ in sweat today, it was a hot one. Why in the world would you wear black?
- Look for a video featuring some of the day’s top plays on NewsOK either later today or this weekend. Was hoping to catch up with MWC’s Lewis, but his voice is shot. I mean he can barely get a word out right now.
Big Team Camp at Edmond North: Day 2…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
The rain delayed things a tad for Day 2 of the 13-team extravaganza at Edmond North so we also ended a little bit later than anticipated.
And once the rain was officially out of the way, wow, did it heat up in a hurry.
I felt today would be the best day of three-day camp because you get your feet wet that first day, and you’re dog-tired during that final day. But Day 2? Yeah, you bring the lumber.
In case you missed it, there are videos with Midwest City’s James Flanders, OCS’ Jack Warren and Bishop McGuinness’ LaRone Richardson on NewsOK and here on the blog.
Thoughts and Observations
- Gotta tell ya that right now drinking the Norman North Kool-Aid. Quarterback Brad Valentino really threaded the needle on a couple of the balls today. Raymond Demby looks fantastic, and what more can you say about Daniel Davis? Solid effort from Lance Manning’s kids, punctuated by a great effort by Davis to score on McGuinness during the final play of their scrimmage.
- Interesting year for the Spartans of Bixby. Moving up to 6A is one thing, introducing Loren Montgomery as the new coach is another. Montgomery has a great football mind, really happy to see him land on his feet with a great opportunity. The loss of Kevin Lamb and DeWitt Jennings is definitely being felt, but I think the more explosive offense might work for Bixby. QB T.J. Eckert seemed more poised today in the limited time I got to see them.
- Another solid day for the Antlers, said coach Grant Gower. Deer Creek is the lone 5A school in the camp, but Gower said playing the 6A big boys has helped immensely. Deer Creek closed out today with a scrimmage against Midwest City. TE Kyle Kanady is growing into a security blanket for Alex Christensen and Joel Blumenthal.
- Gotta hand it to the boys at Cashion. The Wildcats were here last year and are only a couple of years removed from playing eight-man. Lynn Shackelford does a phenomenal job of getting that team fired up, and Cashion has fought hard the first two days. QB Jeremy Seaton said there were no wide-eyed looks today, down to business.
- Hennessey is in that same mold as Shannon Watford continues to have that program in contention on a yearly basis here lately. I hope to watch more of the Eagles (among others) on Friday for the final day. Especially would like to see star recruit Derrick Luetjen more.
- Weirdest sight of the day goes to Flanders. Not sure why seeing a talented kid like him with an umbrella to block out the sun was so funny, but I sure thought it was.
- Lovin’ the intensity these teams are bringing. It dies down a little during the 7-on-7 portion but picks right back up in that final half hour.
- Just like Wednesday, look for more videos on NewsOK. Another sights and sounds from the day to accompany vids with Norman North QB Brad Valentino, Hennessey’s Derrick Luetjen and Cashion’s Jeremy Seaton.
- Back tomorrow as we wrap up the camp. Word on the street is Friday will be the hottest day of the three days…oy.
Big Team Camp at Edmond North: Day 1…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
I’m not sure what to call it because there are a lot more teams than Edmond North at this ginormous 13-team camp the Huskies are hosting Wednesday through Friday. So ‘Big Team Camp’ will have to do.
Great first day, saw a lot of familiar faces and got acquainted with some new ones.
Your teams: Edmond North, Midwest City, Norman North, Bixby, Deer Creek, McGuinness, McLoud, OCS, Hennessey, Newkirk, Meeker, Cashion and Woodward.
My apologies to some of the teams as today was more of an intro day for me, and I didn’t get to see every team in an in-depth manner.
However, from what I saw, it was a fun day and actually a rather intense one.
Thoughts and observations
- No question the most intensity was between Bixby and Midwest City. The Spartans and Bombers don’t see each other too much, but there was some tension there, for sure. Good to catch a glimpse of MWC’s James Flanders as he enters his junior year and great to see MWC’s Trevon Lewis. In what little I saw (jumping back and forth all day), Lewis has really stepped up to be the leader.
- The most impressive person I saw was undoubtedly Norman North’s Daniel Davis. Whether it was running the ball or running through blockers, Davis looked like a beast out there today. Definitely going to catch up with Davis in the days to come.
- Edmond North’s Travis Townsend had some really good throws at quarterback. He might be a little small at this point, but his arm looks stronger, and he’s always been pretty accurate. With Jared Benway out with the high ankle sprain, Ryan Hammons stepped in and had some moments.
- Great to see Bishop McGuinness stud LaRone Richardson looking like himself again. That explosiveness is definitely back. He said it took him to around track season to finally start feeling good again. Irish are in good shape with either Camden Tharp or Quinn Shanbour but very interested in how that plays out.
- Ugliest sight of the day was Edmond North’s Brock Byford. The sophomore and younger brother of Colton had a bad turf burn that tore up his knee pretty good. I shot video of that so it will be on NewsOK shortly.
- Deer Creek coach Grant Gower was extremely pleased with how the first day went for the Antlers. Alex Christensen and Joel Blumenthal continued to share the reps at quarterback.
- Real nice format to the day as well. Some 7-on-7, some where the big teams played the small teams and closed out with 10 minutes of hard scrimmaging between teams that should be playing each other. Again, the most intense was Bixby and Midwest City.
- Look for videos with OCS quarterback Jack Warren, MWC’s Flanders and McGuinness’ Richardson on NewsOK.
- Back for Day 2 on Thursday where I’ll try to catch some more action from Hennessey, Cashion, McLoud, etc.
Signing List 2010
It’s still a work in progress. Know a signing we missed? E-mail me at raber@opubco.com and we’ll get it added. We’ll run the signing list several times over the next few weeks:
Cashion vs. Stroud Capsule…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Cashion (12-0) vs. Stroud (12-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Stroud HS
Cashion (12-0)
Why the Wildcats can win: Because they went through one of the tougher districts and came out on top in a couple of games where I didn’t think it was possible. Cashion has a toughness that stems from the way coach Lynn Shackelford has molded this team to be. Not always flashy, but always effective.
Quote:
There’s not much you need to say at this point. We know this game is going to be tough, but this is what you want at this time of year.” – Shackelford
Stroud (12-0)
Why the Tigers can win: Because they’ve been so dominant all season. While Cashion has to battle to the final seconds a couple of times, Stroud has been, whew, untouchable. 512-86 or 43-7 is the average winning margin per game this season for Chris Elerick’s team.
Key matchup: Cashion’s Jeremy Seaton vs. Stroud defense. I don’t know if Cashion can stop Cody Pritchard, but if Jeremy Seaton can be as effective running and throwing the ball as he’s been all year, then I think the Tigers might be in for a long night.
The pick: Cashion 22, Stroud 19. I can’t see this being by more than a touchdown, and I can’t see either team scoring more than 30 points. The winner of this will definitely have earned the berth into the semifinals.
Cashion: Stopping Cody Pritchard key…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Cashion (12-0) vs. Stroud (12-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Stroud HS
Cashion coach Lynn Shackelford admits him and Stroud coach Chris Elerick are really good friends, but that won’t interfere with anything.
It’s not like there is any secret about what the teams like to do, anyway. Cashion prides itself on its balanced offense while Stroud has one of the most under-the-radar backs in the state in Cody Pritchard.
Pritchard has rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 23 touchdowns. Shackelford knows Cashion must stop Stroud to move on to the semifinals.
One way the Wildcats plan to do that is to simply keep Stroud off the field. If Cashion can have some nice, sustained drives and keep Stroud off the field, that will be crucial.
Stroud is an interesting club. District A-5 hasn’t really caught my eye this year while you know I’ve been ga-ga over A-2. Now that doesn’t mean Stroud can’t get the job done, but it will be interesting.
Is this a 12-0 team because of its schedule, or will it be a 13-0 team because it is just that good? I don’t know.
When I worked at Shawnee, it was down times for Stroud. Elerick was just taking over, and the Tigers were going through 3-7 seasons. Those are long gone, so there’s no question there is talent on Stroud. Should be a fun one.
Cashion: Ready for battle of 12-0 clubs…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Cashion (12-0) vs. Stroud (12-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Stroud HS
While some of the more prominent eight-man teams that moved up two years ago have kinda fallen back, Cashion remains strong.
I mean real strong. Lynn Shackelford’s club is 12-0 and is riding a sea of positive momentum heading into Friday’s quarterfinal at Stroud.
I’ve been a huge backer of A-2 all season. I’ve harped about how good Cashion, OCS and Watonga are this year.
Well, two of the three still remain, but it’s because of the way all three played against each other that made me realize how good this team could be.
What I love about a situation like this is how a town comes together through a team’s success. Shackelford has noticed it, too.
Quote:
It’s been an outstanding atmosphere. The town has really rallied around the kids. Sports in a lot of ways can be the heartbeat of a town and bring people together.” – Shackelford
Stopping a fake punt against Velma-Alma late in the first half proved to be crucial to the Wildcats’ success.
It was only 14-13 at that point. Cashion drove in and scored to make it 21-3 at half. And then Cashion took the first possession of the second half to make it 28-13, and that was all she wrote.
Quarterback Jeremy Seaton has been the key to the team’s offensive success. Later in the week I’ll take a look at what Cashion is going to need to do to move to 13-0.
