District previews: Classes 6A-C
If you missed your school’s district football preview, here’s all the links for every district.
District previews: Classes 6A-C
Class 6A
District 6A-1: Lawton’s Sunny Puletasi learns quickly
District 6A-2: D’Juan Brooks stepping up for Edmond Memorial
District 6A-3: Jenks still strong without Jarrett Lake
District 6A-4: Choctaw trying to build tradition
Class 5A
District 5A-1: Coach Tom Cobble says it’s a good time to be in El Reno
District 5A-2: Carl Albert QB J.T. Realmuto could see time on defense
District 5A-3: Tulsa Washington unanimous No. 1
District 5A-4: McAlester poised to rebound; East Central wants more
Class 4A
District 4A-1: McGuinness’ offensive line a concern
District 4A-2: Tecumseh is strong up front
District 4A-3: Home playoff game is Collinsville’s goal
District 4A-4: Broken Bow coach high on Eric Dockins
Class 3A
District 3A-1: Tuttle battling lack of experience
District 3A-2: Madill trio has coach Kerry Roberts looking for big things
District 3A-3: Jody Iams’ Eagles rely on Wing-T
District 3A-4: Metro Christian gains valuable asset in QB Beau Marsaln
Class 2A
District 2A-1: Marc Robinson still growing for Heritage Hall
District 2A-2: Little Axe ready for breakthrough?
District 2A-3: Washington’s Chance Pistole moving to fullback; Bridge Creek rebuilding its line
District 2A-4: Atoka QB commands attention
District 2A-5: Chandler counting on Brandon Cummings
District 2A-6: Toughness key for Valliant
District 2A-7: Verdigris has 15 experienced seniors
District 2A-8: Colcord hoping to build on strong finish
Class A
District A-1: Hennessey avoids logjam at quarterback
District A-2: OCS’ Jack Warren hasn’t forgotten loss
District A-2 notes: Trio vying for QB job at CHA
District A-3: District loaded with talented teams
District A-4: Bray-Doyle deals with adversity
District A-5: Tough three weeks for Stroud
District A-6: Talihina a cut above the rest
District A-7: Morrison ready to reload
District A-7 notes: Barnsdall seniors looking for wins
District A-8: Commerce looks to preserve streak
Class B
District B-1: Could district dominance repeat?
District B-2: Paoli defense is a strength
District B-3: Weightlifting competition inspires OCA
District B-4: Copan’s secret is out
Class C
Shattuck closing in on record win streak
District C-1: Finding running back key for Forgan
District C-2: Aaron Vondrak to lead Thackerville
District C-3: Seiling to turn QB Zach McDonald loose
District C-4: Maud’s Jarrid Resler works way back
Final tennis rankings (boys and girls)
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
The tennis season is over and so too is the speculation about all the rankings. Duncan coach Phil Barnes has passed along to me both the final boys and girls rankings as decided by the Oklahoma Tennis Coaches Association.
Girls
1. Bishop McGuinness: No surprise here. The Irish won their 11th straight title and totally deserve the honor. If this was an AP football/basketball poll, girls would receive all first-place votes.
2. Bishop Kelley: Won three straight titles before McGuinness came along in 5A and denied it. Andrea Lewis and Meredith Burns don’t have to take a back seat to anybody, and it was a joy to watch them play.
3. Duncan: Yep, when I said 5A was top-heavy all season, wasn’t kidding. First three teams are from the class. Melanie Barnes will anchor the crew next season.
4. Heritage Hall: Three and four are tough. Only because I’ve seen Heritage more would I flip ‘em. The 4A champs will have Julie Labarthe back, Carissa Villaflor grew tremendously as a player this season while Sarah Bowen might end up being one of the most athletic players the state has seen.
5. Edmond North: And here is your 6A champ. Rachel Mitcham will return at No. 1 singles and Huskies should be knockin’ on the door again.
6. Jenks
7. Edmond Memorial
8. Broken Arrow
9. Cascia Hall
10. Shawnee
Only change in my rankings would be Chargers at No. 3 and Duncan at No. 4. That’s it, pretty fair assessment of the season by the rankings committee.
Boys
1. Putnam North: 6A was the cream of the crop in the boys and no team was better when it mattered most than David Diefenderfer’s Panthers. Chris Haworth’s goal: back-to-back-to-back undefeated seasons.
2. Union: Almost as dominating as Haworth, No. 2 singles player Trevor Horstmann couldn’t be touched. Add in some great drama in the doubles play, and Union didn’t relinquish its four-year reign without a fight.
3. Bishop Kelley: Cruised to third straight 5A championship. One more year of Cale Hammond means good times for tennis fans and bad news for the rest of 5A.
4. Cascia Hall: Getting to be as dominant as McGuinness girls. Commandos are a well-oiled machine and Chase Tomlins will be going for that rarity of being a four-time champion next season.
5. Edmond Memorial: A sentimental favorite as I feel no team progressed from the beginning of the year to the end like Bulldogs. Randy Mays will still have a lot of weapons at his disposal next season.
6. Edmond North
7. Metro Christian
8. Ada
9. McGuinness
10. Heritage Hall
Based on familiarity again, would switch McGuinness and Ada. Already looking forward to next season as so many teams were so young this season that next year can’t help but provide even more drama.
Speaking of drama, time for the All-City Team. A little more research, but like I said, pretty confident with the selections.
The Boneman Tennis Invitational…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
This will never happen, but it’s been itchin’ at me lately how some of the best tennis players are in the wrong class, and we don’t get to see the epic showdowns we deserve to see at the state tournament.
Since I have so much “power,” I have devised my eight-girl singles tournament with the right to be called “The Boneman’s Champion.” It’s an extremely prestigious honor that would rank right up there with a state title. No, seriously, it would.
No. 1 seed Whitney Ritchie, McGuinness, vs. No. 8 seed Jennifer Buntz, Jenks
The Class 5A champ (Ritchie) vs. the 6A runner-up (Buntz). Because of weather and scheduling, McGuinness and Jenks never met this season, oddly enough.
No. 4 seed Mia Lancaster, McGuinness vs. No. 5 seed Meredith Burns, Bishop Kelley
A match so great at the state tournament (Lancaster won) that we get to see it again. Like and appreciate the game of both girls immensely.
No. 3 seed Andrea Lewis, Bishop Kelley vs. No. 6 seed Rachel Mitcham, Edmond North
Here we have the 5A runner-up (Lewis) vs. the 6A champion (Mitcham). How would Lewis respond to the constant high-ball game of Mitcham and how would Mitcham respond to the power of Lewis?
No. 2 seed Julie Labarthe, Heritage Hall vs. No. 7 seed Melanie Barnes, Duncan
And finally the 4A champ (Labarthe) vs. the third-place winner in 5A (Barnes). Since it’s my tournament, Barnes’ wrist is completely healthy, and we get to see her at her best. Labarthe’s arsenal is on full display every match, doesn’t matter who the opponent is. That makes her one of the favorites, easily.
One qualifying statement: the girls had to play singles this season at the state tournament. So as much as I would like to see Katelyn Connelly (McGuinness), Sarah Bowen (Heritage Hall) and Gaby Siegler (Jenks) compete in this “all-star tournament,” it wouldn’t happen.
Irish eyes still smilin’…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Don’t think there was ever a question about whether or not McGuinness could make it title No. 11 in a row. Absolutely loaded at each spot that it really wasn’t possible for another team to make a dent in 5A.
However, there were some real tense moments in the McGuinness singles championship matches with Whitney Ritchie vs. Andrea Lewis (Bishop Kelley) and Mia Lancaster vs. Meredith Burns (Bishop Kelley).
A selfish part of me was hoping that Lancaster/Burns match would have went three sets because that would have easily been the match of the tournament.
Lancaster smoked Burns in the first set, 6-1, but Burns found her footing and waged a great duel in the second set and even led 5-2 at one point before losing in a tie-breaker. I believe it was 7-5 in the breaker.
Ritchie had beaten Lewis, 6-0, 6-0, in their only official meeting before Saturday. She was up 6-2, 5-2, at the Cascia Hall Tournament before it was called off because of rain.
Lewis came out and made a strong statement (and not just because she was my Player to Watch). She was up 4-1, and Ritchie was in real trouble with the hard-hitting Lewis.
That’s why I talked about Ritchie’s heart because she hadn’t been tested all season and came through in spades when she finally was.
It might be pure coincidence, but both Ritchie and Lancaster played extremely better once their teammates came around.
The No. 1 doubles team of Katelyn Connelly and Emily Conrad took care of business and quickly went over to watch Ritchie. That’s when Ritchie took over.
Then all three of those girls and the No. 2 doubles team of Ashleigh Chiaf and Trinian O’Neil ran over to watch Lancaster in that tight second set.
Their whole team unity is a lot more than just a cute thing to say. It’s real. McGuinness finished 102-0 in their respective positions this season.
I picked Duncan to edge Bishop Kelley, and I was two points off as the Comets held off the Demons for second place. To say 5A was top-heavy would be the understatement of the tournament.
And tough break about Booker T. Washington’s Lili Johnson. She had split the first two sets with Lewis in the semifinals before cramping up and having to default that match and her third-place match with Duncan’s Melanie Barnes. Hate to see that happen at the state tournament.
Academic achievement award: Duncan, 4.0 GPA.
Girls Tennis Preview (what to watch for)
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Biggest thing to watch for is the weather. Here’s to hoping we get everything in this weekend.
As much as I love tennis, it’s the first sport that has to be called off with even the smidgest amount of rain.
Ever played on a slippery court? You like having healthy legs? Don’t play on a slippery court unless you want to mess up your knees, or ankles or hamstrings. It’s brutal.
But with that said, what should you be watching for this weekend at the state tournament?
Class 6A
Biggest question: Can anyone pose a real threat to Jenks? I don’t think so. Admittedly, haven’t seen the Trojan girls this season. Just been looking at the numbers and remember how strong they were last year.
Edmond Memorial has the best chance while Edmond North is solid, too. If you combined the schools, they’d be dynamite.
But as is, see it being Jenks-EM-EN finish.
Player to watch: Rachel Mitcham, Edmond North. The No. 1 singles field is about as open as can be.
With Jennifer Buntz of Jenks, Mackenzie Zaloudek of Enid and Lindsay Choi of Edmond Memorial, it’ll be a real battle for the crown.
When Mitcham is on her game, she’s the best. She’ll have to bring it this weekend.
Class 5A
Biggest question: Will McGuinness sweep? I’m not trying to be a jerk, but that is the drama for me. Whitney Ritchie and Mia Lancaster are some of the best juniors in the country (not just state) and the No. 1 doubles team of Katelyn Connelly and Emily Conrad would be singles players just about anywhere else.
This is a loaded field, though. Andrea Lewis of Bishop Kelley, Melanie Barnes of Duncan, Meredith Burns of BK immediately come to mind as real threats who could pull off an upset or two.
The real battle will be for second b/w Duncan and Bishop Kelley. And based on what I’ve seen, I’m going to go for a minor upset and say Duncan places second with BK closely behind.
Player to watch: I’ma say Andrea Lewis of Bishop Kelley. She’s a two-time state champion. When she played Whitney Ritchie earlier this year, she lost 6-0, 6-0. There were extenuating circumstances, but still, think Lewis will have a lot of pride if the two meet in the championship.
Class 4A
Biggest question: Will Heritage Hall’s new line-up prove dividends? Dick Villalfor changed up his crew late in the game, moving No. 2 singles player Sarah Bowen to No. 1 doubles and moving No. 1 doubles player Carissa Villaflor to the No. 2 singles spot.
He said it will give him the best chance at state in both positions but definitely an interesting move. Tough to question someone who has won as many championships as Villaflor.
Heritage Hall and Cascia Hall were pretty dominant at their regionals and have been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 throughout the season, and that order shouldn’t change here. Chargers come out on top.
Player to watch: Julie Labarthe, Heritage Hall. Was a little too young for Peta Maree Lancaster of McGuinness last year in the final. But I would have loved to have seen a Labarthe-Ritchie singles championship this year.
Oh well. Labarthe has been as good as advertised and is routinely posting at least one 6-0 set in just about every match she’s had lately.
Should be a fun weekend. See ya on the courts.
