By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
With a national television audience watching, Athletes First wanted to showcase its skills in front of the entire nation, letting everybody know these boys from Oklahoma can play.
The team comprised of the best talent the Sooner State has seen in years did just that, defeating Illinois Warriors 67-62 to win the championship of the AAU Super Showcase Under-17 Gold Division in Orlando, Fla.
Putnam City guard Xavier Henry was his usual dominant self, scoring 32 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists for Athletes First.
Norman guard Terrence Boyd, who appears will be eligible according to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association in 2008-09, scored 20 points and ripped down eight rebounds for the Oklahoma City-based team.
The roster also includes Bishop McGuinness’ highly-touted center Daniel Orton. Athletes First compiled a 6-1 record in the tournament, which was held from July 23-27.
Pool Play Results
Athletes First 62, Tennessee Travelers 54
Athletes First 99, Team Georgia Elite 43
Speice Mokan Players 69, Athletes First 52
Championship Bracket Results
Athletes First 79, Georgia Blazers 48
Athletes First 61, BABC 57
Athletes First 54, New York Gauchos 49
Athletes First 67, Illinois Warriors 62
Oklahomans Verbally Commit
With the blood, sweat, and tears of two-a-day football practices slated to begin on Aug. 12, three Oklahoma high school football standouts have opted to relieve the pressure of choosing their colleges before their senior seasons.
Norman North running back Beau Blankenship told Iowa State University that he would accept a football scholarship. Blankenship rushed for 2,200 yards and 26 touchdowns for the Timberwolves in 2007.
“They were really loyal to me and made me feel like they really wanted me there,” Blankenship told the Daily Oklahoman. “Just because they were the first didn't automatically make me commit to them, but I really felt like I fit in there.”
Tulsa Washington lineman Keenan Taylor informed Kansas State that he plans to sign a letter of intent this coming winter. The 6-4, 250-pound tackle chose the Wildcats over a few other Big XII schools.
Tulsa East Central defensive back David Gordon has picked Arkansas. Miami, Michigan, and Oklahoma were believed to have offered Gordon.
Class of 2009 Football Commits
Beau Blankenship, RB, Norman North (Iowa State)
Michael Bowie, LB, Broken Arrow (Kansas State)
Greg Brown, TE, Bixby (Tulsa)
Daeshon Bufford, DE, Edmond Santa Fe (Tulsa)
Brett Davis, WR, Shawnee (Tulsa)
Brian DeShane, OL, Tulsa Union (Tulsa)
David Gordon, DB, Tulsa East Central (Arkansas)
Javon Harris, DB, Lawton MacArthur (Oklahoma)
Gavin Howard, OL, Owasso (Kansas)
Gus Jones, LB, Wagoner (Oklahoma)
Ronnell Lewis, LB, Dewar (Oklahoma)
Jeremy Smith, RB, Tulsa Union (Oklahoma State)
Keenan Taylor, OT, Tulsa Washington (Kansas State)
Robert Thomas, DT, Muskogee (Kansas State)
Brandon Webb, OT, Owasso (Oklahoma State)
Broken Arrow’s Fulps is Oklahoma’s Top Gun
On July 26, Broken Arrow’s Cale Fulps let the entire state know the broken collarbone he suffered to end his junior campaign is just fine. Fulps took home top honors in the Top Gun Challenge at Jenks.
Fulps outgunned 13 other competitors for the crown. Fulps scored 605 points to edge out Enid signal caller Clint Chelf by 60 points.
Before injuring his collarbone, Fulps threw for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns for the Tigers. Broken Arrow could be one of the top five teams in Class 6A this season with Fulps operating the controls.
Top Gun Challenge Results
Final Standings: 1) Cale Fulps, Broken Arrow, 605 points; 2) Clint Chelf, Enid, 545 points; 3) Austin Trainor, North Florida Christian (Fla.), 540 points.
Speed and Mobility: 1) Clint Chelf, Enid, 15.0 seconds; Cale Fulps, Broken Arrow, 15.1 seconds; 3) Dustin Thomas, St. Augustine Prep (N.J.), 16.0 seconds.
On the Move Accuracy: 1) Clint Chelf, Enid, 95 points; 2. Ryan Mickley, Northampton (Pa.), 90 points; 3) Cale Flups, Broken Arrow and Anthony Bumbulsky, Pleasant Valley (Pa.), 75 points.
Stationary Accuracy: 1) Cale Fulps, Broken Arrow and Dustin Thomas, St. Augustine Prep (N.J.), 65 points; 3) Dan Murphy, Muncy (Pa.), 60 points.
Deep Ball: 1) Jordan Power, Astoria (Ore.), 61 yards; 2) Dan Murphy, Muncy (Pa.) and Austin Trainor, North Florida Christian (Fla.), 60 yards.
Tulsa East Central to 6A in Hoops
While the Average Daily Membership will not effect the upcoming football season, some changes have been made in basketball for 2008-09. Most notably, Tulsa East Central is making the move to Class 6A. The Cardinals were semifinalists in 5A last season
Three-time defending Class 4A champion Bishop McGuinness nearly moved up to 5A, being five students less by the average than Harrah.
Tulsa Central drops to 4A in basketball this season after a successful run in 5A. Central won the Class 5A state boys basketball title in 2006.
2008-09 Oklahoma ADM
CLASS 6A
1. Broken Arrow 4459.33; 2. Union 4202.37; 3. Jenks 2889.43; 4. Owasso 2563.42; 5. Mustang 2255.19; 6. Westmoore 2231.00; 7. Edmond North 2094.17; 8. Moore 2078.00; 9. Norman North 2075.93; 10. Yukon 2019.15; 11. Edmond Memorial 1936.00; 12. Putnam City North 1900.00; 13. Edmond Santa Fe 1870.35; 14. Bartlesville 1819.18; 15. Lawton 1819.00; 16. Southmoore 1809.00; 17. Putnam City 1800.00; 18. Sand Springs 1738.28; 19. Norman 1693.32; 20. Enid 1626.87; 21. Muskogee 1593.60; 22. Ponca City 1526.73; 23. Midwest City 1525.32; 24. Eisenhower 1491.00; 25. Stillwater 1464.18; 26. Choctaw 1454.54; 27. US Grant 1436.60; 28. Sapulpa 1431.63; 29. Putnam City West 1400.00; 30. Del City 1379.69; 31. East Central 1306.50; 32. Memorial (Tulsa) 1288.00.
CLASS 5A
33. Claremore 1255.03; 34. Booker T Washington 1250.10; 35. Bixby 1244.55; 36. Shawnee 1240.16; 37. Thomas Edison 1228.10; 38. Tahlequah 1220.07; 39. MacArthur 1176.00; 40. Altus 1056.66; 41. Carl Albert 1050.38; 42. Will Rogers 1047.60; 43. Northwest Classen 1026.20; 44. Duncan 980.28; 45. Guthrie 944.23; 46. Capitol Hill 861.00; 47. Bishop Kelley 842.00; 48. Coweta 839.35; 49. McAlester 838.17; 50. Durant 817.61; 51. Deer Creek (Edmond) 793.71; 52. Noble 770.66; 53. Ardmore 760.49; 54. Western Heights 759.31; 55. Nathan Hale 758.20; 56. Chickasha 756.26; 57. Ada 733.19; 58. Skiatook 722.40; 59. El Reno 713.72; 60. Pryor 705.44; 61. Collinsville 685.84; 62. Stilwell 684.61; 63. Southeast 684.20; 64. Harrah 682.27.
CLASS 4A
65. Bishop McGuinness 677.11; 66. Grove 674.01; 67. Central (Tulsa) 671.70; 68. Miami 668.88; 69. Tecumseh 653.37; 70. Woodward 643.57; 71. Wagoner 626.82; 72. Glenpool 624.57; 73. Broken Bow 624.43; 74. Catoosa 621.38; 75. Guymon 615.43; 76. Poteau 592.73; 77. Piedmont 589.99; 78. Oologah 582.51; 79. Classen SAS 576.70; 80. Sallisaw 575.02; 81. Ft. Gibson 555.59; 82. Star-Spencer 554.00; 83. McLain 544.10; 84. McLoud 542.23; 85. Elk City 528.15; 86. Muldrow 527.60; 87. Clinton 521.99; 88. Jay 520.56; 89. Cushing 518.39; 90. Weatherford 517.60; 91. Mannford 505.52; 92. Vinita 497.50; 93. Santa Fe South 494.89; 94. Cleveland 492.84; 95. Locust Grove 483.31; 96. Okmulgee 482.48; 97. Douglass 477.30; 98. Hilldale 475.44; 99. Idabel 470.35; 100. Daniel Webster 466.30; 101. Elgin 465.25; 102. Seminole 464.88; 103. Anadarko 453.80; 104. Blackwell 448.99; 105. Tuttle 448.88; 106. Cache 448.49; 107. Roland 440.03; 108. Madill 437.10; 109. Bristow 436.25; 110. Pauls Valley 433.91; 111. Dewey 419.26; 112. Berryhill 419.14; 113. Blanchard 415.62; 114. Hugo 411.67; 115. Checotah 405.09; 116. Sequoyah (Claremore) 404.62; 117. Bethany 402.59; 118. Newcastle 399.57; 119. Inola 399.13; 120. Lone Grove 395.31; 121. Byng 394.68; 122. Harding Charter Prep 392.00; 123. Northeast 391.50; 124. Perkins-Tryon 388.04; 125. Bethel 386.51; 126. Victory Christian 386.00; 127. Dickson 384.74; 128. Marlow 382.53.
Scott Hansen: maxprepsok@sbcglobal.net
