Football: Weatherford’s Jake Barrios, Clinton’s Delans Griffin ignite win…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
That was the first all-state football game I’ve covered and gotta say it was a lot of fun. Maybe it’s because I didn’t spend the entire night wondering if I had the stats right, but I love getting a chance to watch the game from the sidelines.
Behind Weatherford’s Jake Barrios and a blocked PAT by Carl Albert’s Markell Walker and Watonga’s Trevon Hartfield, the West pulled out a 21-20 victory Friday at Jenks HS.
By the way, that was the first time I’ve been to Jenks. What a strange sight. It seems like a nice little town, and then bam, you’re hit in the head with this HUGE (and beautiful) stadium and athletic facilities.
Wonder how the parking is for regular Jenks games. Sure seemed like a mess Friday, but that’s just my first impression.
Back to the game, rivals became friends again this time with Weatherford’s Jake Barrios and Clinton’s Delans Griffin.
If I was smarter, I would have had the video rolling for the final play of the first half. Alas, I did not.
Barrios rolled out toward the sideline around the 50 yard line. He didn’t have enough strength for it to reach the end zone, but two East defenders deflected the ball right into Griffin’s hands. He went the final 10 yards for an improbable score to make it 14-14 at halftime.
Eh, better to be lucky than good, I guess.
Barrios will move on to play baseball in college, but I really enjoyed watching him play football. Barrios and Kale Sawatzky helped bring the Eagles back to prominence, and those boys brought it every night.
Fun to see Metro Christian’s Beau Marsaln play. He’s got a good arm and that 88-yard touchdown pass to Bartlesville’s Mike Thompson was easily one of the highlights of the night.
Though if you want the moment of the night, hmm, think it’s gotta go to Tulsa McLain’s Kerry Burks. He picked up a fumble and ran nearly 70 yards for a touchdown. Big boy’s got some wheels.
That set the tone for the game. We were scoreless for the first eight minutes and that seemed to either loosen everybody up or get everybody pumped again.
Former Star Spencer coach and now Tulsa Washington head man Darrell Hall was honored as the Coach of the Year while Putnam North’s Dillon Schooley was named Player of the Year. Schooley had an interception Friday.
***
That wraps up All-State week. The memory of Kyle Lewis was present all five days and won’t go away anytime soon. It sure felt strange for me driving by the Stroud exit late Friday night.
Look for a video with Barrios on NewsOK this weekend.
Baseball state tournament qualifiers
While waiting for the schedule to be released Monday, here are the state tournament qualifers:
6A
Broken Arrow
Edmond Memorial
Edmond Santa Fe
Jenks
Norman North
Owasso
Putnam North
Tulsa Union
5A
Carl Albert
Chickasha
Claremore
Collinsville
Deer Creek
Duncan
Tulsa Kelley
Tulsa Washington
4A
Berryhill
Clinton
Fort Gibson
Hilldale
Lone Grove
Metro Christian
Newcastle
Weatherford
3A
Beggs
Bethel
Chandler
Eufaula
Sperry
Plainview
Purcell
Verdigris
2A
Dale
Latta
Lincoln Christian
Mangum
Oktaha
Pioneer
Silo
Wister
Oil Bowl rosters announced
The Oklahoma rosters for the 73rd Oil Bowl were released this week.
The game, featuring all-star teams from Oklahoma and Texas, will be played June 12 in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Two players on the Oklahoma team will be heading to Texas to play for Big 12 teams–Clinton’s Delans Griffin (Texas Tech) and Midwest City’s Dominque Jones (Baylor).
Other notable names on the team include Oklahoman All-State running back Darwin Rideau of Star Spencer, Southmoore’s Mason Myers and Del City’s wide receiver tandem of Chris McAlester and Donavan Dan.
Kingfisher’s Jeff Myers will coach the team.
Last year’s game was canceled due to lightning in the area.
Oklahoma roster
QB: Jack Cameron, Tulsa Kelley; Matt Oberste, Sallisaw
RB: Delans Griffin, Clinton; Darwin Rideau, Star Spencer
WR: Donavan Dan, Del City; Joe Dowdell, Tulsa Kelley; Chris McAlester, Del City; Ronnie Price, Broken Arrow; Trey Wiley, Sallisaw; Jordan Woods, Kingfisher
OL: D.J. Brown, Lawton; Kevin Duke, Shawnee; Cohle Fowler, Verdigris; Alec Henry, Tulsa Union; Mason Myers, Southmoore; Tanner Nerby, Enid; Jarrett Richert, Clinton, John Saint, Tulsa Kelley; James Stephens, Broken Arrow
DL: Justin Butterfield, Bartlesville; Devon Harris, Lawton MacArthur; Dominique Jones, Midwest City; Sonny Puletasi, Lawton; James Renfrow, Broken Arrow; Lamares Shields, Del City; Kyle Williams, Broken Bow
LB: Ethan Biddy, Tuttle; Rhett Blundell, Kingfisher; Mike Lunsford, Catoosa; Emmanuel Maxwell, Midwest City; Jericho Rogers, Davis
DB: Dustin Bohanan, Guthrie; Nelson Medeiros, Edmond Memorial; James Roberson, Tulsa Union; Luke Snider, Tulsa Union; Markell Walker, Carl Albert
K/P: Cole Way, Tulsa Union
Coaches: Jeff Myers, Kingfisher; Mike Mobra, Catoosa; Brad Farrow, Broken Arrow
Bill Tipton VI set for Carl Albert, Shawnee
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Carl Albert and Shawnee will co-host the Bill Tipton VI Baseball Tournament beginning today and wrapping up Saturday at Carl Albert.
The tournament features nine teams ranked in the top 20 of their class, including seven ranked in the top 10—four from Class 4A.
The event kicks off today with four games at each site, including Class 5A No. 2 Carl Albert vs. 4A No. 5 Clinton at 1:30 p.m. at Carl Albert.
Other top teams participating include 6A No. 6 Yukon, 5A No. 10 Lawton MacArthur, 5A No. 12 McAlester, 5A No. 16 Ada, 4A No. 1 Weatherford, 4A No. 4 Blanchard and 4A No. 7 McGuinness.
The championship game will be played at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Carl Albert.
Wednesday
at Carl Albert
Carl Albert vs. Noble, 11 a.m.
Carl Albert vs. Clinton, 1:30 p.m.
Blanchard vs. Clinton, 4 p.m.
Weatherford vs. McAlester, 6:30 p.m.
at Shawnee
Shawnee vs. OKC Broncos, 11 a.m.
Shawnee vs. Ada, 1:30 p.m.
Yukon vs. Ada, 4 p.m.
McGuinness vs. Lawton MacArthur, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday
at Carl Albert
Weatherford vs. Noble, 11 a.m.
Weatherford vs. Blanchard, 1:30 p.m.
Clinton vs. McAlester, 4 p.m.
Carl Albert vs. McAlester, 6:30 a.m.
at Shawnee
Ada vs. Lawton MacArthur, 11 a.m.
Yukon vs. Lawton MacArthur, 1:30 p.m.
OKC Broncos vs. McGuinness, 4 p.m.
Shawnee vs. McGuinness, 6:30 p.m.
Friday
at Carl Albert
Blanchard vs. McAlester, 11 a.m.
Blanchard vs. Noble, 1:30 p.m.
Clinton vs. Noble, 4 p.m.
Carl Albert vs. Weatherford, 6:30 p.m.
at Shawnee
Yukon vs. McGuinness, 11 a.m.
Yukon vs. OKC Broncos, 1:30 p.m.
Ada vs. OKC Broncos, 4 p.m.
Shawnee vs. Lawton MacArthur, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
at Carl Albert
10 a.m., Seventh-place game
12:30 p.m., Fifth-place game
3 p.m., Third-place game
5:30 p.m., Championship game
Defending 5A champion wins Irish Easter Classic
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Altus’ Megan Blonein had been in the situation before.
Edmond North’s Carly Yates had not.
Blonein, who won the 5A state title last year as a freshman, parred the first hole of a playoff to beat Yates and win the Fifth Annual Irish Easter Invitational at Quail Creek on Monday.
For Blonein, it was her third playoff. Yates had not been in a playoff in high school.
Blonein’s drive on the playoff hole went left on the par 4 No. 1. But she safely punched her second shot out of the trees to just in front of the green and finished off the tournment win after Yates’ second shot sailed over the green, then wound up a bunker with her third shot.
Yates posted her round of 78 about three hours before the playoff, while Blonein finished not long before the playoff.
Blonein got off to a rough start, shooting a 42 on the back nine where she started. But she quickly bounced back on the front side, with back-to-back birdies on holes three and four to get back in the tournament.
“I’m a late starter,” Blonein said. “It takes me awhile to get started.”
The tournament featured many of the state’s top golfers, playing on a longer course than most the girls play on during the season.
Mustang won the team title, 13 strokes ahead of second-place Altus.
Here are the top 10 individuals:
Irish girls golf hosts tourney Monday
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
McGuinness’ girls golf team will host the Irish Easter Invitational on Monday at Quail Creek.
The tournament will feature most of the area’s top high school golfers, including the defending Class 3A champion, Kingfisher’s Bethany Darrough.
The Irish, playing in their fourth event of the season, feature Caitlin Farris and Hannah Tubbs at the top of their lineup.
Farris, a freshman, has finished third in two of McGuinness’ three tournaments so far, including the tournament in Granbury. Texas.
Tubbs, a senior, has finished in the top five at state each of the past two years.
Monday’s tournament also features plenty of 6A talent as well, including Mustang, last year’s 6A runner-up, all three Edmond schools and Westmoore.
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:
4A HS Basketball Area Matchups
Here’s the Class 4A basketball playoff pairings:
Seems like the biggest thing from an OKC boys standpoint is McGuinness, Douglass and Heritage Hall all being in separate areas. John Marshall and McGuinness figure to be the favorites in Area I, Douglass and Blanchard in Area II, Fort Gibson and Tulsa McLain in Area III and Star Spencer and Madill in Area IV (Although Roland and Stilwell will be dangerous as well)
Note: Districts 3, 4, 7 and 8 play Friday, Feb. 19. Districts 1, 2, 5 and 6 play Saturday, Feb. 20. Girls play at 6:30 p.m., boys play at 8 p.m.
Class 4A
AREA I
Dist. 1: Guymon at Woodward
Dist. 2: Harding Prep at Anadarko
Dist. 3: Santa Fe South at John Marshall
Dist. 4: Clinton at Elk City
Dist. 5: Blackwell at Cleveland
Dist. 6: Classen at McGuinness
Dist. 7: Heritage Hall at Piedmont
Dist. 8: Cushing at Perkins
AREA II
Dist. 1: Cache at Lone Grove
Dist. 2: Dickson at Byng
Dist. 3: Little Axe at Douglass
Dist. 4: Elgin at Bethany
Dist. 5: Weatherford at Tuttle
Dist. 6: Pauls Valley at Newcastle
Dist. 7: Seminole at Tecumseh
Dist. 8: Blanchard at McLoud
AREA III
Dist. 1: Vinita at Miami
Dist. 2: Tulsa McLain at Tulsa Webster
Dist. 3: Oologah at Jay
Dist. 4: Dewey at Locust Grove
Dist. 5: Metro Christian at Seq. Claremore
Dist. 6: Catoosa at Berryhill
Dist. 7: Inola at Fort Gibson
Dist. 8: Glenpool at Wagoner
AREA IV
Dist. 1: Harrah at Mannford
Dist. 2: Okmulgee at Hilldale
Dist. 3: Checotah at Stilwell
Dist. 4: Bristow at Star Spencer
Dist. 5: Atoka at Madill
Dist. 6: Sallisaw at Roland
Dist. 7: Poteau at Muldrow
Dist. 8: Idabel at Broken Bow
Signing Day Surprise: Jarrett Lake
By Ryan Aber
raber@opubco.com
Jenks’ Jarrett Lake has signed a letter of intent with Arkansas, becoming the first surprise of signing day in the state.
Lake had committed to OU in July and remained committed to the Sooners throughout the year, even as he was ruled ineligible at Jenks.
Lake’s eligibility was at the center of a scandal that saw Jenks forfeit games from last season and wound up with Trojans’ coach Allan Trimble being suspended for the remainder of the year.
Lake considered a transfer to Tulsa’s Holland Hall after being ruled ineligible by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association but elected to stay at Jenks and finish his senior season there.
Other in-state players that have signed (as of 9:30 a.m.):
Jake Alexander, Jenks (Tulsa)
Aaron Colvin, Owasso (OU)
Johnny Deaton, Sand Springs (OSU)*
Delans Griffin, Clinton (Texas Tech)
Austin Haywood, Southmoore (OU)
Alec Henry, Tulsa Union (Tulsa)
Bronson Irwin, Mustang (OU)*
Dewitt Jennings, Bixby (Tulsa)
Tre Porter, Carl Albert (Texas Tech)
James Roberson, Tulsa Union (Tulsa)
Thomas Roberson, Tulsa Union (Tulsa)
Cole Way, Tulsa Union (Tulsa)
Xavier Smith, Edmond North (Missouri)
Trent Spurgeon, Owasso (Arizona)
Julian Wilson, Southmoore (OU)
*Player is already enrolled
Semifinal sites set
Here’s the semifinal times/dates:
Class 6A
Jenks vs. Southmoore, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Putnam City Stadium
Tulsa Union vs. Broken Arrow, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, University of Tulsa
Class 5A
El Reno vs. Carl Albert, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Putnam City Stadium
Bixby vs. Guthrie, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Stillwater High School
Class 4A
Weatherford vs. Douglass, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Yukon
Star Spencer vs. Sallisaw, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sapulpa
Class 3A
Seq. Claremore vs. Cascia Hall, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Collinsville
Berryhill vs. Dewey, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Skiatook
Class B
Garber vs. Laverne, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Woodward
Ryan vs. Canton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Norman
Class C
DC-Lamont vs. Timberlake, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Enid
Seiling vs. Forgan, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Woodward
