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.
Former Bombers standout Flanders added to watch list
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Former Midwest Cit standout Timothy Flanders, now a sophomore at Sam Houston State, was added to the watch list for the Walter Payton Award.
The award is given annually to the top offensive player in the Football Championship Series, formerly know as Division I-AA.
“I have said all along I think he is the best running back in the FCS, and it is good everyone else is getting a chance to see what he can do,” Bearkat coach Willie Fritz said in a release.
Flanders leads the Bearkats in rushing (856 yards), receiving (343) and has played an integral role in Sam Houston State’s 9-0 start. The Bearkats are ranked third.
The award will be presented at the FCS national awards banquet Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.
Flanders’ Bearkats play Northwestern State on Saturday.
In 2009, former Putnam City North standout Deji Karim finished third in the balloting for the award.
Picks: Week 6
Ryan lost a game to Jason and Scott last week with his pick of Commerce over Colcord. Everybody missed Broken Bow and Hilldale, but Ryan locked Broken Bow to lose his first lock of the week.
Last week
Jason: 8-2, 1-0
Scott: 8-2, 1-0
Ryan: 7-3, 0-1
Overall
Ryan: 37-13, 4-1
Scott: 37-13, 4-1
Jason: 37-13, 3-2
Ryan
Cascia Hall 14, Berryhill 7
Millwood 28, Jones 26
Norman North 28, Putnam North 24
Edmond North 35, Putnam City 34
Tulsa Union 38, Owasso 16
Tulsa East Central 27, Tulsa Central 20
Lincoln Chr. 28, Vian 26
Comanche 26, Washington 20
Elk City 20, McGuinness 17
McAlester 38, Tulsa Kelley 20
Wynnewood 28, Rush Springs 14
Lock of the week: Wynnewood over Rush Springs. As things keep progressing in this district, I’m more and more convinced that the Wynnewood-Wayne matchup will determine the district champion.
Scott
Cascia Hall 21, Berryhill 14
Millwood 38, Jones 34
Putnam City North 24, Norman North 21
Putnam City 52, Edmond North 48
Tulsa Union 31, Owasso 21
Tulsa East Central 27, Tulsa Central 24
Lincoln Christian 35, Vian 31
Comanche 27, Washington 24
Elk City 28, McGuinness 27
McAlester 24, Tulsa Kelley 14
Lock of the Week: Cascia Hall over Berryhill. Cascia looks like a team on a mission, still stinging from last year’s loss to Bethany in the playoffs. I think they move to 6-0 this week.
Jason
Cascia Hall 21, Berryhill 10
Millwood 31, Jones 24
Norman North 23, Putnam North 17
Edmond North 42, Putnam City 35
Tulsa Union 42, Owasso 24
Tulsa East Central 35, Tulsa Central 21
Lincoln Chr. 31, Vian 28
Washington 20, Comanche 17
Bishop McGuinness 23, Elk City 20
McAlester 35, Tulsa Kelley 17
Wynnewood 24, Rush Springs 21
Lock of the week: Norman North over Putnam City North. Both of these proud programs are struggling this season, but I like the Timberwolves because of their running game. Norman North running back Bryan Payne has been good this season, and the Panthers’ run defense has been an Achilles’ heel.
Putnam City North OL Daniel Burton commits to Iowa State
Putnam City North offensive lineman Daniel Burton committed to Iowa State on Thursday.
Putnam City North offensive lineman Daniel Burton verbally committed to Iowa State on Thursday, Panthers coach Bob Wilson told The Oklahoman.
Burton had several offers, including Arizona and North Texas, but the 6-foot-4, 275-pound senior decided on Iowa State after visiting the campus a couple weeks ago.
Burton was ranked No. 13 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list of the state’s top recruits in the 2012 class in August. He is considered a valuable prospect because of his ability to play any position on the offensive line. He plays tackle for the Panthers, but also has the versatility to play guard. Some schools, like Oklahoma State, had also shown interest in him as a center, and he began working on the details of that position, like the shotgun snap.
Here’s a story I wrote about Burton during the summer. I hope to speak with him when he finishes practice today to get his feelings on his decision.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK
Yukon, Putnam City North battling QB injuries
The playoff race in District 6A-1 already looks to be a wild one, and now, a couple of the top contenders for postseason bids are facing quarterback injuries suffered in last week’s games.
Yukon was without senior Corben Jones in the second half of last Friday’s 42-14 loss to Midwest City after he suffered a concussion.
His availability for this week’s game at Norman North is uncertain, but Hayden Somerville was solid in his place. The sophomore completed six of 12 passes for 119 yards and two TDs with one interception.
Putnam City North could be without starter John Robert Simon for a couple of weeks, including this week’s game at No. 3 Midwest City, after he sprained his MCL in the 31-24 loss to Edmond Memorial. Starting safety Alex Clark will step in for Simon behind center.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK
Heritage Hall softball coach makes record book
Christin Jantz (Dobbs)
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Former Putnam North softball player and current Heritage Hall softball coach Christin Jantz (formerly Christin Dobbs) is now in the NAIA record book.
Oklahoma Christian received notice this week that Jantz, who played for the Lady Eagles from 2008-10, is being included for her career batting average.
Jantz hit .414 in three seasons at Oklahoma Christian and one at Central Oklahoma. She had 292 hits in 705 at bats.
Jantz was a three-time All-Sooner Athletic Conference selection and in 2010 earned first-team All-America honors.
Scott’s Weekend Rewind: PC North, Edmond Santa Fe, Douglass with big wins in Week 2
The opening of Yukon's new Miller Stadium was one of many events during a busy weekend of football.
I can already tell this is going to be a long week. Since Sept. 1, I haven’t gone more than two days without covering a high school football game. Friday can’t get here soon enough.
And after the three games I covered this weekend, it’s going to be hard for the next 13 weeks of football to live up to the standard.
On Thursday night, I watched Putnam City North knock off Mustang in double-overtime when sophomore kicker Richard Gallegos booted through a 17-yard field goal to clinch it. Friday brought the debut of Yukon’s new stadium, and a late rally by Edmond Santa Fe to spoil the opener at the Millers’ new home. Then we had the usual amount of drama on Saturday afternoon at the Soul Bowl.
Here’s a look back at what we learned about the teams in those three contests, starting with the double-OT thriller at PC Stadium.
Game preview: Putnam City vs. PC North
Putnam City North's Dre Holman is looking forward to his first game against rival Putnam City after missing it the last two years because of injuries.
It feels a little weird trying to gather my thoughts to write the preview for the Putnam City-Putnam City North game, which kicks off tonight at 7 at Putnam City Stadium. And here’s why:
On the field tonight, you’re going to see a team that has a really good running back, a new starter at quarterback who looks pretty athletic, several new starters on the offensive and defensive lines, and a solid defensive backfield with some athletic, experienced players returning.
Which team is it? Take your pick. Both the Panthers and Pirates fit that mold. So trying to differentiate the keys to the game for each team is difficult.
But you can bet that those two running backs — Putnam City’s Casey Curtis and PC North’s Dre Holman — will have a lot to say about the outcome.
It pains me not to be able to see this game, because Curtis and Holman are two of my favorite backs to watch. One opposing coach who saw Curtis in the preseason says he’s the best back in the state, and I think Holman is on the verge of a big-time breakout year.
What to watch for: Putnam City
Putnam City North will have to find a way to keep a handle on PC's Casey Curtis tonight.
I think one of the biggest keys for the Pirates will be linebacker play. Elie Rushing is one of the better middle linebackers in the metro, but you can’t discount how much PC will miss outside ‘backer Desmond Tilly. His speed and playmaking skills would be valuable in this setting. I would expect him back in the next week or two from the sprained LCL, but he will be missed, especially in run support.
So the other outside linebackers and the safeties will be important in helping with stopping the run when Holman gets past the line of scrimmage. They’ll need to fill gaps and not let Holman get going downhill, because that’s when he’s most dangerous.
What to watch for: Putnam City North
I see the most important area for the Panthers tonight being on the offensive line. Left tackle Daniel Burton is one of the top linemen in the state, but most of the line is inexperienced. Keeping pressure off first-year starter John Robert Simon at QB will be crucial, especially early. Simon is a smart, talented athlete, and if he’s able to hit a couple throws early and build some confidence, it will carry him a long way.
Defensively, it’s all about clogging the running lanes. Curtis doesn’t need a big hole to scoot into the open field, and when he gets to the second and third levels of the defense, there aren’t a lot of guys who can wrap him up. So the key is not letting him find a crease.
The Pick: PC North 24, PC 20. I don’t have a good explanation why I think this will happen, it’s just a feeling. The biggest difference I see in the two teams is the extra depth PC North has in the trenches. Both teams have good players up front, but the Pirates will have to use most of their best linemen on both sides of the ball for much of the game. With the importance of the run game for both teams, I think that gives the Panthers the edge tonight.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK
John Robert Simon at the helm for Putnam City North
Putnam City North's Dre Holman will be a big help to new quarterback J.R. Simon both as a receiver out of the backfield and as a workhorse running back.
The OSSAA board meeting on Wednesday and the thunderstorm on Thursday morning kind of got me off track in making the rounds to all the West Metro and OKC football practices I wanted to hit, and one of the victims was Putnam City North (I’ll be there next week, Panthers).
But I got a chance to visit with coach Bob Wilson on the phone and he sounds pleased with his team’s performance over the first few days of camp.
One crucial position over the next two weeks for the Panthers will be the development of their new quarterback.
Jace James graduated, and Joe Summers decided to focus on basketball, so that opened the door for a new starter.
Junior John Robert Simon has stepped in to fill the void for an offense with only a few returning starters.
“Right now, it looks like he’s the guy,” coach Bob Wilson said. “Alex Clark is backing him up. He’s a capable and athletic kid. J.R. is a good athlete who started for the basketball team as a sophomore and has a chance to be a good player.”
With talented running back Dre Holman and highly recruited left tackle Daniel Burton, the Panthers will focus on the run game, which should benefit Simon early in the season.
“Running the ball will be real important for us,” Wilson said. “If we can do that, it’ll give J.R. some time to adjust to the speed of the game.”
I know Holman is strongly committed to staying healthy this year, and he has the potential to be a workhorse, especially if the new starters on the offensive line can come together in front of him. Holman is a sleeper in the recruiting game, too. I’m sure a lot of coaches want to see him stay healthy as well, but he has a combination of power and speed that is hard to match.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Arizona offers PC North’s Daniel Burton
It seems Arizona coach Mike Stoops is looking hard at Oklahoma offensive linemen. Highly regarded prospects like Blake Belcher of Guthrie and Cayman Bundage of Douglass have already been offered by the Wildcats, and now you can add Putnam City North’s Daniel Burton to the list.
Burton, 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, received the offer from Arizona this week, bringing his total to three, along with Louisiana-Monroe and Northwestern State. Coaches from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have visited the Panthers’ practices in recent weeks, and Oregon State is expected on the campus this week.
Burton is No. 15 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 rankings for 2012 recruits. He plans to attend camps at OU, OSU and Missouri this summer, and maybe a few more. He plays left tackle for the Panthers, but has the build and skill set to play any position on the line at the next level.
Currently, he’s focused on building strength, and maybe adding a little weight to his long frame.
“I’m at 275 now,” Burton said. “I’ve gained about 10 pounds since last season and I might try to gain five or 10 more, but I really just want to work on getting stronger.”
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
