By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
We Are Irish: McGuinness Takes First Title
14 games, seven shutouts, one Class 4A State Championship.
An impressive resume for the Bishop McGuinness football team after they unleashed the defensive unit to capture the Class 4A title with a 31-0 victory over Grove Thursday in Broken Arrow. It was the seventh shutout of the season by the Fighting Irish defense.
Towns Holmboe scored on a three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give McGuinness all they needed. McGuinness quarterback Joseph Krenger added a 40-yard run on an option keeper to put the Fighting Irish in front, 14-0. Cameron Bryan booted a 41-yard field goal to give McGuinness a 17-0 lead at intermission.
In the second half, it was the same story. The Fighting Irish defense forced a turnover and just two plays later, converted their fortune into a touchdown when Krenger hooked up with tight end Jared Smith from 3 yards.
Krenger added a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter to cap off the state championship in his senior season, and to cap off a dream season for the Fighting Irish.
Grove, who finished 10-4 on the campaign, had 66 total yards on the evening. Don't be surprised if the Ridgerunners are back in 2007, with only five seniors on the roster. Quarterback Darius Hopper returns, along with running back Colton Gehrke and wide receiver George Maymi. Gehrke finished his junior season with 1,472 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground for Grove.
It was McGuinness' day however, which makes their 58th state championship in all sports for the Catholic High School in Northwest Oklahoma City. Their defense allowed just 5.6 points per game throughout the 2006 campaign, and that included 26 allowed against Millwood's powerful offense led by Tennessee commit Gerald Jones.
Jenks Claims Eighth 6A Crown in 11 Years
Enid's dream run to the Class 6A state final ended in tears thanks to Jenks, who added another piece of hardware to an already impressive display in its 28-7 victory Friday at Tulsa's Skelly Stadium. It was the eighth state title for the Trojans in 11 seasons. Led by a pair of juniors, title number nine seems well within their grasp.
Jenks running back Chris Adkins, a junior, scored from 1-yard to give Jenks an early 7-0 advantage.
Enid showed the fighting spirit that got them to the state final and responded with none other than Oklahoma commit Austin Box. Box scored one a 1-yard touchdown to tie the game at seven with 3:38 remaining in the first half.
Jenks embarked on a 10-play, 69-yard drive led by junior quarterback Mark Ginther. Ginther found tight end Mark Campbell on a key 23-yard strike down to the 16-yard line before connecting with Tramaine Thompson on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds remaining in the half to put Trojans back in front, 14-7.
In the second half it was all Jenks. Ginther capped off another lengthy drive by scoring on a 5-yard run to put Jenks ahead 21-7.
Ginther capped off the scoring with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Brad Regal with 6:40 remaining. Ginther completed 12 of 14 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Adkins finished the contest with 193 yards on 36 carries.
The Jenks defense held the Plainsmen to 132 total yards to give the Trojans their first title since 2003. Defensive end Tanner Shuck proved his worth as a major college prospect by registering 10 tackles, two sacks, and three tackles of loss.
Enid finished the season with a 9-5 record.
Okeene Claims Class A Title
Okeene won the Class A State Championship with a 24-14 victory over Velma-Alma on Saturday in Edmond to complete a 15-0 season.
Senior quarterback Brady Wardlaw scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to give Okeene a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter.
Wardlaw tossed two touchdown passes in the second and third quarters to turn a 7-0 deficit into a 14-7 advantage for Okeene. Wardlaw finished with 125 yards passing for the Whippets.
Velma-Alma responded with quarterback Kyle Palacol tied the game in the fourth quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run before Wardlaw put Okeene ahead with his touchdown run later on.
Velma-Alma finished the season at 14-1.
Millwood and Vian to Meet in Class 2A Final
There still will be one more weekend of high school football in Oklahoma when Millwood (Oklahoma City) and Vian lock heads to decide the Class 2A title Saturday, Dec. 16 in Broken Arrow.
It should be a dandy. Millwood downed Spiro 56-26 Saturday in Tulsa to advance to the championship game.
Millwood quarterback Gerald Jones scored on an 81-yard touchdown run for the first points of 44 unanswered by the Falcons. Spiro was in front 14-6 after Gerald Sublet's 4-yard touchdown run before Jones took over.
Jones connected twice with Texas Tech commitment Tramain Swindell from 35 and 50 yards to continue the Millwood onslaught. Jones, who recently committed to Tennessee, finished with 181 yards passing on just four completions, and added 192 on the ground.
Vian's path to the meeting with Millwood wasn't so easy. Vfastv Locust busted a 59-yard touchdown run with two minutes remaining to give Vian a 34-27 victory over Davis.
Locust rushed for 173 yards on 24 carries and scored three touchdowns for the Wolverines. Vian went out in front 13-0 in the first quarter when sophomore quarterback Tyren Samuels connected with junior Andy McEver on a 7-yard scoring pass before Locust scored from 3 yards out.
Davis stormed back behind LaQuentin Black. Black got Davis on the board with a 49-yard touchdown run to kick-start a 12 point second quarter. At halftime, Davis trailed 13-12.
Black scored two more touchdowns from 3 and 20 yards in the third quarter to give Davis a 28-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Black rushed for 133 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.
Locust took over in the fourth quarter after D'Mitri Perry's 3-yard run to finished the third quarter. Locust scored from 1-yard out before winning the game with his 59-yard gallop.
Scott Hansen: shansen17@cox.net