Week 5 Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

#1 Booker T Washington (4-0, 2-0) District 1

#13 Sapulpa (1-3, 0-2) District 1

Booker T is off to a great start this year, putting up more than 60 points in each of their last three games and totally dominating both sides of the ball. Still undefeated two weeks into districts, their next big challenge will come in week 7 against Bartlesville.

Sapulpa looks to be better than last year, but is still rebuilding from the ground up. We may see a solid state contender in years to come, but this year I’ll be impressed if they win a single game in district play.

Thursday night results: BTW 63, Sapulpa 24.

#2 Bixby (3-1, 1-0) District 1

#3 Bartlesville (4-0, 1-0) District 1

Bixby doesn’t look quite as hot as last year, and in last week’s game against Claremore we saw how much of a difference maker Nic Roller is. He’s expected to be back this week against Bartlesville, otherwise my pick would be quite different. Bixby better hope nothing happens to him this season or they may find themselves in the same spot Sand Springs did last year.

Bartlesville definitely overcame my expectations last week against Sand Springs. Their offense has been touted as the best in the division, and it definitely overcame the Sandites’ famous defense. What hasn’t been talked about as much is the Bruin defense. While the Spartans are lightyears beyond anything Bartlesville has encountered thus far, the Bruins still managed to hold Sand Springs to 117 yards of total offense. I expect a shootout, but I said the same thing last week.

The pick: Bixby 47, Bartlesville 35.

#4 Sand Springs (0-3, 0-1) District 1

#9 Claremore (2-2, 0-1) District 1

Don’t let the Sand Springs record fool you. Two of those games were won on the field and forfeited this week due to the discovery of an ineligible transfer student. The week 3 game was almost a certain Sandite victory, had it not been cancelled halfway through the second quarter due to lightning. The Sandite offense may not be as good as last year, but the defense is as good as ever.

Last week we saw why the Claremore Zebras are red, and the reason is because they’re out for blood. They put up 27 points last week against the defending state champs, and this week they’re looking to avenge the 17-0 homecoming shutout we hit them with last year.

The pick: Sand Springs 21, Claremore 13

#5 Midwest City (3-1, 1-0) District 2

#15 Stillwater (1-3, 0-0) District 2

If there was a single safe-bet game this week, it would be this one. The Bombers are dropping bombs all over their opponents and the Pioneers are easy targets. MWC’s only loss is to top ranked BTW and they had the closest game of any of the Hornet’s opponents. Stillwater’s only win is against a team that’s only won six games in the last twelve years.

The pick: Midwest City 41, Stillwater 10.

#6 Lawton (2-1, 1-0) District 2

#12 Enid (1-3, 0-1) District 2

All I have to say about these teams is that Enid’s only win was a forfeit that was lost on the field 33-7. They haven’t gotten within a touchdown of a single opponent thus far and Lawton’s won by a minimum of 20 points in every game but their hometown rivalry loss to MacArthur.

The pick: Lawton 52, Enid 12.

#7 Choctaw (3-1, 1-0) District 2

#10 Putnam City West (1-3, 0-1) District 2

Choctaw failed to put the hurting on Enid that I expected and PCW’s actually putting up some decent numbers despite their losses. I wouldn’t call it a toss-up per se, but if I had to pick an upset for this week, this would be it.

The pick: Choctaw 28, PCW 21.

#8 Muskogee (1-3, 1-0) District 1

#11 Ponca City (1-2, 0-1) District 1

Muskogee’s doing about the same as last season and probably nowhere near as good as they were hoping to do in their second year under 4-time 5A State Championship-winning coach Rafe Watkins. Luckily for them, Ponca City’s doing about as bad as Ponca City always does.

The pick: Muskogee 35, Ponca 14

#14 Eisenhower (0-4, 0-1) District 2

5A #69 Canyon, Texas (3-1)

I don’t know jack diddly squat about Texas football, but I do know that Eisenhower is nothing to worry about this year. I’m definitely jealous that District 2 has one less week of district games. I love getting to take on new teams and see our boys travel a bit.

The pick: Canyon 35, Ike 6.

My Record

• Week 1: 10-2 (.833)
• Week 2: 12-2 (.857)
• Week 3: 6-3 (.666)
• Week 4: 6-2 (.750)
• Overall: 34-9 (.790)

Week 4 6A-II Roundup

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

#1 Charles Page (2-1, 0-1) District 1

#5 Bartlesville (4-0, 1-0) District 1

The Sandites were on fire in the first three games of the season, but were no match for their district-opening matchup against Bartlesville. In years past, the Sandites have lost games due to sloppy mistakes and inconsistency. This was not one of those games. CPHS gave a solid performance on all fronts that would have been a beat down on any other team. Bartlesville was reported to have the best offense in the state going into the game; the Sandites are known to have the best defense. The Bruin defense, however, was grossly underestimated, putting up major stops against the Sandites through the whole game and held them to only 7 first downs.

My pick was CPHS 46, BHS 35.

The final score was BHS 24, CPHS 7.

#2 Bixby (3-1, 1-0) District 1

#10 Claremore (2-2, 0-1) District 1

Bixby has been the team to beat this season, and it looked like Claremore might actually pull it off. The Spartans were without their star running back, Nic Roller, and leading receiver, Cade Cabbiness. The Red Zebras not only kept neck-and-neck with the defending state champions, but even lead 24-21 midway through the third, before the Spartans found their mojo and scored 23 unanswered points to end the game.

My pick was Bixby 52, Claremore 3.

The final score was Bixby 47, Claremore 27.

#3 Booker T Washington (3-0, 1-0) District 1

#9 Ponca City (1-2, 0-1) District 1

The BTW Hornets rained hellfire down on the Wildcats, ruining their homecoming and bringing a total slaughter. The home team managed only nine first downs for one touchdown, while their visitors accumulated nearly 500 yards of total offense for their best score of the season.

My pick was BTW 42, Ponca 13.

The final score was BTW 68, Ponca 7.

#4 Midwest City (3-1, 1-0) District 2

#14 Eisenhower (0-4, 0-1) District 2

The MWC Bombers easily dominated Lawton Ike, taking a 22-0 lead before the game was stalled for an hour due to lightening. It's unfortunate for the Eagles that the game wasn't cancelled all-together. 

My pick was MWC 28, Ike 6.

The final score was MWC 47, Ike 8.

#6 Choctaw (3-1, 1-0) District 2

#12 Enid (0-4, 0-0) District 2

Enid fared better than expected against the Chcotaw Yellowjackets than I expected them to, but were still unable to break their season-long losing streak. Darian Groins threw for three touchdowns and at one point closed the gap to 23-21 before the visitors pulled away for the win.

My pick was Choctaw 38, Enid 12.

The final score was Choctaw 37, Enid 28.

#7 Muskogee (1-3, 1-0) District 1

#13 Sapulpa (1-2, 0-1) District 1

The Rougers finally registered their first win of the season in a district opener at Sapulpa's homecoming. Sapulpan Senior Tom Schadel suffered a broken leg that will sideline him for the season, along with Trey Bilby who broke his in week 1. The Chieftains scored first on a 24 yard run by Dae Williams, but Muskogee returned 34 straight points before Williams found the endzone again. 

My pick was Muskogee 35, Sapulpa 12.

The final score was Muskogee 41, Sapulpa 29.

#8 Putnam City West (1-3, 0-1) District 2

#11 Lawton (2-1, 1-0) District 2

PCW has been on the rebound as a team from previous awful years, and managed to stay neck and neck with the Wolverines in a first quarter shootout, but after Lawton's Levi Cain picked off a pass from Trey Gooch, there was no stopping them from reasserting themselves as a dominant power in District 2 after a rocky start to the season.

My pick was PCW 31, Lawton 28.

The final score was Lawton 57, PCW 20. 

#15 Stillwater (1-3, 0-0) District 2

Stillwater was the only team not to start distrcit play this week, instead taking on U.S. Grant for Homecoming. Both teams entered the game win-less, but Stillwater asserted themselves as the dominant force early on and hopes to ride that momentum into district play next week.

My pick was Stillwater 29, Grant 14.

The final score was Stillwater 49, Grant 6.

My Record

• Week 1: 10-2 (.833)
• Week 2: 12-2 (.857)
• Week 3: 6-3 (.666)
• Week 4: 6-2 (.750)
• Overall: 34-9 (.790)

 

Week 4 Sandite Pride Rankings and Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Photo by: Morgan Miller

Week 3 was heavily disrupted by severe weather systems across the state that lead to more cancellations than actual games.

#1 Charles Page (2-0, 0-0) District 1

The Sandites were one of few teams to actually start a game Friday night, but it was cancelled shortly before halftime and will thus not count towards their record or stats. However, their performance on the field still plays into my rankings. They lead 5A unranked Guthrie 18-7 with 6 minutes in the half, and QB Hunter Greathouse was 4-5-129 in that short amount of time. Guthrie may not be the team they've been in recent memory, but they're far from pushovers. 

#5 Bartlesville (3-0, 0-0) District 1

The Bruins were far enough North that they had plenty of time to put a 42-20 beat down on Enid before the weather reached them. Enid is an 0-3 pushover this year and the 20 points they scored on Bartlesville is the most they've mustered all season. I expect Bartlesville to come hot at the Sandites with their offense, but be unable to put up any stops of their own against double-threat Hunter Greathouse. I'm expecting a shootout with the Sandites coming on top by a pair of touchdowns, minus a few blocked/missed PATs.

The Pick: CPHS 46, Bartlesville 35.

#2 Bixby (2-1, 0-0) District 1

Despite nearly 700 yards of total offense, the Spartans didn't put up nearly the points I expected them to against Springdale, AR (0-3). It looks like the defending State Champions have their offense in good order between QB Tanner Griffin and RB Nic Roller but are going to need to whip their defense in shape quickly if they want to hold up against BTW and CPHS. The Spartans won 57-38, which is more points than they allowed anyone but Jenks to score last season.

#10 Claremore (2-1, 0-0) District 1

The Red Zebras held up to a 10 point loss to Siloam Springs, 22-12, only 3 points worse than I expected. Their passing game was abysmal and they won't stand much of a chance rushing against Bixby. If they manage to score at all it will be due more to Bixby's slacking defense than Claremore's capabilities. 

The Pick: Bixby 52, Claremore 3

#3 Booker T Washington (2-0, 0-0) District 1

The Hornets game against East Central was cancelled Friday, though it's safe to say it would have been a slaughter considering the 62-6 they put on Tulsa Central in week 2. 

#9 Ponca City (1-1, 0-0) District 1

The Wildcats' game against Shawnee was also cancelled, but not before they were outscored 10-6 in the first quarter. It's hard to judge a team off less than a quarter so I didn't drop them in my rankings, but I had expected Ponca to easily defeat the unranked 5A team. 

The Pick: BTW 42, Ponca City 13.

#4 Midwest City (2-1, 0-0) District 2

The Bombers pulled off a big upset over the top ranked 5A Del City, 37-14, and are my favorite to win the District 2 title. They lost to BTW in the season opener, but when it comes to Eisenhower, they're going to bring the thunder.

#14 Eisenhower (0-3, 0-0) District 2

Lawton Ike scored a lot more against 5A #2 MacArthur than anybody expected them to, but were still handed a solid 57-34 beat down. 

The Pick: MWC 28, Ike 6

#6 Choctaw (2-1, 0-0) District 2

Choctaw suffered their first loss of the season in a close 25-23 to Putnam North. 

#12 Enid (0-3, 0-0) District 2

The Plainsmen have been getting their butts handed to them left and right this year, and I don't expect things to change in district play.

The Pick: Choctaw 38, Enid 12.

#7 Muskogee (0-3, 0-0) District 1

The Roughers have definitely not lived up to expectation these past two season under new Head Coach Rafe Watkins, but in their defense, they've only played really solid teams thus far. 33-22 to 5A #5 McAlester, 34-25 to 6A #5 Owasso, and 56-21 to undefeated #3 Fayetteville, AR. If they were in District 2 I could see them making a run at the district title, but in the talent-crowded Tulsa district I see them winning 3 games at most. 

#13 Sapulpa (1-1, 0-0) District 1

Lawton may not be the team they were last year, but the Chieftains got off lucky that their game was cancelled. Unfortunately for them, there's no rain in the forecast for this Friday.

The Pick: Muskogee 35, Sapulpa 12.

#8 Putnam City West (1-2, 0-0) District 2

I was so impressed with PCW after their 5 point loss to Del City and their 29-6 win over PCN, then they had to go and blow it, getting slaughtered 49-17 by PC. 

#11 Lawton (1-1, 0-0) District 2

I'm a lot less confident in PCW for this matchup than I was last week, and it's really anybody's game in my book. 

The Pick: PCW 31, Lawton 28

#15 Stillwater (0-3, 0-0) District 2

Stillwater lost 26-14 to Edmond North Friday, and is the only team not starting District play this upcoming weekend. As District 2 is only 7 teams, the Pioneers will be battling with U.S. Grant as both teams look for their first win of the season. 

The Pick: Stillwater 29, Grant 14.

My Record

• Week 1: 10-2 83%
• Week 2: 12-2 85%
• Week 3: 6-3 66%
• Overall: 28-7 80%

Week 3 Football Rankings

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Here's the Sandite Pride, Tulsa World, and Max Preps rankings for Class 6A-II.

Week 2 6A-II Football Match-ups and Predictions

#1 Bixby (0-1) vs 5A East Central (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: Bixby +54

#2 Booker T Washington (1-0) @ 4A Tulsa Central (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: BTW +35

#3 Charles Page (1-0) @ #12 Enid (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: CPHS +24

#4 Bartlesville vs 4A Cascia Hall (1-0) Sandite Pride pick: Bartlesville +35

#5 Lawton (1-0) @ 5A MacArthur (1-0) Sandite Pride pick: Lawton +13

#6 Midwest City (0-1) vs 5A Carl Albert (1-0) Sandite Pride pick: MWC +12

#7 Muskogee (0-1) @ 6A-I Owasso (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: Owasso +21

#8 Choctaw (2-0) defeated 6A-I Putnam City (1-1) Thursday night 24-13

#9 Ponca City (1-0) @ 5A Guthrie (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: Guthrie +14

#10 Lawton Eisenhower (0-2) lost to 5A Del City (2-0) 41-14 Thursday night

#11 Stillwater (0-1) vs 6A-I Mustang (1-0) Sandite Pride pick: Mustang +31

#13 Claremore (1-0) vs Arkansas 7A Rogers (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: Rogers +6

#14 Putnam City West (0-1) vs 6A-1 Putnam City North (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: PCW +6

#15 Sapulpa (0-1) @ 5A Tulsa Hale (0-1) Sandite Pride pick: Sapulpa +41

Week 2 Football Rankings

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Here's the consolidated rankings for all you stat geeks like me out there.