MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard

Teens tend to like to blend in. They don’t like to be outcasts or particularly different — in most cases.

That is not the case for the Verdigris (Claremore) girls basketball team and coach Mike Buntin, who preaches to a different philosophy.

"We established a goal to be uncommon this season," he said. "We take pride in doing the little things that most teams refuse to do. We strive to work harder than any other team in the state. We believe if we are uncommon, it will enable us to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a state championship."

Thus far, it’s sure working.



The Cardinals are off to a 22-2 start after beginning the season with 16 straight wins. They are ranked fifth in the state, according to the MaxPreps computer rankings.

For their uncommon approach and winning ways, the Cardinals are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

Since the team’s last loss, a 53-51 defeat at Inola, Verdigris has rattled off decisive wins over Lincoln Christian (68-45), Berryhill (66-38) and Metro Christian (59-42).

Without a 6-footer on their roster, which includes just three seniors, four juniors, six sophomores and four freshmen, the Cardinals rely on quickness and defense to succeed.

The loss to Inola proved to be a blessing in disguise.

"No one likes to lose," Buntin said. "But it motivated us to work harder at a point in the season when it was easy to get complacent."



When you have a player like Baileigh O'Dell, a 5-foot-2 point guard, it’s easy to get complacent and just watch.

Though the Cardinals have two key double-digit scorers in Keara Battenfield (12.5 points per game), a freshman, and junior Courtney Risenhoover (11.0), O’Dell definitely "is the engine that makes us go," Buntin said.

O’Dell is averaging 21.8 points per game and has scored in double figures in 23 of 24 games. She also scored 33 against Locust Grove and is shooting a remarkable 52 percent on 3-pointers (71 of 137). She shoots 53 percent from the field overall and makes 81 percent of her foul shots.

"She has a motor that never stops," Buntin said. "She also plays with a chip on her shoulder. She has a desire to be the best and won’t allow anyone stop her. She has become almost unstoppable this year.

"She has always had an explosive first step and the ability to beat people off the dribble. However defenders were able to sink off of her and contain her dribble. But she worked extremely hard this summer on improving her jump shot. Now she has the ability to rise up and shoot her jumper over the top of her defender when they sag off of her."

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At this time of year, a loss isn’t such a bad thing. It’s humbling. Can get teams refocused.



That certainly seems to be the case for the Lions of Haworth, who responded to a disappointing 52-48 loss to Broken Bow, with two resounding wins last week.

For their comeback performance, the Lions are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"The loss against Broken Bow really showed us a lot of things that we needed to work on," said head coach Burtchal Griffin. "We needed to do a better job rebounding and we needed to get better on transition defense. In that game we gave up 20 points in transition and we can't give up those easy baskets. In practice afterwards we also worked on our out-of-bounds defensive plays. We realized that everybody has to play hard every night and we needed to focus more on our defense."

Haworth (22-3) last week defeated Valliant 72-33 before winning at Hugo, 65-48.

Against Valliant, the Lions jumped to leads of 24-7 and 51-18 after the first two quarters. Coach Griffin's son, senior Junior Griffin, led four players in double figures with 17 points, followed by sophomore Jerry Threadgill Jr. with 15, Oscar Rivera 13 and junior James Pollard with 10.

Haworth shot a sizzling 60 percent from the field (25 of 42) and recorded 24 steals and 21 assists.

At Hugo, Haworth outscored the home team 22-8 in the fourth quarter to win going away.



Griffin, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, had 27 points on 11 of 15 from the floor, including three 3-pointers. Senior Rivera had 15 points and Theadgill added 10.

"He can do a little bit of everything," coach Griffin said of his son. "He is willing to play where ever we need him to play. He can play the guard position or be a power forward. He's an all-around player."

The Lions, under fifth-year coach Griffin, have won at least 18 games in each of his seasons, including a 28-7 record last year.

Griffin has gone 18-4, 19-8, 22-5 and 28-7 before this season.

Junior Griffin leads the team with a 14.3 points per game average, followed by Hayden Grimes (12.9) and Rivera (11.3).

"We want to win the state championship," said coach Griffin. "We also want them to be excellent young men in the classroom. It would mean a lot to me to have them excel in high school and go to college to become successful young men in whatever field they choose to work in."



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It’s simple really, says Edmond Santa Fe girls basketball coach Paul Bass.

A bitter 72-70 loss in the state semifinals last year to eventual champion Washington probably cost the Wolves a third straight Oklahoma 6A state title.

No problem, said Bass. Just get back to the drawing board and basketball court.

"Our goal every year is to win a state championship," he said. "A lot of our players have been a part of those state titles and understand what it takes to win. All you can do as a player is prepare."

Evidently, the Wolves have done it well.

They’ve had another stellar regular season, going 16-1 as of Feb. 8 and a No. 2 state ranking. The team’s only loss was to top-ranked Broken Arrow, 42-35, on Jan. 11.

Since then, Edmond Santa Fe has won seven straight.



"It was a tough loss," Bass said. "In the locker room after the game we committed to refocusing in practice and working harder, but most of all working harder on defense."

Since that loss, the Wolves have allowed more than 40 only three times.

For their resilience and ability to bounce back from a tough loss, the Wolves are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

They are led offensively by senior Tamara Lee (15.2 points per game) and 5-11 sophomore Aahliyah Jackson (9.8 ppg and 7.7 rebounds per outing).

"(Lee) is a great offensive player," Bass said. "When we need points, she will be the one to get them for us. She is very focused and determined to win."

They’ve sure won a lot lately, going 24-2, 28-0, 27-1 and 23-5 the last four seasons.



Another 20-win season and strong state-title run appear imminent.

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It’s one thing to be 18-1, ranked 24th in the state and a perennial Oklahoma state boys basketball power.

But Oklahoma Centennial (Oklahoma City) assistant coach Chris Gibson said the Bison should be applauded for defeating far tougher opponents than they face on the court.

Namely, peer pressure.

"These kids persevere through very rough living conditions on a daily basis," he wrote in his nomination.

Most of the players live in areas where gang activity is pervasive, Gibson said. Instead of partaking, the Bison request the gym be opened on weekends and holidays.



"Not only have these kids come together on the court to achieve one of the best starting records in Centennial history, but more importantly they refuse to give in to peer and gang pressure off the court," Gibson wrote.

Head coach Garrette Mantle said the team's love for basketball also helps keep the players out of trouble. And winning games.

"You have a tendency to win a lot of games when you have really good players," Mantle said. "Centennial has good players. This group really likes to play the game. In fact, they love the game. Furthermore, they are a very competitive group. They love to compete and find ways to win because it is important to them."

For their fast start, ability to steer clear of negative off-court influences, and overall love for the game, the Bison are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

Centennial has responded well to what most would call a successful 18-7 season in 2012-13. For the Bison, it was somewhat disappointing considering they won back-to-back 3A state titles the two previous years, going 24-7 and 24-5 in the process.

The three seasons before that, Centennial was somewhat of a state doormat, going 6-14, 11-13 and 1-18.

The Bison started 15-0 this season but, after a lopsided loss to Eisenhower, they have once again responded, this time with three straight wins.



The Eisenhower loss was an anomaly, Mantle said.

"(Eisenhower) attempted 17 3-pointers and made 15," he said. "They were bigger, stronger and faster at every position and their coach said that was the best game his team has played in many years. They are a Class 6A team and we are 3A. That being said, no one anticipated the outcome. But no one anticipated the Denver Broncos would struggle so much in the Super Bowl. It's a game of nights."

The Bison are led by 6-foot-7 senior center Austin Garner at 14.2 points per game. Junior Cory Morgan, a 6-2 shooting guard, isn’t far behind at 13.9 ppg and 5-11 shooting guard Malcolm "Boo" Mitchell at 11.2. The Bison average just over 70 points per game and also get consistent double-digit scoring from Mathew Johnson (9.8 ppg).

After the loss to Eisenhower the Bison were tested by MacArthur, but pulled out a key 65-64 back-and-forth win. Garner had 19, Morgan 12 and senior 6-3 senior forward Corneilus "Corn" McKiver had 11. There was no margin greater than two following each quarter.

Garner then broke loose for 24 in a 68-46 win over Marshall, before a 65-58 victory over Millwood.

Centennial plays Southeast (Oklahoma City) this week and then Capitol Hill (Oklahoma City) on Feb. 11. With a nice blend of experience and very promising youth — three seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and six freshman — the Bison should make a strong state-title push.



"These guys just love to play basketball," Mantle said. "It's what they do. They would all spend most of the day and night in the gym if I would make it available. It's not uncommon for me to have to run them out of the gym during the day when they are supposed to be in class."

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As defending Oklahoma 5A state champions, the boys basketball team at Memorial (Tulsa) has had a giant "X” on its back all season.

With a new head coach — Robert Allison — and numerous new players, the Chargers figured to start slow.

Not so.

Instead, they charged to six straight wins, before tailspinning. They lost four of five and things could have got out of control. Instead Allison and a pair of senior guards, Demari Edwards and Rjwan Diggs, righted the ship and Memorial has won three straight.

For their turnaround and perseverance, Memorial is the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.



"As a coaching staff, we looked at the game film in these close games and we figured out that it came down to a couple key plays at the end," Allison said. "We let our players know and focused on staying more disciplined. We told the guys that losing these close games was all fixable and we could control these plays.

"We worked on picking up the intensity on defense, making the extra pass and we started winning and had a better flow on the court. This catapulted our confidence and they stayed together as a team."

It helps to have players like Edwards (15 points per game) and Diggs (13.4). They’ve been on varsity since they were freshmen, which isn’t very common.

"Very rare at Tulsa Memorial," Allison said. "They have started in many games together and have a lot of experience. They have played in a lot of big games and are very, very good players. We have 10 seniors who bring maturity and leadership on this squad. They are able to overcome a lot being that mature, and they do it together."

The Chargers have a rich history. Former coach Eric Savage also lead the team to a state title in 2008. Other Memorial state titles came in 1975, 1995 and 2003.

Despite all the success, Memorial isn’t resting on its laurels. Allison is taking a day-by-day approach.

"We want to keep getting better and improve each day," he said. "We want to stay hungry, keep working and keep playing together as a team."



They’ll need to in order to get by McLain Science & Tech (Tulsa) and Central (Tulsa) this week.

The emergence of 6-8 junior post A. J. Cockrell (12.3 ppg, team-best 8.3 rebounds per game) will definitely help.

"All remaining eight games we have are against opponents who are ranked in the top 15 in their respective class, so we know we will be tested even more," Allison said. "When teams play us, they come with extra mojo, so we need to match their intensity. We have some tough games ahead, but if we work on getting better everyday, we'll have a chance to compete."

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It’s not by accident, Yale boys basketball coach Rocky Kennedy said.

The reason his Bulldogs have had so much success since he took over six years ago is simple: Hard work.

"I have been fortunate over the last six years to have some pretty talented players who have been willing to put in a lot of time and effort to get better," he said. "The players have spent a lot of extra time in the off-season to improve themselves for the betterment of the team."



Yale is off to an 8-1 start in 2013-14 and have won five straight. This coming after seasons of 13-11, 22-6, 19-5, 24-7 and 24-6 last year.

The Bulldogs pulled out a couple tight ones in their last two games, 55-53 over Jones and 55-51 over Newkirk.

For their fast start and long line of success, Yale has been selected as the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

The team has been led all season by the two-man scoring onslaught of seniors Brady Eberhart (15.9 points per game), a 6-foot guard, and Konner Fowler (15.1), a 6-3 forward.

The duo has been a rock of consistency and extremely versatile throughout their careers, Kennedy said. Eberhart also averages 3.6 assists per game and has a season high of 27 points in a 73-42 win over Shidler. He’s made 24 3-pointers on the season.

Fowler, who has made 55 percent of his shots this season and averages 7.2 rebounds per game, and has a high game of 25 points in a 61-49 win over Wellston.



"Brady and Konner are great players," he said. "They contribute to our team in many ways. They are very talented players, but they are also great leaders and teammates."

With nine seniors, experience has definitely helped, especially in close games.

"Most of our senior class has been playing together since the second and third grade. They know each other well, and they do not care who gets the credit or the glory as long as they win the ball game. They are extremely unselfish.

"This combination of hard work and unselfishness has been some of the major contributors to our success."

Other key seniors are Jake Winterbottom, Shane Smith, Braxton Wade and Keston Foster.

"We do have several seniors that have been on varsity since their freshmen and sophomore years," Kennedy said. "That experience has helped them to keep their composure in difficult situations.



"We have been to the Area tournament the last two years, and we would like to find a way to take the next step and reach the state tournament and give ourselves a chance to win a state championship."

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Starting the season with 10 straight victories is impressive enough. But for the Broken Arrow girls basketball team, this is landmark.

There’s little-to-no history of success for the Tigers, who went 16-12 last season. Before that it was 7-16, 7-14 and 9-12.

In 2008-09, Broken Arrow had a breakout 20-7 season, but the two years before that, it was a combined 11-31.

For their fast start, the Wildcats are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"We have made a concerted effort to get better at the little things that don’t show up on stat sheets such as blocking out, help defense and making the extra pass," said head coach Mike Hughes. "There has also been a high emphasis put on individual player development with concern to shooting, dribbling and defensive positioning. Furthermore, we're creating more team chemistry through team outings and understanding roles of the team and the importance of each."



The Wildcats have won by less than double-digits only four times, including a 42-35 triumph over Edmond Santa Fe on Saturday. Broken Arrow got 13 points apiece from seniors Jordan Doyle and Toree Thompson.

Edmond came into the game undefeated as well.

Broken Arrow also opened with a tough 58-50 win over Bartlesville and two games later, pulled out a 67-65 win over Muskogee as Thompson went for 21 points, Ashlyn McBride added 14 and Amari Dennis 11.

That was Muskogee’s only defeat of the season as well.

Thompson, the team’s leading scorer at 21.3 per game, exploded for 31 in a 60-54 win over Midwest City, in the Wildcats’ only other real tight game. A 5-foot-9 point guard, she has signed a letter of intent to the University of Mississippi.

"Toree is a 'freak,' as the coaches like to say. She can flat out score from everywhere on the floor," said Hughes. "Her ability to do that makes everyone on the floor better as she makes defenses play us differently as opposed to her not being there.



"The reason that she does what she does is she is a 'gym rat.' When we finish practice with the team she is just starting, as she will get out the cones and start working on her game for at least an hour. She definitely has earned everything that she is getting through hours of hard work."

With six seniors and six juniors on their 15-person roster, the experience for the Wildcats has really shown through in close games.

Behind Thompson, Doyle is the team’s second leading scorer at 9.1, followed by Dennis (8.0), McBride (8.5) and Alexis Gaulden.

Doyle is the team’s leading rebounder (6.0 per game), followed by Thompson (5.3) and Dennis (4.2). The Wildcats shoot 43 percent from the field and 64 percent at the foul line and average just 13 turnovers a game.

All of it has led to a perfect start for coach Hughes, whose team is ranked No. 1 in the state according to the MaxPreps computer rankings.

The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Union (Tulsa).



"As we told the team in the beginning of the season, we do not want to set expectations that we can see, touch, smell," said Hughes. "Our ultimate goal for this team is to play the best that we can play as hard as we can play and all of the rest of things that they want to happen will."

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With five freshmen on a seven-person roster last season, Classen (Oklahoma City) coach Malcolm Roberts must have known good days were ahead.

The Comets, in fact, enjoyed a fine 17-10 season in 2012-13, but inexperience showed during a three-game losing streak to close the year.

But Classen has likely surpassed Roberts’ early expectations with an 11-1 start, highlighted by two tournament titles — one at the Okemah Tournament and the other the Crooked Oak.

For their early-season success and two tournament titles, the Comets are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"Our offense is created from our defense, so we have been working hard in practice and focusing on our defensive stuff," said Roberts. "We try to take after what the University of Arkansas does. Our style of play is fast break basketball, getting up and down the court as quick as we can. We are now preparing for the Army National Guard Tournament at Kansas at the end of this month."



Classen won the Okemah Tournament title with a 61-49 win over host Okemah as a new freshman, Taylor Roberts exploded for 24 points, sophomore Kennedy Williams added 14 and freshman Victoria Vickers contributed 10. A 33-17 run in the middle quarters keyed the victory.

The 5-10 Roberts then led the Comets to the Crooked Oak title by scoring 27 points in a 72-51 win over Oklahoma Centennial. Williams added 19 points and Vickers 12. Roberts also had eight of the team’s 18 steals.

"(Roberts) makes our team go and she makes the other players around her better," said coach Roberts, also Taylor's father. "She helps out the other guards on the team and the post players. She missed our first three games of the season and without her, we didn't flow as well as a team."

For the season, the sensational Roberts leads the team and the entire state in scoring at a 28.7 points per game clip, followed by Williams (11.6), sophomore Maya Thompson, Vickers (7.6) and senior Jetta Smith (6.8).

"She can be a shooting guard or play the point and she's a freshman who is already receiving phone calls from colleges, which is pretty remarkable," coach Roberts said of his daughter. "It is pretty neat that she has those type of stats, especially as a freshman. It makes this even cooler because she's my daughter."

Williams is 5-9, Thompson 5-11, Vickers 5-2 and Smith 6-1.



Thompson leads the team in rebounds with 105, followed by Smith (73) and sophomore Maite Bradford (53).

The Comets get many of their buckets off steals, and with 142 on the season the team averages almost 12 per game.

Ranked sixth in the state, Classen has almost doubled the output of its opponents, scoring 819 points (68.2 per game), while giving up just 430 (35.8).

"We want to win a state championship," said Roberts. "This is my third year coaching and the first year I was here, we had a five-person roster and had to cancel our season early. Last year we increased to a seven-person roster and went 17-10. This year we were able to pick up a few more players to add to our team.

"As a coach, I am more concerned about the quality of players I have, not the number. I would rather have nine players who are skilled and can play, and I am lucky to have that this season."

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Sometimes teams catch fire late en route to championships. Not the case for the Anadarko Warriors football team, which went end-to-end, start-to-finish, September-to-December on a dominating run to capture the Oklahoma 4A state title.



Anadarko (14-0), which outscored opponents 664-101, finished it off with a 40-0 win over Poteau at Oklahoma State University on Saturday to claim its second title in three years.

It also took some of the sting away after losing 21-14 in last year’s state finals to Clinton. That broke a win streak of 28 games.

For their comeback spirit and dominance, the Warriors are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"It feels really good this year," said head coach Kent Jackson. "Especially after last year, losing in the last seconds of the game, it's good to get redemption. We won the state title in 2011, we were the runner-up in 2012 and it feels great to be the champs again this season."

Led by coach Jackson, Anadarko was on a mission all season, opening with a 73-14 win over Chickasha. That was just the starting fuse to an explosive season.

The Warriors rattled off wins of 62-0, 53-7, 63-14 and 68-7 the next four weeks. Saturday’s shutout was the team’s fourth of the season, but five other times Andarko allowed a touchdown or less in a game.



The team was led defensively by junior Malik Boardingham, who recorded a state-best 20.5 sacks to go along with 83 tackles. Sophomore Kaden Jackson also had 11 sacks. The team’s tackle leaders were Ethan Smith (108 tackles), Traymayne Wauahdooah (87), Boardingham and Jarrod Wheeler (75).

"It really was the type of kids we had on our team. They are a very physical group," said Jackson. "When they are out on the field, that physicality definitely comes through on the defensive side of the ball."

Offensively, senior R.J. Sink rushed for 2,229 yards and 37 touchdowns. The Warriors rushed for 3,746 yards and averaged better than seven yards per carry, and with a very efficient passing game led by quarterback Brandon Pollard (123 of 172, 71 percent, for 1.937 yards, 22 touchdowns, 4 interceptions), Anadarko was almost impossible to stop.

The top receiving threat was Josh Parton (39 catches, 735 yards, 13 touchdowns) but Brayden Alexander (36 catches, 492 yards) and Mykel Shaw (23, 351) were also potent threats.

In the title game, the defense was extremely active as Boardingham had three of the team’s 7.5 sacks and Smith contributed 16 tackles.

Offensively, Pollard was 6-for-9 for 128 yards with touchdown passes to Shaw and Sink, who also rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown.



"(Sink) means a lot to our running team and our quarterback does a good job at getting our players the ball," said Jackson. "(Sink) committed himself to the weight room in the offseason and was able to get much stronger. He really practiced on his running game and worked hard to get faster."

Wauahdooah also had a big game with 327 return yards, including a touchdown.

Overall, it was a dominating fashion in all facets of the game, which represented the entire season for the Warriors.

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It’s not easy to talk about around Davis, though it’s brought up often. It’s the football team’s motivation. It’s the players’ battle cry.

Around San Antonio they remember the Alamo.

Around Davis they remember 44-41 score against Oklahoma Christian.



That was the score of last year’s state 2A title game, the only loss of the season for the Wolves after 14 straight victories.

Davis has gotten right back on the proverbial horse and is off to a perfect 13-0 start this season, including a 28-27 2A quarterfinal win over Adair.

The team’s semifinal game with Vian was postponed due to severe weather and the teams will tangle again Friday in McAlester.

For their excellence and perseverance, the Wolves are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

After opening the season with a narrow 34-28 win over Ringling, Davis breezed over the next 10 games before pulling out back-to-back humdingers.

"The philosophy we have here at Davis is based in accountability and selflessness," said head coach Jody Weber. "Every year we have seniors who are first-time starters. This is a credit to our players' willingness to serve their team and wait their turn to play. We really respect those kids who can play very little for two years, and stick with it because they are unselfish and know that whatever role they have is important to our team."



The Wolves pulled out a 34-29 win over Christian Heritage behind 217 yards rushing and three touchdowns from Blake Summers and 65 yards rushing and a touchdown by Braden Ruth.

That set up a game with Adair, and once again the rushing combination of Ruth (18 carries, 163 yards, 1 TD) and Summers (18, 138, 1) led the way.

Adair actually took a 27-13 halftime lead before Summers returned the second-half kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. The team’s defense then stiffened the rest of the game.

Summers scored again, this time on a 7-yard run with 9:01 to play, before he found Ty Milligan with a pass completion and two-point conversion to put Davis up for good.

But it didn’t come without a scare.

Adair drove 10 plays to the Davis 33, but the Wolves held and then ran out the clock with three straight third-down conversions.



Ruth leads the team with 1,202 yards rushing through 11 games with 23 touchdowns, while Summers is at 1,190 and 14 scores.

Summers, a 5-foot-11, 152-pound junior, has also intercepted eight passes on the season and is the team’s punter.

"We lost 17 starters from last year so we are excited to achieve a level of success with a bunch of new starters," said Weber. "They have overcome a lot of adversity and each week a different kid seems to answer the call when we need him. These guys are really goal-oriented and have set their sights pretty high. They have continued to get better even this late in the season and that is a credit to them first and foremost."

Weber has led a powerhouse Davis program, recording a whopping 111 wins and just 19 losses since 2004. The Wolves, however, have not gotten over the hump to win a state championship.

The school has won four of them — the last, however, was 1995. The Wolves have also won crowns in 1990, 1986 and 1979.

"Because of the inclement weather preparation (for Friday's game against Vian) has been more of a challenge," said Weber. "We are preparing for a close game against an opponent that we respect. At this point in the season, mental preparation is more important than physical preparation, and I think our staff and players have done all they can to get ready."



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It’s that time of year and Jenks (Okla.) football coach Allan Trimble and his Trojans know it.

Going after their 14th state title, Jenks (13-0) wasted little time, scoring the first five times it got the ball in a 46-14 6A state semifinal win over Westmoore Friday night at Miller Stadium in Yukon.

For their continued success and resounding win over Westmoore, the Trojans are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"We have a great deal of pride and effort on how we prepare for games," said Trimble. "We had tough practices, watched lots of game film, we had repetitions on plays. We tried to make ourselves as mentally and physically ready as we could."

According to newsok.com, Kalen McDavid rushed 23 times for 147 yards, Cameron Booty and Noah Moore each ran for scores and Steven Parker added two touchdown receptions as Jenks moved into the state finals against longtime rival Union.

The two teams have combined for the last 17 6A state titles. The title game is Thursday.

Jenks is the defending state champions and have won other state crowns this decade in 2007, 2006, 2003, 2001 and 2000.



"We really worked hard to repeat that this season," said Trimble. "We have a great group of seniors who helped us get to this game and they played a big role last year. We wanted to carry on the tradition so we have been working hard to get here again."

Jenks, which beat Union 27-23 on Sept. 13, has been balanced all season behind the rushing of Booty and passing of sophomore quarterback Cooper Nunley, who through 11 games completed 92 of 164 for 1,586 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Booty had rushed for 1,019 and 12 touchdowns and Trent Taber had made the most of his 20 carries with nine touchdowns. McDavid (468 yards, 6 TDs) and Darwin Thompson (320, 3), both juniors, have also been strong contributors on the ground.

Parker has been the team’s top receiver all season with 22 catches for 367 yards, though Dylan Harding has been the team’s deep threat with 16 catches for a whopping 501 yards (31.3 per reception) and six touchdowns.

Jenks prides itself on gang tackling and with a remarkable 48 different players with tackles, it’s obvious the Trojans  prioritize defense.

"Our defense is very special," said Trimble. "We've got a majority of them who are three-year varsity starters, who have been playing at this level since their sophomore year. They are a veteran crew who are very experienced. Being seasoned has helped them be so tough on defense."



Leading the squad with 56 tackles is senior Luke Thompson, but contributions are all around, including junior Marquise Overton (41 tackles), senior Taber (39), senior Chris Lilly, senior Steven Parker (33), Jacob Boepple (35) and senior Byrl Foster (31).

Jenks, ranked No. 1 in the state by MaxPreps and 19th nationally, has outscored opponents 501-168 all season. It opened the season with three close wins over Trinity (27-23), Union (27-23) and Owasso (45-28 and 14-10), the latter coming in the first round of the playoffs.

As usual, it comes down to a battle with Union, something players from both squads are used to.

"We are trying to prepare thoroughly," said Trimble. "(Union) is a very talented group with lots of nationally recruited players, so we know we will have to be at our best. We are trying to make the most of our practices and work on what we think they are going to do.

"We know this is a great opportunity for us to be playing in this game and the kids are preparing hard like they always do."

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
It's an old adage: once the playoffs start, throw the records out the window.



Lincoln Christian (Tulsa) had started off the season on a sour note with back-to-back losses and stood at 3-3 halfway through. But head coach Darren Melton kept the message to his team clear — just get to the playoffs.

That's exactly what the Bulldogs did, winning four of their final five regular season games to advance to the Class 3A playoffs. Their reward? An opening round road matchup with an 8-2 Stigler team.

"It’s a new season. You play for ten weeks to qualify for the playoffs and then put it all behind you," said Melton. "With it being the playoffs the enthusiasm in practice increases and our guys understand that at this point every team is a good one."

Stigler was certainly good, but last Friday night Lincoln Christian was better, pulling out a 41-21 victory to advance to the second round.

For its resilience and impressive playoff-opening victory, Lincoln Christian has been selected as the Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

What made the win that much more impressive was the fact that the Bulldogs were led by a pair of young pups, sophomore quarterback Micah Wilson and freshman running back Reed Martin.

Wilson had pinpoint accuracy, connecting on 16 of 20 passes for 190 yards, including three touchdowns. Martin was the workhorse on the ground, pounding out 128 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. The 128 yards surpassed Martin's total for the entire season up to that point, as he had gained 123 yards on just 17 carries in limited action prior to Friday's game.



"Due to several injuries this season Reed has been forced into action very early in his career," said Melton. "Having a freshman on the field is not usually the ideal situation, but he has performed well against some tough opponents."

Martin took over for Lincoln Christian's hampered starting running back, senior Justin Flewellen, who had rushed for over 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season.

"Reed’s big frame and explosive running style allowed for him to get some tough yards against a good Stigler defense last Friday," said Melton. "His daily preparation met with opportunity and he helped lead his team to a win on the road. It was an impressive thing to watch."

Wilson was equally impressive at quarterback. His favorite target on Friday was fellow sophomore Alec Davidson, who caught nine passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Another sophomore, Jacob White, and senior Tim Schwoegler also hauled in touchdown passes.

Schwoegler also made what could have been the play of the game on defense, returning a botched lateral 35 yards for a touchdown to give Lincoln Christian the final momentum. Davidson also intercepted a pass for the Bulldogs.

Melton and Lincoln Christian (7-4) face another tough task on Friday, when they take on 11-0 Victory Christian on the road in the second round of the playoffs.



"Our preparation has been the same as any other week," said Melton. "We understand the challenge in front of us and we look forward to a great opportunity against a very good Victory Christian football team. The team seems to be very focused.

"It is always a goal to practice on Thanksgiving, so that adds a little extra incentive for this week. Our guys are practicing efficiently and spending some extra time in the film room. Needless to say, we are very excited about this Friday."

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
Perhaps it's destiny.

Following another resounding victory Friday, the Destiny Christian (Del City, Okla.) Wildcats 8-man football team conclude their 2013 season Friday with a game against the Oklahoma City Patriots HomeSchool (Oklahoma City).

Last year the Wildcats concluded their season against the Patriots as well.

Destiny Christian hopes to finish the same way after ending last season with a 72-26 victory.



In 2013, Destiny Christian is 10-1 and have outscored opponents by a 551-215 count, including 59-6 playoff win last week against Cookson Hills Christian.

Dallas Biddle rushed for 156 yards and three scores and Boston Mims added 101 yards rushing and two scores as the Wildcats piled up 378 yards.

For their resounding playoff win and 10-1 season, the Wildcats are the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"We have been pushing on our kids all week that this is a revenge game for them," said head coach Joe Biddle. "They will use that factor all week to prepare for us. This is a great opportunity for us to be here again, but we can't overlook anybody.

"Our biggest thing all week is to stay focused. We know that turnovers happen, injuries happen, and the weather can be unpredictable, but we have been telling our players that on any given day, anyone can win. And if we keep working like we have been doing all year then we can win another state title."

Senior quarterback Craig Hofeld was an efficient 4-for-5 for 114 yards and two scores against Cookson Hills Christian, both to Colton Hamel who had three catches for 105 yards.



On defense, Hamel and Mims each had 12 tackles and Biddle added 10 tackles.

"(Hamel) helps our running game immensely," said coach Biddle. "When other teams focus on one player and double team Colton, it allows other players to be open. His work ethic is unreal. He's always the first one out there and the last one to leave. He is a quiet kid, but the team's leader. Colton leads with his actions and not his words because actions speak for themselves. He means the world to our team."

For the season, Hofeld is third in the state in passing yards with 2,514 on just 135 completions in 225 attempts. Destiny Christian doesn’t have to throw often in coach Joe Biddle’s system, but when the Wildcats do it goes for big yards.

Hamel has 65 catches for 1,250 yards and a state-best 19 touchdowns. He ranks third in Oklahoma in receiving yards and second in receptions.

Mims has rushed for 1,274 yards and 18 touchdowns and Biddle isn’t far behind with 922 and 10.

Hamel (110), Mims (107) and Biddle (103) are all among the top 40 in the state in tackles. The team’s defense has been superb, especially of late, giving up just six points each the last two weeks, which is rare in the 8-man game.



The Wildcats, in fact, have a rare shutout, 20-0 over Corn Bible Academy on Sept. 27.

"We play an aggressive type of defense and like to mix things up," said coach Biddle. "Our defensive coordinator and myself have been teaching the philosophy all year, 'Hit them hard and hit them fast.' We don't want to give the other team and opportunity to get up and regroup."

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
It’s been 26 long years since the Lawton High School football team has won an Oklahoma state championship.

But the state’s No. 4 team looks like it’s definitely up to end the long drought.

Coached by Randy Breeze, the Wolverines are 9-0, have outscored foes 443-160 and appear to have their foot directly on the gas pedal following a 46-14 win at Mustang on Friday.

For their season-excellence and balanced play, Lawton is the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.



"We started preparing May 27 with our volunteer summer workouts," said Breeze. "We lift every Monday through Thursday all summer from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and averaged 90 players a day.  District 6A-4 is loaded with eight good teams and we prepare year-round."

Senior Michael Warren had 23 carries for 175 yards and a touchdown for the Wolverines against Mustang, but junior Jack Maservey and Ivan Thomas rushed for touchdowns also.

Four different Lawton players also caught touchdown passes — all juniors — Darryl Patterson, Kalin Sadler, Mahlik Hanna and Bryce Birt.

Maservey completed half of his 12 passes for 122 yards.

On the season, senior Dallas Sealey has done most of the work at quarterback, having completed 57 of 101 for 1,010 yards and 12 touchdowns. He hasn’t thrown an interception yet.

Warren is the state’s leading rusher with 209 carries for 2,088 yards and 21 touchdowns. At 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds, Warren can take a hit and is very elusive. He’s been offered a scholarship at Washington State, according to 247Sports.

"We are a school that has been playing football for 111 years — our first first game this year Michael Warren rushed for 277 yards, just three short of the school record," said Breeze. "He has now broken that record twice and rushed for 336 yards one game without counting a 75-yarder called back by a penalty. He is special because he is strong and fast. He ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at a college camp this summer."



Patterson is the team’s second leading rusher at 429 yards and the top receivers are Sadler, Myykhaill Shaw and Birt.

On defense, linebacker Taylor Wattenbarger leads the charge with a team-high 11.6 tackles per game. Matt Leon is second with 8.6 per game.

The Wolverines are coming off a so-so 6-4 season, but the three years before that they were a combined 31-8.

"I coached on that state championship team in 1987," said Breeze. "We beat Edmond 28-0 in the finals. Our goal for this team is to match that undefeated team's record, 14-0."

Lawton plays Norman (5-4) Friday at Cameron University.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
Ask anyone around football in Oklahoma and the answer will always be the same.



Winning never gets old.

It certainly doesn’t for Kirk Fridrich and his Union (Tulsa) Redskins, who have won at least 10 games nine times in the last 10 years and appear well on their way following a 58-0 win over Bartlesville.

Since 2004, Fridrich has led the Redskins to a rather remarkable 114-16 record, including 6-2 in 2013. They won five state titles in that span.

For their win over Bartlesville and their perennial excellence, Union has been selected the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"We probably played this team just about as well as we've played all season," said Fridrich. "Special teams does a great job at making big plays and creating opportunities for our offense. As a group, we played focused and sharp. We are playing very well together as a group."

The victory was Union’s sixth straight following back-to-back losses to open the season: 44-20 to nationally-ranked DeSoto (Texas) and 27-23 to archrival Jenks.

Over the last four games, the Redskins have outscored their opponents 235-27.



"Our team has a focus and mindset of preparing for playoffs every week," said Fridrich. "We try to create mistakes for the other teams and try to create opportunities for us. It doesn't necessarily matter who our opponent is each week, we try to stay sharp and focused."

Tyler Adkins continued his remarkable sophomore season against Bartlesville with 23 carries for 284 yards and six touchdowns. The 5-foot-9, 172-pounder now has 1,019 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Junior quarterback Mason Farquhar was supremely efficient, completing 15 of 21 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown, that going to Adkins. Will Hamilton led the squad with five catches for 72 yards.

Junior Colton King was extremely active on defense with 14 tackles, Colby Evans added 11 and Chance Wenglewski added eight.

Senior JoJo Ogundare contributed three of the team’s eight sacks and Robert Thomas added an interception.

Farquhar has thrown for 1,458 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season and Jeffery Mead leads the team in catches with 39 for 748 yards and nine touchdowns. Evans leads the team in tackles at 13.4 per game.



Union, which is after its seventh state title, travels to Washington Friday to face a tough Hornets squad which is ranked 14th in the state. Union, which sports a staggering 150-man roster, is No. 2.

"At Union High School we feel like we are judged by state championships," said Fridrich. "For us, our goal is definitely to have an opportunity to play for a championship again. A big marker for our kids and what they are pushing for each week is to get to a championship."

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
There’s rushing by committee. Tackling by committee. And then there’s just plain winning by committee.

That’s what the football team from Douglass (Oklahoma City) did in a 44-7 win over Santa Fe South on Oct. 18.

Six different Trojans rushed for between 26-49 yards while averaging 6.63 yards per carry. Senior Deondre Clark led the way with four carries for 49 yards and three touchdowns.

Sophomore quarterback Patrick McKaufman completed 9 of 13 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown, while throwing to seven different receivers.



Fifteen different Trojans recorded tackles and four different Douglass players recorded sacks.

For their complete team effort, the Trojans were selected the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

"We focused on things that week that were necessary to win the game: making plays in our offensive game, executing our blocks and making sure our kicking game was ready," said head coach Willis Alexander. "We concentrated on the fundamentals."

The victory upped Douglass’ record to 6-1 heading into Friday’s home District 4A 2 game with McLoud (4-3). The Trojans have outscored opponents 265-88 and they are ranked 15th in the state overall by MaxPreps.

They’ve won five straight since a 31-12 loss to Millwood and have outscored opponents by a combined 229-36.

Clark leads the team in rushing with 679 yards and 14 touchdowns followed close by senior Brandon Gaddis with 563 yards. McKaufman has been efficient with 69 completions in 111 attempts for 1,518 yards and 12 touchdowns.



His favorite target is senior Isiah Shaputis (21 catches, 538 yards, five touchdowns). The tackles leaders on defense are Brandon Jackson (46), Trevonne Rucker (39) and Carlos Hishaw. Clark and Jalil England are among the state leaders in sacks with 12 and 11, respectively. Johnny Jones has four interceptions.

"We are making the most of our opportunities," said Alexander. "Everybody on the team has a role and they capitalize when they need to. We have a motto on on our team: N.O.W. — No Opportunity Wasted. We are concentrating and making opportunities when they come to us."

Under Alexander, Douglass has earned one of the stoutest reputations in Oklahoma football with 16 state championship, 10 undefeated seasons, 14 section titles, 19 regional championships and 28 league crowns.

The last state title was in 2010 after finishing as the state runner-up in 2009. Before the 2010 state crown, the previous one was 1976.

Alexander hopes to add to his state title total with this year's team.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
Coach Chris Risenhoover and his Stigler (Okla.) Panthers keep knocking on the door.



After a 48-14 win over Roland last week, they appear prepared to knock it down. 

The Panthers piled up 513 yards led by senior quarterback Seth Sandlin to improve to 4-2 on the season. This after they’ve piled up seasons of 10-2 and 11-3 the last two years, including a trip to the Oklahoma State 3A semifinals.

They lost to eventual champion Kingfisher.

On Friday, Stigler rushed for 330 yards and 10 different players carried the ball led by Sandlin, who had 12 attempts for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

He also completed 14 of 20 for 228 yards and two more scores, receptions from Trace Jackson, a sophomore, and senior Austan Drewry.

For their big win, steady improvement and fast start, Stigler has been selected as the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard. Risenhoover has been seeing the improvement all season.



"Slowly each week we are getting a little better," he said. "In all phases of the game. The time of our offense is exceptional and our defense has been what has helped all season. We have matured and developed and will continue to try to perform well and stay healthy."

Against Roland, Jackson also rushed 10 times for 84 yards and two scores and Shane Quick took his only carry to the end zone on a 34-yard run.

Sandlin, a 6-1, 200-pound senior who also stars at strong safety, ranks second in the state with 1,968 yards — 1,246 through the air and 722 on the ground. Last year, Sandlin was second on the team with 1,191 yards and 13 touchdowns as a running back.

"He is an exceptional high school athlete who is the total package," Risenhoover said of Sandlin. "He has been around football for awhile. He played on varsity as a freshman, so he has been under the Friday night lights for some time. ... He has the physical attributes — great speed and a great arm. He is an experienced player, who has learned a lot. He's able to remain calm and poised and he knows how an offense is orchestrated."

Stigler played superbly on defense on Friday, while getting 10 tackles from sophomore Jim Quontez and nine each from senior Ty Mitchell and sophomore Tekoda Moore.

The secondary, led by Quontez and Blaine Thompson, held Roland to just five completions in 11 attempts for 45 yards.



Stigler has a big jump in competition next week when it travels to undefeated Checotah (6-0) on Thursday. Checotah went on the road to beat Stigler last season 22-13.

"We know that we will have to win that game in order to preserve our district championship," Risenhoover said. "The kids are really excited about this game and really want that district title. Hopefully we can pull an upset and beat an undefeated team."{PAGEBREAK}
Talk to worldly travelers, philosophers and football coaches alike. Most will preach the very same word: balance.

That's exactly what the football team at Broken Arrow (Okla.) displayed last week — and most weeks normally — in an impressive 28-6 win over Bixby.

The Tigers (4-1), under coach Steve Spavital, racked up 22 first downs and 429 yards, almost evenly divided between the pass and run.

For their balance, long-standing excellence and remarkable participation — the Tigers have a whopping roster of 125 — Broken Arrow was selected as the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by Oklahoma National Guard.

Senior quarterback Coleman Key completed 26 of 35 for 233 yards and four touchdowns, two to Myles Smith (6 catches, 86 yards) and one each to Austin Reed (14, 126) and Alex Lewis (1, 8).



Broken Arrow also broke Bixby with a powerful running game, that totaled 196 yards on 37 carries (5.30 per carry), led by Devon Thomas (16 carries, 97 yards), while sophomore Jamal Shaw added six carries for 47 yards.

Defensively, Broken Arrow only allowed Bixby's high-powered attack into the end zone once, on a pass from Marshall Ray (15 of 37, 168 Yards) to Blake Cooper.

"We knew that they were a well-coached team so we knew we had to simplify a lot of things," said Spavital. "We had to especially control their movement on defense. We prepared by keeping it business as usual. We had a lot of meetings, and a great week of practice."

The game was relatively even in the first quarter when the host Tigers took a 14-6 lead. But the team's defense wouldn't allow Bixby back in the end zone the rest of the way.

Broken Arrow recorded a whopping 14 tackles for losses, three by senior Diamond Hemphill and two each from Alex Bradley, Quintonio Tolon and Gage Kaiser. Bradley led the team with 11 tackles, followed by 10 from Markeel Moses and eight from Andrew Kaiser.

Damian Howard added a key interception and 21-yard return.



"Our (defensive) front is very experienced. They are guys who came back from last year who are not very big, but make up for that by a lot of movements," said Spavital. "They are doing an outstanding job based on experience, intelligence and their knowledge of the game."

Broken Arrow was coming off a resounding 65-10 win over Muskogee as sophomore Jamal Shaw broke loose for 200 yards rushing and three touchdowns. The Tigers rushed for 333 yards in that one and Key was an efficient 16 of 21 for 173 yards and three more touchdowns.

The Tigers haven't had a losing record from at least 2004, and they went 10-3 in 2009 and 14-2 in 2011. Last season they were 8-4. The 2011 team lost a bitter state final to Union 23-22.

Key, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound senior, ranks 14th in the state with 898 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.

"We have an experienced quarterback, multiple receivers and tailbacks, and are more successful," said Spavital. "This core of experience has made us a better team."

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
The target on the back of each Blanchard High School football player is large and maroon. The Lions are the defending Oklahoma state 3A champion.



With all that attention and pressure, a fall might be in order.

To the contrary, the Lions have put the hurt on four straight opponents to start the season, including a 40-3 win at Little Axe as Braden Stringer rushed for 219 yards and three touchdowns, linebacker D.J. Williams had 15 tackles and Brandon Montano added 11 tackles.

The team selected Stringer Offensive Player of the Year, Montano the Defensive Player of the Game and Williams the overall Player of the Game.

For the win and the fast start, MaxPreps has selected Blanchard as the Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

Stringer is the state's third-leading rusher with 843 yards rushing on 88 carries (9.58) and 10 touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound senior rushed for 1,377 yards last season and a team-high 21 touchdowns. He also contributed 86 tackles on defense during the championship season.

"(Stringer) is the epitome of hard work and dedication," said head coach Jeff Craig. "He has elevated all of the players around him to be more committed to doing things at a higher level."

In the win over Little Axe (2-2), quarterback Blake Owen had a superb game with 103 yards rushing and two scores, while completing 6 of 8 passes for 76 yards.



On defense, Jalan Daniels also had double-digit tackles with 11 and leads the team with 33, followed by Williams (30), Mantano (26) and sophomore Kegan Lawson (21).

Blanchard, which has outscored opponents 162-30, plays at cross-town rival Bridge Creek (0-3) on Friday. This is coach Craig's seventh season with Blanchard and he's compiled a record of 46-27 and 2012 was the first time the Lions had at least 10 wins in a season, going 13-0.

"We have one goal and that is to get better each week and take care of ourselves," said Craig. "If we do that, we feel we can defend our state championship."

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
It's been a long and hard process for coach Loren Montgomery and his Bixby High School football team.

The Spartans have fought through three straight losing seasons, but following a terrific 45-38 win over Springdale they are off to a 3-0 start.

For their fast start, they've been selected the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week, presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.



The Spartans haven't exactly blown anybody out while outscoring opponents 112-86, but they've found a way to win and that's been something that hasn't happened much the last three seasons.

"All the credit goes to the players in the locker room, said Montgomery. "They believe in what we are doing, and believe in our core values: Discipline, Integrity, Selflessness and Confidence. Those are the reasons that we were able to come back from a 24-point deficit on Friday."

On Friday they also got a huge contribution from senior quarterback Marshall Ray (27 of 56, 406 yards and five touchdowns) and then the wealth of help was widespread and evenly divided.

Sophomore back Nic Roller rushed for two touchdowns, Kyle Rhine had six catches for 183 yards and a touchdown, and four others caught scoring strikes: juniors Zach Reynolds, Kale Mulkey, Blake Cooper and Justin Williams.

"Nic Roller is just a sophomore, but he is a tough load, and there are many Rollers from Bixby who have been great players before him," said Montgomery. "He has high expectations for himself."

On defense, three Spartans recorded at least 10 tackles: junior J.J. Cantrell with 15, senior Jon Kuhn with 11 and junior Casey Saide with 10. Saide had four tackles for loss and Kuhn 3. Junior Austin Grotts and Kuhn had two of the team's six sacks. Bruce Williams contributed an interception.



The team's Player of the Game award, presented by Montgomery, went to 6-1, 215-pound offensive and defensive lineman Matt Dreyer, who had six tackles on defense.

Ray, the state leader in passing yards, was picked as the team's Offensive Player of the Game and Cantrell the Defensive Player of the Game. Ray has completed a state-best 67 passes in 146 attempts for 1,013 yards and 11 touchdowns. Rhine is third in the state with 369 receiving yards on 15 catches, a whopping 24.60 yards per catch.

"Marshall (Ray) had a great junior season, but now has an even better understanding of the offense with most of his receivers back and with experience," said Montgomery.

Bixby, No. 14 in the MaxPreps computer state rankings, hosts No. 6 Westmoore (Oklahoma City) (3-0) in a big state showdown 7 p.m. Friday.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK}
Sometimes victories are greater against oneself, than one's opponent.

That might have been the case for the Elgin girls volleyball team, which recorded two sweeps last week to extend its win streak to 10 matches and improve its record to 19-5 on the season.



Coming off a championships in the Chickasha Tournament, the Owls, the defending state 4A champions, could have rested on their collective laurels, but instead swept past Eisenhower 27-25, 25-14, 25-11 and Cache 25-23, 25-14, 25-21.

For their mental toughness, tournament championship and early-season success, Elgin has been selected the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

Jentry Holt, a 6-foot-3 junior middle hitter and setter, led the way in the win over Eisenhower with 19 kills.

Senior Samantha Grubb and junior Kaitlyn Holmgren led the Owls with 13 and 10 digs, respectively, and Holmgren added 16 assists.

Sophomore Heather Wander and senior Makenli Ladd combined for 23 serve receives. Holmgren added six of her team's 14 aces.

After a tough 13-25, 26-24, 15-8 comeback win over Deer Creek in pool play, the Owls defeated the same scrappy squad in the finals of the Chickasha Tournament the week before, 25-23, 25-13.



Holt led the way in the championship match with 10 kills, while Holmgren had 12 digs, nine assists and two aces.

Holt is the state leader in hitting percentage at .402 and ranks second in kills with 222, just back of Lincoln Christian's Serena Mar (227).

"(Holt) is the perfect representation of leadership, responsibility, and natural talent," said first-year coach Brittain Walbrick. "Jentry stays focused by building her team up and staying positive. She does an awesome job of holding herself accountable and being a team leader. To the team Jentry means the world. Not only is she a wonderful talent to have on the team, but she is everyone's best friend. We have a very close, tight group of girls that all respect, honor, and love one another."

Holmgren is seventh in the state in kills (173) and Grubb is 11th (142). Holmgren also ranks among the state leaders in assists per game (3.8, 241 overall), digs (176, 14th) and aces (89, third). Grubb is eighth in digs (231).

Walbrick took over a team that went 32-0 last season and won the Class 4A state title.

"I tell the girls, even though we won the state championship last year, we have to stay focused on this year's goal and obstacles," said Walbrick. "Each season presents new players and new struggles that each team must overcome in order to successful.



The Owls travel to Cement on Tuesday (Sept. 17) and to Mount St. Mary on Monday (Sept. 23), before hosting Corn Bible Academy on Sept. 24.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK} Turnabout is fair play. And revenge is best served at your opponent's home field.

Whatever the trite saying, McAlester High School's football team just knows Friday's 47-34 win at Stillwater was sweet.

The Buffaloes avenged a fairly embarrassing 42-18 home loss to Stillwater, which went on to record a 3-7 record. McAlester rebounded nicely from last year's season-opening defeat by going 8-5, losing in the state 5A semifinals to East Central.

The momentum from last season evidently carried over, especially junior quarterback Dalton Wood, who accounted for 427 yards and all seven touchdowns in the win at Stillwater on Friday.

For his and the team's performance, McAlester has been selected as the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.



Wood completed 22 of 39 passes for 257 yards and five touchdowns, two going to Jarome Smith and one each to Cade Harkins, Mason Bumphus and Caden Pratt. Harkins finished with eight catches and 100 yards.

"(Wood) has put in a lot of time and effort and has always been a great leader," said head coach Bryan Pratt. "He also pushes other guys on the field."

Wood also rushed 18 times for 170 yards and Smith went for 90 yards on 14 carries. All told, the Buffaloes racked up 555 yards.

"We’re a fast-paced, no-huddle offense, and we snapped the ball about 84 times last week," said Pratt.

McAlester fell behind 13-7 in the first quarter, but a three-touchdown second-quarter rally gave it a 28-20 halftime lead. Stillwater tied the game in the third quarter at 34, but the Buffaloes were determined to make amends for last year with two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth.

"We’re a very mature team," said Pratt. "We know about the game, we know it’s a four-quarter war."



Wood, Smith and defensive back Allen Woodmoore (seven tackles, interception, pass break-up) were picked as Players of the Game by Pratt.

The Buffaloes continue their season Friday at home against Washington, which beat McAlester 27-17 last season. More revenge is on the mind of the Buffaloes, who have gone 41-10 the last four-plus seasons under Pratt.

The program won state titles in 1968 and 1988.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK} It's hard to imagine that coach Daniel Miller wished for a better way for his Wright Christian (Tulsa) eight-man football team to start the season on Friday night.

The Wildcats scored at least two touchdowns in every period and received a huge contribution from senior quarterback Logan Bowline in a 75-42 win over visiting Tyro Christian.

For their superb start, the Wright Christian Academy Wildcats were selected as the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.



Bowline, a 5-foot-10, 165-pounder, rushed for 112 yards and four touchdowns and completed 14 passes for 178 yards and three more scores as Wright Christian raced to a 33-14 halftime lead and never let up.

"Offensively, we tried to spread them out and take advantage of some mismatches," said Miller. "We knew there would be some things open for us because of certain defensive alignments. I think we did a pretty good job of distributing the ball around. But you have to remember, we had four scores from our defense and special teams, so it was a complete team effort."

Sophomore receiver and linebacker Christian Palmer caught two scoring passes and sophomore Austin Thomas contributed 22 tackles leading the Wildcats to the resounding victory.

Last year in the school's inaugural football season, Wright Christian finished 4-5 and opened the season with a 38-30 win over Tyro. The Wildcats' high offensive output last season was 55.

On Friday, the Wildcats also received huge contributions from junior Cody Walden who caught four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown and contributed 14 tackles.

Palmer and junior J.C. Clements also added 13 tackles apiece.



Besides all of his contributions at quarterback, Bowline added 164 yards of kick return yardage. The team captain and two-year starter at quarterback also had an interception on defense, four pass deflections, a fumble recover and was the team's punter.

"(Bowline) is one of those kids that has the desire to be the best at everything he does," said Miller. "He always pushes himself in practice and can be hard on himself when he makes a mistake. He is one of the few players I've ever had that asked for more conditioning because he knows it will make us better as a team. He is really what makes our offense go.

"He has always been a good athlete, but his passing has improved dramatically over the last year and when you have a mobile quarterback who can also pass effectively, it can be dangerous."

Wright Christian continues its season on Thursday by traveling to Cookson Hills Christian (Kansas, Okla.), which has already played three games.

Cookson Hills is 1-2 having lost to Destiny Christian last week. The team's lone win is a 48-12 win over Boulevard Christian.

"Last year was our first year to play football and we never really established an identity for our team," said Miller. "That is one of the main differences from last year. Now we know who we are and what we are trying to accomplish. I really think that played a huge part in our first win this year."



Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK} After a 16-loss season, Heavener High School's softball team could have been pessimistic heading into 2013.

Instead, the Wolves are prolific.

The team is off to an 8-1 start and last week went 6-1 to earn the MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.

Coached by Rodale Sanders, Heavener outscored its seven opponents by a 45-20 count and after losing its first game of the season, 4-0 to Oktaha on Saturday, the Wolves responded with a 6-2 win over Wilburton on the very same day, thanks to a five-hitter tossed by Lexi Moody.

"Last year we had one senior and two juniors and we started four sophomores and two freshmen," said Sanders. "We won 15 games and lost 16 but learned some things along the way."

Mattison Place and Cheyenne Cranfield, both sophomores, had two hits apiece leading a 10-hit attack. Cranfield and Jacee Manley, yet another sophomore, added two RBIs apiece.



For Moody it was her eighth win of the season, tops in the state among those who keep statistics on MaxPreps.com.

Moody has completed five of her nine starts and owns a 1.78 ERA to go with 23 strikeouts and 39 runs allowed in 51 innings.

Jodie Hill, another sophomore, leads the team in about every offensive category. The shortstop is hitting .667 with 16 hits, 18 runs and 11 RBIs. She's also stolen 28 bases in 29 attempts.

Other top hitters include freshman Azure Watkins (.429), Manley at .391 with 10 RBIs and Lily Friedl (.370). As a team, the Wolves are hitting .326 and averaging 7.0 runs per game. They haven't allowed more than four runs in any contest.

"This summer we played a lot better and that gave them the confidence going into this season that we could compete and win a lot more games," said Sanders.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.{PAGEBREAK} After a bitter way to start the season, the girls volleyball team at Stillwater (Okla.) rebounded in a resounding way, earning it the initial 2013-14 MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.



Stillwater, which went 23-13 under coach Jason Webber last season, opened 2013 with a tough five-set road loss to Oklahoma Bible (Enid) 25-17, 21-25, 23-25, 27-25, 15-12.

Seniors Morgan Wheatley and Maggie Ireton combined for 18 kills, Ireton and freshman Katie Ray combined for 36 assists and senior Carley Geer had 26 digs.

"It could have been early season jitters, but I attribute some of the loss to not having my sophomores in play ..." said Webber. "The girls struggled to stay united and we fell apart."

The Pioneers came back two days later, also on the road, and weren't going to be denied again, this time recording a sweep over Broken Arrow 25-23, 27-25, 25-17.

Wheatley, a 5-8 middle blocker, and Sarah Carpenter, a 5-8 senior outside hitter, each had nine kills to pace the Pioneers. Sophomore Carley Walstad served for 10 points and had 31 assists, while Geer contributed 15 digs.

Geer and Carpenter also did a superb job passing with a combined 32 returns.



"My seniors are excellent," said Webber. "They know their role is so much more than leading. It is a role of patience and teaching as well."

In the ultimate bounce-back performance on Saturday, Stillwater defeated the same team that it had lost to just days earlier when it took down Oklahoma Bible 25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 25-11 in the Union Tournament.

"With a great group of juniors, sophomores and freshmen listening, it helps to bond the team and expedite growth," said Webber.

Stillwater continues nonleague play this week with a match at Bishop Kelley.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.