By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
Jenks vs. Union.
For any football fan in Oklahoma, putting the two schools in the same sentence sends tingles down the spine. On Friday at H.E. Chapman Stadium at the University of Tulsa, these two will do battle once again in the 2007 MidFirst Backyard Bowl.
If you want a state title in Class 6A, you have to go through Jenks or Union. The two have combined for every state title in Oklahoma's largest class since 1996.
Without a doubt, this is truly one of the nation's best rivalry games. Upwards of 40,000 fans will pack H.E. Chapman Stadium to witness two of the top programs not just in the Sooner State, but nationally, lock heads.
In this century alone, the Backyard Bowl has produced two of the best games in state history. In 2005, heavily-favored Union watched as Jenks scurried back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Trailing 37-20, Jenks scored three quick touchdowns in less than three minutes to take a 41-37 lead with 3:36 remaining.
Union answered with a legendary drive, capped off when quarterback Casey Whorton hit Kegon Beers with 34 seconds remaining to give the Redskins a 44-41 lead.
In improbable fashion, Jenks quarterback Jake Strain found Issac Norman on a 63-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left to cap off the Jenks comeback.
In 2000, it was much the same. Jenks running back Kejuan Jones hauled in a pass and took it 80 yards for a touchdown with eight seconds remaining to give the Trojans a 41-37 victory.
In both heart-stoppers, Jenks trailed in the fourth quarter 37-20 before embarking on the comebacks.
What will 2007 produce? The match-up is highlighted by two teams eerily similar. Jenks and Union both have two of the top quarterbacks in the entire state, along with two very talented running backs.
Jenks is led by quarterback Mark Ginther and Chris Adkins. Both Ginther and Adkins played major roles in the 2005 comeback as sophomores. Ginther threw for two touchdowns in the 2005 epic, while Adkins rushed for two scores of his own.
Union have quarterback Brandon Rogers and junior running back Jeremy Smith. In a season-opening victory in the Ohio vs. USA Challenge at Canton McKinley, Rogers and Smith combined for three rushing touchdowns and hooked up for one through the air in a 31-0 rout.
Whether offense or defense dominates could go either way. Last season, both defenses played out of their skin as Jenks won 9-6. It took Ginther's 80-yard first quarter touchdown scamper to produce the moment of brilliance, typical in defensive struggles, to manufacture the victory for the Trojans.
Rogers almost produced another heroic comeback in 2006 for Union, but his 34-yard touchdown pass to Brad Wondra with 34 seconds left was called back. Jenks preserved the victory by stopping the Redskins on the next three plays.
Expect 2007 to be another classic that could come down to the final play.
Jenks vs. Tulsa Union
2007 MidFirst Backyard Bowl
H.A. Chapman Stadium, University of Tulsa
Friday September 7, 2007
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Weather Forecast: 60% Chance of Thunderstorms, Game Time Temp 81.
Television: Cox (Ch. 3 in Tulsa, Ch. 7 in Oklahoma City)
Jenks Trojans (1-0)
Head Coach: Allan Trimble
Championships: (11) 1979, 1982, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006
2007 result: defeated Bixby, 27-3
Top Players (2007 season stats)
Mark Ginther- QB: 16-25 passing, 198 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
Chris Adkins- RB: 16 carries, 109 yards, 2 TDs; 3 receptions, 23 yards
Dallas Beeler- WR: 5 receptions, 49 yards
Cory Dorris- OL
Zac Bertelli- LB: 13 tackles
Tony Gillespie- DT: 5 tackles, 1 sack
Gabe Lynn (jr.)- DB: 5 tackles
Tulsa Union Redskins (1-0)
Head Coach: Kirk Fridrich
Championships: (3) 2002, 2004, 2005
2007 Result: defeated Canton (Ohio) McKinley, 31-0
Top Players (2007 season stats)
Brandon Rogers- QB: 10-18 passing, 152 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 1 rushing TD
Jeremy Smith (jr.)- RB: 107 yards rushing, 2 TDs; 1 TD reception
Dylan Troutman- LB
Randy Stanley (jr.) DB: 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception
Jonathan Ameen- DB
Tahj Lark- DB
Tress Way- K: 4-4 PATs, 1 field goal (29 yards)
Jenks vs. Union This Century
2006- Jenks 9, Tulsa Union 6
Mark Ginther's 80-yard run combined with Jenks' stingy defense got the job done for the Trojans.
2005- Jenks 48, Tulsa Union 44
Issac Norman of Jenks hauled in a 63-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds remaining. Jenks scored 28 fourth quarter points after trailing by 17 points in the final stanza in what many observers call the best high school football game in Oklahoma's history. Union would have the last laugh as it went on to win its second straight state title.
2004 Class 6A State Championship- Tulsa Union 27, Jenks 17
For the second straight year, the playoff meeting went the opposite way of the regular season result. Union's Brad Glenn scored three touchdowns as Union won its second-ever state title.
2004- Jenks 17, Tulsa Union 13
Trailing by 10 points with less than two minutes remaining, Union's comeback fell short thanks to a huge play by Jenks linebacker Phillip Dillard.
2003 Class 6A State Semifinals- Jenks 14, Tulsa Union 12
Freddie Carolina erased memories of the regular season loss and rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns as Jenks squeaked past Union en route to its seventh state title in eight years.
2003- Tulsa Union 37, Jenks 0
Union held Jenks scoreless for the first time in 15 years in the victory.
2002- Tulsa Union 33, Jenks 12
Kurt Quillman scored two touchdowns as Union ended Jenks' 39-game winning streak.
2001- Did Not Play
Game originally scheduled for Sept. 14 was cancelled and not rescheduled due to 9/11.
2000- Jenks 41, Tulsa Union 37
Jenks running back Kejuan Jones had 307 total yards and scored on an 80-yard reception for his fifth score with eight seconds left to give Jenks an improbable victory.
Jenks vs. Union Notes
2003 and 2004 was not the only time Jenks and Union squared off twice in one season. In 1999, the rivalry produced two classics. Union won the regular season clash 27-24 in overtime before Jenks got their revenge in the Class 6A State Championship game with a 14-7 win in front of 40,305 fans in Tulsa.
The most points ever produced by both teams was in 1998, when Union's Danny Morris rushed for 209 yards and six touchdowns as Union won 55-45.
The 2007 version of the Backyard Bowl marks the fourth year that MidFirst Bank will sponsor the event.
Jenks junior defensive back Gabe Lynn picked up two offers this week, the first week colleges were allowed to officially offer juniors. Lynn received offers from Nebraska and North Carolina. Lynn is the younger brother of Nebraska linebacker Phillip Dillard, who has battled injury throughout his career in Lincoln. North Carolina assistant John Blake recruited Dillard to Nebraska.
NFL Network will be filming a documentary of the rivalry, set to debut on Oct. 18 on Versus.
Scott Hansen: maxprepsok@sbcglobal.net
