Little Axe: Nothing determined for stadium…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
The Little Axe football team is trying to return to a sense of normalcy and spring practice helped the cause, said head coach Jason Wheeler.
The community is still suffering the effects from last month’s EF-4 tornado that destroyed most of the football stadium.
“They worked their tails off. It’s still a difficult situation, but those kids aren’t making any excuses,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said one reason the team has been able to stay focused is the senior leadership coming back, including all of its offensive linemen.
The Indians had their best season in school history and made their first playoff appearance.
Wheeler said people have reached out to try to help the team but nothing has been decided in terms of a new stadium or where the team will play its home games in the fall.
Wheeler said things like a charity concert have been proposed, but they’re still ironing out the details and seeing what they can and can’t do at this juncture.
He said it was just a simple thing, but a team cookout following spring practice really lifted the kids’ spirits up.
Again, if you want to help out, you can contact Wheeler or Little Axe AD Paul Elkouri. Elkouri’s number is (405) 329-1612.
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:
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
Know of a player signing?
With signing day coming up Wednesday, The Oklahoman is once again compiling a list of players across the state who have signed to play college athletics at any level.
If you have a signing to report, e-mail it to Ryan Aber at raber@opubco.com ro post it on the comments section here (on the main high school blog at http://blog.newsok.com/highschoolsports )
Little Axe earns first playoff berth…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Had a chance to talk with Little Axe coach Tony Smith today, and I can tell those kids and that school/community are on a high right now. The Indians are going to the playoffs for the first time ever since the team started in 1987.
It’s great to see a program like this, that has struggled for so long, find its footing. Little Axe was close last year, missing out by one district point. And Smith thought this might be the year.
How right he was. LA clinched a spot last week with a huge win against Lexington, maybe one of the biggest in school history.
Smith said the key is to not just accept making the playoffs. That’s easy to say, but I don’t begrudge those kids if they want to celebrate what they’ve accomplished so far.
Here is what is a little out of whack with Little Axe: The Indians have scored 195 points and given 200. Have to be the only 6-3 team with that type of point differential. LA has lost to Millwood, Bridge Creek and Jones.
Smith said it’s been the mental toughness this team has displayed that really stands out, especially in the win against Lexington. It was a different type of attitude that showed Smith his team is for real.
Running back Robby Dryden and quarterback Daniel Leonard are leading the way on offense while Brandon Miller and Dustin Hawkins are paving the way defensively.
