The Oklahoma City Area Baseball Coaches Association will play its annual all-star game at 6 p.m. Thursday at Palmer Field at Dolese Park.

An all-star team made up from these two rosters will play a Tulsa-area all-star team in a doubleheader at noon Saturday at Bishop McGuinness. OCS’ Ken McQueen and Tecumseh’s Chad Trahan will coach the Oklahoma City team.

NORTH
Starters
Pitchers: Brock Stuber, Piedmont; Parker Rigler, Edmond Memorial; Kyle Stephens, Edmond North
Catchers: Mike Hale, Putnam City North; Jon Denney, Yukon
First baseman: Cody Daylor, Edmond North
Second baseman: Daniel Costello, Edmond Santa Fe
Third baseman: Bryan Dutton, Guthrie
Shortstop: Dalen Edgar, Piedmont
Outfielders: Landon Eason, Yukon; Jack Hale, Edmond Memorial; Cole Lindley, Deer Creek
Utility: Austin Brooks, OCS
Desgnated hitter: Jacob Jerome, Edmond Santa Fe

Reserves: Chiante’ McKee, Star Spencer; Bradley Fitch, Bishop McGuinness; Reed Brooks, Putnam City; Jonathan Sergent, Classen

Coaches: Ken McQueen, OCS; Kory Williams, Piedmont

SOUTH
Starters
Pitchers: Alexander Svetgoff, Westmoore; Gage Trahan, Tecumseh; Nick Ward, Southmoore
Catchers: Lane Paul, Tuttle; Cameron Knight, Westmoore
First baseman: Dylan Mauk, Blanchard
Second baseman: Daniel Herron, Norman North
Third baseman: DJ Gasso, Norman North
Shortstop: Tre Edwards, Southmoore
Outfielders: Chevin Noone, Carl Albert; Hunter Heath, Bethel; Quade Nelson, Blanchard
Utility: Damion Orr, Midwest City
Designated hitter: Joel Davis, Midwest City

Reserves: Cooper Owens, Putnam City West; Colin Webb, Moore; Matt Foster, Norman; Casey Bowlan, Shawnee; Jovanny Hernandez, U.S. Grant; Zack Howry, Capitol Hill; Landon Vodka, Mustang.

Coaches: Chad Trahan, Tecumseh; Travis Owen, Tuttle

Class 6A
BOYS
EAST
At Tulsa Rogers
Friday
Winner’s Bracket
Owasso vs. Broken Arrow, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Stillwater vs. Bixby, 8 p.m.

At Catoosa
Winner’s Bracket
Tulsa Union vs. Jenks, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Tulsa Washington vs. Bartlesville, 8 p.m.

Saturday
At Catoosa
Stillwater/Bixby winner vs. Owasso/Broken Arrow loser, 8 p.m.
Tulsa Washington/Bartlesville winner vs. Tulsa Union/Jenks loser, 6:30 p.m.

WEST
At Choctaw
Friday
Winner’s Bracket
Midwest City vs. Edmond Santa Fe, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Edmond North vs. Putnam City

At Norman North
Winner’s Bracket
Edmond Memorial vs. Putnam City West, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Putnam City North vs. Lawton Eisenhower, 8 p.m.

Saturday
At Norman North
Putnam City North/Lawton Eisenhower winner vs. Edmond Memorial/Putnam City West loser, 6:30 p.m.
Edmond North/Putnam City winner vs. Midwest City/Edmond Santa Fe loser, 8 p.m.

GIRLS
EAST
Thursday
At Catoosa
Winner’s Bracket
Muskogee vs. Tulsa Washington, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Jenks vs. Tulsa Union

At Tulsa Rogers
Loser’s Bracket
Broken Arrow vs. Mustang, 6:30 p.m.
Winner’s Bracket
Bartlesville vs. Bixby, 8 p.m.

Saturday
At Catoosa
Broken Arrow/Mustang winner vs. Bartlesville/Bixby loser, 1:30 p.m.
Jenks/Tulsa Union winner vs. Muskogee/Tulsa Washington loser, 3 p.m.

WEST
Thursday
At Choctaw
Winner’s Bracket
Edmond Santa Fe vs. Putnam City, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Norman vs. Southmoore, 8 p.m.

At Harrah
Loser’s Bracket
Lawton Eisenhower vs. Choctaw, 6:30 p.m.
Winner’s Bracket
Norman North vs. Edmond Memorial, 8 p.m.

Saturday
At Harrah
Lawton Eisenhower/Choctaw winner vs. Norman North/Edmond Memorial loser, 1:30 p.m.
Norman/Southmoore winner vs. Edmond Santa Fe/Putnam City loser, 3 p.m.

CLASS 5A
BOYS
EAST
Friday
At Bixby
Winner’s Bracket
Tulsa Memorial vs. Tulsa Kelley, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Chickasha vs. Guthrie, 8 p.m.

At Sapulpa
Winner’s Bracket
Coweta vs. Tulsa Edison, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Skiatook vs. Noble, 8 p.m.

At Bixby
Saturday
Skiatook/Noble winner vs. Coweta/Tulsa Edison loser, 6:30 p.m.
Chickasha/Guthrie winner vs. Tulsa Memorial/Tulsa Kelley loser, 8 p.m.

WEST
Friday
At Edmond North
Winner’s Bracket
Bishop McGuinness vs. Lawton MacArthur, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Del City vs. Capitol Hill, 8 p.m.

At Edmond Memorial
Winner’s Bracket
Carl Albert vs. Southeast, 6:30 p.m.
Western Heights vs. Piedmont, 8 p.m.

Saturday
At Edmond Memorial
Western Heights/Piedmont winner vs. Carl Albert/Southeast loser, 6:30 p.m.
Del City/Capitol Hill winner vs. Bishop McGuinness/Lawton MacArthur loser, 8 p.m.

GIRLS
EAST
Thursday
At Bixby
Loser’s Bracket
Chickasha at Tulsa Edison, 6:30 p.m.
Winner’s Bracket
Tulsa East Central at Collinsville, 8 p.m.

At Sapulpa
Winner’s Bracket
Tahlequah vs. Tulsa Memorial, 6:30 p.m.
Loser’s Bracket
Grove vs. Tulsa Kelley, 8 p.m.

Saturday
At Sapulpa
Grove/Tulsa Kelley winner vs. Tahlequah/Tulsa Memorial loser, 1:30 p.m.
Chickasha/Tulsa Edison winner vs. Tulsa East Central/Collinsville loser, 3 p.m.

WEST
Thursday
At Edmond North
Loser’s Bracket
Del City vs. Ardmore, 6:30 p.m.
Winner’s Bracket
Shawnee vs. Piedmont, 8 p.m.

At Edmond Memorial
Loser’s Bracket
El Reno vs. Lawton MacArthur, 6:30 p.m.
Carl Albert vs. Deer Creek, 8 p.m.

Saturday
At Edmond North
El Reno/Lawton MacArthur winner vs. Carl Albert/Deer Creek loser, 1:30 p.m.
Del City/Ardmore winner vs. Shawnee/Piedmont loser, 3 p.m.

Friday night in Tulsa, Norman North made school history by earning its first-ever state championship game berth.

The Timberwolves also carry a burden greater than their own in the game. They carry the flag for all West-side teams. No West-side team has won the state title since Midwest City did it in 1995. That was also the last time a team other than Jenks or Union won the title.

Norman North is the first West-side team to make the 6A championship game since 2005 (Enid made it in 2006 but the Plainsmen are considered, at least by the OSSAA, to be East). Here’s a look at the other West-side teams that have made the title game during the streak and how the title games turned out:

2005: Tulsa Union 33, Mustang 7 at Owen Field, Norman
2003: Jenks 17, Edmond Santa Fe 10 at Owen Field, Norman
2001: Jenks 38, Putnam North 28 at Lewis Field, Stillwater
1997: Jenks 56, Yukon 8 at Lewis Field, Stillwater
1996: Jenks 28, Midwest City 17 at Lewis Field, Stillwater

PC North defensive back Alex Clark, left, and the rest of the Panther defense will have to stick on its assignments to contain Moore's offense.

I love Thursday night football, especially since there usually isn’t any Tuesday or Wednesday night football. Tonight, we’re back on the field, and that’s a good thing.

I especially love meaningful Thursday night football, and that’s what we’ve got at Putnam City Stadium at 7 tonight.

Putnam City North hosts Moore in a game that is big for both teams, and Point No. 1 will tell you why:

Three Points

1. Season momentum. These two teams have had some rough spots in the first four games, but both could benefit greatly from a win tonight simply because of the need for a good boost going forward. Moore got its first win of the season last week, and has another potential win at home against Lawton Eisenhower next week. If they could snag a win tonight, it should give them some serious good vibes heading into the Ike game, and they could turn this into a three-game win streak with Yukon waiting in Week 7. Then you’re talking about playoff potential. PC North looks like it has the talent to be in the postseason mix already, but its schedule sets up a little differently. They need a win tonight to go into next week’s game at Midwest City with a good mindset. Then the Panthers have a stretch of games late in the season to pick up some more wins and stay in the playoff battle.

2. Assignment football. Moore’s flexbone look is a unique offense to prepare for, and stopping it comes down to patience, structure and tackling more than quickness or athletic ability. PC North faced Edmond North’s stout run game last week, and contained it for a while. Moore poses a different challenge, especially with quarterback Colin Webb’s versatility in the offense. The Panthers have a lot of speed in their defensive back seven, and those guys just have to make sure to stick to their jobs.

3. The Trick Truck. PC North knocked Edmond North on its heels early last week with a couple of big-strike trick plays right out of the gate. If coach Bob Wilson and his staff see the Lions unprepared for something similar, don’t be surprised to see them look for a trick to get some early momentum. My personal favorite is the Annexation of Puerto Rico.

The Pick

PC North 31, Moore 21: This will be a tight one, but I think the Panthers are a little ahead of the Lions right now. Moore coach Todd Watters definitely has the program heading in the right direction, but the Panthers have a strong senior class motivated to get back to the playoffs after missing out the last two years.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK

One-third of Ohio’s Oklahoma connection missed the Bobcats’ game against Norfolk State on Saturday.

Former Norman North quarterback Tyler Tettleton, who had thrown for 781 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception in Ohio’s first three games, was held out with an undisclosed injury.

USA Today reported that Tettleton’s injury was to his abdomen.

With Derrius Vick in Tettleton’s place, though, the Bobcats didn’t skip a beat.

Norman North product Beau Blankenship ran for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass in Ohio’s 44-10 win over Norfolk State. Blankenship ran for 109 yards, topping 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game.

Guthrie’s Donte’ Foster caught five passes, tying a career high, for 69 yards and two touchdowns, including Ohio’s first less than three minutes into the game. Blankenship’s 24-yard touchdown catch came just three minutes later.

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Carl Albert’s David Oku ran for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Arkansas State’s 56-0 win over Alcorn State. Oku also had a five-yard reception.

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Sequoyah-Tahlequah’s Nathan Stanley hit freshman tight end Taylor Jenkins for a three-yard touchdown pass with 2:39 left to give Southeastern Louisiana a 25-24 upset win over FCS No. 17 McNeese State.

Stanley, a transfer from Ole Miss, was 21 of 35 with 247 yards passing. Stanley also rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown and had a 42-yard punt.

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Millwood’s Davion Pierson, a redshirt freshman, had two tackles and a fumble recovery in TCU’s 27-7 win over Virginia.

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Tulsa Washington’s Michael Doctor had a team-high nine tackles–eight solo–in Oregon State’s 27-20 upset of then-No. 19 UCLA.

Doctor, starting at weakside linebacker, had one tackle for a loss.

Lawton’s Tyrequek Zimmerman, who started at strong safety, added four solo tackles in the upset.

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Midwest City’s Timothy Flanders kept up his big production for Sam Houston State against Central Arkansas.

Flanders ran for  125 yards and a pair of touchdowns and had one reception in the Bearkats’ 24-20 loss in Conway, Ark.

The 100-yard game was Flanders’ 17th of his career at Sam Houston State. He also moved to No. 5 in Southland Conference history in career rushing touchdowns with 39. The conference record is 52.

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Owasso’s Nick Rosa caught a 16-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to put Drake ahead for good in its 28-25 win over Morehead State. Rosa finished with two catches for 22 yards and an eight-yard kick return.

Edmond North’s Cam Bohnert had three punts for a 34-yard average, including one inside the 20.

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Carl Albert’s Christian Smith had four tackles, including a sack, and Jenks’ Orion Jones had three tackles in Toledo’s 38-28 win over Coastal Carolina.

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Muskogee’s Shjuan Richardson had an 11-yard touchdown catch with less than four minutes left to help seal Emporia State’s 30-20 win over Northeastern State. Richardson had three catches for 53 yards and a 23-yard kick return in the win.

Ponca City’s Adam Schlitz had a three-yard reception, Midwest City’s Kevin Gaddis had 44 return yards and Del City’s Jeff Richards had a 23-yard kick return.

McGuinness’ Chris Poston had eight tackles, Alva’s Derek Lohmann, Gaddis and Richards had five each and Luther’s Justin Wilson had two as the Hornets improved to 4-0.

Piedmont’s Jordan McAdoo, Norman North’s Lance Uhles and Collinsville’s Trey Rodgers started on the offensive line, which helped Emporia State post 452 yards of total offense.

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A week after being part of Pittsburgh’s upset over Virginia Tech, the Panthers rolled to a 55-10 win over Gardner-Webb.

Tulsa Washington’s Isaac Bennett scored Pitt’s final two touchdowns in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Bennett ran for 52 yards.

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This one has been covered a bit but Tulsa Washington’s Tyler Lockett had four catches for 37 yards and Jenks’ Tramaine Thompson had three catches for 49 yards in Kansas State’s 24-19 upset at Oklahoma.

Thompson had a third-down reception for a first down on each of Kansas State’s final two drives.

Thompson and Lockett each had one rushing attempt as well as a kickoff return each.

Tulsa Washington’s Dante Barnett had one tackle, while fellow Hornet Keenan Taylor started on the offensive line.

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Carl Albert’s Joe Stoner had four tackles in New Mexico’s 27-14 win over rival New Mexico State. Stoner also recovered a fumble and had a pass break up. The recovery was the sixth of Stoner’s career.

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Glenpool’s Israel Maselera returned a punt for a touchdown to start Pittsburg State’s 59-17 win over Lincoln.

Sand Springs’ Darrack Harger ran for 12 yards and threw for 34 yards.

Sand Springs’ Tyler Smith started at left guard.

Defensively, Tulsa East Central’s Dino Teague had five tackles, Tulsa Washington’s Aries Herrion and Catoosa’s Joe Uzzel had two each. Sand Springs’ Matt Anderson and Maselera had one tackle.

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Tulsa Kelley’s Mark Hayes had a 10-yard touchdown reception but Princeton fell 21-20 to Georgetown. The catch was Hayes’ only reception.

Lincoln Christian’s Roman Wilson had two catches for a team-high 62 yards.

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Heritage Hall’s Turner Petersen scored on a 30-yard run in the first quarter of Rice’s eventual 54-51 loss to Marshall in double overtime.

Petersen had 16 carries for 76 yards on the ground and caught a pair of passes for 20 yards.

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McGuinness’ Kris Parham is a running back but his biggest play in Weber State’s 32-26 loss to Eastern Washington was a pass.

Parham threw a 33-yard completion in the second quarter. He finished with 31 yards rushing on three carries and had a pair of kick returns. Putnam North’s Josh Booker had a single four-yard carry.

Edmond Santa Fe’s Trevor Pletcher caught a late two-point conversion pass.

Defensively, Edmond Memorial’s Anthony Morales led the Wildcats with 16 tackles, three for loss. Another former Bulldogs standout, David James, added six tackles, as did Jenks’ Devin Pugh. Pletcher also had three tackles.

Putnam City’s Robbie Diamond, Edmond Memorial’s Connor Myers and Edmond Santa Fe’s Alex Land had a tackle each.

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Lawton’s Sonny Puletasi had a pair of tackles, including a sack for 11 yards, in Wyoming’s 40-37 overtime win over Idaho.

Puletasi’s sack came in the closing seconds of the first half and he both forced and recovered a fumble on the play.

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Midwest City’s Ricky Reeves had a tackle in South Dakota’s 38-7 loss to Northwestern.

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Edmond Santa Fe’s Randy Ponder had seven tackles in Missouri’s 31-10 loss to South Carolina.

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Verdigris’ Cohle Fowler started on the offensive line for Dartmouth in its 13-10 win over Holy Cross. Bartlesville’s Kirby Schoenthaler had one two-yard reception in the win.

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Tulsa Union’s Terrell Williams had 12 tackles, one for a loss, in Arkansas’ 35-26 loss to Rutgers.

Muskogee’s Robert Thomas added four tackles and Tulsa Washington’s Eric Bennett three.

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Glenpool’s Codey Zickefoose had five tackles in Arkansas Tech’s 31-24 loss to Ouachita Baptist. Glenpool’s Tim Van Orsdol started on the offensive line for the Wonder Boys.

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Tonkawa’s Jake Love and Tulsa Washington’s John Williams had two tackles each in Kansas’ 30-23 loss to Northern Illinois. Owasso’s Gavin Howard started on the offensive line.

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Muskogee’s Vernon Scott had 14 yards rushing and a reception in Missouri State’s 14-6 loss to Southern Illinois.

Norman North’s Nick Canavan had five tackles and Tulsa Union’s Howard Scarborough had four in the loss.

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Norman North’s Beau Traber had four tackles–assisting on a sack–in Bucknell’s 20-14 loss to Lafayette.

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Idabel’s Kevin Rucker had a tackle in Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s 24-21 win over Alabama State.

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Metro Christian’s Rylan Hess had three tackles and a pass breakup in Colorado School of Mines’ 42-37 loss to New Mexico Highlands.

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Marlow’s Colt McCauley started on the offensive line for Southeast Missouri State in its 41-38 overtime win over Tennessee Tech.

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Mustang’s Kyle Webster had two pass attempts with no completions and had 16 yards rushing in Missouri Southern’s 16-13 loss to Southwest Baptist. Bixby’s Michael Nelson had one carry for a seven-yard loss.

A look at how Oklahoma high school alums fared in out-of-state college action over the weekend:

A week before Kansas State comes to Norman, a couple of former Oklahoma high school stars turned in big performances in the WIldcats’ 35-21 win over North Texas on Saturday night.

The Mean Green took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when former Tulsa Washington standout Tyler Lockett returned the kick 96 yards to tie the game up.

The next two Kansas State touchdowns were scored by former Jenks standout Tramaine Thompson–one from 38 yards out and the other from 21.

Thompson finished with five catches for 102 yards. Lockett added another 23-yard kick return and a six-yard catch.

Tulsa Washington’s Keenan Taylor started on the offensive line for Kansas State. Dante Barnett (Tulsa Washington), Andre McDonald (Choctaw) and Zach Trujillo (Deer Creek) played but didn’t record any stats in the win.

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This is becoming a weekly staple but once again the Oklahoma connection paid off for Ohio. Norman North’s Tyler Tettleton threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 35 yards, former Timberwolves standout Beau Blankenship ran for 102 yards and Guthrie’s Donte’ Foster had three catches for 30 yards in the Bobcats’ 27-24 come-from-behind win over Marshall.

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Former Tulsa Washington standout Isaac Bennett had two rushes for eight yards and two catches for 14 yards in Pittsburgh’s 35-17 upset of Virginia Tech.

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Not much positive came out of Arkansas’ 52-0 blowout at the hands of Alabama.
Former McGuinness standout kicker Cameron Bryan came up with a nice play on special teams, sprinting down and downing a punt inside the 5 in the first half.

Bryan handled kickoff duties in eight games for Arkansas in 2009 but after Zach Hocker continued to solidify himself in the kicker roll just prior to the season, Brayn asked to be given a chance to play on kick coverage.

You can read more about him here: http://newsok.com/mcguinness-product-cameron-bryan-joins-arkansas-kickoff-coverage-team/article/3707537

Tulsa Washington’s Eric Bennett had six tackles, Tulsa Union’s Terrell Williams had one and Muskogee’s Robert Thomas had a pair of quarterback hurries.

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Former Tulsa Central standout Demarco Cobbs had four tackles and Millwood’s Josh Turner had three tackles in Texas’ 66-31 win at Ole Miss. Cobbs got the start at strongside linebacker.

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Former Carl Albert star David Oku ran for 44 yards and had 11 yards receiving in Arkansas State’s 42-13 loss to Nebraska.

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Carl Albert’s Christian Smith had three tackles and Jenks’ Orion Jones had one in Toledo’s 27-15 win over Bowling Green.

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Metro Christian’s Rylan Hess had four tackles in Colorado School of Mines’ 42-19 win over Black Hills State. Hess also had a blocked pass.

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NCAA Division II No. 1 Pittsburg State beat Southwest Baptist 52-9 on Saturday with the help of a few Oklahomans.
Catoosa’s Joe Uzzel had three tackles and Israel Maselera and Dino Teague (Tulsa East Central) had two tackles. Teague had a sack. Darrack Harger (Sand Springs) was 2-for 3 with 18 yards passing and rushed for -6 yards.
Uzzel started at defensive end, while Collinsville’s Chance Riley started at tight end and Sand Springs’ Tyler Smith at left guard.

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Former Millwood star Davion Pierson continues to impress at Texas Christian. Pierson started and had five tackles–1.5 for loss (0.5 sacks)–in TCU’s 20-6 win over Kansas.
Tulsa Washington’s John Williams had three tackles for Kansas. Owasso’s Gavin Howard started on the offensive line for the Jayhawks.

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Timothy Flanders, a former Midwest City star, scored a touchdown late in the first half as Sam Houston State built a lead on Baylor. But the Bears came back to win 48-23. Flanders ran for 84 yards and had another 56 yards receiving in the loss. Former Norman North standout K.J. Williams played for SHSU as well.

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Lawton Sonny Puletasi usually starts for Wyoming at defensive end but made a mark on the other side Saturday, catching a two-point conversion pass in the second quarter of the Cowboys’ game against Cal Poly. It wasn’t enough, though, as Wyoming fell 24-22. Puletasi had three tackles, while Tulsa Washington’s T.J. Smith saw time for Wyoming as well.

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Cayman Bundage, a freshman out of Douglass, didn’t start but saw playing time in Arizona’s 56-0 blowout of South Carolina State. Owasso’s Trent Spurgeon played for the Wildcats as well.

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Brandon Swindall, a Millwood product, played for Utah State as the Aggies nearly pulled off a second consecutive upset, before falling to Wisconsin 16-14.

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McGuinness’ Kris Parham ran for 23 yards and Putnam North’s Josh Booker ran for 9 in Weber State’s 35-21 loss to McNeese State. Parham also had 72 kickoff return yards on three chances. Edmond Santa Fe’s Willie Okwuonu led Weber State with nine tackles–all solo–in the loss. Edmond Memorial’s Anthony Morales had 6.5 tackles, Edmond Memorial’s David James had three, Edmond Santa Fe’s Trevor Pletcher had two, and Putnam City’s Robbie Diamond, Jenks’ Devin Pugh and Edmond Memorial’s Connor Myers had one each.

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Bartlesville’s Kirby Schoenthaler had three catches for 27 yards in Dartmouth’s season-opening 35-7 win over Butler. Muskogee freshman Victor Williams had a carry for three yards and two catches for five yards. Tulsa Union’s Corbin Stall had a sack. Verdigris’ Cohle Fowler started on the offensive line.

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Former Muskogee standout Shjuan Richardson had seven catches for 100 yards and three touchdowns in Emporia State’s 42-14 win over UCO. Ponca City’s Adam Schlitz had four catches for 48 yards and Ponca City’s Brent Wilson had two runs for eight yards in the win.

McGuinness’ Chris Poston had three tackles and an interception, Alva’s Derek Lohmann and Midwest City’s Kevin Gaddis each had five tackles and a forced fumble, Del City’s Jeff Richards had five tackles and Luther’s Justin Wilson had a pair of tackles. Norman North’s Lance Uhles, Collinsville’s Trey Rodgers and Piedmont’s Jordan McAdoo all started on the offensive line as Emporia State racked up 538 yards of total offense. Northwest’s Andre Maupin and Broken Arrow’s Josh Moses also played.

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Lincoln Christian’s Roman Wilson caught a two-point conversion pass with about five minutes left to lift Princeton to within three but Princeton fell to Lehigh 17-14. Wilson had four catches for 40 yards to lead Princeton in receiving and added a 23-yard catch. Tulsa Kelley’s Mark Hayes started at tight end for Princeton while fellow Comet Michael Major saw action.

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Muskogee’s Vernon Scott ran for 46 yards and a touchdown, caught one pass and returned a kick in Missouri State’s 28-23 loss to Murray State. Norman North’s Nick Canavan had seven tackles and Tulsa Union’s Howard Scarborough added three in the loss. Jenks’ Ryan Boatright, Star Spencer’s Jason Fitch and Edmond Santa Fe’s Tre Kelley also saw time for Missouri State.

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Former Heritage Hall star Turner Petersen ran for 47 yards and had 13 yards receiving in the Owls’ 56-37 loss to Louisiana Tech.

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Carl Albert’s Joe Stoner had five tackles in New Mexico’s 49-14 loss to Texas Tech. Another former Titan, Tre’ Porter, played for Texas Tech but did not record any statistics.

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Norman North’s Beau Traber had six tackles in Bucknell’s 19-3 loss to Delaware.

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Owasso’s Jacques Washington had a pair of tackles in Iowa State’s 37-3 win over Western Illinois. Washington started at free safety. Jenks’ Bob Graham also saw time on the offensive line.

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Edmond Santa Fe’s Randy Ponder had five tackles in the Missouri’s 24-20 win over Arizona State. Edmond North’s Xavier Smith had one. Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers also saw time.

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Owasso’s Nick Rosa scored on a seven-yard touchdown pass and finished with five catches for 60 yards in Drake’s 27-10 loss to Indiana State. Holland Hall’s Seth Hedman had five tackles.

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Bixby’s Michael Nelson had a nine-yard catch in Missouri Southern’s 21-14 win over Lincoln (Mo.). Norman North’s Riley Nolan also played in the win.

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Broken Arrow’s Rowdy Harper started on the offensive line for Houston in the Cougars’ 37-6 loss to UCLA. Norman’s Zach Johnson also saw time.

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Marlow’s Colt McCauley started at left guard for Southeast Missouri in its 35-14 loss to Southern Illinois.

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Glenpool’s Codey Zickefoose, who started at linebacker, had a tackle in Arkansas Tech’s 73-34 loss to Henderson State. Glenpool’s Tim VanOrsdol started at left tackle.

Know someone I missed? Let me know in the comments or with an e-mail.

A look back at the weekend in college football involving Oklahoma athletes playing out of state:

Former Carl Albert and Tennessee running back David Oku found a new home at Arkansas State just before fall practices began. Once former Auburn standout Michael Dyer was denied a request for immediate eligibility, Oku immediately shot to the top of the Red Wolves’ depth chart.

Saturday in a 33-28 win over Justin Fuente-coached Memphis, Oku ran for 130 yards and a touchdowns–the game-winner.

Oku also had an 8-yard reception while former Oklahoma signee Josh Jarboe had 101 yards receiving for Gus Malzahn’s team.

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Former Midwest City standout Timothy Flanders became Sam Houston State’s career rushing leader, running for 120 yards and a touchdown in a 54-7 win over Incarnate Word. Flanders now has 2,709 yards for the Bearkats. He also extended his school record for rushing touchdowns to 37. Both of Flanders’ touchdowns came in the first quarter.

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Once again, Oklahoma high school products dominated a win by Ohio, this one a 51-24 win over New Mexico in the Bobcats’ home opener after they beat Penn State a week earlier.

Norman North grad Beau Blankenship rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns, fellow Timberwolves product Tyler Tettleton threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns and Guthrie’s Donte’ Foster had a team-high five catches for 57 yards and a score.

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A pair of former state standouts played big parts in Oregon State’s 10-7 upset over Wisconsin. Lawton’s Tyrequek Zimmerman had seven tackles, tied for a team high, while Tulsa Washington’s Michael Doctor had three tackles in the win. Both started on defense, Doctor at linebacker and Zimmerman at strong safety. Another Lawton product, Jabral Johnson, saw action for the Beavers.

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Former Tulsa Central star Demarco Cobbs had five tackles and former Millwood standout Josh Turner had two in Texas’ 45-0 win over New Mexico. Carl Albert’s Joe Stoner had three tackles for New Mexico.

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Millwood product Brandon Swindall had a pair of catches for 16 yards in Utah State’s 27-20 win over rival Utah. Another former Falcons standout, Cameron Sanders, had a tackle in the win.

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Tulsa Washington’s Tyler Lockett continues to emerge as a star for Kansas State. Lockett had three catches for 59 yards in the WIldcats’ 52-13 win over Miami. He also had two rushes for 14 yards and returned two kicks for 54 yards. Deer Creek’s Zach Trujillo had a 58-yard catch late in the blowout while Jenks’ Tramaine Thompson had three catches for 57 yards and a 12-yard punt return. Choctaw’s Andre McDonald and Tulsa Washington’s Dante Barnett also saw time.

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Former Millwood standout Davion Pierson started at defensive tackle and had a tackle for a loss in TCU’s 56-0 win over Grambling State. Del City’s Jamelle Naff also saw action for the Horned Frogs. Both are redshirt freshmen.

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Owasso’s Jacques Washington, starting at free safety for Iowa State, had six tackles and a 26-yard interception return in the Cyclones’ 9-6 win over Iowa. Jenks’ Bob Graham also saw time for Iowa State.

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Former Heritage Hall standout Turner Petersen ran for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Owls’ 25-24 win over Kansas. Petersen also had a 14-yard reception. Owasso’s Gavin Howard started on the offensive line for Kansas, while Tonkawa’s Jake Love and Tulsa Washington’s John Williams also saw action.

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Carl Albert product Christian Smith had five tackles, including two for a loss (one sack) in Toledo’s 34-31 win over Wyoming. Jenks’ Orion Jones also saw action for Toledo. Lawton’s Sonny Puletasi started at defensive end for the Cowboys while Tulsa Washington’s T.J. Smith saw action.

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Missouri didn’t have much luck in its SEC opener, losing 41-20 to Georgia but Edmond Santa Fe product Randy Ponder had four tackles. Edmond North’s Xavier Smith and Guthrie’s Kentrell Brothers also saw action.

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Houston lost again, this time 56-49 to Louisiana Tech but Broken Arrow’s Rowdy Harper started on the Cougars’ offensive line that produced 693 yards of total offense.

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Weber State didn’t do much scoring in its 45-13 loss at BYU but both touchdowns came courtesy of Oklahoma products. Putnam City North’s Josh Booker and McGuinness’ Kris Parham each found the end zone on 1-yard runs. Booker finished with 64 yards rushing, while Parham had 15. Booker also had 17 yards receiving while Parham added a 9-yard catch. Parham also had 5 kick returns for 93 yards, including one for 34 yards. On defense, Edmond Santa Fe’s Willie Okwuonu had eight tackles, Jenks’ Devin Pugh had five, Putnam City’s Robbie Diamond had five, Edmond Memorial’s David James had three, Edmond Memorial’s Anthony Morales had two, Edmond Memorial’s Connor Myers had one and Edmond Santa Fe’s Trevor Pletcher had a pass breakup. Edmond Santa Fe’s Alex Land also started on Weber State’s offensive line.

I’ll get to the three areas I think could be turning points in this one, as both teams look for a 2-0 start.

But first, a reminder that this game will be webcast live at www.NewsOK.com/Varsity in conjunction with ZPreps. If you can’t attend, or follow the webcast, I’ll be providing updates live from the press box on Twitter @ScottWrightOK.

Three Points

1. QB Showdown. PC North’s John Robert Simon got more starting experience last year, but Mustang’s Frankie Edwards got plenty of work, too. Both of them can run and throw. The one who does the best job of keeping his offense balanced will go a long way toward picking up the W.

2. Blocking the Broncos. When I picked Putnam City over PC North last week, one of the big reasons was that I thought the Panther O-line would have trouble, because there are so many new starters. But in racking up 42 points, PC North’s offense clearly showed me that it is in good shape all the way around. However, Mustang has a defensive front seven that is probably better than PC at this point. Lots of experience and talent in that group for the Broncos, so a lot will be asked of the PC North blockers once again.

3. Meet Mr. Mitchell. I wasn’t there to see the leaping catch Travis Mitchell made at Yukon last week, but it seems to be reaching legend status — almost like a fish story. Every time someone tells me about it, his vertical gets a little better. It might be up to about 14 feet by the time kickoff arrives tonight. But that’s not the point here. The point is that Dakota Warrington was injured last week and, according to his father’s Facebook post, could be out for an extended period of time. Warrington was the team’s most consistent receiver last year, so Mitchell, the team’s most athletically gifted wideout, will be asked to fill a bigger role. It could signal the start of a breakout year for him.

The Pick

PC North 35, Mustang 31: A little bit of this pick could be impacted by the fact that I got burned going against the Panthers last week. I really see this one as a toss-up, but this wouldn’t be much of a blog if it was called “Three Points and Evasively Abstaining From Making a Pick.” So I’ll go with the Panthers in a close one, while not being surprised by the outcome either way. I’m counting on an exciting ballgame here, if nothing else.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK

Big game at PC Stadium between Putnam City and Putnam City North tonight, two teams that could really benefit from a 1-0 start.

Three Points

1. Handoff to who? For two teams that had workhorse running backs last year — Casey Curtis at PC and Dre Holman at PC North — they’ll both be turning to less-proven backs this year. Tae Moore was involved in the PC North offense last year, so he’s not totally fresh. He’ll be joined by Nathaniel Ocran and Larry Butler in the run game as well. PC is in a little tougher situation, turning to Javone Knox, Curtis’ little brother, who is a junior. Knox is capable, but the Pirates lost platoon back Devin Colbert to a broken leg last week.

2. Big play or no big play. Putnam City North has some talented, experienced players in the back seven on defense, but in the preseason, they showed some issues with giving up big plays in the passing game — albeit against a couple really good offenses, Lawton and Edmond Santa Fe. Solving those issues will be vital for the Panthers, as PC will be looking to throw the ball more regularly this year.

3. Carrying over from the last point, PC QB Devin White could be the deciding factor in this game. He’s a year more experienced and appears more confident in the passing game. And he has some gifted receivers out there, too. If he can move the offense through the air, and open up the run game for Knox and himself, the Pirates could be looking at a third straight win in this series.

The Pick

Pirates 24, Panthers 20: The PC North offensive line is still growing up, and PC is solid in the front seven on defense, which will make it tough for the Panthers to get the run game going. And as a run-first offense, it will be hard to move the ball consistently. The Panthers have good size up front, so once those guys get some experience, they’ll be better. But right now, the edge goes to Putnam City.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK

Former Putnam City North pitcher Jace James, center, signed with the Missouri baseball team last week.

Former Putnam City North baseball player Jace James has taken the next step in his baseball career, signing with Missouri last week.

James, a 2011 PC North grad, played last season at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, where he was 4-0 with a 1.59 earned-run average and 10 saves in 23 appearances.

James allowed 18 hits and six walks with 39 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings. He gave up only three extra-base hits, and opponents batted just .171 against him. He will be classified as a sophomore next season at Missouri.

James was a Big All-City first-team selection as a senior at PC North in the spring of 2011, going 8-2 with a 1.77 ERA and 86 strikeouts. He also played infield, hitting five home runs and driving in 46 runs, playing a huge role in getting the Panthers to the state tournament.

In addition, he was a two-year starter at quarterback for the Panthers football team, guiding them to the playoffs in 2009.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK

Girls All-Metro Athletic Conference
Most Valuable Player: Courtney Walker, Edmond Santa Fe
Offensive Player of the Year: Layton Hurley, Choctaw
Defensive Player of the Year: Daisha Gonzaque, Edmond Santa Fe
Newcomer of the Year: Da’Jah Coffey, Putnam North
Coach of the Year: Karlie Free, Edmond North

First Team
Whitney Dunn, Mustang
Daisha Gonzaque, Edmond Santa Fe
Layton Hurley, Choctaw
Kaitlyn Peterson, Edmond North
Courtney Walker, Edmond Santa Fe

Second Team
Haley Brown, Yukon
Da’Jah Coffey, Putnam North
Cameerah Graves, Edmond Santa Fe
Tamara Lee, Edmond Santa Fe
Jayden Oliver, Putnam City

All-Metro Athletic Conference
Coach of the Year: A.D. Burtschi, Putnam City
Player of the Year: Joe Summers, Putnam North
Offensive Player of the Year: David Bush, Putnam City
Defensive Player of the Year: Omega Harris, Putnam West
Newcomer of the Year: Justin Jones, Edmond Santa Fe

First team
David Bush, Putnam City
Aaron Anderson, Edmond Santa Fe
Tavionne Pennon, Putnam West
Shaquille Morris, Edmond Santa Fe
Ronnie Boyce, Putnam City

Second team
Omega Harris, Putnam West
J.R. Simon, Putnam North
T.J. Jones, Putnam North
Zach Laurie, Mustang
Tyler Lester, Choctaw

Third team
Justin Jones, Edmond Santa Fe
Kevin House, Putnam West
Ed Baker, Edmond North
Rodney Teal, Putnam North
Orlando Goldsmith, Putnam City

Honorable mention
Choctaw: Carson Clay, Reggie Wright
Edmond North: David Montgomery, Blake Ruben
Mustang: Levi Lum, Robert Shaw
Putnam City: Dexter Dean, Richmarr Smith
Putnam West: Deonte Ogles

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 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.

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 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 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

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.

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.

What we learned about Mustang: The Mustang offensive line is getting better, but defenses are still finding ways to attack that young group of players. Fortunately, they can battle through their growing pains in the non-district, and hopefully be ready by Week 4 when district games begin.

Brandon Taylor is doing well throwing on the run and moving the pocket when he needs to, but the experienced PC North secondary was able to give him trouble, coming up with four picks on Thursday. At running back, I’ve been impressed with A.J. Ashman early this season. Obviously, the Broncos toss the ball around a lot, so he doesn’t get a ton of carries, but he takes advantage of his opportunities and is viable in the passing game, too.

Putnam City North senior Dre Holman rushed for 201 yards Thursday against Mustang.

What we learned about Putnam City North: The run game is vital to the Panthers’ offensive focus, but their ability to stay balanced is what kept them alive on Thursday. Dre Holman’s 201 yards were huge, but the fact that John Robert Simon was 8-of-10 passing in the second half and overtime — with two touchdowns — was the turning point of the game.

Defensively, it’s clear that the Panthers’ strength is in the secondary, so I’ll be curious to see if teams try to focus on running the ball against them more, especially in the early part of the season until the new players in the front seven develop.

After the ugly fourth quarter in the opening loss to Putnam City, finishing strong against Mustang was valuable to this team. Getting back to the playoffs is a definite possibility for this team, based on the district schedule, but giving away very many fourth-quarter leads won’t get you past Week 10.

What we learned about Edmond Santa Fe: This team has battled through several close losses in the last two years, but I don’t think anyone — on the outside, at least — saw this strong start coming. With so much talent on both sides of the ball, along with a good mix of experience and youth, the Wolves are clearly a team that’s going to make some noise in 6A this year, and Friday’s 38-28 win at Yukon was a breakout moment.

People are quickly becoming familiar with guys like Justice Hansen, Trevan Smith and Phillip Sumpter. But here’s another name to keep an eye on: Khari Harding. He’s a big, athletic defensive back who could very well land at a Division I program. He’s only a junior now, so the Wolves get to enjoy him terrorizing opponents for a couple seasons.

I had heard a lot about Michael Onuoha coming into the game, and he’s an athletic specimen with a lot of talent. But the Wolves’ defensive line overall was very impressive. They were getting a good push most of the game, and getting into the backfield to disrupt the Yukon offense. With the amount of talent at the skill spots, the Wolves can really be a dangerous team if the lines start playing in a dominant fashion.

On a sidenote, you couldn’t help but feel for Tre Kelley on Friday. He’s an impressive player who twice seemed to have given his team the big play just when they needed it. First, he took a screen pass and zipped through the Miller defense for a 76-yard TD. But it was called back. A couple plays later, he got behind the defense and went the distance for a 74-yard score. Also called back. Moments later, he was the target again, but Yukon’s Derek Deeds stepped in front for the pick in what seemed to be a huge turning point in the game. But the Wolves recovered to rally for the win.

What we learned about Yukon: Tackling in space was the one big issue that haunted the Millers on Friday night. From the opening kickoff, which Smith returned 94 yards for a score, the Millers’ ability to keep Santa Fe ball carriers coralled was a problem. The Wolves accounted for more than half of their total offense on four big plays, including a 73-yard scramble by Hansen.

Other than the tackling, Yukon really played pretty solid. They were slow out of the gate, which might have had something to do with all the hype around the opening of the new stadium. Anyone who saw the Millers against Mustang in the opener could tell they were a little out of sync early, maybe pressing a little, hoping to put on a good show.

The running back by committee idea looks to be Todd Wilson’s focus. Not counting QB Corben Jones, eight different players got at least one rushing attempt Friday. And of the three players who carried the ball in the first half, none of them touched it in the second half.

Douglass' Chris High is one of three talented running backs in the Trojan arsenal.

What we learned about Douglass: As closely as I’ve followed this team the last couple of weeks, it’s hard to say I learned very much new information about them at Saturday’s 21-14 Soul Bowl win. They had a couple of players held out because of injuries suffered Monday against DeSoto, but otherwise, Saturday was a strong bounce-back game.

Chris Compton was able to show that he can be a threat throwing the ball. The way things went against DeSoto, it was hard to tell just what kind of passer he was going to be, but his 8-of-11 performance — including a couple of big throws at crucial times — showed that he’ll be ready to handle it when the team needs to throw. Coach Willis Alexander always says that he wants his offense to be able to throw when they want to, and Saturday, that seemed to be the case.

The run game will still be the Trojans’ bread and butter. With Dion’Tay Washington, Chavez Wyatt and Chris High, they’ve got a group of backs who can do a little bit of everything.

I’m excited to see what the future holds for Deondre Clark. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound sophomore came through with some big plays on Saturday, including the go-ahead touchdown on a 15-yard reception. He had to go down low to pull it in, then regained his balance to finish off the run.

What we learned about Millwood: When they start lining up against 2A competition every week, the Falcons are going to be dishing out some pain. Running backs Marc Robinson and Larry Lambeth give Millwood a power run game that not many teams can match up against. Unfortunately, Douglass was one of those teams, with Cayman Bundage and Diamonte McClellan in the middle. But the run will be much stronger for Millwood against different competition.

QB Dametric Sanders threw the ball better than I expected him to. He hit some big passes in the first half, and had a couple of good throws dropped. He’s a very athletic QB, and he’s not going to put up the kind of numbers Kevonte Richardson did last year. But he can be effective both throwing and running the ball for Millwood this year. And backup QB London Potts can toss it around, too, if needed.

Defensively, Millwood has some good size up front, and the duo of Robinson and Lambeth are the perfect pair at inside linebacker. Stopping the run will be their strength. Even with all the talent Douglass has in the run game, Millwood made them work for their yards, finishing with 186 on 43 carries for an average of 4.3 yards per attempt. I’d be surprised if anybody holds Douglass to those kinds of numbers in the run game the rest of the season.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK

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

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

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

Class 6A Baseball
West
At Putnam City North
Wednesday
Game 1: Putnam North vs. Norman, 1 p.m.
Game 2: Putnam City vs. Moore, 4 p.m.
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 7 p.m.
Thursday
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.
Game 5: Loser Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3, 7 p.m.
Friday
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 7 p.m. (if necessary)

Clark, Parker on sophomore All-America team

Two Oklahoma boys basketball players were selected to the MaxPreps Sophomore All-America team released Thursday.

Douglass guard Stephen Clark was a third-team selection after averaging 15.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in helping the Trojans to a second consecutive state championship. He shot 34.2 percent (89-of-260) from 3-point range on the season.

Tulsa Washington’s Juwan Parker was selected to the MaxPreps second team, averaging 16.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Both players are being heavily recruited already. Parker has offers from Oklahoma State, Tulsa and Minnesota. Clark has an offer from Marquette, and has recently drawn strong interest from programs like Connecticut and Arkansas.

Both are playing summer ball with the local AAU team Athletes First. Check out the full MaxPreps Sophomore All-America team here.

PC North’s Provo picks Maryville

Putnam City North basketball standout Armon Provo has committed to play at Maryville University in St. Louis next season.

Provo, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 18.0 points per game as a senior, leading the Panthers within one game of the state tournament.

Maryville just completed its second season at the NCAA Division II level, playing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Saints’ leading scorer last season averaged 11.4 points per game.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

But what he did Monday in a 16-7 victory against Putnam North, arguably the hottest team around, was even more impressive.

He turned in one great play after another at shortstop. Yukon took a 10-2 lead, but the Panthers slowly crawled their way back into it.

Then we were stuck at 11-7 for two innings because Gibson made all the routine plays and then added a little something extra and made some top-notch quality plays.

It allowed Conner Sayers to throw a complete game, and it kept PCNorth at bay. Yukon’s bats woke up one more time with a five-run seventh inning and there ya go, 16-7.

Huge day at the plate for Jon Denney. Started the game with an RBI single. Next at bat was a three-run double. And then punctuated it with a three-run triple that all but iced the game.

Interesting dynamic with the wind in this one. I don’t think I saw the best of either team because of the conditions, but I’m glad I went out. Obviously way too windy for a video so apologize, Denney. You’re owed a video one of these days.

Also impressed by the play of Cooper Biggers for PC North. Slotted in the two-hole, had three hits, but I was surprised at his speed. Didn’t think he would be that fast.

The win by Yukon snaps the 10-game winning streak for PC North. Of course, with baseball, one game is nothing to get too worked up about. The teams play again Tuesday at Yukon, and the Panthers’ slate is full the rest of the week at the Shawnee Showdown.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Championships
No. 1 singles: Haworth, PCN, def. Nate Roper, EN, 6-2, 6-0
No. 2 singles: Rodwell, PCN, def. Stein, EN, 7-5, 7-5
No. 1 doubles: Hager-Olsen, EN, def. Hays-Proctor, MC, 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 doubles: Lilley-Spring, EN, def. Cohlmia-Shear, HH, 6-2, 6-1

The battle lines have been drawn. Putnam City North has arguably the two best singles players in the state in Chris Haworth and Wil Rodwell. Edmond North has easily the deepest team of anybody in the state.

So when state comes around, might we get something eerily similar to what transpired this weekend? The Huskies playing for all four championships shows just how strong from top-to-bottom that group is.

Haworth bounced back beautifully after the loss in the USTA event Wednesday. If anything, I think that loss should have given him even more confidence. If he can contend on the world stage, he’s going to be able to certainly dictate play at the high school level.

The biggest statement, for me, would be from Metro Christian. The Patriots have had their fair share of solid players and tied for the championship last year. Would not shock me to see Patriots win it outright this time around.

All ‘n all, everything you would expect from this great tournament. A lot of quality play, and you can kinda gauge where the teams are at midway through the season.

The two met in the first round of the USTA/Jackie Cooper BMW Oklahoma Open at the OKC Tennis Center on Wednesday afternoon. Score was 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

I was able to see the first two sets, but I was unable to stay for the third but heard Haworth loss. When covering the tennis state tournament, I have to wander from court to court and keep up with many different storylines and schools.

Wednesday was nice because I just stayed with Haworth the entire way. After the first serve of the match by Nikoloz, I thought Haworth was in trouble. But Haworth was able to read Nikoloz’ serve well en route to a 6-2 victory in the first set.

Up 2-1 in the first set, Haworth saved two break points to take the 3-1 lead. Trying to serve out the set, Haworth was unflappable and showed no nerves.

In the second set, Nikoloz got off to a big lead only for Haworth to battle back. Knotted at two games apiece, Nikoloz won the the fifth game that saw six deuces. Nikoloz eventually built up a 5-2 lead before Haworth mounted his charge.

Serving at 4-5, Haworth saved one set point, held and broke Nikoloz for a 6-5 lead. Up 30-15 in the ensuing game was big call. I thought (and Chris thought) Nikoloz’ shot was wide. It was called in and the match went from double match point to 30-30.

Nikoloz brought his ‘A’ game in the latter part of the second half and definitely in the tiebreak, which he won 7-4. He started to use the drop shot very effectively and started to slam home some clean winners.

I watched Haworth win the first game of the third set before I had to leave. Great effort by Haworth, who received a wild card entry from tournament organizers.

Haworth, of course, is the two-time defending champion at No. 1 singles for the Panthers and has signed with Oklahoma State.

Like I said, haven’t been able to get in touch with Haworth yet. But when I do, I will update.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Coach of the Year: Alan Green – Mustang

Most Valuable Player: Josh Richardson – Santa Fe

Offensive Player of the Year: Dominique Raney – Putnam City

Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Berry – Mustang

Newcomer of the Year: Tavionne Pennon – Putnam City West

1^st Team
Dominique Raney – Putnam City
David Glidden – Mustang
Armon Provo – Putnam City North
Kyndall Dudley – Putnam City West
Ben Berry – Mustang
Aaron Anderson – Santa Fe

2^nd Team
RonQuis Lewis – Putnam City
Joe Summers – Putnam City North
Dante Lewis – Putnam City West
Michael Onuoha – Santa Fe
Matt Burton – Yukon

3^rd Team
D’Anthony Perkins – Yukon
Deonta Samilton – Choctaw
Terrell Savala – Santa Fe
Jacob Strassle – Mustang
Kevin House – Putnam City West

Honorable Mention
Trey Thomas – Putnam City, Zac Grismer – Mustang, Keipher Hotella – Choctaw, Ed Baker – Edmond North, Ricco Smith – Putnam City North, JR Simon – Putnam City North, Zac Brown – Choctaw

MVP- Elizabeth Donohoe- Edmond North­­­­­

Offensive- Courtney Walker- Edmond Santa Fe

Defensive- LaShawn Jones- Putnam City

Newcomer- Mallory Brothers- Mustang

Coach of the Year- Paul Bass- Edmond Santa Fe

1^st Team All Conference:
1.  Elizabeth Donohoe- Edmond North­­­­­
2.  Courtney Walker- Edmond Santa Fe
3.  LaShawn Jones- Putnam City
4.  Joh’vonna Mitchell- Putnam City North
5.  Layton Hurley- Choctaw

2^nd Team All Conference:
1.  TaNita Dewberry- Edmond North
2.  Mallory Brothers- Mustang
3.  Jade Hardy- Yukon
4.  Whitney Dunn- Mustang
5.  Anna Kimsey- Edmond North

Honorable Mention:
1.  Alexis Watson- Putnam City North
2.  Daisha Gonzaque- Edmond Santa Fe
3.  Sydney Wyatt- Choctaw
4.  Cameerah Graves- Edmond Santa Fe
5.  MacKenzie York- Yukon
6.  Sarah Magness- Putnam City West
7.  Allison Altman- Putnam City West
8.  Kelsey Abraham- Putnam City North
9.  Jamie Moore- Putnam City
10.  Jasmine Sievert- Choctaw
11.  Kiersten Deckard- Yukon
12.  Jamiece Nelson- Putnam City
13.  Amanda Biorato- Mustang

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

103 First Team: Cooper Finch (Yukon)
103 Honorable Mention: Nick Cosgrove (PC West) 

112 First Team: Lloyd Crownover (Yukon)
112 Honorable Mention: Jordan Armstrong (Ed North) 

119 First Team: Derek White (Ed North)
119 Honorable Mention: Brett Dunning (Santa Fe) 

125 First Team: Kyle Garcia (Choctaw)
125 Honorable Mention: Hunter Bright (Ed. North) 

130 First Team: Tanner Hamilton (Mustang)
130 Honorable Mention: Brandon Coleman (Putnam City) 

135 First Team: Connor Adams (PC North)
135 Honorable Mention: Jacob Armstrong (Ed North) 

140 First Team: Weston Slater (Mustang)
140 Honorable Mention: Bryce Hendricks (Ed North) 

145 First Team: Blake Lawson (Choctaw)
145 Honorable Mention: Chris Nelson (Ed North) 

152 First Team: Marshall Dickson (Choctaw)
152 Honorable Mention: Ted Baker (Putnam City) 

160 First Team: Lance Dixon (Ed North)
160 Honorable Mention: Logan Thomas (Yukon) 

171 First Team: Marcese Dickson (Choctaw)
171 Honorable Mention: Mitch Wilson (Putnam City)

189 First Team: Austin Schafer (Ed North)
189 Honorable Mention: Carson Mathews (Yukon) 

215 First Team: Andrew Dixon (Ed North)
215 Honorable Mention: Elie Rushing (Putnam City)

285 First Team: Hunter Davis (Choctaw)
285 Honorable Mention: Lantz Parks (Yukon)

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

And yes, I hope they do. Here’s my top 7 girls games in the OKC area that need to be made up:

1. Midwest City at Edmond Memorial – Assume this is No. 1 for both the boys and girls. Bombers are still undefeated, while Memorial has shown the ability to play with the big dogs but not yet beat MWC or Edmond Santa Fe.

2. Del City at Norman – Tigers have been lurking. Some early season losses may have had people forgetting about them. Del City was one of those teams to get Matilda Mossman’s girls early. Big statement game for either team.

3. Choctaw at Putnam North – As I’ve written about a lot the last couple of weeks, the Yellowjackets are coming on strong. But so, too, are the Panthers. Both teams are playing their best ball. Hope that delay doesn’t hurt them.

4. Millwood at Star Spencer – One more go-around for the OKCPS rivals. Millwood looks like the early favorite in 2A for the crown, while Sharane Campbell you know wants to lead one last run for the Bobcats.

5. Bethel at Dale – Ye old stompin’ grounds. Back in Shawnee, this was one of the big ones. And you know what? In the state, it’s still one of the big ones. Wildcats have rightfully earned top spot in Class 3A.

6. Shawnee at Carl Albert – Gioya Carter vs. Kelsee Grovey would be a nice matchup/shootout. But really, Tim Price’s club needs this win after losing three of its last four games.

7. Western Heights at Piedmont - Oh, another big Suburban Conference showdown. Dilan Webster is extremely talented, but I think she’s too unselfish for the Jets. Kylie Boggess has been big for the Wildcats.

Will they all get made up? I don’t know. I hope so, but we’ll have to wait and see. If you know of any confirmed makeup dates, please send ‘em this way.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Bruce Gray Invitational
Boys
McGuinness JV 55, Star Spencer 54 – seventh place
OCS 74, Western Heights 72 – fifth place
Deer Creek 53, Enid 31 – third place
Mustang 72, Putnam North 64 – championship

Ahh, so that’s why Mustang is good. I said Sunday that neither myself nor Scott Wright had seen why the Mustang boys were getting so much respect.

Monday night I found out why. They do the little things. Especially Jacob Strassle and Zac Grismer – they do the dirty work necessary to earn the tough victories.

Any 50/50 ball last night went to the Broncos, no doubt about it. Putnam North made a nice run to make it interesting in the fourth quarter, but Mustang deserved this win.

I still don’t think Mustang has the greatest perimeter shooting team out there. But it doesn’t have to be if you execute in the other parts of the game, which is exactly what Alan Green’s boys do.

Another good game from PCN’s Armon Provo and Joe Summers. And with the Panthers going east, I could definitely see this team making the state tournament.

Mustang also made its free throws to get rid of any drama. David Glidden was 7 of 8 alone in the fourth quarter. Well played game.

Deer Creek 53, Enid 31

Nice statement by the Antlers here. A well-balanced effort sparked by the post players to earn this victory.

Josh Fields and Anthony Clark are both just juniors and the last two games they both looked good. This team has to be more than Garrett Hermanski, and it is so intrigued to see what happens against Piedmont and Carl Albert later this week.

After Alex Patterson went down, seemed like Enid was a little deflated.

OCS 74, Western Heights 72

Ah, the most fun game of the day. It was all Jack Warren of OCS and Alton Whittaker of Western Heights.

Then in the second half, it was all T.J. Holland of OCS and Western Heights’ Kenneth Mayfield. Warren and Holland – 51 points. Mayfield and Whittaker – 54 points.

Mayfield went nuts in the fourth quarter. He scored 23 points and shot the lights out. He made a three and Deer Creek’s Grant Gower was trying to announce it when the lights went out.

Almost a huge comeback by Western Heights who were down 65-51 midway through the fourth.

Warren had 27 with 19 in the first half. Holland had 24 with 18 in the second half.

OCS didn’t play McGuinness JV as I thought because no matter what, the Irish were going to play in losers’ games. They understood that and were fine with it. Even if McGuinness JV had beaten Mustang on Friday, Mustang would have advanced. For what it’s worth, the JV team went 2-1 and beat Star Spencer on Monday.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Bruce Gray Invitational
Girls
OCS 52, PC West 45 – seventh place
Deer Creek 53, Western Heights 50 – fifth place
Enid 40, Star Spencer 30 – third place
Putnam North 44, McGuinness 42 – championship

There it is. Putnam North making me look stupid.

Going into the championship, I thought the Irish were going to handle the Panthers. But by the end of the first quarter, knew differently.

Was a little worried for Putnam North after Joh’Vonna Mitchell picked up two fouls in the first four minutes, but Kelsey Abraham kept the team rolling in the first half and rightfully earned the MVP honors of the tournament.

Likewise, that was the best game I’ve seen from McGuinness’ Caroline Cameron, who scored 13 of her 18 points in the first half to keep the Irish within striking distance.

Rae Rae Brannon came up huge in the second half for PCN, scoring all 12 of her points after halftime.

Tremendous atmosphere in a game that pitted two non-hosting teams in a tournament final. Great battle down the stretch. And while last year Putnam North didn’t make that final basket, this year, yep, Mitchell did it.

Enid 40, Star Spencer 30

Seriously, Enid fans are lucky to get to watch Courtney Chelf every single game. She is something special. She had 13 of the team’s 15 points at halftime.

In the second half, more Pacers got involved and Enid really took control. Kept waiting for that Star Spencer run, just wasn’t in the cards this time around.

Enid’s a solid team, but solid won’t get the job done in 6A girls competition. Gonna be a dog fight in the next month for those state berths.

Deer Creek 53, Western Heights 50

The Antlers are coming around. You look at that lineup and see a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, but it’s coming together.

Sophomore Alexa Adair looks so much more confident than she did back in December. This team is learning to win the close games, and I think they’re right back in the hunt for a state berth.

Bayli Blanchard is doing a good job in the post, and it was a good battle between Blanchard and Western Heights’ star Dilan Webster.

The Jets made a big comeback in the fourth and took a 50-49 lead, but Adair hit four free throws in the final minute to earn the win.

***

Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com

Bruce Gray Invitational
Monday (I’ll be there)
At Deer Creek
Seventh place: McGuinness JV vs. Star Spencer, 11:30 a.m.
Fifth place: Western Heights vs. OCS, 2:30
Third place: Deer Creek vs. Enid, 5:30
Championship: Mustang vs. Putnam North, 8:30

I felt Deer Creek would have to play a near perfect game to beat Putnam North. The Antlers didn’t, and the Panthers cruised in the fourth quarter to a 69-53 victory.

I have never seen Garrett Hermanski bottled up like that. PCN’s Armon Provo, an explosive scorer in his own right, put the clamps on one of the best juniors in the state. Provo frustrated Hermanski, was extremely physical with him and never let Hermanski get into that groove.

Hermanski had five points at halftime and nine points total. Great job by Provo.

If it was Provo on defense, then it was the Joe Summers show on offense. He hit three 3s in the first half that really set the tone for his game. Antlers had to come out and guard him, and he’s too strong off the dribble.

It was interesting because Deer Creek’s Jalen Burnett is a really talented player. However, the size of Summers was something he simply could not deal with it. Burnett still managed to have a really good game, but it was a clear difference of 5A and 6A in terms of the size there.

In contrast, the Panthers learned why the Deer Creek community goes ga-ga over sophomore Joel Blumenthal. He was trying to put the team on his back in the third quarter. He scored 11 points, including connecting on three 3s to pull the game within 41-38. However, all runs must come to an end, and Deer Creek couldn’t muster a response after JR Simon hit a three-point play and Provo drained a 3 at the end of the third to make it 50-42.

Mustang 46, Enid 38

Interesting Mustang team. First time I’ve gotten to see them. Do a lot of the gritty things, not afraid to go in there and mix it up. Not sure if the Broncos have the perimeter shooting for a long run.

Impressed with Ben Berry and David Glidden. Speaking of Glidden, he took a nasty shot to his shoulder in the third quarter but missed minimal time. After getting checked out, he was right back out there.

I see why Mustang is so highly regarded by opposing coaches, but neither myself nor Scott Wright has seen Mustang on its best day. Perhaps that will be Monday?

Looking ahead to Monday…

Rematch of last year’s final when Provo absolutely went off for 33 points and a PCN title. I don’t see this one being a blowout at all, but I stated earlier I thought Rick Harris’ boys would win it so I’ll stand by that.

Deer Creek coach Matt Bailey faces his former squad, Enid, in the third-place game. It’s not as simple as Hermanski vs. Alex Patterson and whoever has the better game, his team wins, but it’s close. They trigger so much on their respective teams when they’re playing well.

And OCS, who I almost left for dead after Thursday, has a chance to claim fifth place against a surprising McGuinness JV team. After losses to Heritage Hall and Deer Creek, big response by the Saints against Star Spencer.

Bruce Gray Invitational
Monday (I’ll be there)
At Deer Creek
Girls
Seventh place: OCS vs. Putnam West, 10 a.m.
Fifth place: Deer Creek vs. Western Heights, 1 p.m.
Third place: Enid vs. Star Spencer, 4 p.m.
Championship: McGuinness vs. Putnam North, 7 p.m.

Somebody asked me Thursday to predict the winners in the Bruce Gray Invitational, and I said the McGuinness girls and the Putnam North boys. I was three minutes away from being wrong Saturday.

The Irish girls trailed Star Spencer 35-29 before going on a 13-2 run to win 42-37 and advance to Monday’s championship game.

I’ve never seen McGuinness look so lost as it did yesterday. Coach Jennifer Burch gave Star Spencer a lot of the credit as the 1-2-2 zone befuddled the normally efficient Irish.

Burch said when the offense is down, the defense can’t let up. It didn’t. Eventually it was the defense that spurred the run. The press was able to create turnovers and Elyse Hight came up big down the stretch as she has for basically the whole season.

Another great game by Sharane Campbell of Star Spencer. She’s a fighter, no doubt. Felt like Star had set up McGuinness for that knockout blow but simply never delivered it.

Putnam North 45, Enid 37

Another two years with Courtney Chelf, Enid fans are lucky. She’s a good one and her three-pointer at the end of the third made it 30-29 Enid going into the fourth.

However, this was a good statement made by the Panthers. I always look to Joh’Vonna Mitchell and Alexis Watson, but Kelsey Abraham was the star in this one. And give a lot of credit to Blaire Hall’s eight points off the bench.

Watson took a nasty fall midway through the third with PCN leading 27-23. She missed the rest of the third and start of the fourth before coming back in. She seemed OK, hope she is for Monday night.

Looking ahead to Monday…

I think Rae Rae Brannon is going to have to come up big for the Panthers. She’s tiny, but she has more quickness than what the Irish are used to dealing with. Mitchell cannot get in foul trouble against Hight and Alexa Lienhard (and vice versa on that one).

Third-place game should be a  good battle between Chelf and Campbell. I like Enid in a close one. Fifth-place game is intriguing in the grand scheme of things as Western Heights and Deer Creek might be still standing when it comes to the 5A state tournament. I like Dilan Webster to help the Jets prevail in that one.

Bruce Gray Invitational
At Deer Creek
Thursday
Boys
Mustang vs. McGuinness JV, 11:30 a.m.
Putnam City North vs. Star Spencer, 2:30
OCS vs. Deer Creek, 5:30
Enid vs. Western Heights, 8:30
Girls
McGuinness vs. Putnam West, 10 a.m.
Putnam North vs. OCS, 1 p.m.
Western Heights vs. Star Spencer, 4 p.m.
Deer Creek vs. Enid, 7 p.m.

So I wanted to take a minute to hit some of the highlights, school-by-school, and look ahead to some potential big moments in the near future as we get ready for what could be a wild second half of the season.

Yukon

Let’s start with the Millers, who have had a roller-coaster 2011. Coming into the year with the momentum of a tournament championship in Ardmore, the Millers lost at home to rival Mustang, then lost three at the McGuinness Classic. But things turned up on Tuesday when Micole Nicholson scored 21 points in an upset of No. 5 Putnam City. Their tournament schedule is complete, but they’ve got big games against Choctaw and Edmond Santa Fe coming soon.

The Millerettes also face Choctaw and ESF before opening tournament play in Moore as Kelly Clarke’s girls try to get back in the top 20. Outside of an ugly loss to Mustang, Yukon has been playing well, and they showed their ability to defend inside by holding LaShawn Jones to nine points in an 11-point win over Putnam City on Tuesday.

Mustang

Sitting at No. 6 in the polls this week, the Broncos are showing that they’re legit. Avenging the loss to PC North from the Duncan tournament final with a 14-point win on Tuesday was a big statement behind 18 points from Robert Shaw and 14 from Ben Berry. Following Edmond North and Choctaw on the schedule is the Deer Creek tournament, which signaled the turnaround for this team last year, when they surprisingly went from No. 7 seed to tourney runner-up.

The Bronco girls looked like they had turned a corner wit the 20-point win at Yukon on Jan. 4, and that might still be the case, even though they’ve lost four straight. There’s not a bad team in the bunch among those four losses, though it certainly hurts confidence, especially the fourth-quarter performance at PC North, getting outscored 9-1 in an eight-point loss. But Robert Foreman will get his team to bounce back, though the schedule doesn’t get much easier, with Edmond North, Choctaw and the ultra-loaded Carl Albert Tournament coming up.

PC North

A tough couple of weeks for the Panthers as they wait to get coach Rick Harris back from his medical issues. Having traded text messages with Harris, I can tell how frustrating it is for him that his recovery hasn’t gone as fast as he’d like and that he isn’t back on the court with his players yet. And there’s no time to rest, with a showdown at PC West coming Friday.

On the girls side, it’s been hard to figure out the Panthers, but Tuesday’s win over Mustang was solid. They’ve got an interesting mix of big wins (or strong performances in defeat) and ugly losses. But with three straight wins and potentially four heading into a big game with Edmond North, we might have seen this team get everyone on the same page. Both PCN squads will be at Deer Creek for tourney play next week.

Putnam City

A.D. Burtschi’s Pirates are one 18-foot jumper away from a three-game losing streak, and they’re still trying to build some consistency. They played well at the PCI, despite losing to Midwest City in the finals, but the loss to Yukon Tuesday was painful. Making things worse, they don’t have what you would consider an “easy” game until February, starting with a top-five showdown against No. 3 Edmond Santa Fe on Friday.

The girls’ schedule is just as dangerous, if not moreso, because they’ve got the Carl Albert tourney in the middle, and as I’ve said, that field is packed with talent. The Chickasha tourney title was big after such a rough start that was in large part a product of a super-tough schedule.

PC West

The Patriots are no fluke. They’ve got four guys who have shown they can go for 15 any night, and Kyndall Dudley continues to put up big games. They’ve got back-to-back PC rivalry games, first PCN then PC, prior to the Bartlesville Tournament next week, so there are a few more chances to make some noise on a large scale.

Offense seems to be coming around for the PCW girls, having scored 48 or more in two of the last four games, and with a couple of rivalry games on tap, this could be the chance to build some momentum. They’ve also got the Deer Creek tournament ahead, where they will see some good competition as well.

The final two games of the night were decided by two points or less, one with a (controversial) game-winner going in with 1.8 seconds left, and another with the potential game-winner bouncing off the rim just before the buzzer.

Here’s a look at Friday’s scores and Saturday’s schedule:

Friday’s results
Putnam City North 85, John Marshall 53
Stillwater 61, Lawton Eisenhower 48
Putnam City 58, PC West 56
Midwest City 44, Tulsa Union 43

Saturday’s games
John Marshall vs. Lawton Eisenhower, noon (seventh place)
Putnam City North vs. Stillwater, 1:30 p.m. (fifth place)
Putnam City West vs. Tulsa Union, 4:30 p.m. (third place)
Putnam City vs. Midwest City, 6 p.m. (championship)

First, let’s discuss the end of the PC-PC West game. If you were there, I know you have an opinion about it, and feel free to share in the comments section. For those who weren’t, PC’s Dominique Raney drove toward the top of the key, there was contact between he and PC West defender Dominique Carrasco, and Raney pulled up for an open 18-foot jumper that won the game.

Did he push off to create some separation? Certainly possible. Raney didn’t deny it after the game. “It was what it was. I’ll just say that,” he told me.

For a better visual, think back to June 1998, Michael Jordan’s last game as a Chicago Bull. Did he push off on Utah’s Bryon Russell for the winning jumper in Game 6? If you think so, you probably think Raney pushed off, too.

There are really three ways to look at the play:

1) The PC West view — definitely a push-off.

2) The PC view — maybe a little nudge, but not enough for a foul call.

3) The Bad News Bears view (Let them play!) — you’re the person who wants to see a game decided by the players, not the refs, in the final seconds.

Groups 2 and 3 left the gym feeling good Friday night. For Group 1, all I can offer is this: the rest of us should stop being surprised when your Patriots are beating/playing close with really good teams. Three wins over top 10 teams and nearly a fourth? OK, time to accept that these Pats can play. And it’s not a one-man show.

Kyndall Dudley wasn’t scoring like he had been of late, but Kevin House, Dante Lewis and Tavionne Pennon added plenty on the offensive end to keep the Pats in the game.

As for the Pirates, Raney admits that sometimes — like in the second quarter when PC fell behind by 10 — he tries to do too much on his own. The team is much better when he’s getting everyone involved, like he did in the second half. The Pirates have other capable scorers, and getting Raney off the ball helps him get open more often as well.

The biggest thing that came out of Midwest City’s win was another knock against the value of size in 6A this season. Union is a lot bigger than the Bombers, but Midwest City — like several 6A teams around the metro — are quick and can score, even against height.

Putnam City isn’t huge, and their bigs are inexperienced, so Saturday’s title game should be a thriller. Last year’s state final was great, and I think the teams are pretty evenly matched once again.

The third- and fifth-place games won’t be too shabby, either, with a top-10 matchup in the fifth-place game between Stillwater and PC North, followed by Union vs. PC West. This tournament has clearly lived up to the hype.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

And they topped themselves this year.

Seven of the teams are ranked in the top 20 of their class, and the only unranked squad is Lawton Eisenhower, which was a preseason top 10 team, but is playing without 6-foot-8 junior D’Andre Wright, out with a broken leg since the season opener.

Of the seven ranked teams, Tulsa Union and Putnam City West are the only ones outside of the top 10 in their class — and they both won in Thursday’s first round.

So, yeah, this tournament is pretty loaded. Here’s a look at Day 1, with Friday’s schedule out at PC West:

Thursday’s results
Putnam City 59, Lawton Eisenhower 49
Midwest City 69, John Marshall 45
Tulsa Union 65, Putnam City North 64
Putnam City West 65, Stillwater 60

Friday’s games
John Marshall vs. PC North, 2 p.m.
Lawton Eisenhower vs. Stillwater, 3:30 p.m.
Midwest City vs. Tulsa Union, 6:30 p.m.
Putnam City vs. PC West, 8 p.m.

A few things that stood out to me…

– A.D. Burtschi is playing a lot more young/inexperienced guys than you typically see from a Putnam City team. But after losing four players who were full- or at least part-time starters a year ago, that was to be expected. The talent is there, but the Pirates have some growing up to do. With Burtschi’s passion for fundamentals and doing things right, you know he’ll get the youthful kinks worked out by March. Dom Raney and Ron’Quis Lewis are big-time talents, so as long as the other guys come together around them, this team will be fine.

– PC West guard Kyndall Dudley is ready to become a star. He would put some good games together last season, but you always wondered if he would be able to do it without Tyler Neal and Amric Fields drawing all the defensive attention. The answer is yes, loud and clear. He hit a pair of big 3s and a couple very impressive short-range jumpers on his way to 27 on the night.

– PC North just can’t catch a break. Top scorer Armon Provo has played through flu-like symptoms in two games this season, including Thursday night. He missed another with an ankle sprain, and was hampered by the injury in another. On Thursday, the last-second loss to Union came when the Redskin point guard tried to drive the lane, but lost the ball, which bounced to Geb Osifeso for a winning 12-foot jumper. Joe Summers, who also played sick in a game earlier this year, made several big plays and scored 22 Thursday. Oh, and the Panthers are still without coach Rick Harris, who has not recovered from an emergency surgery to stop internal bleeding over the holidays. Assistant Brian Beale has done a fantastic job in his place, but best wishes for a quick recovery to Harris.

– Like I wrote in the paper earlier this week, Midwest City is still looking for the right mix in their starting five and rotation. Coach Dewayne Bradley made a good point when I spoke to him at Ardmore last week. A year ago, he had seniors Kendall Parks and Xavier McClish in the gym all year, and those were his two leaders on the floor. This year, the Colbert twins and Greg Austin are the leaders, but all three played football, so there’s a transition period, especially since the leadership role is a change from last year. I think the team is still trying to get comfortable without a clear point guard, like Parks was last year. But they have too much talent to not be tough night in and night out.

Friday should be fun, too, and I’ll be there for all of it.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

I went into Tuesday’s Santa Fe and Putnam North game think it was going to be a tight one for all four quarters. But junior Michael Onuoha had other plans.

Fully recovered from early injuries, Onuoha was dominant in leading the Wolves to a 79-45 win against the Panthers at Santa Fe.

Onuoha had a game-high 22 points and one memorable dunk over Panthers star Armon Provo. I thought Onuoha had taken off from too far away to slam it home, but he found a way.

Star Josh Richardson added 18 points as the Wolves looked a lot different from the team I saw get trounced by Memorial in the finals of the Edmond Open.

PCNorth star Armon Provo was still hampered by an ankle injury and wasn’t his usual explosive self. Junior Joe Summers led the way with 10 points.

It was close in the first quarter with PCN holding a 12-8 lead late in the quarter. But with Provo not himself and Ricco Smith in foul trouble, the Wolves took off on a 20-2 run and cruised the rest of the way.

Santa Fe 42, Putnam North 39 (Girls)

What is it about the Panthers that give the Wolves fits? Paul Bass’ girls can look so good against some teams, but PCN right now has a good formula to keep these games tight.

This one was especially close as the Panthers had a 3-point attempt by Kelsey Abraham fall short as the buzzer sounded in what was a competitive battle throughout.

Santa Fe star Courtney Walker was sensational in the first half, scoring 13 points. But the Panthers did a great job of closing out on her when she shot from the outside and Rae Rae Brannon was able to hang with Walker’s speed.

Really liked what I saw from Panther freshman Sidney Carolina. Ooh, she is going to be a good one. You add her with Alexis Watson and Joh’Vonna Mitchell, and this team will be around in March.

Speaking of Mitchell, she came alive in the second half. She had zero points at half but finished with a team-high 12.

For Santa Fe, very impressed with the development of Arielle Cooper and Cameerah Graves since last year. Excited to see this team out there again.

The Yukon boys and girls are both in the finals at the Ardmore Holiday Classic, where I have been camped out the last three days. The Millerettes face Fort Smith-Northside in what should be a good battle of two teams with good size inside and shooters on the perimeter.

The Millermen face Del City in a matchup of two different but equally well-coached squads. Del City is more athletic and

And the Mustang and Putnam City North boys will square off for the title at the Duncan Invitational, pitting two undersized but extremely athletic squads against each other — and two teams off to very good starts with state tournament goals ahead of them.

Should be a fun day, and I’ll try to keep you updated on as much of it as possible.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

But when it all shook out, the Putnam City West victory over Edmond Santa Fe was the biggest win. And senior guard Kyndall Dudley had the biggest impact down the stretch, so POW honors go to him.

It was hard to overlook what Mustang accomplished last week, beating No. 2 Putnam City and winning the Harrah Panther Classic. But I had higher expectations for Mustang than a lot of people, and I knew they’d pull off some wins like beating PC. There were a lot more questions around PC West, so to make that kind of statement in the first week of December was huge.

Dudley hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and two more in overtime of the Patriots’ 55-51 win at ESF last week. He finished with 17 points. Dante Lewis and Deonte Ogles both played key roles in the win as well.

Interestingly, the two teams leading the upset charge last week will face off tonight when Mustang hosts PC West.

Other contenders

Armon Provo, PC North boys basketball: It was hard to deny Provo yet again after he poured in 34 in the Panthers’ second game of the year against Choctaw. Provo tore it up over the summer and he has carried it into the season.

Ben Berry and David Glidden, Mustang boys basketball: Glidden scored 20 in the upset of PC, and Berry was the leading scorer in all three of the Broncos’ victories at Harrah, including a 23-point effort in the opener. Over the three games, he averaged 17.3 per game.

D’Anthony Perkins, Yukon boys basketball: Perkins scored 14 points in Tuesday’s 21-point rout of Edmond North, leading four double-figure scorers.

Ron’Quis Lewis, Putnam City boys basketball: Lewis scored 24 in the loss to Mustang. At 6-foot-6, Lewis already has an offer from Western Kentucky and his stock will continue to climb with games like this.

Ashley Callahan and Amanda Biorato, Mustang girls basketball: Callahan scored 16 and Biorato 15 in the overtime win over Putnam City.

LaShawn Jones, Putnam City girls basketball: Jones had 24 in the loss to Mustang and 34 total over two games at the Harrah tournament.

Joh’Vonna Mitchell, PC North girls basketball: Averaged 14.5 points over four games last week, including 21 in an eight-point win over Durant Friday.

No. 1 Edmond Memorial rallies from 13 down in the fourth quarter to knock off No. 3 Midwest City on its home floor, hitting four of four free throws in the final 13 seconds to avenge the overtime loss to the Bombers in the first round of the state tournament (well, sort of, though let’s not equate December wins to March wins).

Had to be the biggest drama of the night, right?

Wrong.

Three metro-area games go overtime, with Shawnee nipping Western Heights, Norman North taking down Southmoore and the big one — Putnam City West winning 55-51 at No. 4 Edmond Santa Fe.

That’s a huge win for the Patriots, simply to show themselves and the rest of Class 6A that just because Tyler Neal and Amric Fields are gone, the Pats aren’t going to be a doormat.

Guard Kyndall Dudley hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and overtime to spark the win and Dante Lewis had 10 boards and three blocked shots as the pair of seniors carried PC West to the victory.

“All our kids stepped up and made big plays,” first-year PC West coach Lenny Bert said. “They left their heart on the floor. After the game in the locker room, it wasn’t some big celebration. It was like we were supposed to win. It’s good to get that feeling early, because it showed us we can beat a legitimate team and gives us the belief that we can be good if we do what we’re supposed to do.”

Mustang didn’t need overtime to take down No. 2 Putnam City at PC. David Glidden scored only six points in a loss last week, so I wondered if maybe the ankle he injured in the final football game was still an issue. Then he busts out for 20 against the Pirates. Robert Shaw added 14 and Zac Grismer had 13 in the win.

Back to Memorial-MWC… these are two really good teams who will be hanging around in March. Memorial’s Obi Emegano is a horse, but we all knew that. The Bulldogs play some tough defense, too.

Sophomore Jordan Woodard is a budding star who will only get better. For such a young kid to step to the free throw line with 6.1 seconds left and a one-point lead and be able to hit two free throws — he was 2-of-4 at the line before that — was very impressive. He and his brother, James, are both very athletic and will make it tough for teams to figure out how to defend the Bulldogs this year, especially with Emegano.

“It’s hard to guard (Emegano) one-on-one,” Memorial coach Shane Cowherd said. “And if you foul him, he’ll make you pay at the line.”

He certainly did Tuesday, hitting 14 of 16, including two with 12.9 seconds left.

The Bombers look about the same as last year. Not huge inside but very tough on defense to create easy offense, and they can get going on some serious 3-pointer streaks. They might even have a little better depth than last year, too.

There was plenty more drama around the metro area last night, and a few big performances as well. Bridge Creek’s Ryan Spangler had 46 points, 26 rebounds, seven assists and six blocked shots in a rout of Crooked Oak. Armon Provo had his second straight 30-point game, scoring 34 against Choctaw, and his night ended when the Panthers held a 33-point lead after three quarters. And Deer Creek’s Garrett Hermanski scored 38 in a win over Chickasha.

We’re only two weeks into the season. How much better can this year get?

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Dominique Raney got off to quite a start himself, scoring 30 in the Pirate victory. The athletic 6-foot-5 senior will be asked to do a lot more on this team, which doesn’t have the interior presence of last year’s squad. He’ll handle the ball a lot more and he’ll be asked to lead the offense.

Raney said he’s letting his father and coach A.D. Burtschi handle most of his recruiting right now so he can focus on the season, but he’s got a chance to be the state’s top recruit this year — especially if he keeps putting up numbers like this.

Other contenders

Armon Provo, PC North boys basketball: Had the Panthers been able to pull off the upset, here’s your POW. Provo poured in 35 in the loss to PC.

Mackenzie York, Yukon girls basketball: York was the only player in double-figures as Yukon opened with a 15-point win over PC West.

Alexis Watson and Joh’Vonna Mitchell, PC North girls basketball: Watson scored 15 and Mitchell had 14 as the Panthers won a thriller in overtime against rival Putnam City.

LaShawn Jones, Putnam City girls basketball: The Oklahoma State-bound Jones scored 18 in the narrow defeat to PC North.

Send West Metro POW nominations to Scott Wright at swright@opubco.com

Putnam City girls basketball player LaShawn Jones signed with Oklahoma State.

At 6-foot-4, Jones has been on the radars of college programs for a while, and she was glad to get her decision made early. Jones signed with Oklahoma State last week, noting that she enjoy’s Kurt Budke’s coaching style. But Jones is still focused on her senior season with the Pirates after averaging 14 points and 13 rebounds last year.

“I really want to improve on my footwork this year,” she said. “We’re ready to make a playoff run.

“I think offense is our strength. We have a good inside-outside game.”

Congrats to all of the West Metro athletes who signed with colleges during the early signing period. Here are the ones I know about. If there are more, e-mail me at swright@opubco.com.

Baseball
Brian Brightwell, Putnam City (Oklahoma)

Girls basketball
LaShawn Jones, Putnam City (Oklahoma State)

Softball
Kayla Kingsley, Putnam North (Missouri)
Kylie Lang, Yukon (Southern Nazarene)

Volleyball
Tori Cox, Putnam City (Baylor)

With another strong performance from the offensive line, RB Casey Curtis posted his fifth 200-yard game of the season. He went for 236 and three scores in the 33-12 win over Santa Fe, which sported one of the better defenses in the district.

Curtis concluded his junior season with 1,659 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has started to gain some recruiting attention from some big schools. His top-end speed and strength in his 5-foot-8, 175-pound frame will keep him on the radars of D-I programs through the offseason.

Other contenders

Jon Luckey, Mustang: The senior WR/DB had TDs of 60 and 50 yards early for the Broncos before Del City pulled away. Luckey bulked up prior to the season and he’s been playing well on both sides of the ball. He’ll be key in run support from his safety position in Friday’s playoff game against Lawton Eisenhower.

Kollin Retter, Yukon: Retter had eight catches for for 129 yards and two touchdowns, though the Millers go into the playoffs on a sour note after the 38-21 loss to Edmond Memorial.

Dre Holman, Sam Wolfe and the PC North defense: The pair of running backs powered the Panther offense to a solid outing and the defense did what it needed to do in order to give the Panthers a shot at the postseason, but they didn’t get the help they needed from Yukon.

He had a huge touchdown in last week’s 42-40 win over Moore that has since landed on YouTube, as well as a Yahoo! Sports blog. Definitely worth watching. Here’s the link.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Why the Yellowjackets could win: Until the second half vs. Yukon got out of control, Choctaw had been playing well the last couple weeks. They beat Norman North to keep themselves alive in the playoff race at the time. They were right there with the Millers until shooting htemselves in the foot a couple times. After a rough stretch in the middle of the season, Choctaw has been playing better of late.

Why the Panthers could win: It’s win or go home time for the Panthers, and there’s no better motivation. The run-pass threat is as good as it’s been all season. The defense had a rough week against Moore last Friday, but in general, that’s been a good unit. Bob Wilson is an excellent motivator, and I think that will show through this week.

Key matchup: Tanner Hessman vs. PC North DBs. Hessman is a run-pass threat at QB and the Panther secondary had a rocky performance against Moore last week. They’ll need to bounce back with a better showing Friday and keep the ‘Jackets one-dimensional. But if Hessman can hit some big plays through the air, the Panthers will be in for another shootout.

The pick: PC North 24, Choctaw 21. I think the Panthers will slow it down and pound the run game with Sam Wolfe and Dre Holman to control the clock and grind out the victory they must have — then hope for wins by Yukon and Midwest City to seal up their playoff spot.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Player of the Year – Kady Self, Edmond North
Newcomer of the Year – Kilee Halbert, Yukon
Coach of the Year – Rick Nordyke, Edmond North

First Team
Edmond North: Abby Taliaferro, Madison Nordyke, Jordan Dixon, Sheridan Bond, Braxton Coil
Yukon: Kylie Lang, Madi Ellis, Skylar Leathers, Jade Hardy
Mustang: Courtni Clark, Jamie Rateliff, Kayla Adams
Edmond Santa Fe: Maddie Martin, Karly Nevez, Breezy McComas, Catherine Rodarm
Putnam North: Kayla Kingsley, Taylor Harris, Dani Nissen
Putnam City: Grace Self, Amanda Stevenson, Tiffany Holt
Putnam West: Ashley Tiger, Allyson Hemby
Choctaw: Elizabeth Sandman, Casie Foust

Second Team
EN: Ashton Smith, Brooke Crutchfield. YHS: Amanda Madden, Whitney Ellis, Caitlyn Halbert. MHS: Kyndra Holasek, Kierra Miles, Shelbi Legg. ESF: Kayley Humann, Siara Price, Sydney Brennan, Carly Cowan. PCN: Alli Whittington, Madison Welch, Amy Reynolds. PCO: Kylee Webb, Amber McCullough, Andrea Walling. CHS: Kylie Morgan, Ashley Hopkins, Sadie Marino. PCW: Haley Hemby, Kaleigh Ferrell.

This Speed Read will take a look at what Week 10 means to the teams still alive in the playoff hunt and what will be in store for them in the postseason — you know, the “and beyond” part.

Yukon

Week 10: The No. 2 spot is sewn up, so the Millers are just playing for the gratification of a 9-1 season, and to keep their momentum going into Week 11. Their game still has an impact on the playoff race, but we’ll get to that in the PC North section.

… and beyond: If Edmond North wins at home against US Grant Thursday  night, the Huskies will come to Yukon for the first round of the playoffs. If North loses, it could be Westmoore, Del City or Putnam City visiting Miller Pride Stadium.

PC North

Week 10: Most importantly, the Panthers have to beat Choctaw. If they don’t nothing else matters. But if they do that, it’s time for some scoreboard watching. PC North needs Yukon to beat Edmond Memorial and Midwest City to beat Norman North. The last possible scenario to get the Panthers in requires them to win, Memorial to lose and a Norman North victory in which it gains fewer than seven district points on PC North.

… and beyond: A trip to Lawton would be waiting for the Panthers if they get in. They lost a heartbreaker there in Week 9 last season, and went down there for a scrimmage in August, just for the experience of traveling, because coach Bob Wilson knew there might be a road trip in their playoff future.

Mustang

Week 10: Like Yukon, the Broncos have a No. 2 seed and home playoff berth wrapped up with no chance of improving their situation. So Friday’s game against Del City won’t mean much. Just get through it healthy and move on.

… and beyond: Week 11 was a disaster for the Broncos last year, and being on the home field will be more comfortable this time around. Lawton Eisenhower, which came to Mustang for the Pigskin Preview in August, will be the opponent..

Putnam City

Week 10: The Pirates will know the night before their Week 10 game at Edmond Santa Fe whether they have anything more than pride on the line. US Grant must defeat Edmond North on Thursday night for PC to have a shot at the playoffs. Even if that happens, PC will need a win over Santa Fe and a Del City loss at Mustang with PC  also picking up 17 or more district points on Edmond North and 11 or more district points on Del City.

… and beyond: If all that happens and the Pirates get in as the No. 4 seed, a trip to Midwest City would be in line.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

He scored in each phase of the game, each of more than 70 yards, to help Mustang put away Westmoore and lock up a home playoff bid.

The Oklahoma State-bound Glidden earned POW honors with a 70-yard free kick return TD, a 70-yard receiving TD and a 96-yard interception return TD. He finished with 154 receiving yards and threw a 36-yard pass as well.

The Broncos are at Del City Friday to wrap up the regular season in a game that really doesn’t mean anything for the Broncos. They’ve got the No. 2 spot wrapped up. Del City will know Thursday night if the game has any meaning to them. If Edmond North defeats US Grant Thursday night at Wantland Stadium, the Eagles are out.

Other contenders

Kaiden Horn, Kollin Retter and Ty Garza, Yukon: Horn scored twice in Yukon’s big second half to seal up a home playoff berth. Garza and Retter each came up with a pick-6 to spur that second-half runaway.

Covin Conrady, Dre Holman and Brad Ross, PC North: Conrady and Holman came through with multiple big plays, and Ross scored twice as the Panthers stayed alive in the playoff hunt with a 42-40 win over Moore. 

Emily Helms and Andy Carroll, Mustang cross country: Helms finished second in the girls 6A state meet and Carroll was fourth in the boys race, but impressive accomplishments at the highest level.

Putnam North (2-6, 1-4) at Moore Lions (0-8, 0-5)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Moore Stadium

Why the Panthers can win: This is a team hungry for a victory. The run game looked much better last week and the passing game has been at its best this month. Defensively, there have been some struggles, but overall, they’re solid.

Why the Lions can win: The Rushin’ Russian. The last two weeks, Vova Razryvin has taken his game to another level. In the air and on the ground, Razryvin has gone from the Lions’ primary offensive weapon to one of the best options in the Class 6A-1 district. There may be nothing Razryvin can’t do this week, but more than anything, he has to make sure he doesn’t hurt his team.

Quote: “We’re an 0-8 football team but we’ve competed in pretty much every game this year. We’ve got to get over that hump.” — Moore coach Scott Myers said.

Scott’s key matchup: Dre Holman vs. Moore front seven. Holman finally busted out last week, gong for 189 yards in the loss to Lawton Ike. Last season, he got stronger with each game he played, and it looks like this might be the same story. If he moves the ball on the ground, the passing attack of Jace James, Covin Conrady and the rest becomes far more effective.

Justin’s key matchup: Razryvin vs. the Putnam North defense. The Panthers’ defense has been a little questionable the last four weeks. During that stretch, Putnam North has lost four straight games and given up just shy of 100 points. Meanwhile, Razryvin is playing the best football of his career.

Scott’s pick: PC North 27, Moore 17. I know it doesn’t feel like it for the Panthers, but playoff dream is still alive. This team is frustrated with how the season has gone, because they’re more talented than a 2-6 team. So I’d look for them to put things together this week.

Justin’s pick: Moore 17, Putnam North 10. If Moore is going to win a game this season, this is probably its last chance. The Lions will lean heavily on Razryvin. If he holds up, the Lions could win.

Derek Deeds, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior, has been one of the Millers’ most reliable defenders at free safety and got the chance to show how dangerous he can be on offense the last two weeks while starting running back Terry Jones has been sidelined by an ankle injury.

Deeds, who had 11 receptions as a slot receiver in the first six games, has five rushing touchdowns the last two weeks. For the season, he has carried the ball 38 times for 211 yards, virtually all in the last two games.

He also had two interceptions, returning one 76 yards for a touchdown, in Thursday’s win over Moore that assured the Millers of a second straight playoff berth.

Other contenders

Andrew Madison, Mustang: The sophomore receiver had two interceptions and took both back to the end zone, only to have both called back by penalty. There are several sophomores like Madison, Jared Chance, Steven Fruit, Cole Williams, Dakota Warrington, Cory Irwins and Tucker Calmus getting the opportunity to help out the Broncos, and many of them are starting to come into their own.

Dre Holman, PC North: Holman finally broke loose, rushing for 189 yards and a TD (had another erased by penalty) in the loss to Lawton Ike.

Casey Curtis, Putnam City: Like Holman, Curtis had a strong rushing performance — 183 yards and a TD — go by the wayside in defeat at Westmoore.

Emily Helms, Mustang cross country: Won a 6A regional, winning by one second in 11:51. She will be among the favorites at state on Sunday.

Seems like a good time to break down playoff positioning for the five West Metro squads, so here we go:

Yukon, 6A-1
Record: 6-1, 3-1
Remaining games: vs. Moore; at Choctaw; vs. Edmond Memorial
The situation: Right now, this finishing schedule looks as easy as you could get in this district, but that could change with the return of Memorial’s Kameron Doolittle from injury. But still, these are three games the Millers will be favored to win. They’ll need help to get to the top spot because of the loss to MWC, but if they just take care of business, the No. 2 spot — and a home playoff berth — should be wrapped up.

Mustang, 6A-2
Record: 5-2, 3-1
Remaining games: at US Grant; vs. Westmoore; at Del City
The situation: That Westmoore game looks HUGE right now, and will be even bigger if Westmoore tops Putnam City Friday night, with the two teams tied for the No. 2 spot. Mustang’s wins over PC and Edmond North will be key should there be a tiebreaker in their future. Del City in Week 10 could be interesting, because the Eagles could be playing for their postseason lives at that point.

Putnam City, 6A-2
Record: 5-2, 2-2
Remaining games: at Westmoore; vs. Lawton; at Edmond Santa Fe
The situation: Not an easy road to finish the season, especially considering these are the three toughest defenses in the district — not counting PC itself — based on points allowed. The offense, and particularly the run game, will be tested to the max the last three weeks. The good news is that one win in the last three should be enough to get the Pirates into a tiebreaker for a playoff berth, and two wins probably locks them in.

Putnam City North, 6A-1
Record: 2-5, 1-3
Remaining games: vs. Lawton Ike; at Moore; vs. Choctaw
The situation: It’s not a stretch to imagine that the Panthers could win out and get to 4-3 in the district, which might be enough to lock them in and maybe even get them up to the No. 3 slot. But sitting in sixth right now is a tough spot to be in, because it looks like the district is destined for a tiebreaker. Every point counts.

Putnam City West, 6A-3
Record: 1-6, 1-3
Remaining games: at Muskogee; vs. Sapulpa; at Southmoore
The situation: If the Patriots win the next two, it’s possible they could find themselves in a tiebreaker. But it all hinges on beating Muskogee tonight, which won’t be easy. Otherwise the Roughers likely get to 4-3 and out of the Pats’ reach for the fourth spot.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Last week: Ike had maybe its most impressive performance of the season in a 35-0 win over Edmond Memorial. PC North mounted a furious rally but fell short in a 42-39 loss to Yukon.

Why the Eagles could win: Running back Louis Durant and quarterback Adrian McDonald form one of the better RB/QB rushing combos around. And the defense is feeling confident after logging its first shutout, even though Edmond Memorial is battling some bad injuries. Still, the Eagles are athletic and talented, and they know there’s a good playoff berth potentially waiting in their future.

Why the Panthers could win: Their backs are truly against the wall now. With a couple of winnable games the final two weeks of the season against Moore and Choctaw, the Panthers need a win now so they can make a run at the playoffs. Yardage-wise, the offense has been sharp the last few weeks. The defense has had some ups and downs during that span, but has still been pretty solid.

Key matchup: PC North offense vs. its turnovers struggles. As I said, the Panthers are moving the ball well lately, but turnovers have been a major killer for them all season. They gave it up four times last week, and if Ike can manage a few takeaways, the Eagles’ chance of victory multiplies quickly.

The pick: Ike 28, PC North 24. Just when it looked like the Panthers had things turned around, they’ve taken a step back the last two weeks. Bob Wilson is a master of getting the most out of his team when he has to have it, so that could be the situation this week. If the Panthers are going to get into the playoffs, a turnaround has to start this week.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Some weeks are easier than others when it comes to picking the West Metro Player(s) of the Week. This is one of those weeks.

The Yukon Millerettes rolled to the Class 6A state softball championship with an impressive performance.

Whitney Ellis, Madi Ellis and Skylar Leathers all had big RBIs in the title game, but it was a total team effort throughout the weekend to pull of the title. Here’s Robert Przybylo’s story on the finals.

Other contenders

Brandon Taylor, David Glidden and Cole Williams, Mustang: Taylor threw for 338 yards and six TDs, Glidden caught four TD passes and returned a kickoff 84 yards for a score, and Williams came up with two fumble recoveries to set up touchdowns as the Broncos exploded for 59 points in beating Putnam City.

Corben Jones and Derek Deeds, Yukon: Filling in for Terry Jones as he works his way back from an ankle injury, Deeds broke loose for four touchdowns and 91 yards on 17 carries to keep the Yukon offense balanced. Corben Jones was sharp as usual, throwing for 208 yards and completing 19 of 26 passes.

Casey Curtis and Putnam City offensive line: Curtis broke free for his third straight 200-yard rushing performance and his fourth of the year. Behind an offensive line with several seniors, this Pirate run game just keeps churning out big yards.

Jace James and Sam Wolfe Putnam City North: James had his second straight 300-yard passing game and led the offense to a near-comeback victory against Yukon. James threw one TD pass and rushed for another in the fourth quarter. Wolfe rushed for two TDs, including a 64-yarder that sparked the rally. 

Emily Helms and Andy Carroll, Mustang cross country: Helms won the girls race and Carroll the boys race at the Metro Conference meet — a good sign heading into regionals this weekend and state on Oct. 30.

Scott Massey, Yukon cross country: Finished fourth at the Metro Conference meet.

Send West Metro POW nominations to Scott Wright at swright@opubco.com

Last week: The Millers got a key win over Lawton Ike. PC North suffered a difficult 21-13 loss to Norman North after falling behind 21-0.

Why the Millers could win: The offense has been hard to stop this season. Only Midwest City has held them below 35 points, and Corben Jones seems to be getting better with each week that goes by. Terry Jones is playing through an ankle injury, but the Millers still have plenty of weapons at receiver and a strong offensive line. Defensively, Yukon has been big in the second half the last couple weeks, led by linebacker Carson Mathews, who is averaging nine tackles per game.

Why the Panthers could win: The Norman North loss was ugly, but this is a good football team. When they don’t shoot themselves in the foot, they’re hard to beat. Jace James had one of his best games last week, and the run game is better than it showed last week with 14 carries for 40 yards. The defense has been strong all season, but got hit with a crushing run by Emilio Gatewood last week that put the game away. They’ll need to prevent the big play this week.

Key matchup: PC North O-line vs. Yukon D-line. The biggest issue for the Panthers last week was their struggle in moving the line of scrimmage to open up the run game. More so than many offenses, the Panthers thrive on balance and they will need to establish the run to be able to score enough points this week.

The pick: Yukon 38, PC North 28. Yukon has too many good receivers for the young Panther secondary to keep them all in check.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Putnam City at Mustang

Major playoff implications are on the line in Friday’s Putnam City-Mustang game, and regardless of what happens, the two teams are likely to keep statisticians busy.

Each team comes into the game with a junior producing impressive offensive statistics in recent weeks.

Mustang quarterback Brandon Taylor has thrown for more than 800 yards the last two games and is up to 1,784 for the season. He has completed 60.4 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Putnam City running back Casey Curtis is coming off back-to-back 200-yard rushing performances with seven total touchdowns in the last two games. For the year, the 5-foot-8, 175-pound speedster has 942 yards and 15 touchdowns on 123 carries.

The winner has a leg up on the No. 2 spot – and thus, the home playoff berth — in District 6A-2. And in Putnam City’s case, it puts them in good position to get in the mix for the district title, with the No. 4 Wolverines set to visit PC Stadium in Week 9.

Yukon at Putnam City North

Obviously, this would have been a bigger game had the Panthers not been upset by Norman North last week, but that still adds some drama, since PC North must bounce back to keep themselves in serious playoff contention.

Regardless, Yukon can’t let PC North’s loss impact their opinion of the Panthers. This is still a team that beat Edmond Memorial and took Midwest City to overtime — nearly beat the Bombers except for a controversial fumble call at the goal line.

Terry Jones gutted out 22 carries on a bad ankle last week, and more of the same will be asked of him against a tougher defense this week. A win here puts Yukon in great position for the No. 2 seed in District 6A-1.

Meanwhile, a win for PC North would be a huge boost heading into the final three weeks against Lawton Ike, Moore and Choctaw.

PC West at Norman

Coming off the first win since 2007, PC West is facing quite a challenge in a powerful Norman team looking for a 7-0 start.

The Pats are good against the pass, but stopping the run is an issue. And stopping Donovan Roberts has been an issue for everyone all year.

If Johnny Smith can run the way he did last week, this will be an entertaining matchup, with two powerful backs carrying the ball a bunch.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

With a story like Holman’s, that has a lot of layers and a lot of intriguing angles, not everything that is interesting can fit in the print space available. One of my favorite parts that didn’t make the cut was Holman’s relationship with Karim.

It started one day late last winter when PC North coach Bob Wilson pulled Holman out of basketball practice and told him there was someone he wanted him to meet.

It was Karim, who took some time to tell Holman his story of how he let his grades take a backseat, forcing him to go to NEO out of high school, then to Southern Illinois, despite having major Division I talent.

Holman is a 3.5 student, so it’s not something people are worried about with him, but Karim wanted to provide some mentoring to a young kid following in his footsteps.

And it didn’t stop there. Karim came back to work out with Holman and the two — who are actually built very similarly at 5-foot-9 and about 195 pounds — have stayed in touch ever since.

Here’s some of what Holman had to say about Karim when I spoke with him last week:

“I’ve always heard about him, but I had never met him. Coach Wilson would give me a hard time, like if I was in the weight room squatting, he would say, ‘Deji would get it,’ and I would be like, ‘Nah, Dre Holman’s gonna get it, too!’

“Meeting him was such a great experience. Ever since then, we’ve kept a close connection. He talks to me — he’s like a big brother to me, that big brother I never had. We have a lot in common. He plays football and he can really school me on some things.

“Over the summer, I worked out with him and I worked hard. Some days I wanted to quit, like, I don’t wanna do this anymore. And he would call me up, ‘C’mon, you ready?’ But it’s been a great experience. Coach Wilson didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it very much.” 

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

With the help of a few key plays by other people, Smith essentially carried the Pats on his back to their first victory in three years. He ran for 196 yards on 29 carries, scoring five touchdowns. He pounded out the tough yards in the middle. He punsihed tacklers who got in his way and ran past the ones who didn’t.

Smith just kept making big play after big play, like his two interceptions, one of which he returned 74 yards to the 1 and plunged into the end zone two plays later.

Overall, just an incredibly impressive performance. And congratualtions to the Patriots on the victory.

Other contenders

Casey Curtis and Elie Rushing, Putnam City: Curtis, behind another strong effort from his offensive line, posted yet another 200-yard game as PC knocked off Edmond North Thursday night. Rushing came up with a key tackle inside the 1-yard line to prevent Edmond North from cutting it to a one-score game. The win sets up a huge game at Mustang on Friday night, with major playoff implications on the line.

Corben Jones, Yukon receivers and Carson Mathews: With brother Terry playing on a bum ankle, Corben Jones threw for 280 yards, including TDs of 25, 29 and 41 yards to Kaiden Horn, Jordan Edwards and Eric Granado to carry the Millers to another win. Granado, who hasn’t gotten much notice for his solid play on defense this season, recovered a fumble for a TD to give Yukon its final points. Mathews intercepted a pass that was a huge turning point in the second quarter. It set up the Millers for a TD to take the lead just before halftime.

Brandon Taylor, Jacob Strassle and Tyler Webster, Mustang: Taylor was impressive again, throwing for 366 yards. He hit Strassle twice for TDs and Strassle also converted his first two field goals of the year, from 27 and 37 yards. Webster has been a huge part of the offense lately, accounting for 179 all-purpose yards in Friday’s win over Edmond Santa Fe, including some QB action in the second half.

Jace James and Covin Conrady, PC North: Conrady had another big week at receiver. He’s up to 638 yards and four TDs after grabbing a 47-yarder this week. And James was asked to throw a lot more than usual as PC North only ran the ball 14 times in Friday’s loss. James threw for 310 yards on 28-of-39 passing.

Mustang and Yukon softball teams: No point in singling out individuals here. When you make it to state, it’s a team effort. Yukon won the regional it hosted, while Mustang went to Midwest City as the No. 2 seed and came out on top.

Scott Massey, Megan Wilkerson and Alex Moore, Yukon cross country: Massey finished third in the boys race, while Wilkerson and Moore each finished in the top nine of the girls race at Southwestern Christian last week. Both teams finished third.

Andy Carroll, Mustang cross country: Carroll finished 10th in the pre-state meet in Edmond.

Last week: PC North fell in overtime to No. 5 Midwest City. Norman North held a second-half lead at Yukon before falling 35-17.

Why the Panthers could win: The Panther defense has been sharp all year, and the offense keeps finding the flow better each week. QB Jace James threw four picks in the first two games, but only one since then. Sam Wolfe has been producing big plays all season, and the return of Dre Holman frees him up to be a rushing-receiving threat even more than he has been.

Why the Timberwolves could win: Defensively, Norman North has shown some flashes of being good at times, but outside of the win over Westmoore, they can’t put a full game together. If they can play well and create some turnovers, PC North has shown it can be susceptible to beating themselves with mistakes.

Key matchup: Norman North QB Brad Valentino vs. PC North defense. The T-Wolves have two good running backs in Emilio Gatewood and Raymond Demby, but the passing game has averaged just 64 yards per game. Against the Panthers, Valentino will need to open up the running lanes by throwing the ball a little bit.

The pick: PC North 27, Norman North 13. I can’t understand why the T-Wolves have struggled the way they have this season, but PC North is just too hot right now.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

However you describe it, Brandon Taylor was on fire Friday night. His first half alone would have been a great full-game performance — 22-of-25 for 354 yards and three TDs. He finished 30-of-38 for 442 and four TDs as Mustang coasted to a 56-34 win over Edmond North.

Taylor wasn’t alone in his special performance. The offensive line gave him plenty of time virtually all night. David Glidden pulled in 10 passes for more than 220 yards. Jon Luckey made some big catches and had an interception return TD. Tyler Webster kept the ball moving both running and catching the ball. And Stephen Fruit got his name called a lot on defense, making a lot of tackles.

When the Mustang offense is working like that, it’s fun to watch. Taylor is a big, strong lefty who throws the ball well and he’s starting to get more comfortable with his receivers other than Glidden and Luckey — guys like Michael Andersen, who had a TD Friday, Jacob Mersman and Jacob Strassle.

The offense will get another test this week against a stout defensive team at Edmond Santa Fe.

Other contenders

Covin Conrady, PC North football: If the Panthers had pulled off the upset of Midwest City, Conrady is your POW. The senior receiver had nine catches for 230 yards and a score. In case you missed it, here’s the game story.

Casey Curtis, Putnam City football: Curtis isn’t the type of back you’d expect to be a workhorse type who gets 30-plus carries, but he handled it well, rushing 33 times for 204 yards and four TDs.

Corben Jones, Yukon football: With his brother, Terry, sidelined by an injury, Corben Jones picked up the offense and turned a 17-14 deficit to a 35-17 win. He threw TD passes to Kollin Retter and Eric Granado, and rushed for a 20-yard score as well. He threw for 260 yards.

Jamie Rateliff and Kayla Adams, Mustang softball: The two seniors hit back-to-back home runs to finish off a 12-4 win over Choctaw.

Madi Ellis, Yukon softball: Ellis leads the Millerettes into regionals this week after driving in four runs in a rout of PC West.

Emily Helms and Andy Carroll, Mustang cross country: Helms won the girls race and Carroll was fourth in the boys race at the Mustang meet.

– Send West Metro Player of the Week nominations to Scott Wright at swright@opubco.com

Midwest City (4-0, 1-0) at Putnam City North (2-2, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Putnam City Stadium

Midwest City (W- Del City 35-13, W – Enid 34-27, W – Santa Fe 41-6, W – Yukon 48-21)
Why the Bombers could win: Because there is nothing that this team hasn’t seen. Offensively, Greg Austin came alive last week to go with an already scary talent in James Flanders. Defense stiffened up after a sluggish first half and this team appears to be the real deal.

Quote:

We can’t continue starting games out the way we are. We’re having good practices, but we have to find a way to fix that.” coach Steve Huff

PC North (L – Putnam City 16-7, L – Mustang 27-14, W – PC West 52-14, W – Edmond Memorial 17-7)
Why the Panthers could win: After a rough 0-2 start, the Panthers are feeling a little more confident following a 17-7 win over a ranked Edmond Memorial team. And now, the backfield will finally get to see how productive it can be with both RBs, Sam Wolfe and Dre Holman, available. Holman is returning after missing the first four games with injuries. And the defense has been stellar with the Ross brothers, Nate and Brad, anchoring the front seven.

Quote:

You’ve got to be able to run the ball, I don’t care what level you’re at. That opens up our play-action and everything else. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that a little with Dre and Sam.” – PC North coach Bob Wilson

Boneman’s key matchup: PC North running game vs. MWC defense. If the Panthers are going to pull off the upset, keeping the MWC offense off the field is going to be a big reason why. Will a returning Dre Holman lead to more run success?

Scott’s key matchup: MWC quarterback Greg Austin vs. PC North secondary. Yes, the Panther defense has been good, but they’re still young on the back end, and Austin has been very efficient throwing the ball this year. He was 15-of-24 for 256 yards last week to beat Yukon, and the Panthers must contain him and the Bombers load of athletic receivers.

Boneman’s pick: MWC 35, PC North 21. Gut feeling is telling me the offenses are going to find some holes in this one, and it’ll be higher scoring than you would expect.

Scott’s pick: MWC 17, PC North 14. Both of these teams are good on defense, so I expect this one to stay low-scoring. And if it does, that will be good news for the Panthers, because it gives them the best shot to make some plays late and pull the upset.

Boneman’s MWC prediction record: 4-0.

Putnam City

I didn’t know what to expect from Putnam City at the start of the season. The district wasn’t too tough, but they lost a lot of key players on the defensive side of the ball and on the offensive line. But once they got past PC North in Week 1, you could see the potential for this 4-0 start.

But at the start of the season, Del City looked like a really strong team, especially with all the talent they’ve got on offense. Now, they’re the team that has some uncertainty surrounding it. So this becomes a winnable game for Putnam City. With Edmond North, Mustang, Westmoore and Lawton coming in the four weeks after this, the Pirates would greatly benefit from a win Friday night.

This PC team is playing with a lot of confidence right now, especially with that run game going the way it is, and Friday night should be a thriller.

PC North

We’ve been talking about it for a few weeks now, but it looks like running back Dre Holman will be back in action this week. That’s what he says. And the impact of his return can’t be understated. Sam Wolfe is a good back, and the addition of Holman gives the Panther offense a ton of options. One back, split Wolfe and Holman, put Wolfe in the slot, where he has been a strong receiver this season. Endless choices.

And Holman provides the team a pounding back who can get the tough yards. Wolfe’s game is based more in his quickness, so the two backs work perfectly together. An improved running game will make the team’s defense that much more valuable, and it should give them some more time to rest on the sideline as well.

PC West

Tough time being the Patriots right now. Broken Arrow last week and top-ranked Jenks this week. So, let’s look at this in a positive light — there’s no way PC West faces a team as tough as these two weeks the rest of the year. It only gets easier.

I still think the Pats win a game this season, but it won’t be this week. The biggest key is coming through Friday night without any major injuries, then get ready for the final five weeks of the season.

Mustang

The offensive line has really come together for the Broncos, and that’s been a big key for the improvement of the offense. Last week was different, because Lawton’s defensive front is stronger than most. But the Broncos still found a way to give Brandon Taylor time to throw, and opened some holes for Tyler Webster in the run game.

But with the 0-1 start in district play, there isn’t much room for error the rest of the way. The district is very hard to predict, but it looks to be very competitive in the middle. So if Mustang puts together a string of wins, they could re-emerge as a favorite for the second home playoff berth behind Lawton.

Yukon

This week is just as important as last week at Midwest City. Norman North has had some struggles early this season, so that might seem like an overstatement, but I really don’t think it is. Losing to MWC didn’t hurt the Millers’ credentials. The Bombers are really good.

But a loss or a lackluster win could hurt their image and take away from what they’ve done to this point in the season. It will start to raise questions again. The Millers are a top 10 team, but it’s important that they play like it this week, or people will stop thinking they are one. Considering the way the offense has moved the ball against everyone, and the defense’s strong play for 3 1/2 games, I don’t think it will be an issue.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

That’s why they’re the collective West Metro Players of the week. Memorial had 223 total yards, mostly coming on the ground, and the Panther D even poked in a touchdown on Daniel Grimes’ 39-yard fumble return.

After the 0-2 start, the Panthers certainly look to be getting things together. Don’t be discouraged by only scoring 10 offensive points against the Memorial defense — they’re legit.

After turning the ball over nine times in the first two games, the Panthers didn’t turn it over once on Friday, which was huge. And the long TD connection between Jace James and Rico Griffin should be a welcome sight. Griffin is an inexperienced receiver who is very talented and could give the passing game a boost by providing an option opposite Covin Conrady.

Other contenders

Brandon Taylor and Tyler Webster, Mustang football: Taylor threw for 300 yards in the second straight game and Webster kept the offense rolling with an effective run game, though the Broncos fell 30-29 at Lawton.

Casey Curtis, Putnam City football: Curtis got the Pirates off to a strong start in their fourth straight victory. He scored two early touchdowns on the way to PC’s rout of US Grant.

Yukon football team (first half version): The whole Miller football team gets noticed for their performance in the first half of the 48-21 loss at Midwest City. That team was unstoppable. Unfortunately that team didn’t show up for the second half.

Emily Helms and Andy Carroll, Mustang cross country: Helms finished third — first among Oklahoma girls — and Carroll was sixth in the boys meet at the OSU Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater.

Madi Ellis, Yukon softball: Ellis had three RBIs in the Millerettes’ 6-5 win over No. 1 Edmond North last Tuesday.

– Send West Metro POW nominations to Scott Wright at swright@opubco.com

Putnam North (1-2) at Edmond Memorial (3-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: UCO’s Wantland Stadium

PCN (L – Putnam City 16-7, L – Mustang 27-14, W – PC West 52-14)
Why the Panthers can win: The offense got an opportunity to build some confidence last week in the win over PC West, and QB Jace James should continue to get more comfortable with his new crop of receivers. He’s already got a good connection with Covin Conrady, who has been close to the top of Class 6A in receptions and yards all season. And there’s still the impending return to full-time duty of RB Dre Holman, finally giving the Panthers that 1-2 punch of Holman and Sam Wolfe. That could happen tonight.

Memorial (W – Santa Fe 14-0, W – Stillwater 38-15, W – Edmond North 17-6)
Why the Bulldogs can win: Because questions about their offense should be gone now. They’ve won a game when star Kameron Doolittle wasn’t 100 percent. Between Cale Olbert and Grant Bohuslavicky and others, a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Quote:

“Coach Bob Wilson does a great job, and they have a lot of skilled players that can hurt you. We’re not overlooking this game at all.” – coach Justin Merideth

Scott’s key matchup: PC North run game vs. Memorial defensive front.

Boneman’s key matchup: Memorial QB vs. PC North defense. Duh. Whether it’s Kameron Doolittle or Ry Huff, this is the one you need to have your eyes glued on. Huff is much bigger than Doolittle but can’t match (obviously) the explosiveness. Will Doolittle gut it out? We’ll see.

Scott’s pick: Memorial 20, PC North 14. Regardless of who wins, I think this will be a low-scoring game. The PC North defense hasn’t allowed more than two TDs in a game yet this season (Mustang scored twice on interception returns). I want to believe PC North can beat a top-10 team, but after the early struggles, they’re going to have to show me first.

Boneman’s pick: Memorial 19, Putnam North 11. I’m not seeing much offense in this one. It will be a bruising battle between two tough district foes. Look for the Bulldogs to run, run and run some more and try to control the clock.

Boneman’s Memorial prediction record: 3-0.

This week’s Speed Read takes a look at what lies ahead in district play for Yukon, Mustang and the PC3.

Yukon (3-0)

The 6A-1 schedule is still brutal, even though Norman North is struggling at the star of the year. There are still five playoff teams from last year doing battle, and the fight for the two home playoff games between Midwest City, Edmond Memorial and the Millers will be wild.

The Millers’ hot start won’t be diminished by a loss to Midwest City this week, and neither will their chances of getting one of those home playoff games.

Week 4: It doesn’t get any bigger than the Bombers and Millers. I’m pumped for this one. To paraphrase the ESPN line — Is is Friday yet?

Putnam City (3-0)

Everything we thought we knew about 6A-2 is scrambled up entering the first week of district games, and at a pretty solid 3-0, the Pirates are right in the mix for the postseason. The key will be the defense, which has been solid all year. There are a few really good offenses in the district and the Pirates will need to knock one of those teams off to move up in the pecking order.

Week 4: The Pirates open with US Grant at home, and if they take care of business, they should be looking at a 1-0 start to district play. And the confidence of a 4-0 start overall could produce more happy results down the line.

Mustang (2-1)

There’s a lot up in the air in this district because of Mustang’s scattered performances to begin the year, and Lawton losing its QB, Cody Miller, to a torn ACL. So that makes this week’s district opener that much more crucial.

Week 4: The Broncos seemed to get the offense back on track last week against Bixby, but doing that against the Lawton defense will be more difficult. The defense will have quite a task, not only trying to contain all of Lawton’s playmakers at running back and receiver, but also preparing for a quarterback they’ve never seen.

Mustang is putting a lot of miles on the buses lately. Bixby last week, Lawton this week — just the way it worked out with the district shuffle this season, making the Broncos go down to Cameron Stadium two years in a row.

Putnam City North (1-2)

For as well as I thought I knew this team before the season, I found out I really knew very little about them. We’ll see if they get it together and come back to the level I expected them to be at — a fringe top 10 team and definite playoff team.  

The Panthers still have a good shot of getting to the postseason, though right now, it looks like three spots are spoken for in 6A-1, with Midwest City, Edmond Memorial and Yukon. But Dre Holman’s return should provide the offense with a spark, and the defense has been reliable all year.

Week 4: The Panthers are at No. 7 Edmond Memorial Friday night, a defense that will pose a challenge for the shaky Panther offense. But the Memorial offense is having its own issues with QB Kameron Doolittle bothered by a bum ankle. So I’d be looking for a defensive slugfest in this one.

Putnam City West (0-3)

The toughest thing for PC West entering district play isn’t the strength at the top of their district. At the beginning of the year, 6A-3 looked top-heavy, with Jenks, Broken Arrow and Southmoore. But some of the other teams are stepping up and making it look like a pretty loaded district.

Shawnee is a good team, and Norman looks to be the real deal, especially with a strong defense and run game. So it’s a tougher future ahead for the Pats than we might have thought at the start of the season.

Week 4: Tulsa Union is about the only team in the state that could go through what  PC West will face the next two weeks and come out with a victory. In fact, Union went 1-1 against this same schedule earlier in the month. PC West hosts Broken Arrow Friday, then travels to Jenks next week.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

This time around, the 5-foot-8, 170-pound junior lowered the boom on Choctaw, rushing for more than 200 yards in Thursday’s 42-22 defeat of the Yellowjackets.

He had three touchdowns and four runs of 20 yards or more, incluing his last two touches before heading to the bench for a well-deserved break.

Honorable mention to PC’s offensive line, and Curtis’ backfield runningmate, Desmond Tilly, who surpassed the 100-yard mark on Friday as well. The run game will be a big part of what the Pirates do as they try to make a run at the postseason, starting this week with a Thursday home game against US Grant.

Other candidates

Brandon Taylor and the Mustang offensive line: The Bronco front five gave their quarterback ample time to throw, and the result was 25 completed passes in 30 attempts for 313 yards. And give credit to senior receiver Michael Andersen, who had seven catches for 117 yards, providing Taylor with a reliable target as teams try to take away David Glidden.

Sam Wolfe, Putnam City North: Another strong week from Wolfe has him among the top rushers in Class 6A with 417 yards on 54 carries (an average of 7.7 yards per carry) with two TDs.

Yukon’s Jones brothers, Terry and Corben: Running back Terry Jones exploded for 261 yards and a pair of touchdowns behind another stout effort from the Miller offensive line, and QB Corben Jones completed 14 of 24 passes for 232 yards, including scoring tosses of 51 (Eric Granado), 64 (Kollin Retter) and 18 yards (Jake Doyle). He also rushed for a TD in the win over Stillwater.

Tori Cox, Putnam City volleyball: The Baylor commit anchored the Pirates’ run to the finals of the Bartlesville Bruin Invitational.

Andy Carroll, Oscar Barcenas and Lucas Goble, Mustang cross country: All three runners finished in the top 11 at one of the metro area’s top meets, the Edmond Dog Pack, on Friday. The trio each finished between 17:12 and 17:24.

Emily Helms, Mustang cross country: A contender for the 6A girls state individual title, Helms was second at the Dog Pack. She finished the 3,200-meter run in 11:59, just 14 seconds off the winning pace.

Scott Massey, Tyler Baxter and Thad Dies, Yukon cross country: The Millers dominated the PC North meet at Woodson Park, with Massey winning gold, Baxter the bronze and Dies finishing foruth. Clay Mattox and Kelby Watson also finished in the top 10 for the Millers.

Send West Metro Player of the Week nominations to Scott Wright at swright@opubco.com

Last week: PC North suffered its second straight loss, 27-14, at Mustang. PC West lost 44-0 to Putnam City.

Why PC North could win: The Panthers have plenty of talent, but mistakes — namely, nine turnovers in two games — have killed them the first two weeks. If they take better care of the ball, the results should be much better. And the Panther defense has been better than expected so far.

Why PC West could win: There’s no guarantee PC North will have its turnover issues solved, and that can be a big equalizer. PC West showed a lot of offensive firepower against Choctaw in Week 1, but struggled moving the ball last week, finishing with just 160 yards. If the offense from the opener can make a return appearance, the Pats should be able to produce some points.

Key matchup: PC West passing game vs. PC North secondary. The Patriots got two-thirds of their offensive yardage through the air last week, and Ray Young has some weapons at receiver. If he can hit a few plays on the young Panther DBs, it should keep them in the game. But if the Panthers are able to take away the big plays, or create turnovers in the passing game, the momentum swings hard in their favor.

The pick: PC North 28, PC West 14. The Panthers just have too much size and too many weapons, especially if RB Dre Holman is back from his knee injury this week.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Putnam City

Putnam City is off to a 2-0 start with wins over its two sister schools, PC North and PC West, so morale is peaking for the Pirates. But with a physical Choctaw team visiting Putnam City Stadium tonight, they know they have to stay focused.

The defense has allowed just seven points and fewer than 400 yards through two games, but Choctaw brings a potent backfield with three players — running backs Corey Bennett and Aaron Fournier, and QB Tanner Hessman — who have rushed for more than 100 yards apiece so far this season. And Hessman can throw it around, too. He’s 16-of-36 for 224 yards and two TDs.

Yukon

Yukon is at Stillwater Friday night in the kind of game that should scare Miller fans a little bit. You avoided the post-Mustang letdown, and there’s a HUUUUUGE game — and a huge opportunity to prove yourselves as one of the west side’s top teams — waiting in Week 4 with the district opener at Midwest City.

The Millermen beat Stillwater 17-14 last October in Yukon. Based on the first two weeks, it looks like the Pioneers are about the same team as last year, while the Millers have shown some serious improvement. So it’s a game Yukon folks probably think they should win — and accurately so. In Vegas, they call it a trap game. Will the Millers fall into the trap?

Putnam City North

Some good news on the injury front for the Panthers, who learned on Tuesday that backup QB Joe Summers would miss only 4-6 weeks with a partial tendon tear — not a torn ACL. And running back Dre Holman could return this week from mid-August surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee after suffering the injury on the first day of practice. But I wouldn’t expect him to be used full-time for at least a game or two.

Holman’s presence would not only aid the rushing attack, but also give the Panthers the chance to use Sam Wolfe in the slot more often. He was dangerous there last week at Mustang, catching six passes for 72 yards while rushing for 104.

Mustang

The Broncos are still growing up. They had two really good offensive series and only one big mistake — the Pick-6 at the end of the first half — in the win over PC North. The run blocking was outstanding at times and Tyler Webster ran hard, pounding out 93 yards on 26 carries.

You’re going to see gradual improvement from this team every week, with so many young players and first-time starters on the field. And they need some other receivers to step up as well. Jacob Mersman and Michael Andersen made some good catches last week, as did Jacob Strassle. Derek Garvin and Corey Irwins could be back from injuries this week or next, and that will help, because getting the ball in David Glidden’s hands has been tough so far, with secondaries keying on stopping him.

Putnam City West

I paid a visit to Patriot practice early last week, and there was a sense that the focus wasn’t there. The frustration in the coaches’ faces was obvious, and you just got a feeling that things might not go well against Putnam City. The 44-0 loss — which was actually more competitive than the score would suggest — probably didn’t surprise some of the coaching staff, despite the great week of work the Patriots put in before the opener against Choctaw, and the positive results it produced in defeat.

So this week, I would expect better effort from the Patriots in practice and on Friday night against PC North. PC West has a strong senior class of leaders, so look for those guys to get the team refocused.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

PS: Here’s a link for those of you too young to know who the Micro Machines Man was.

Patton had rushed for 41 yards before the injury Saturday. He has been a key piece in the Falcons’ potent offense, which is averaging 41 points per game so far. Patton has 202 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries for the season.

The Falcons, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, host 4A No. 2 Bishop McGuinness at 7 p.m. Friday at Leodies Robinson Field.

Patton is a dangerous player with the ball in his hands, and he’s a vital part of making the Millwood offense go. He’s Kevonte Richardson’s best friend, because he can take pressure off the passing game and open some running lanes for the QB as well.

If Patton is limited this week, Allen Starks should be able to fill in well. He’s not quite as dangerous, but he runs hard and the coaches like him. And don’t be surprised to see Josh Turner or Mike Cole get some carries, too.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Jones returned the opening kickoff 82 yards for a TD, and that gave the Millers a quick burst of momentum, making sure there would be no post-Mustang letdown. From that point on, Jones and his blockers worked in tandem to finish off Edmond Santa Fe with the power run game that produced two straight TDs in the fourth quarter after Santa Fe pulled within 21-19.

Jones finished with 148 rushing yards and four total TDs, nearly five until he fumbled into the end zone and it was recovered by Parks.

Other contenders

David Glidden and Jacob Strassle, Mustang football: Glidden was quiet much of the night as he has become the No. 1 focus of opposing defenses. But the OSU commit came up with the game’s biggest play, intercepting a pass and returning it 92 yards for a TD to seal the Broncos’ win over Putnam City North. Strassle continues to make major progress in his first season of football — ever. He caught a TD pass that put Mustang ahead in the fourth quarter.

Covin Conrady, Sam Wolfe and DeQuante Colbert, PC North football: Conrady is among the state leaders in receptions this year with 18 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He had eight catches Friday, accounting for 66 yards and the Panthers’ only offensive touchdown. Wolfe rushed for 104 yards and had six receptions for 72 yards out of the backfield. Colbert, a key player in the young secondary, had an interception which he returned for a TD just before halftime that gave the Panthers the lead.

Casey Curtis and Desmond Tilley, Putnam City football: The junior running back duo powered the Pirates to 286 rushing yards in a 44-0 rout of Putnam City West, moving PC to 2-0 entering Thursday night’s game against Choctaw.

Emily Helms, Mustang cross country: The sensational sophomore won one of the biggest meets of the young season at Norman last week. She finished the course in 12:28, 15 seconds ahead of her closest follower. Only four runners finished under 13:00.

Scott Massey and Megan Wilkerson, Yukon cross country: Both runners earned gold medals in their division at the Putnam City meet at Dolese Park last week.

Madi Ellis, Kendal Smith and Skyler Leathers, Yukon softball: The trio was among several Yukon hitters who powered the Millerettes to five wins in six games last week.

– To nominate an athlete for West Metro POW, e-mail Scott Wright at swright@opubco.com

Why PC North could win: The Yukon offense found success, piling up more than 550 yards last week on the Broncos, and if Mustang doesn’t make adjustments, the Panthers will find a way to do the same. PC North’s offense is similar to Yukon in that both have a good running back and use a short passing attack. So if Jace James can get the ball to his receivers, and if Sam Wolfe has some running room, the Panthers should be able to move the ball. The key will be eliminating turnovers that killed them last week. The defense only gave up 186 yards in last week’s loss.

Why Mustang could win: The Broncos are a better team than they showed last week, but the growth curve might take some time. The offensive and defensive lines have a lot of inexperience, and will need some game reps to get up to speed. QB Brandon Taylor just needs an extra half-second in the pocket to get a better look on some of his throws. Once that starts happening, the offense will be on the move again.

Key matchup: Mustang receivers vs. PC North secondary. Putnam City only threw 10 times last week, completing six of them for 95 yards and a touchdown. That’s pretty efficient, and Mustang will throw the ball a lot more, maybe three or four times as much, so that PC North secondary, which includes multiple sophomores, will be tested by David Glidden and Jon Luckey.

The pick: PC North 35, Mustang 34. I still think the Broncos need some time to get everything together. Even though PC North has some youth, too, and had an ugly performance last week, I think they’re further along right now. However, Mustang’s refurbished stadium could be the wildcard. That place is really nice and the crowd should be fired up for the home opener tonight.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Putnam City West

There was a lot of rivalry excitement in the West Metro last week, so PC West’s strong effort in defeat to Choctaw was lost in the mix. For the teams on the Patriots’ schedule, don’t ignore these guys. In talking off the record with a couple different coaches who have taken a deeper look at this team than other coaches probably have, both guys said the Pats are much better than last year. Size in the trenches is still an issue, but the talent is there, especially with QB Ray Young, RB Johnny Smith and the receivers.

From what I’ve seen of the Pats in practice this season, Young’s throwing ability is far improved from last year, and the receivers are definitely more comfortable in their routes. I haven’t seen Smith in action a lot, but he’s got good size and speed, and went for 150 yards and a TD last week. I know Putnam City isn’t overlooking Friday’s meeting at PC Stadium.

Mustang

There’s an obvious level of frustration after the 43-28 loss at Yukon last Friday. Now, they’ve got to get ready for Putnam City North, which is also coming off a loss to its rival. The thing Mustang is lacking most right now is experience. Their young players are talented, but they had some mistakes. They’ll get past it, but it’s a question of when. The schedule isn’t exactly easy. After PC North, it’s a pair of long bus trips to Bixby and Lawton, followed by Edmond North, Edmond Santa Fe and Putnam City.

Yukon

Talking to some people at Mustang, the Broncos were as impressed with the Yukon O-line as I was, but they also were impressed by the play the Miller defensive ends, Jake Doyle and Andrew Edwards. Those two, along with others on the defensive front, were making it hard for QB Brandon Taylor find a rhythm in the passing game, and they really came alive in the second half, with four sacks, including a safety.

The Millers are on TV Thursday night at Edmond Santa Fe (Cox 3) as they try to follow up the big Week 1 victory.

Putnam City

In case you missed it, here’s my story on PC receiver/kicker Carson Lynn. And while Lynn was the most interesting story of the week for PC following their upset of PC North, it was the defense that deserved the most praise. The five turnovers they created were HUUUUUGE.

“We’ve been focused on getting nine or 10 hats to the ball and we were ready for whatever they could throw at us,” defensive back Cody Minor said. “If one guy misses a tackle, there’s three or four more guys there to make the tackle. We practice pursuit every day.

“We can’t get big-headed. PC West has a reputation of not winning too often, but that doesn’t matter. We’ve got to maintain our intensity. We can’t slack.”

Putnam City North

Bob Wilson was frustrated by the turnovers, and not too happy with the offense in general, but the Panthers outgained PC last week. They just shot themselves in the foot over and over again. So the goal is an obvious one this week at Mustang — don’t give the ball away.

The defense was a bright spot, but PC didn’t throw a lot to attack that young secondary. So those guys will be on the spot a little more this week.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

The group has only two returning starters, Travis Henning and Lantz Parks, with only one of them — Henning — being a senior. Other guys like Tyler Bush, Logan Schantz and Will Paddock have done well stepping into roles on the Yukon front.

Behind them on Friday, the Millers got 120 rushing yards from Terry Jones and 72 more from quarterback Corben Jones, who had good protection all night in the passing game as well.

Other contenders

David Glidden and Jacob Strassle, Mustang football: Other than Glidden’s more than 200 return yards, including a 95-yard TD, Strassle was one of the only other players to make a significant impact Friday night for the Broncos. He joined the team to be a kicker, and he made all four of his extra-point tries, while putting a couple of kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. And he caught two passes for 41 yards on the Broncos’ only significant offensive touchdown drive.

Carson Lynn, Putnam City football: Last year’s version of Strassle, Lynn joined the football team to help the kicking game, but soon became a receiving option as well. This year, with a full offseason under his belt, he will be one of the team’s top WRs. He scored a TD and kicked a late field goal in the 16-7 win over Putnam City North.

Scott Massey, Yukon cross country: Massey won the Shawnee Canadian River Run on Thursday, 19 seconds ahead of his closest competitor. Teammate Tyler Baxter was fourth.

Emily Helms and Andy Carroll, Mustang cross country: Carroll finished third to lead Mustang in the boys competition at Edmond Santa Fe, and Helms, a sophomore, won the girls competition.

Madi Ellis, Yukon softball: Ellis had a two-run double to help third-ranked Yukon edge Edmond Santa Fe 5-4 last week.

Shaundra Hicks, Putnam City volleyball: Hicks is a reliable player who holds the Pirates together. She and hitter Tori Cox have led PC to the No. 7 spot in the rankings after a hot start.

Jordan Cox, Mustang volleyball: The Broncos have made a move to get into the top 15 early in the season, including winning their own tournament. Despite a pair of losses in the last week to top teams PC and Edmond Santa Fe, Mustang is making some noise, and Cox’s hitting ability is a big reason why.

– If you’d like to nominate a West Metro player of the week, e-mail information to Scott Wright at swright@opubco.com.

Why PC could win: The run game should be improved, which should make things easier on QB Caleb Lee, who struggled with INTs in this game last year. The offense should have some much-needed balance, which will give the Pirates the opportunity to attack PC North’s young secondary. If they can exploit that youth, there are some big plays to be made.

Why PC North could win: Though Dre Holman is still sidelined for another week or two, Sam Wolfe and Jace James give the Panther backfield plenty of firepower. The receivers other than Covin Conrady are new to the starting lineup, but James is an accurate passer who gives his WRs the chance to make plays. Defensively, the front seven will be the strength, so it should test PC’s run game.

Key matchup: PC North run game vs. PC defensive front. Last season was frustrating at PC, finishing 3-7, but the defensive front seven was underrated for that squad. Replacing those guys won’t be easily done, and if the new starters aren’t consistently solid in covering their responsibilities, the Panther offense will take advantage.

The pick: PC North 28, PC 20. It’s a rivalry game, so it’s always a toss-up, but I think the Panthers’ offensive talent will be the difference. Strange having this one as the opener, since it’s usually a Week 2 attraction, but it should be a wild one.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Yukon

Originally, I thought it’d be a good idea for Yukon and Mustang to swap hosting the game the next two years, so that Mustang could have it at their new stadium for the first game this year, and Yukon could have it at their new place when it opens next season. But for the 100th year, it seems right for this game to kick off the season at Miller Pride Stadium. 

As for football, I’m interested to see Yukon’s secondary in action against the Mustang spread this Friday night. Yukon has a lot of talent back there, but some of them are playing new positions, so it might take some game time for everyone to get on the same page. Wilson said defensive coordinator Steve Chard was happy with the team’s performance against Del City last week, and he said the team tackled much better than the previous scrimmage. 

Mustang 

I expect Mustang to be one of the top teams on the west side of the state by the time the season ends. However, I’m a little curious to see what the offense looks like in Week 1 at Yukon. It seems the Broncos have less depth at receiver than they expected, but the talent is there with David Glidden, Jon Luckey, Derek Garvin and some other less experienced young players. 

The most interesting twist in Mustang has been the players’ enthusiasm about the defense. One player told me last week that the defense is farther along right now than it was in Week 7 last year.  

Putnam City West 

The Patriots put in a new defense to get more defensive backs on the field, and if the secondary is comfortable with the new assignments, it should make a difference. And the offense should be much improved from last year, with experience at quarterback and deep talent at receiver and running back. 

Choctaw is a winnable game, but it will come down to line play on both sides. Guys like Grayson Buchanon and Cameron Sisco are leaders up there who will be heavily relied on.

Putnam City

In talking to John Wofford, his biggest concern is developing some depth on the offensive and defensive lines. Some of the starters on the offensive line will have to put in double time on the defensive line. And that will wear on kids who are going against guys half as tired as they are.

The Pirates seem to be pretty excited about the developing run game with Casey Curtis and Desmond Tilley. The pair of juniors give the backfield a nice mix, with Curtis coming from the scat-back mold and Tilley a bigger, straight-ahead runner.

Putnam City North

There’s one big question facing the Panthers as they head into the opener against Putnam City on Friday, and that’s the development of the secondary. Only junior Dequantae Colbert has any real experience, and there are at least a couple sophomores looking at significant playing time back there.

“JR Simon looked pretty good (in last week’s scrimmage),” coach Bob Wilson said. “Roosevelt Turner is another sophomore playing back there. We’re just so young, and that’s a tough place to play when you’re young, because if you mess up back there, everybody knows.

“Colbert is really the only guy on the back end that’s played on Friday nights. He’s got to be a leader. We’ve challenged him to do that and he’s trying to.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

PC North RB Dre Holman rushed for 942 yards in eight games as a sophomore last season.

Putnam City North junior running back Dre Holman could miss the first couple games of the season after suffering a partially torn meniscus on the first day of football practice last week.

Holman underwent surgery to repair the knee Monday morning.

The injury was sad news for the Panthers as they prepared for a season with two standout running backs, Holman and senior Sam Wolfe.

And it was sad news for Holman, with everything he has endured on and off the football field since last summer. But from the few times I’ve spoken with him, he seems to be a strong kid — in both mind and body — so I’d look for him to come back from this with force.

The RB position was ravaged by injury last season at PC North, with Holman missing the first three games of the year with a high ankle sprain suffered in the first days of practice. In the second game of the season, Wolfe broke his collarbone and missed the rest of the year.

After returning from last season’s ankle injury, Holman rushed for 942 yards and seven touchdowns, often becoming a workhorse for the Panthers and turning in multiple 100-yard games.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

There aren’t a lot of returning starters on the Putnam City North defense, but those who are back are a good group to build around.

Senior Brad Ross anchors the defensive line at tackle, with twin brother Nate Ross behind him at linebacker. Abe Almatasem returns at defensive end to give the Panthers a strong, athletic defensive front.

Of course, the offense has some key playmakers returning with running backs Sam Wolfe and Dre Holman, quarterback Jace James and receiver Covin Conrady. The injury bug has nagged the Panthers early in camp, but it doesn’t appear to be too serious.

Guys like Billy Prater and Jamal Page will get the opportunity to contribute as well at offensive skill positions as well. With the loss of three starting linemen, Daniel Burton will flip from right tackle to the left side and Andy Bates returns at center.

Most importantly, everyone seems more comfortable in the offense, hoping to pick up the pace in the no-huddle system. That said, players I spoke to on Thursday commented on the need to pull together as a team better on offense. One of my regular questions for players this time of year is about the area of the team they think needs to improve before the first game, and Burton and Brad Ross gave nearly identical answers.

“I’d like to see us come together as a team more,” Burton said. “We’ve got a lot of great athletes, a lot of great talent, but as a team, I don’t think we’re where we need to be. I’d like to see us come together as a team and not just a bunch of players.”

Added Brad Ross: “I’d like to see our offense come together a little more. We’re kind of scattered right now. We need to not focus on one guy and just have 11 guys on the same sheet of music so we can get something done, put some points on the board — and hopefully our defense can keep points off the board.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Nothing goes better with a 110-degree heat index than two-a-day football practices, and even with the crazy heat, high school kids across the state are jacked up for the start of practice on Tuesday. There seems to be quite a bit of excitement around the West Metro, and I’ll visit all five schools over the next few days.

But to get the juices flowing, here are some thoughts on big issues or interesting story lines in camp at Yukon, Mustang and the Putnam City trio:

PC West: Despite two winless seasons, there’s a genuine excitement at PC West, a type of excitement among the players that wasn’t there last season. Don’t get me wrong, last year’s team wanted to win, but heading into coach John Jensen’s fourth year, you sense the program is close to turning a corner. 

There’s a solid group of seniors leading the way, and numbers are up across the board. The offense will have a slightly different look, but Ray Young seems to be coming into his own at quarterback. He has plenty of receivers to work with, and he’s dangerous with his legs, too.

Yukon: Time for the Millers to show last year’s playoff appearance was a piece of the team’s growth rather than the peak of their progression. And though they’ve got to develop a few offensive linemen, the rest of the offense has a lot of weapons, starting with the Jones boys, QB Corben and RB Terry.

Then you’ve got the stacked WR group with guys like Kollin Retter, Kaiden Horn, Eric Granada and Derek Deeds. As long as the O-line comes along, that offense could be scary.

Steve Chard’s defense lost a lot of starters, but with guys like Jordan Edwards stepping into full-time roles, the team speed should be improved over last year.

Putnam City: There’s one big need in PC camp, and that’s the development of the run game. The Pirates feel good about the passing ability of Caleb Lee, and there’s a good group of athletic receivers to utilize. But without a run game to take some pressure off, they’ll be facing a lot more blitzing defenses with one thing on their minds.

Casey Curtis has a chance to be the answer in the run game. He was the team’s most elusive player as a sophomore slot receiver last year, and getting some carries in the backfield should benefit everyone. He’s not a big guy, but he’s dangerous with the ball in his hands.

The defense will get some serious attention in camp as well, after losing a good chunk of the front seven, which was the strength of last year’s team.

Mustang: Everyone nows about David Glidden, and those who don’t know about Brandon Taylor soon will. There’s no big-name guy like Bronson Irwin on the offensive line, but the Broncos have good size and strength up front once again. And there are some young or inexperienced receivers ready to step in, like Derek Garvin and sophomore Corey Irwins.

Developing the secondary, primarily at cornerback, will be key, because coach Ty Prestidge would prefer to keep Glidden off the field as much as possible on defense. And the defense lost a lot of the front seven, but that seems to be a yearly story line in Mustang, which reloads more often that it rebuilds these days.

PC North: Last year, the Panthers were full of experience and returning players at WR/DB. But all those guys were seniors, and this fall, the story is just the opposite. Most everyone else is back, but virtually all of the Panthers’ wideouts and defensive backs will be new.

But there are some solid pieces on the offensive line, and the running back duo of Sam Wolfe and Dre Holman will be strong. And Jace James seems far more comfortable at QB than he was a year ago at this time. Covin Conrady is the top name back at receiver, and he came on strong last season.

The defense will be interesting for the Panthers, with a few key players coming back — again, mostly up front. Developing that defense will be a big key to getting back to the playoffs this fall.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

A little late on this but trying to catch up on everything. Edmond Memorial upended Norman North 9-5 in the finals of the Pure Prairie League state tournament last weekend in Enid.

Norman North defeated Midwest City in the semis while Memorial ousted Putnam North. And interestingly enough, three of those four teams represented the west side in the state tournament in May.

The only representative not there was Edmond Santa Fe as the Bombers knocked off the Wolves.

“This is a big deal,” Norman North coach Charles Redman said. “These are our high school teams for next year. We looked at this as the continuation of our season.”

The Timberwolves have closed up shop for the summer at 29-8.

Waiting to hear back from Memorial coach Kyle Roberts to see who stood out when it came to the Bulldogs.

Got summer baseball news? Don’t by shy, hit me up in an e-mail. Appreciate it.

***

Got in touch with Roberts, and he said it’s just been an absolute team effort right now by the Bulldogs. The starting pitching has been fantastic, but he didn’t want to single out any of them because it’s been a TEAM thing.

And talking to him found out Memorial is taking on Pryor in the finals of the American Legion Tournament in Enid. It’s a best-of-3 series with Pryor leading 3-1 in the fourth of the first game that was suspended by rain. Keep ya posted.

Back out in Edmond on Thursday night for a near three-hour 7-on-7 practice between a bevy of teams. Santa Fe was the destination this time. And though Midwest City and Edmond North didn’t show up, still very much worth the time.

The format wasn’t like last weekend as there were no points or tournament or anything like that.  Offenses rotated every play while defenses alternated every four plays.

Thoughts and observations

- Douglass is going to be able to throw this year. I sent Ryan Aber and Scott Wright the same text message that this was the No. 1 thing I learned Thursday. Antyoun Smith was fantastic for the Trojans but throwing wasn’t his specialty. Shon Bridges was bringing the goods last night. Douglass was tough because the team wasn’t wearing jerseys but had a good talk with coach Willis Alexander.

- Felt cheated when it came to Guthrie. I got to see the Bluejays for bits and pieces. However, I planned to watch them intently in the final station, but Rafe Watkins’ boys were gone. Apparently they go out to eat on the final day…d’oh. Was good to see Kentrell Brothers in action again.

- Big couple of weeks for Northwest Classen. This was the first time the Knights have done something like this, and it will be intriguing to see what these four days meant to them. Coach Anthony Robinson was very pleased with the two weeks and NW certainly competed hard.

- Also spent a little more time watching smaller schools like Hennessey and John Marshall. Hennessey has some players, and I like their wide receivers. Orlando Pina is going to be able to stretch out defenses while Zach Griffin has great hands. Unfortunately, didn’t get to chat with Bruce Troxell about the Bears.

- Didn’t know the Irish were going to be there but good to see McGuinness again. Now’s the time for Jamaal Whitney to make that jump up. He definitely has all the tools to be a special one. Irish are itchin’ to get out there for real as I’m sure most teams are at this point.

- My first look at Putnam City North and gotta say, liked what I saw. This format won’t bring out the best in someone like Dre Holman but felt Jace James made some real nice throws as did Joe Summers. However, what I took from the Panthers was how solid WR Covin Conrady. Scott Wright told me to be on the lookout for Conrady, and he was certainly right about that.

- Edmond Santa Fe, Deer Creek and Southmoore were also there. I admit I didn’t spend as much time on these three schools after watching them all last weekend. I will say Tre Kelley is carrying himself differently (that’s a positive) for the Wolves. Alex Christensen is being used as a TE a lot more with Joel Blumenthal at QB for the Antlers though the two are still alternating snaps. And I could watch Kendal Thompson throw all day. Southmoore also has some sharp practice jerseys.

- By the time everything ended, it was too dark to shoot video with some of the players I wanted to. However, there should be a video of some action that I shot during the night on NewsOK shortly.

- We’re getting closer and closer to Aug. 10. I’ll have much more on certain teams in the upcoming days.

So that makes three things Sam Bradford has over me.

Bradford has been back in OKC this week for a variety of activities, one of which turned out to be playing a round of golf with his St. Louis Rams teammate Chris Chamberlain in the Bethany High School Celebrity Alumni Tournament Friday at Lake Hefner South.

Bradford knocked his tee shot inside of three feet on No. 17, which was good for the top prize, $100. He hasn’t signed a contract yet, so the hundred bucks could’ve come in handy but it was promptly donated back to the Bethany golf teams.

Obviously, Bradford graduated from PC North, so he isn’t a Bethany alum, but neither am I. My father, Keith, was a Broncho and we’ve been playing in the alumni tournament since the mid-1990s. In all those years, I’ve never seen a celebrity turnout like they had this year, with Bradford, Chamberlain and Grady Cross — the Cross of the Yukon-grown band Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Quite a day at the golf course. And to top it off, the tournament was won — rather easily and even more fittingly — by the family of the late John Griffis. Griffis was the Bethany golf coach who died last November after falling from his house while working on his roof. The team consisted of John’s two sons, Matthew and Isaac, his father, Jay, and his nephew, Jonathan Williams. Jay Griffis and Williams stepped in to take John’s position as Broncho golf coach last year.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

This feels like ages ago after Millwood’s Josh Turner committing to Texas for football and Edmond Memorial’s Drew Dahlberg committing to Oklahoma for baseball all in the same time period.

But a ‘long’ time ago (try Saturday early afternoon), I was pumped about the one-day camp that OKVarsity.com held at LaFortune Stadium in Tulsa.

For the record, that was my first time at the Stadium, not bad. More than 50 players participated in the three-hour event.

Without question, the quarterbacks were the story of the day. Not necessarily because of their performances (though they were good), but because six top QBs were there: Del City’s Chazten Gonzales, Jenks’ Sawyer Kollmorgen, Shawnee’s Brayle Brown, Yukon’s Corben Jones, Booker T.’s Jordy Albert and Bridge Creek’s Ryan Spangler.

That was the first time I’ve seen Jones and Albert so now I get it. Albert was one of the QBs in the Steve Clarkson Dreammaker Tour while Jones is just going to be a junior at Yukon. Spangler is so tall – something you really can’t appreciate until you see him. It will be interesting to see if his future is in football or basketball.

I kinda strayed away from the usual suspects as took this opportunity to get to know some of the Tulsa-area kids who I won’t get to see too often.

Tulsa East Central had a couple of real standouts in WR Dinazzio Teague and DE Ashton Dandy. I felt Teague had one of the best camps of anybody there. But keep in mind, I didn’t get to pinpoint all 50 kids, and it was easier to gauge how the QB/WRs were doing than anybody else.

What impressed me most about Teague wasn’t so much his speed (though he is fast), but it was his ability to get separation from the defenders. Teague is receiving interest from Texas Tech, among others.

Dandy will be playing DE for the Cardinals but looks more suited to be at linebacker in college. Very impressive physically (passed the eye test) and also had a strong day.

Muskogee already has one top DB for this year in Kyler Harris, but I was impressed by the work ethic and ability of junior Victor Williams. For my money (which isn’t much, by the way), Williams and Teague’s battles were the highlight of my day.

Over at Tulsa Edison, it was John Phillip Hughes who caught my eye. He’s a big boy, about 6-4 and 230 pounds or so, but he showed some real good movement.

Some of your Super 30 kids were in attendance: It was good to see Derrick Alexander of Booker T. and Trent Martin of Jenks. Steven Carpenter of Jenks was there but did not participate. He may have stolen the show if he’d been healthy.

Caught some linemen drills, not too much. I admit I couldn’t identify most of the Tulsa-area ones, but it was good to see Westmoore’s Tyler Newton and Bethany’s Darren Davenport and Hennessey’s Derrick Luetjen again. Newton has a real motor to go with his nice size.

There were 15 juniors there, and I paid close attention to Midwest City’s James Flanders and Putnam North’s Dre Holman. Really think before the end of this year those two names are going to be mentioned at all times when talking about the best of 2012.

Special thanks to OKVarsity.com publisher Justin Mitchell for orchestrating the event and all his assistance.

Look for videos with Westmoore’s Tyler Newton, Del City’s Chazten Gonzales and Yukon’s Corben Jones on NewsOK in the next day or two.

REGION III US Youth Soccer Championships
Baton Rouge, LA
Friday’s games involving Oklahoma teams

BOYS
U14: Lonestar (TX) 96 Red 3, TSC-96 Red (OK) 0
U15: Brentwood (TN) 95 Premier 1, OFC 95 (OK) 0
U16: TSC 94 Black (OK) 3, Dallas Texans San Antonio 94 Red (TX) 0
U17: Celtic 93 Green (OK) 4, KFC Crush 93 Blue (TN) 1; TSC 93 Red (OK) 1, DFW Tejanos 93 Premier (TX) 0
U18: 92 Louisiana Fire Red (LA) 2, Celtic 92 Green (OK) 1; OFC 92 (OK) 6, Dallas Texans Houston 92 Red (TX) 1
U19: Tulsa Soccer Club (OK) 2, Louisiana Fire (LA) 2

GIRLS
U14: East Lake Arsenal (FL) 3, OFC 96 (OK) 0
U15: Hurricane 95 Rhein (OK) 2, BUSA 95 Elite (AL) 0
U16: Solar Red 94 (TX) 2, North OKC OFC 94 (OK) 0
U17: Hurricane FC 93 Shubert (OK) 4, Mandeville Lakers (LA) 0
U18: 91 TFC Navy (NC) 4, Hurricane FC 92 Cussen (OK) 1

Putnam City North's Dustin Decker is ready to fight for his country.

I’m sure many of you remember our story about Dustin Decker – the Putnam City North lineman who had already enlisted in the Army National Guard — last fall.

Had everything gone as planned, he would have already shipped out for Army basic training, but the wear and tear on his knee from football and wrestling left him with a large tear of the meniscus, which required surgery in January. He has been fully released from his recovery, and will ship out in August, unless he can get an early ship date. Because of the injury, he was unable to report to basic with his friend and teammate Miles Holladay — the two enlisted together — who has already left for Fort Leonard Wood.

But other future plans have changed for Decker as well. He still has a goal of becoming an Army officer, but with his enlistment in the Guard, he is exempt from overseas deployment for two years while he’s in college. Yet that’s what he wants to do. So, after completing basic training and advanced individual training, he hopes to volunteer with the 45th Infantry Brigade when they deploy to Afghanistan early next year.

“As you can imagine, a mother would be inclined to try to talk her son out of volunteering to put his life on the line for his country if it was possible to avoid it,” his mother, Andrea Decker, said. “But Dustin is no ordinary young man. I didn’t talk him into becoming a soldier; it’s his nature. And it’s just been his calling ever since September 11, 2001.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Boy, the stories these men could tell. The newest members of the OBCA Hall of Fame. Photo provided.

How much basketball knowledge can you fit in one picture? Ya gotta be close to maxin’ out on something like that with the group in this one.

Here are the latest members of the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Starting in the back row:

Jim Kerwin (Stillwater, Seminole, Northern, assistant at OU, assistant at Kansas State, head coach Western Illinois).

Jim Walling (represented by his son; Asher and Earlsboro)

Front row:

Bill Robertson (Bethany, Putnam City North)

Gene Davis (Valliant, Broken Bow, Achille, Soper, USAO, among others)

CC Gillespie (Panola, Red Oak)

Congrats to all inductees.

First to Putnam City North, where there are lots of areas of excitement and some that leave a few questions. First, the excitement:

- Through a game-and-a-half last season, it looked like Putnam City North had a pretty good running back in junior Sam Wolfe. But a broken collarbone ended his season after rushing for 220 yards in less than six quarters.

A couple weeks later, Dre Holman made his varsity debut after missing most of August practice and the first three games with a bad ankle sprain, and he turned out to be one of the better young runners in the state as a sophomore. He concluded the year with 942 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games.

This spring, the Panthers got a look at their offense with both backs healthy.

“It can be real dangerous,” Holman said with a confident smile. “They haven’t gotten a dose of it yet. With both of us healthy, it could be a deadly weapon.”

Added Wolfe: “I feel like I’ve got good quickness. Dre has power and speed. With both of us, I like our chances.”

- Quarterback is a spot of comfort as well, with Jace James returning for his senior season. Summer is a busy time for James, whose college future is on the baseball diamond. He’s playing on two summer baseball teams, but will still make time for some 7-on-7, camps and summer lifting with the football boys, too. I’ll have more on his busy summer later this month, because I think it’s a pretty interesting story.

- There are a couple of starting linemen returning, and that group always seems to be solid, no matter what.

- Receiver is a big question mark, with Covin Conrady returning, and that’s about it. Almost all of those guys were seniors last year, and almost all of them played DB as well, so there are two areas of concern.

- The defensive front seven will have some new faces, too, though the Ross brothers, Brad and Nate, will play key roles up there again.  The defensive development of leaders on the back end, in particular, will be crucial over the summer, making 7-on-7 pretty important for that group.

- The offense is staying with the no-huddle scheme, and it seemed to get very comfortable with the offense as the season progressed last year. Coach Bob Wilson especially likes the uptick in offensive snaps. With the amount of talent the Panthers have on that side of the ball, an extra 15 plays per game is a big weapon.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Your All-City Tennis Players of the Year, Chris Haworth of Putnam North and Julie Labarthe of Heritage Hall. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Never in my three years of doing this gig have I had a tougher decision than who to select for this year’s All-City Girls Tennis Player of the Year.

You could make the argument for three players: Heritage Hall’s Julie Labarthe and Bishop McGuinness stars Mia Lancaster and Whitney Ritchie.

Lancaster beat Ritchie in the challenge matches to become the No. 1 singles player so now we’re down to two.

And what a duo the girls are. It’s amazing that in the three years they’ve played in the same state, Labarthe and Lancaster never ever met in a high school match.

This year was sure to be the year at the Heritage Hall Tournament of Champions. They would come in as the top two seeds and all order would be restored in my universe.

Nope. As we all know, the Tournament fell on Easter weekend and there are no extracurricular activities played by the Irish on that weekend.

They both went undefeated. Labarthe was 28-0, Lancaster was 27-0. Both won individual and team state championships.

Against common foes, they were both stellar. They both beat two of the best girls in the state, Duncan’s Melanie Barnes and Edmond North’s Ann Pepper, rather comfortably. And Lancaster didn’t lose a match in her three years with the Irish after having won state as a freshman in Texas.

So why not co-players of the year?

It’s in jest, but I blame Ryan Aber. When he chose Keiton Page of Pawnee over Rotnei Clarke of Verdigris, that was it. You could never ever make the case for a co-player award again. If you didn’t do it there when both had won state titles and set scoring records, it was never going to be done.

So I went to the coaches. I won’t tell you which coaches or what they said, but it was great insight.

What it came down to, for me, was the maturity (on and off the court) of Labarthe. She realized it was her senior year and played with such passion. She wasn’t taking this for granted.

Her focus was incredible this year, and you can see it when you realize she had 36 love (6-0) sets this year. That’s ridiculous. That means in only 20 of her 56 sets did any one earn a game against her.

There is no wrong answer in this equation but wanted to give you my .02. It’s a season award, not a career one. Labarthe faced tougher girls as McGuinness had bad luck with tournaments being canceled or teams pulling out, etc.

Truth is in a perfect world the two would duke it out for the championship in a Tournament of Champions that golf and track have done after their respective season. Since that won’t happen, went with my gut.

Congrats to both girls as Labarthe is headed to Quinnipiac and Lancaster is OU bound. For the record, the choice for boys (Chris Haworth of Putnam City North) took less than one second. We still have one more year with him.

For Labarthe’s story, go here. For the girls’ first team, go here. For the girls’ complete list, go here.

For Haworth’s story, go here. For the boys’ first team, go here. For the boys’ complete list, go here.

Where have my young legs gone? After walking the John Conrad Golf Course in Midwest City all day Monday, I feel 36, not 26.

But I (as well as chum Scott Wright) saw some great golf. I mean THIS is what an All-Star Classic is supposed to be, one big shot after another.

In the end, it was Oklahoma Christan School’s Jackson Ogle edging Edmond North’s Austin Fuller by one stroke (Ogle – 137; Fuller – 138) for the boys title while Westmoore’s Jade Staggs was two shots better than Kingfisher’s Bethany Darrough.

Staggs’ drives are sights to see. You’d have three of the four girls bunched up, and then you’d go another 30 yards and find Staggs. Such power.

But Darrough battled the whole way. The girls started the day tied as both shot a 70 in the first round Sunday. However, through the front nine, Staggs had a three-shot advantage.

We (myself and Scott) missed holes 10-12 as we badly needed food and drink. Darrough made a great charge and got to as close as one stroke after 15 holes (I think).

But Staggs was steady and closed out the show as the only girl to shoot under par in both rounds, compiling a 141 in the two days.

For the boys, now that was fun. Red numbers were a-plenty in the afternoon. Nobody had a better round than Chickasha’s Taylor Williams. After a disappointing 74 on Sunday, he had a tournament-best 66 on Monday.

But the showdown for the title was between Ogle and Fuller with Putnam North’s Zach Tucker just a stroke behind.

Only got to watch the final four holes because of tracking the girls, but what a final four it was as the two were tied. Both just missed birdies on 15. Ogle had a tap-in birdie at 16 to give him the lead.

Then No. 17 was incredible. Thought Ogle wrapped it up with a near 30-foot birdie putt, but Fuller came right back and sank about a 15-footer for birdie as well.

And on No. 18, Fuller nearly holed out on his third shot, prob fell just inches from falling in. Ogle calmly made his par and claim the championship.

I can’t play golf worth a lick so it’s fun watching those that know how to put on a show.

Scott will have the write-ups in Tuesday’s paper. Look for videos on NewsOK with Staggs, Darrough and Ogle (couldn’t find Fuller or would have grabbed him, too).

Great stuff, glad the Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour put this on.

For full results, go here.

Looked at moments 15-8 on Saturday, let’s finish the countdown. Like I said before, I had to witness these moments for them to be included.

No. 7 – Perry’s Ian Fisher and El Reno’s Cory Dauphin become four-time state champions

I always feel like Saturday night wrestling finals take forever, but they really don’t. Dauphin was absolutely incredible in his four years with the Indians while Fisher was so steady with almost like stoic presence. The two became No. 26 and No. 27 as Oklahoma four-time champions. Neither had any difficulty in achieving the feat.

No. 6 – Casady beats Heritage Hall 7-0 in 2OT

The term ‘Redeem Team’ wasn’t coined here, but this was the moment where you knew Casady was not going to be a pushover this  season. This game was full of great defense. Heritage’s Cale Courtney almost scored on a long fourth down run before the Cyclones finally found the end zone on a TD pass from Cale Shivers to Travis Hibdon.

Star vs. Douglass was memorable for many reasons - one of them was Darwin Rideau's performance. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

No. 5 – Championship Monday: Boys Tennis

Even if they’re not, when events run longer than they’re supposed to, it gives that feeling of being special. And for me, the tennis nut, this was like a dream to just go back and forth from four courts to watch one championship after another. Putnam North’s Chris Haworth reclaim his title, Nate Roper of Edmond North show he’ll be a force in years to come and the Huskies finishing a crazy-good season.

No. 4 – All-OKCPS Class 4A football championship (Star Spencer beats Douglass)

Maybe Stillwater wasn’t the best site for the two schools, but it was still a magical night at Boone Pickens Stadium. I don’t know if we’ll ever see anything like that ever again. It was a track meet in the first half before Terence Olds and Darwin Rideau powered the Bobcats to the victory and the state championship. Truly a great night for Oklahoma City Public Schools.

No. 3 – Edmond Santa Fe girls basketball beats Memorial in OT (aka the Arielle Cooper game)

Not only was this one of the best moments of the year, it was easily the best basketball game I saw the entire year. This was phenomenal with both teams taking shots at each other. Memorial is more than Alie Decker and Santa Fe is more than Courtney Walker, but they were phenomenal. Cooper, a sophomore, banked in a 3 to send the game into OT where the Wolves pulled it out. Even Memorial coach Shane Coffey couldn’t say anything bad about this one.

No. 2 – Booker T. boys basketball team wins state championship

Under Shea Seals, the Hornets had been so close in the last couple of years. Then this year, they clearly weren’t supposed to win against Tulsa Memorial. But Tharone Chilton and the rest of the BTW kids didn’t care about losing three times to the Chargers in the regular season. What sets this moment apart was the great celebration that included all the students there in the stands singing while the team had the gold ball. Really a special moment.

No. 1 – Edmond Memorial defeats Edmond North in biggest regular season Edlam game ever

OK, admit a little bias here. Being the Edmond writer, I admit to seeing the Bulldogs and Huskies (and Wolves) more than any other school. But this game had the feel of a big-time moment. North was 7-1 and off to its best start ever. Memorial was 5-3 and on a four-game winning streak. It was a battle for second in District 6A-2. And it was a defensive performance by the ‘Dawgs for the ages, culminating in Nelson Medeiros intercepting a pass in the fourth quarter and returning it for a touchdown in a 10-0 victory. It wasn’t a fluke as Memorial advanced to the quarterfinals and was tied with Jenks in the fourth quarter. And perhaps attending many practices and a pep rally for this game had my psyched as I remember saying this to one of my best friends: “I’m more pumped about Edlam than I was about OU-Texas. Is there something wrong with me?”

Now that we’ve looked back, time to look ahead to what should be a great 2010-11 high school sports year.

I wonder if Putnam North’s Chris Haworth got bored. Being undefeated for nearly two years in a row if just maybe he grew a little complacent.

The loss at regionals to Union’s Logon Collins woke up the sleeping giant. I have never seen Haworth play as well as he did in those three days.

He made some changes that didn’t turn out well and reverted back to his old self – good call. There was a passion and a focus I hadn’t seen from him since last year.

In the championship, he battled a great opponent (Casey Distaso), a solid crowd of Edmond North supporters and withstood every charge Distaso had. He was already a champion, but I felt Haworth grew up this year and especially in the championship.

Following his second title in a row, caught up with Haworth, who ends the year a ridiculous 41-1.

Atterberry signed with the Northern Oklahoma College of Tonkawa baseball team Monday at PC North.

He is the second Panther athlete in the last week to sign with a college. Volleyball player Aspen Healy signed with Seminole State last Thursday.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

My car after the hail storm. At least tennis wasn't played Sunday, huh? Monday was a great day of 6A finals.

Sorry for taking so long. But as you can see, I’ve got some other issues to do deal with, too.

With that being said, how great was Monday’s tennis? That was some fun stuff though incredibly tough to try to track it all down.

No. 1 Singles – Chris Haworth, Putnam North, def. Casey Distaso, Edmond North, 6-2, 6-4

This was the best match I’ve seen Haworth play. And lemme tell ya something, that is saying a lot. He went back to the basics after a surprising regional loss to Union’s Logon Collins.

Haworth was on fire in this one, early and often. I truly believe Distaso played a solid match and would have beaten any other competitor on this day.

Distaso has so much fire in him. You have to be mentally tough to take him out because there is no quit at all with the Georgetown signee.

On this day, Haworth brought his A game. Fantastic stuff. His decision making was phenomenal in this one.

No. 2 Singles – Nate Roper, Edmond North, def. Bowen Xu, Edmond Memorial, 6-4, 6-2

The first set made me think we were in for a three-hour epic. Turned out we weren’t as once Roper collected himself and got over the state nerves, he was impressive.

Roper had a 5-2 lead in the first, but Xu showed why he was the No. 1 seed coming into the tournament. Xu has a real nice forehand that was giving Roper trouble.

Roper found his groove in the second set. He started to dictate play and finished in style. Distaso came out and gave Roper a huge hug following the match.

This was the key (in my opinion) to why the Huskies won the team title. Because Distaso was at No. 1 singles, Roper was able to slide to No. 2 and earn the championship.

No. 1 Doubles – Brandon Champagne-Zane Simmons, Jenks, def. Gavin Dubberstein-Truit Gray, Edmond Memorial, 6-3, 6-3

Didn’t get to see too much of this match, but I was a little surprised at how well the Bulldogs duo was able to hang with the Trojans.

However, there would be no stopping the Jenks duo. Champagne and Simmons have been so good all year. All the expectations didn’t weigh them down. They got stronger and stronger as the year progressed.

No. 2 Doubles – Alex Mathieson-Baylor Spring, Edmond North, def. Omar Karim-Bryan Ulrey, Memorial, 6-2, 6-2

It seemed like the real battle was just getting here. Once the Huskies got to the final, they were possessed. The teams are so familiar with each other that there wasn’t much of a feeling out process.

Very impressive display by North.

***

Great crowd Monday. Loved all the Edmond North students coming out, showed great support for their team. It was still weird to be playing Monday, but the atmosphere was fantastic. And more importantly, how great was the weather? Good stuff.

Look for videos on NewsOK with Haworth and Roper.

Much more later, but here ya go:

Class 6A Boys

At OKC Tennis Center

Monday

Team Scoring

1. Edmond North 30; 2. Edmond Memorial 24; 3. Jenks 22; 4. (tie) Putnam City North, Tulsa Union 20; 6. Enid 12; 7. Westmoore 5; 8. (tie) Norman North, Edmond Santa Fe 4; 10. (tie) Lawton Eisenhower, Mustang, Broken Arrow 2; 13. Stillwater 1.

No. 1 Singles

Championship

Chris Haworth, Putnam City North, def. Casey Distaso, Edmond North, 6-2, 6-4

Third Place

Logon Collins, Tulsa Union, def. Sylvester Vo, Westmoore, 6-2, 6-0

Fifth Place

Chase Gordon, Jenks, def. Bryce Merritt, Edmond Memorial, 6-3, 6-3

Seventh Place

Kolt Byerly, Mustang, def. Kevin Boyd, Norman North, 6-0, 7-6

No. 2 Singles

Championship

Nate Roper, Edmond North, def. Bowen Xu, Edmond Memorial, 6-4, 6-2

Third Place

Andre Tardio, Tulsa Union, def. Kole Melton, Putnam City North, 6-2, 6-3

Fifth Place

Gray Whitman, Jenks, def. Owen Fike, Enid, 7-6, 6-2

Seventh Place

Lucas Swisher, Edmond Santa Fe, def. Brandon Hadwiger, Stillwater, 6-3, 6-4

No. 1 Doubles

Championship

Zane Simmons-Brandon Champagne, Jenks, def. Truit Gray-Gavin Dubberstein, Edmond Memorial, 6-3, 6-3

Third Place

Wil Rodwell-Brian Diefenderfer, Putnam City North, def. Nick Jordan-Bryce Lilley, Edmond North, 6-4, 6-4

Fifth Place

Nick Crossley-Josh Coleman, Tulsa Union, def. Devin Glasgow-John Ward, Enid, 6-4, 6-4

Seventh Place

Michael McCoy-Travis Sperr, Lawton Eisenhower, def. Nick Grafton-Austin Strickland, Broken Arrow, 6-3, 6-4

No. 2 Doubles

Championship

Alex Mathieson-Baylor Spring, Edmond North, def. Omar Karim-Bryan Ulrey, Edmond Memorial, 6-2, 6-2

Third Place

Gibson Rose-Matt Worrell, Enid, def. Parker Leach-Josh Mathis, Jenks, 6-4, 0-6, 7-6

Fifth Place

Jacob Allbritton-Andreas Kutt, Tulsa Union, def. Jeremy Ng-Trey Pirtle, Norman North, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6

Seventh Place

Aaron Clarke-Blake Thomas, Edmond Santa Fe, def. D.J. Trainor-T.J. Woods, Broken Arrow, 6-4, 6-3

Oh boy, this is what we live for. Monday will see the championship round of the boys 6A state tennis tournament at the OKC Tennis Center at 11 a.m.

It’s going to come down to an Edlam showdown as North and Memorial are in three finals apiece and play each other in two of them.

Here’s a preview:

No 1. singles – Chris Haworth, Putnam North (40-1) vs. Casey Distaso, Edmond North (22-2)

Haworth has played like a man possessed this weekend after losing to Union’s Logon Collins at regionals. Distaso’s only two losses this year have come against Haworth.

For Distaso, the key is to not be content with that memorable come-from-behind win against Collins. He’s played Haworth tight the previous two times.

Haworth told me he feels great, following his semifinal win while Distaso has all the momentum going with him right now.

Prediction: Haworth in three sets.

No. 2 singles – Bowen Xu, Memorial (20-1) vs. Nate Roper, Edmond North (10-0)

Ooh, a little contempt in this one. North felt Roper deserved the No. 1 seed at 2 singles. Xu has been great all year while Roper spent a good part of the year at one singles because we didn’t know if Distaso would play.

Xu has played like a true No. 1 seed while Roper has had three convincing wins of his own and both have clearly earned their spot.

I’m wondering if nerves will play any role. Xu is a senior while Roper is a freshman. He hasn’t played like a freshman, but he’s never been involved in that final state match. We’ll see.

Prediction: Roper in three sets.

No. 1 doubles – Brandon Champagne-Zane Simmons, Jenks (30-0) vs. Gavin Dubberstein-Truit Gray, Memorial (9-0)

I don’t want to say the Trojans are just going to roll through, but I think they just might. Champagne and Simmons have been the team to beat all season.

They actually had their toughest match in the first round and have only seemed to get stronger with each additional match.

Dubberstein and Gray are a formidable duo that didn’t play much together this year before this weekend. They’re definitely going to bring it, but it won’t be enough.

Prediction: Champagne-Simmons in two sets.

No. 2 doubles – Alex Mathieson-Baylor Spring, Edmond North (15-2) vs. Omar Karim-Bryan Ulrey, Memorial (18-3)

This might be the one that decides the team championship. Both teams went deep into the night to win their three-set battles in the semifinals Saturday.

The familiarity of this one will be interesting. These four kids know each other – strengths and weaknesses. Think it’s going to be that team that settles down first. Tough to not get caught up in the moment, but that will be key.

If I had to pick this match 10 times, I’d prob go 5-5. This time? I’ll go Huskies.

Prediction: Mathieson-Spring in three sets.

***

The interesting part (from what I’ve been told by the OSSAA’s Ron Etheridge) is that all four championships will be going on at once. It will be tough to ping pong back and forth from court to court. I know the kids can’t wait, but I can’t wait, either.

Edmond North is off to a good start in its Class 6A state golf championship defense on Monday at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course. The five-time defending champs shot a first-round 301 for a four-stroke lead over Edmond Santa Fe. Host Norman North is six back.

Edmond Memorial’s Taylor Moore finished his first round with a 2-under-par 70, one of two golfers under par in the opening round. The other was Edmond North’s Austen Fuller at 71.

Santa Fe’s Cody Reed and Norman North’s Bryce Barnard came in at 73; Tate Williamson, the No. 5 man from Broken Arrow, shot 74, along with Norman North’s Jett Johnson and Shawnee’s Dillion Mooreland, who is playing as an individual. At 75 were Broken Arrow’s Brent Williamson, Edmond North’s Alec Heinen 75, Bixby’s Jack Fiscus and Norman’s Kyle Raberding 75.

Everyone will play between 19 and 28 holes on Tuesday, with the first groups reaching No. 18 in the second round before play was halted. The last group was on the No. 9 tee.

The damage to holes 5-8 could impact play. About one-fourth of the groups still have all or some of those holes to play, because they started their rounds on No. 10.

There was a large tree uprooted on No. 7, which could change the thought process of how a player attacks the hole. Talking to some of the players, the tree prevents many players from hitting driver off the tee, because you need an accurate tee shot to have an open look at the green. Anything on the left side of the fairway was trouble. But without that tree, the hole becomes easier… basically a fairly open, straight par 4, and one of the shorter ones on the course.

But whether or not the Jimmie Austin folks can get the tree removed from the course in time for Tuesday’s action is questionable. That’s not an easy chore, so we’ll have to see what it looks like when everyone returns to the course on Tuesday morning.

Here are the team scores through the first round:

1. Edmond North 301
2. Edmond Santa Fe 305
3. Norman North 307
4. Edmond Memorial 310
5. Tulsa Union 312
6. Broken Arrow 313
7. Bartlesville 315
8. Jenks 318
T9. Putnam City North 321
T9. Stillwater 321
11. Owasso 325
12. Choctaw 326

And here’s the updated first-round individual scoring:

Top Individuals
70 — Taylor Moore, Edmond Memorial
71 — Austen Fuller, Edmond North
73 — Cody Reed, Edmond Santa Fe; Bryce Barnard, Norman North
74 — Dillion Mooreland, Shawnee; Tate Williamson, Broken Arrow; Jett Johnson, Norman North
75 — Brent Williamson, Broken Arrow; Alec Heinen, Edmond North; Jack Fiscus, Bixby; Kyle Raberding, Norman

Others
Edmond North: Eli Armstrong 77, Chase Griggs 78, Caleb Meyers 79
Edmond Santa Fe: Matt Helms 77, Landon Morgan 77, Max McGreevy 78, Brandon Stewart 78
Norman North: Drew Wright 80, Alex Newell 80, Matt Krutz 80
Edmond Memorial: Rex Greene 78, Mason Wright 81, Connor Kurtz 81. Bobby Todd 85
Tulsa Union: Bobby Goben 76, Garrett Hagood 77, Brodie Hinkle 78, Ryan Allen 81, Brady Richardson 89
Broken Arrow: Julian Rom 80, Sam Greenleaf 84, Nathan Swisher 88
Bartlesville: Brad Hager 78, Brandon Wong 78, Braxton Clopp 79, Josh Strimple 80, Clint Jones 81
Jenks: Colton Staggs 77, Brandon Jelley 79, Aaron Davis 81, Will McDonald 81, Hunter Miller 82
Putnam City North: Zach Tucker 76, Tripp Walcher 76, Sawyer McKaughan 84, Conrad Walcher 85, Terry Wiles 89
Stillwater: Tyler Grantham 76, Taylor Onley 76, Parker Dolezal 80, Skyler Patton 89, Brice Clark 91
Owasso: Zach Enzbrenner 79, Austin Clark 80, Ryan Hunninghake 81, Brad Kershaw 85, Cole Morgan 86
Choctaw: Drew Posada 77, Luke Fesner 80, Hunter Eisenhour 83, Heath Vessels 86, Taylor Gossett 93
Lawton: Russell Cozad 79
Lawton Eisenhower: Cullen Stahl 83, Tyler Jimenez 88
Moore: Ryan Harris 84
Muskogee: Stephen Allen 81
Sand Springs: Cole Stephenson 90
Sapulpa: Brody Moses 79
Southmoore: Iain Tesney 86
Westmoore: Garrett Cooley 83, Cory Montgomery 85
Yukon: Adam Cooper 79

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

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

PC North, ranked No. 1 in Class 6A all season, walloped an Edmond Memorial squad  —  which was ranked second for much of the season  —  3-0 in an opening-round match.

Meanwhile, Norman North blasted Yukon 8-1, setting up a quarterfinal meeting between the T-Wolves and Panthers Friday night at Norman North.

“That’s a dream game isn’t it?” said PC North coach Tom Pecore. “It will be a great game. The playoffs are extremely competitive this year. This was the best first round (of games) I’ve seen.”

Jaccob Rangel scored a pair of goals and center back Kevin Cabello added his team-best 12^th score of the season. The win moved the Panthers to 13-1 on the season.

“It was a great game,” said Pecore. “The wind kept it closer than it should have been. But Kevin Cabello once again proved he is the best big man in the state and the boys played terrific. The wind hurt both teams, but as far as the run of the game, it was us all the way.”

The injury seemingly sidelined her for the season. However, if the Panthers reach the state final  —  which will be played on May 15  —  Bechtold would be cleared to play. PC North finished the regular season at 10-3 and oipens the playoffs Tuesday against Edmond Memorial.