By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
Last year, one district produced three Class 6A semifinalists. Additionally, four teams were ranked among the top six in the state for a good period of last season. Expect 2007 to be no different for the superpowers that occupy District 6A-4, the toughest district in the state.
Defending champion Jenks, Muskogee, and Owasso all occupied spots in the semifinals. Booker T. Washington spent some time as the number one ranked team in the state after upsetting Jenks 43-37 in triple-overtime. The district could easily have produced all four semifinalists if Enid, which eventually marched on to the state final, had not upset Booker T. Washington.
Jenks has quarterback Mark Ginther, named first-team all-state according to MaxPreps last season. In a 42-12 victory over Mustang in a scrimmage on Aug. 17, Ginther lived up to his billing. Ginther hit running back Chris Adkins on a 69-yard screen pass for a score on the second play. Ginther threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns while completing 15 of 22 in the scrimmage as the Trojans racked up 617 yards.
After Ginther found Adkins for paydirt, he hit Jordan Towers from 55 yards out, Dallas Beeler from 59 yards, and Jake Summers on a 35-yard strike. Junior running back Grant Goodwin rushed for three touchdowns to boost the backfield for Jenks.
Watch for another quarterback to emerge in the future for the Trojans. Sophomore Dylan Kubala transferred to Jenks from Metro Christian and will likely be the back-up to Ginther. Kubala could even start the season opener against Bixby on Aug. 31 while Ginther is away playing baseball. Ginther, though, is expected to return for the Backyard Bowl against Tulsa Union at Skelly Stadium on Sept. 7.
As a freshman, Kubala threw for 852 yards and nine touchdowns while being forced into action when his brother, Ryan, went down due to an injury.
Muskogee expects a boost from move-in Trae Cook from Tahlequah. Cook was a two-year starter at quarterback and is expected to move into the role for the Roughers. As a junior, Cook threw for 697 yards and six touchdowns in just six games for the Tigers.
Wide receiver Jameel Owens is the 26th ranked player nationally according to CSTV's Tom Lemming. Defensive tackle Stacey McGee can't be far off of the Top 100, and he is regarded as one of the top players at his position nationally.
Linebacker Travon Brooks and defensive end Colton Archer are also expected to provide a solid defense for Muskogee.
Booker T. Washington used the overtime victory over Jenks to pick up the District title last season. The Hornets must replace Arkansas signee Michael Harris, who rushed for 2,074 yards and 32 touchdowns last season.
Offensive lineman John Williams, a 335-pound guard, has a handful of Division I offers and will do his part to pave the way for whoever takes over for Harris.
Linebacker Michael Doctor, a junior, had 158 tackles to lead the defense as a sophomore. Wide receiver/defensive back Dolphin Davis is one of the most athletic players in the Tulsa area heading into his senior season.
Owasso surprised some by its run to the semifinals under the direction of Kirk Fridrich, who accepted the head coaching role at Tulsa Union in January. Behind the legs of Kingjack Washington, the Rams defeated Stillwater and previously unbeaten Westmoore before bowing out with a loss to Enid.
Washington led Class 6A with 2,133 yards and 21 touchdowns last season and is being replaced by none other than his younger brother, Jacques. As a sophomore last season, Jacques Washington was one of the starting wide receivers for the Rams.
Junior offensive lineman Brandon Webb is one of the top linemen in the entire state and should reach all-state success this season while opening holes for Washington and company.
Don't count out Sapulpa. Quarterback Kyle Blevins returns for the Chieftains, who won two of their last three games last season. Jeff Davis joins Blevins after hauling in three touchdown receptions and returning two kickoffs for scores as a junior.
Bye-bye Boyd
As it turns out, the mouth-watering prospect of having two of the top juniors in the nation on the same team will not become a reality after all. After learning he may not be eligible to play at Norman this season, guard Terrence Boyd opted to enroll at Arlington Country Day in Jacksonville, Fla.
Boyd spent his sophomore season at national powerhouse Oak Hill Academy (Va.) before returning to Oklahoma this summer to play AAU basketball for Athletes First. Boyd joined Norman's Kyle Hardrick, Putnam City's Xavier Henry, and Bishop McGuinness' Daniel Orton on the all-star team. All four are considered among the top 100 players in the Class of 2009.
Boyd averaged 16.5 points per game as a freshman at Norman and has schools such as UConn, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, Syracuse, and Texas closely monitoring his progression.
Meanwhile, Henry is said to be considering Kansas, Louisville, Memphis, North Carolina, Ohio State, and Texas. Henry averaged 22.6 points per game last season as a sophomore for Putnam City. J.J. Henry, his father, played at Kansas in the 1980s.
Orton has picked up offers from Arkansas, Kansas, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Wake Forest. As a sophomore for the Class 4A state champions, Orton averaged 6.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 7.2 blocks per game, but will carry more of an offensive load for the Fighting Irish after Michael Sosanya graduated.
Crescent's Shaw Granted Hardship Year
Crescent guard Prince Shaw was granted a hardship year by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association recently, according to Crescent head coach Bart Watkins.
Shaw averaged 30 points per game last season for the Tigers while leading them to the Class 2A state tournament. Crescent lost in the first round to eventual champion Oklahoma Christian School.
Shaw, at just 6-1, also averaged 8.7 rebounds and five assists per game for Crescent and is one of the top players in Class 2A this season along with Pawnee's Keiton Page.
Scott Hansen: maxprepsok@sbcglobal.net