Week Six 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

No. 1 Booker T. Washington Hornets (Last week No. 1) vs. No. 4 Muskogee Roughers (4)* District 2

Booker T. Washington (5-1, 2-0) took a 63-0 third-quarter lead for the second-straight week and defeated the Sapulpa Chieftains (0-5, 0-2) after a scoreless fourth quarter. 

The Hornet defense put up unreal numbers against Sapulpa, holding them to negative yards rushing, six yards passing, a single first down, and nine punts, including one that was blocked in the endzone for a D.J. Jones touchdown. Carrick Jackson added another defensive score on a 34-yard interception return. Offensively the Hornets racked up 339 yards on 40 carries and were 9-12-162-0 passing.

Muskogee (2-3, 1-1) is coming off a 39-23 loss to Bixby (2-3, 1-0). The Roughers played a solid game behind Jacob Medrano's 29-43-428-1 passing performance, but gave up two fumbles, thirteen penalties for 89 yards, and failed to secure any turnovers of their own. They were also held to field goals on three drives, scoring on kicks of 27, 21, and 37 yards from Manuel Espinosa. 

The pick: BTW 42 Muskogee 26

No. 2 Midwest City Bombers (2) vs. No. 9 Choctaw Yellowjackets (9)* District 1

Midwest City (4-1, 2-0) won their highest-scoring game of the season, hammering Deer Creek (2-3, 0-2) 63-14. Preston Colbert passed for five touchdowns, Astin Anderson scored three on the ground and backup quarterback Semaj Donner added another running score.

Choctaw (4-1, 1-1) bounced back from their loss to Putnam City (4-1, 1-1) with a 37-0 shutout of Enid (3-2, 1-1). The defense played lights out with four sacks, two interceptions, and one pick six from Angel Ackerman. 

The pick: MWC 42 Choctaw 26. 

No. 3 Bixby Spartans (3) vs. No. 15 Sapulpa (14)* District 2

The three-time defending State Champions (2-3, 1-0) got their season back on track in the district opener, solidly defeating Muskogee (2-3, 1-1) 38-23. They may have a losing record overall, but they're undefeated in the part of the season that actually matters. The Spartans had two fumble recoveries and an interception, without giving up any turnovers of their own. They also contained themselves to only 52 yards in penalties, a notable improvement over their 95-yard average over the prior three games. Braden Roller was 29-258 rushing while Staton King passed 14-23-306-0. 

Sapulpa (0-5, 0-2) is still looking for their first win of the season and they aren't likely to find it in Bixby. Last week the Chieftains were shut out 63-0 by Booker T. and were held to a cumulative 5 offensive yards with three pass completions, nine punts, and two turnovers. 

The pick: Bixby 68 Sapulpa 8.

No. 7 Putnam City Pirates (5) vs. No. 12 Putnam City West Patriots (13)* District 1

Putnam City (4-1, 1-1) saw their undefeated season come to an end 27-21 at Lawton (3-2, 1-1). A.J. Newsome was 17-36-244-2 passing, and those two interceptions combined with a fumble gave the Wolverines the edge they needed. Damon Jemison carried 22 times for 97 yards and a score while Newsome connected with Jawaun Bell and Eric Butler for touchdown passes. 

Putnam West (1-4, 0-2) suffered a blowout against undefeated Stillwater (5-0, 2-0) falling 49-7. The Patriots attempted only three passes and didn't complete any. They were 44-246 on the ground, but gave up three fumbles and 159 yards in penalties. 

The pick: Putnam 51 PCW 21.

No. 5 Lawton Wolverines (6) vs. No. 6 Stillwater (8)* District 1

Lawton (3-2, 1-1) got back in the win column with a 27-21 victory over Putnam City (4-1, 1-1) thanks to a consistent run game and three turnovers. Miles Davis ran 40 times for 215 yards and scored all four Wolverine touchdowns. The passing game was lackluster at 9-19-86-1, but the Wolverines caught two interceptions and recovered a fumble to help offset their 155 yards in penalties.

The Pioneers (5-0, 2-0) are now the only undefeated team left in Class 6A-II after hammering Putnam West 49-7. Gunnar Gundy was 6-8-120-0 passing with two touchdowns while freshman Qwontrell Walker carried 28 times for 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Defensively they recovered three fumbles 

Scott's pick: Stillwater 38 Lawton 35.
Virgil's pick: Lawton 28 Stillwater 27.

No. 8 Sand Springs Sandites (7) vs. No. 14 Ponca City Wildcats (15)* District 2

Sand Springs (3-2, 1-0) won their third game straight Friday in Yukon (2-3) 26-21 over the 6A-I Millers. The Sandites held a 20-7 halftime lead but lost the second quarter 14-6 and barely held on with a pair of goal-line stands in the final seconds to secure the victory. Caden Pennington was 6-7-58-0 passing while Payton Scott was 33-185 on the ground. The special teams struggled, allowing two point-after kicks and one field goal to be blocked, but the defense excelled with a sack, a forced and recovered fumble, and the game-winning heroics in the final moments. 

Ponca City (1-4, 1-1) notched their first win of the season 14-12 over Bartlesville (0-5, 0-2). Justin Andrews was 8-18-138-0 passing and 25-125 rushing with both touchdowns for the Wildcats. Defensively, Ponca came up with two fumble recoveries and an interception. 

The pick: CPHS 35 Ponca 15.

No. 10 Enid Plainsmen (10) vs. No. 11 Deer Creek Antlers (11)* District 1

Enid (3-2, 1-1) was throttled on Homecoming, falling 37-0 to Choctaw after being held to only 26 yards passing and 140 total. Marlo Hughes led the ground game with 22 carries for 99 yards. Mason Skrimager completed only three passes, was intercepted twice, and was sacked three times. 

Deer Creek (2-3, 0-2) fell 63-14 to Midwest City (4-1, 2-0) Dylan Diaz scored a 54-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and the Antlers didn't score again till the fourth. 

Scott's pick: Deer Creek 27 Enid 21.
Virgil's pick: Enid 24 Deer Creek 21.

No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (12)* District 2

Bartlesville (0-5, 0-2) started the season with a 30-25 victory over McAlester (1-4) then lost their next four games. To add insult to injury, they had to forfeit their lone win after playing an ineligible player. Last week the Bruins went down 14-12 to Ponca City (1-4, 1-1) on Homecoming night. They fell in a 14-0 deficit and scored all of their points in the fourth quarter. Two touchdown passes, one with a missed PAT and one with a failed two-point conversion. Those two combined with a missed field goal in the first quarter left the Bruins just short of the win. Bartlesville will get a bye week before hosting Sapulpa. 

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 35-14 (.714)
Last Week: 5-3 (.625)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 24-13* (.649)
Last Week: 6-2 (.750)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.

Week Four 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

No. 1 Booker T. Washington Hornets (2) vs. No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (15) *District 2

Booker T. (3-1) snapped back from their prior week's loss to West Monroe, Louisiana (4-0) with a devastating 63-0 shutout of Shawnee (2-1). The Hornets held their foes to a mere 109 offensive yards, while racking up 488 of their own. Phillip Wheatley was 9-13-166-1 and the Hornets were 32-322 on the ground. They secured two interceptions and one fumble recovery, but gave up 137 yards in penalties. 

Read the full story from Mark Foster with the Tulsa World.

Ponca (0-3) is coming off a much needed bye week after being brutalized 48-0 by Guthrie (1-2), 61-34 by Enid (2-0), and 28-7 by Edmond Memorial (1-2). 

The pick: BTW 59 Ponca 6.

No. 2 Bixby Spartans (Last week No. 1) vs. Westmoore Jaguars

The defending Division II State Champions (1-2) suffered a major blow Thursday, falling 37-35 to Putnam City (3-0) in a sloppy offensive mess. The Pirates started 16-0 and the Spartans ended 13-0, but failed a two-point pass that would have tied things up. Bixby gave up a full field's length in penalties, fumbled five times, and threw four interceptions. 

Read the full story from Jacob Unruh with The Oklahoman.

Westmoore (3-0) is still undefeated this season, winning their first three games in dominating fashion. The Class 6A-I Jaguars won their hometown rivalry series 50-18 over Moore (1-2) and 53-6 over Southmoore (0-3) before rolling over Edmond North (1-2) 42-17. Braxton George ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns on only six carries. Braxton Bohrofen passed 24-38-323-1 for three touchdowns. The Jaguars outpaced their fores 540 yards to 229.

Read the full story from Peter Agnitsch with the Edmond Sun.

The pick: Bixby 45 Westmoore 38.0

No. 3 Midwest City Bombers (3) vs. No. 4 Lawton Wolverines (5) *District 1

The Bombers (2-1) bounced back from an overtime loss to Booker T. with a 41-6 blowout of 5A Del City (1-2). Preston Colbert ran in two scores and passed 13-18-255-1 for three touchdowns to three different receivers. The run game was practically nonexistent, however with 27 carries for 43 yards. Defensively they held Del City to 213 yards while picking off two passes and snagging one fumble recovery. In a recurring trend among the top teams in 6A-II, the Bombers gave up a field's worth of penalties.

Read the full story from Adam Kemp with The Oklahoman.

Lawton (2-1) rolled over their 5A in-town rivals in Eisenhower (0-3) 67-13 with five touchdowns from Miles Davis who carried nine times for 226 yards. Alihas Hopper was equally lethal, passing 5 of 9 for 157 yards and a score.

Read the full story from Glen Brockenbush with The Lawton Constitution.

The pick: MWC 31 Lawton 27.

No. 5 Muskogee Roughers (4) vs. No. 9 Bartlesville Bruins (8) *District 2

Muskogee (1-2) lost their season opener 26-20 to Midwest City despite ending with 20 unanswered points, then shutout McAlester 54-0, then started Friday's game 10-0 for a streak of 84 unanswered points before Bentonville West (3-0) put an end to the onslaught and ultimately prevailed 43-35. The Roughers gave up 116 yards in penalties, fumbled twice and lost one. Jacob Medrano passed 23-40-328-0 with three scores, while Kristian Hillmon led the ground game with 10 carries for 57 yards and a score. Head Coach Rafe Watkins credited thirteen dropped passes, one that could have been a score, as a top contributing factor in the loss. 

Read the full story from Mike Kays with the Muskogee Phoenix.

Bartlesville (1-2) kicked off the season with a 30-25 victory over 5A McAlester (0-3), but dropped their past two games 56-14 to 6A-I Owasso (3-0) and 48-29 to 4A Cascia Hall (1-2). Noah Sunday threw 15 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns against the Commandos. The Bruins lost their Head Coach two weeks ago, putting the reigns in the hands of interim coach Kyle Ppool. They had a bye week to adapt to the changes.

Read the full story from Nathan Thompson with the Bartlesville Examiner.

The Pick: Muskogee 47 Bartlesville 21.

No. 6 Putnam City Pirates (10) vs. No. 7 Choctaw Yellowjackets (6) *District 1

Putnam City (3-0) pulled off a massive 37-35 upset against the defending State Champions from Bixby (1-2) thanks to a powerful passing game, solid defense, and a whole lot of Spartan miscues. A.J. Newsome was 23-38-418-2 with all five Pirate touchdowns. The Pirates won the turnover battle with one fumble recovery and four interceptions, and blocked a punt for a safety in the first quarter, jumping out to a 16-0 lead. 

Choctaw (3-0) is on their first 3-0 start since 1982 after dominating Putnam City North (1-2) 42-14. Hudson Woods was 19-27-158 passing with two touchdowns and added another 95 yards on the ground. The Yellowjackets amassed 220 rushing yards in the murderous campaign.

Read the full story from Ryan Horton with the Chcotaw Times.

The pick: Putnam 34 Choctaw 24.

No. 8 Sand Springs Sandtes (7) vs. No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (14) *District 2

Charles Page High School (1-2) notched their first win of the season 28-14 against Putnam City West (1-2), finally getting the monkey off their back in regards to the passing game. The bulk of their offense came from Payton Scott's 34 carries for 231 yards and three touchdowns, but Caden Pennington had his breakout game passing 6-12-145-1 for a touchdown. Scott was also the leading receiver with 3 catches for 91 yards and a score. Defensively the Sandites recorded two forced fumbles, one recovery, and one interception.

Read the full story from Scott Emigh with Sandite Pride News.

Sapulpa (0-3) is off to a rough start this year, falling 28-12 to Duncan (1-2), 27-20 to Choctaw (3-0), and 38-3 to Bishop Kelley (2-1). 

The pick: CPHS 35 Sapulpa 12.

No. 10 Enid Plainsmen (9) vs. No. 13 Putnam City West Patriots (13) *District 2

Enid (2-1) suffered their first loss of the year 60-34 at the hands of 5A powerhouse Bishop McGuinness (3-0), putting up 454 yards to the Irish's 640. Mason Skrimager passed 25-44-228-0 with one touchdown in the loss, and picked up another score on a 66-yard run. The Plainsmen finished with 226 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, three of which came from outside the red zone. The Plainsmen were well disciplined with no fumbles, no interceptions, and only five penalties for 26 yards. 

Read the full story from Dave Ruthenberg with Enid News.

Putnam West (1-2) had a hard-fought 28-14 loss to Sand Springs. The Patriots had zero passing game, making only one completion for eight yards, and throwing one interception to accompany their six fumbles. On the ground they were 48-276.

The pick: Enid 42 PCW 21.

No. 11 Deer Creek Antlers (11) vs. No. 12 Stillwater Pioneers (12) *District 1

Deer Creek (2-1) snapped back from a 38-21 loss to Edmond Santa Fe (2-2) with a 27-14 win over Edmond Memorial (2-2). Hunter Freese passed 14-25-252 with two touchdowns and ran the ball nine times for 66 yards. 

Read the full story from Aaron Albertson with the Edmond Sun.

Stillwater (3-0) had a huge 31-14 upset win over Mustang (2-1), utilizing six turnovers to stun a team that had dominated its first two opponents. Gunnar Gundy passed 12-22-105-0 for one touchdown, while Qwontrel Walker lit up the ground with 27 carries for 159 yards and one touchdown. Tyler Disidore added another 7 carries for 77 yards and two scores. 

Read the full story from Jimmy Gillispie with the Stillwater News Press.

The pick: Stillwater 28 Deer Creek 17. 
 

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 23-10 (.697)
Last Week: 8-3 (.727)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 11-10* (.523)
Last Week: 7-4 (.636)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.

Week Three 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

No. 1 Bixby Spartans (Last week No. 1) vs. No. 10 Putnam City Pirates (11)

The defending Division II State Champions (1-1) suffered a 47-28 loss against Arkansas 7A Bentonville (1-1). The Spartans jumped out to 21-0 lead in the second quarter, but the Tigers closed out with five unanswered touchdowns and held the home team scoreless in the second half. Staton King was 18-31-191-2 passing and 17-82 on the ground. The Spartans gave up a full field worth of penalties, but performed well defensively with three fumble recoveries and an interception.

Putnam City (2-0) pulled off a massive victory against 5A El Reno (1-1), utterly dominating the Indians 63-6. AJ Newsome was 15-22-222 passing and scored six touchdowns, three by air and three by land. The Pirates picked up three fumbles, including a 35-yard touchdown return. 

The pick: Bixby 57 Putnam 29.

No. 2 Booker T. Washington Hornets (2) vs. Shawnee Wolves

Booker T. (2-1) dropped their first loss of the season 30-21 to Louisiana 5A State Runners-Up West Monroe (3-0) at the Battle on the Border. Phillip Wheatley was 19-40-310-0 with all three Hornet touchdowns. The ground game was nonexistent with 19 carries for 28 yards. 

5A Shawnee (2-0) is undefeated, but their wins were low-scoring against average teams. They topped Duncan 7-6 with a fourth-quarter 69-yard pass to take the lead. Hunter Heath was 11-21-135-2. The Wolves will be without their head coach, who was ejected in the game against Duncan (1-2).

The pick: BTW 39 Shawnee 10.

No. 3 Midwest City Bombers (3) vs. Del City Eagles

The Bombers (1-1) lost a 27-24 overtime heart-breaker to Booker T. two weeks ago and had a bye week to recover. 5A Del City (1-1) picked up their first win of the season 40-14 over Eisenhower (0-2).

The pick: MWC 32 Del 14.

No. 4 Muskogee Roughers (5) vs. Bentonville West Wolverines

Muskogee (1-1) lost a close 26-20 season opener to Midwest City (1-1), but ended on a high-note. They fell in a 26-0 deficit before getting on the scoreboard, then shut out McAlester 54-0 leaving them with a streak of 74 unanswered points over the last two games. Against McAlester, QB Jacob Medrano recorded 481 yards, finding Diante Crutchfield for 292 and three touchdowns. Defensively they held the Buffalo to less than 100 yards with five sacks. The Roughers are coming off a bye week and are all rested up and ready for action.

Arkansas 7A Bentonville West (2-0) easily handled 5A Pryor (0-2) 49-13 and Central Little Rock (1-1) 48-14. The Wolverines were 10-20-241-0 passing and 35-229 on the ground with zero fumbles and only four penalties. 

Virgil says: Bentonville 42 Muskogee 28.
Scott says: Muskogee 48 Benvontille 35.

No. 5 Lawton Wolverines (6) vs. Eisenhower Eagles

Lawton (1-1) steamrolled their 5A rivals from MacArthur (1-1) 50-20, thanks in part to junior running back Miles Davis who carried 18 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns. This week is another in-town rivalry game against Eisenhower (0-2) who fell 40-14 to Del City (1-1) last week.

The pick: Lawton 58 Ike 17.

No. 6 Choctaw Yellowjackets (7) vs Putnam City North Panthers

For the second-straight week the Yellowjackets (2-0) trailed at the half and came back for the win. This time they were down 13-7 to Sand Springs (0-2) before surging to the 21-20 victory. Hudson Woods was 17-27-222-1 passing and led the ground game with 21 carries for 65 yards. 

Putnam North (2-0) won their in-town rivalry game against Putnam West (1-1) with a hearty 30-7 beat down.

Virgil says: PCN 28 Choctaw 21.
cott says: Choctaw 35 PCN 21.

No. 7 Sand Springs Sandtes (4) vs. No. 13 Putnam City West Patriots (13)

Charles Page High School (0-2) took a 13-0 lead on Choctaw (2-0) last week before the Yellowjackets surged back in the second half for a 21-20 victory. The Sandite passing game improved from the week prior, but was still shoddy at 6-18-39-1. Payton Scott led the ground with 40 carries for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively the Sandites were solid with an interception and nine tackles for loss. 

Putnam West (1-1) was hammered 30-7 in a rivalry game against Putnam North (1-1). The Patriots also relied primarily on the ground game, carrying 48 times for 231 yards.

The pick: CPHS 31 CPW 14.

No. 8 Bartlesville Bruins (8) - Bye Week

Bartlesville (1-1) kicked off the season with a 30-25 victory over 5A McAlester (0-2), but dropped their past two games 56-14 to 6A-I Owasso (3-0) and 48-29 to 4A Cascia Hall (1-1). Noah Sunday threw 15 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. The Bruins fired their Head Coach last week, putting the reigns in the hands of interim coach Kyle Ppool. They will have some down time to adapt to the changes before returning to action against Muskogee next week. 

No. 9 Enid Plainsmen (9) vs. Bishop McGuinness

Enid (2-0) is off to a hot start with their best record since 2012, topping Guthrie (0-2) 34-23 and Ponca City (0-2) 61-34. Junior QB Mason Skrimager passed for 191 yards and three touchdowns against the Bluejays, then recorded 290 yards and two strikes against the Wildcats. 271 yards came in the first half alone. Marlo Hughes ran for 155 yards and three touchdowns, while Seth Ellis set a single-game record for the Plainsmen with four interceptions, including a 99-yard return. Enid jumped to a 21-0 first quarter lead and was up 34-14 at halftime. The Plainsmen are all rested up after a bye week.

5A Bishop McGuinness (2-0) is also on a strong start to the year, handling Del City (1-1) 32-23 and Bishop Kelley (1-1) 42-21. Sophomore running back Dominic Richardson carried 26 times for 273 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Brennan Mullins scored twice on the ground. 

Virgil says: Enid 32 McG 31.
Scott says: McG 42 Enid 35.

No. 11 Deer Creek Antlers (10) vs. Edmond Memorial Bulldogs

Deer Creek (1-1) started the season with a 21-13 win over Southmoore (0-1), but fell 38-21 to Edmond Santa Fe (2-1). Dylan Diaz had a marvelous 97-yard kick return, while quarterback Hunter Freese found Logan Huslig for a pair of scores through the air. Freese was 18-28-170-1, but the ground game went negative at 21 carries for negative seven yards. 

Edmond Memorial (1-2) dropped a 25-17 decision to Edmond North (1-1). Memorial was 11-22-94-0 passing and the dogs combined for 91 yards on 30 carries. 

The pick: DC 35 EDM 30.

No. 12 Stillwater Pioneers (12) vs. Mustang Broncos

Stillwater (2-0) easily handled Edmond Memorial (1-2) 23-7 in their season opener then topped Moore (0-2) 14-7. Gunnar Gundy was 7-8-188-0 passing for both touchdowns. The game was sloppy on both sides. Moore had three fumbles but recovered each, while Stillwater lost three of their four fumbles, but picked off two passes from the Lions. Stillwater won the first half 14-0 while Moore scored the lone points of the second half with a fourth quarter run. 

6A-I Mustang (2-0) is off to a dominating start with a 31-14 victory over Yukon (1-1) and a 48-14 win against Norman (0-2). Brayden Garrett was 9-18-171-0 through the air and the Bronchos combined for 241 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. 

The pick: Mustang 43 Stillwater 18.

No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (14) vs. Bishop Kelley Comets

Sapulpa (0-2) got off to a rough start this year, falling 28-12 to Duncan (1-2) and 27-20 to Choctaw (2-0). The Chieftains took a bye week to recover and will return to action against 5A Bishop Kelley (1-1). The Comets fell 42-21 to Bishop McGuinness (2-0) but rolled over Edison (1-1) 48-14 in week one.

The pick: Kelley 30 Sapulpa 18.

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (15) - Bye Week

Ponca (0-3) will get a much needed bye week after being brutalized 48-0 by Guthrie (1-2), 61-34 by Enid (2-0), and 28-7 by Edmond Memorial (1-2). Justin Andrews was 14-28-116 against the Bluejays, but the ground game was practically nonexistent with 26 carries for a mere 44 yards. 

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
Overall: 15-7 (.681)
Last Week: 5-5 (.500)
Last Year: 48-21 (.695)

Virgil Noah
Staff Writer
Overall: 4-6* (.400)
Last Week: 4-6 (.400)
Last Year: 43-26 (.623)

*Virgil missed the first week of picks.

Week Two 6A-II rankings and predictions; a look at this weekend's games

No. 1 Bixby Spartans (Last week No. 1) vs Bentonville Tigers

The defending Division II State Champions from Bixby (1-0) started off the season with a bang, hammering 6A-I powerhouse Jenks (0-2) 35-18 with 21 points in the fourth quarter. RB Tucker Pawley rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns while Staton King passed for 191 and two scores. The Spartans will be taking on Bentonville, Arkansas (0-1). The Tigers went 10-3 last season and lost their season opener 35-8 to Rockhurst, Missouri (2-1). 

The pick: Bixby 47 Bentonville 17.

No. 2 Booker T. Washington Hornets (2) vs. West Monroe Rebels

Booker T. (2-0) is off to a great start this year, topping 6A-I powerhouse Edmond Santa Fe (1-1) 35-21 and Midwest City (1-1) 27-24 in overtime. Hornet QB Phillip Wheatley recorded 197 passing yards and a touchdown. This weekend they'll travel to Shreveport, Louisiana for the Battle on the Border Football Showcase in Independence Stadium. The Hornets will take on West Monroe, Louisiana (2-0), last year's 5A State Runners-Up.

Virgil picks: BTW 33 Monroe 28.
Scott picks: Monroe 35, BTW  24.

No. 3 Midwest City Bombers (4) - Bye Week

The Bombers (1-1) lost an overtime heart-breaker to Head Coach Darrell Hall's former school, Booker T. Washington. QB Preston Colbert scored a 40-yard touchdown with a pass to Declaudio Irvin. Elliot Janish sent the game into overtime with a last-second field goal, but the Hornets came out on top 27-24.

No. 4 Sand Springs Sandtes (3) vs. No. 7 Choctaw Yellowjackets (6)

Charles Page High School (0-1) started the season with a 59-21 loss to Pulaski Academy, an Arkansas team with three-straight State Championships who always goes for fourth downs and almost always onside kicks. Caden Pennington was only 3-4-11-1 passing and nearly the entirety of the Sandite offense came from Ben Nortey and Payton Scott on the ground. Sand Springs stymied the Bruins well on the ground, but gave up 433 yards by air. 

Choctaw (1-0) trailed Sapulpa 7-6 at halftime last week but came back in the second half for a 27-21 road win. Hudson Woods was 18-28-227 passing with one touchdown and ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns. Jaryn Curry racked up 162 yards on 13 carries. 

The pick: CPHS 39 Choctaw 25.

No. 6 Lawton Wolverines (5) vs MacArthur Highlanders

It's rivalry week in Lawton as the 6A-II Wolverines (0-1) look to get in the win column against 5A MacArthur (1-0). The Wolverines lost their season debut 33-32 to the defending 5A State Champions from Carl Albert (1-0) and will have another tough match against the State Semi-finalists who trounced Eisenhower (0-1) 56-29 last weekend. 

Carl Albert held a 14-point lead midway through the fourth before Lawton staged a comeback attempt. Fortunately for the Titans, Lawton's last extra-point attempt failed on a bad snap, preventing a tie game. Miles Davis led the Wolverines on the ground with 297 yards.

MacAthur steamrolled Eisenhower with 531 offensive yards, 138 of which came from sophomore QB Race Felter who scored five running touchdowns. Nick Mahan led the ground game with 212 yards on 37 carries with one touchdown.

Virgil's pick: Lawton 31 MacArthur 28.
Scott's pick: MacArthur 31 Lawton 28.

No. 5 Muskogee Roughers (7) - Bye Week

Muskogee (1-1) had a solid start to the season, despite losing their first game. The Roughers finished last season with their first winning record since 2008 under former Guthrie Head Coach Rafe Watkins, going 9-2 and making the State Semifinals after a brief appearance at the No. 1 ranking. Now they have to prove themselves all over again after graduating nearly their entire starting offense. 

Muskogee lost a close 26-20 season opener to Midwest City (1-1), but ended on a high-note. They fell in a 26-0 deficit before getting on the scoreboard, then shut out McAlester 54-0 leaving them with a streak of 74 unanswered points over the last two games. Against McAlester, QB Jacob Medrano recorded 481 yards, finding Diante Crutchfield for 292 and three touchdowns. Defensively they held the Buffalo to less than 100 yards with five sacks.

No. 8 Bartlesville Bruins (8) vs. Cascia Hall Commandos

Bartlesville (1-1) kicked off the season with a 30-25 victory over 5A McAlester (0-2), but they had a far tougher opponent in the 6A-I Owasso Rams (2-0), who prevailed 56-14 on the Bruins' home turf. Bartlesville didn't get on the board till the second half after trailing 42-0 at intermission. Noah Sunday was 14-30-103-0 passing and the Bruins were held to only 51 yards on the ground. 4A Cascia Hall (0-1) started the year with a 21-7 rivalry loss to 2A Holland Hall (2-0). The Commandos fell in a 13-0 hole before scoring their lone touchdown. Lewis Guillory rushed for 103 yards on 14 carries, accounting for the bulk of Cascia's 199 total yardage. 

Virgil's pick: Bartlesville 41 Cascia 3.
Scott's pick: Cascia 27 Bartlesville 14.

No. 9 Enid Plainsmen (9) - Bye Week

Enid (2-0) is off to a hot start with their best record since 2012, topping Guthrie (0-2) 34-23 and Ponca City (0-2) 61-34. Junior QB Mason Skrimager passed for 191 yards and three touchdowns against the Bluejays, then recorded 290 yards and two strikes against the Wildcats. 271 yards came in the first half alone. Marlo Hughes ran for 155 yards and three touchdowns, while Seth Ellis set a single-game record for the Plainsmen with four interceptions, including a 99-yard return. Enid jumped to a 21-0 first quarter lead and was up 34-14 at halftime. 

No. 10 Deer Creek Antlers (10) vs Edmond Santa Fe Wolves

Deer Creek (1-0) started the season with a 21-13 win over Southmoore (0-1), but will likely have a tougher time with Edmond Santa Fe (1-1) who just steamrolled Edmond North (0-1) 43-7 last week. The Antler defense shined in their win with a pair of goal-line stands, while QB Hunter Freese recorded 236 passing yards with two touchdowns. It's a new era at Deer Creek under first-year Head Coach Wade Standley, who previously coached 4A Ada to an 11-10 record in two seasons.

The pick: ESF 39 DC 21.

No. 11 Putnam City Pirates (11) vs El Reno Indians

Putnam City (1-0) will host 5A El Reno (1-0) in week two after topping in-city rivals 6A-I Putnam City North (0-1) 16-10 last week. AJ Newsome was 18-31-235-0 with one touchdown in the affair and also carried ten times for 52 yards. Julian DeLoera scored a field goal and Kevonte Lloyd scored an interception return. El Reno defeated Piedmont (0-1) 27-14 in their debut. 

The pick: PC 26 El Reno 11.

No. 12 Stillwater Pioneers (13) vs Moore Lions

Stillwater (1-0) easily handled Edmond Memorial (1-1) 23-7 in their season opener thanks in part to a 10-17-170 performance from sophomore Gunnar Gundy who scored two touchdowns. Freshman running back Qwontrel Walker carried 28 times for 135 and a touchdown, completing a lethal duo of young talent that will make Stillwater a solid contender for the years to come.

Moore (0-1) had a rough start to the year, taking a 50-18 beating in their rivalry game against Westmoore (1-0). The Lions were only 14-27-151-1 passing and 48-76 rushing with four fumbles and 95 yards in penalties.

The pick: Stillwater 36 Moore 20.

No. 13 Putnam West Patriots (12) vs Putnam North Panthers

Putnam West (1-0) barely edged out Duncan (1-1) 16-15 in week one thanks to the kicking prowess of Dylan Smith. Duncan scored first, then Putnam responded with a touchdown and three field goals ranging from 23 to 30 yards for a 16-7 advantage before a Demon touchdown and two-point pass made it a one-point game. Putnam North (0-1) went down 16-10 to Putnam City (1-0) in their season debut.

The pick: PCW 17 PCN 14.

No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (15) - Bye Week

Sapulpa (0-2) got off to a rough start this year, falling 28-12 to Duncan (1-1) and 27-20 to Choctaw (1-0). The Chieftains were held to a pair of field goals in the second and third quarters against Duncan before Garrett Williams connected with Gerquan Sanders in the fourth from 66 yards out. Sapulpa took a 7-6 lead into halftime against Choctaw but gave up more than 500 yards to the Yellowjackets and were outscored 21-13 in the second half. 

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (14) vs Guthrie Bluejays

Ponca (0-2) will travel to Guthrie (0-2) this Friday and at least one of them will notch their first win of the season. The Wildcats lost their first game 28-7 to Edmond Memorial (1-1) and were hammered 61-34 by Enid (2-0) last week. Justin Andrews was 18-30-244-0 passing against Edmond, but the Wildcats were held to a mere 187 total yards against Enid. Guthrie also suffered at the hands of Enid, going down 34-23 in week one, then falling 27-13 to Shawnee. 

The pick: Ponca 21 Guthrie 10.

Week Nine 6A-II Rankings and Predictions; a look at this weekend's games

By: Sandite Pride Editorial Board

The 2016 season has seen more parity than any year in recent memory. There is no longer a single team in Class 6A-II without a district loss. To make matters more difficult, there are teams with multiple losses to low-ranking teams and multiple wins over high-ranking teams. Looking at you, Choctaw. The number one team has fallen for the second week in a row, and now we'll try to sort out the mess.

No. 1 Muskogee Roughers (Last week No. 2) vs No. 14 Sapulpa Chieftains (15)

Muskogee (6-1, 3-1) has the worst of their schedule behind them now and, after taking a bye week to recover from their 26-25 loss to Sand Springs, they'll close out the regular season with the bottom two teams. 

Sapulpa (1-7, 1-4) picked up their first win of the season with a 31-27 upset over Ponca City (1-7, 0-5). The Chieftains dominated the Wildcats offensively, doubling them on total yardage, but gave up a pick six to keep the score close. 

The pick: Muskogee 56, Sapulpa 10.

No. 2 Sand Springs Sandites (1) vs No. 13 Bartlesville Bruins (13)

Charles Page High School (5-3, 3-1) may have lost to Booker T. Washington on the field, but on paper they destroyed the Hornets 267 yards to 124 and 15 first downs to 9, forcing 7 punts. The Hornets got lucky with 9:32 in the fourth quarter when Sandite QB Hunter Greathouse was unable to haul in a bad hike and the Hornets got the recovery at the 3 yard line. From there the Booker T. defense was able to stop three Sandite possessions for the win. Were it not for that one mistake, Sand Springs would still be undefeated in the district. 

The Bartlesville Bruins (4-4, 3-2) had a tough road match at Bixby (5-3, 3-1) and were throttled 63-14. They tried to keep up offensively and posted 342 yards on 79 plays, but the Spartans were explosive for 504 yards on 53 plays. 

The pick: Sandites 43, Bartlesville 32.

No. 3 Booker T. Washington Hornets (4) vs No. 4 Bixby Spartans (3)

The Hornets won their battle with Sand Springs on a fumble, and lost their game with Muskogee on turnovers after matching them offensively. The Spartans actually outperformed Muskogee offensively, but gave up two interceptions and a fumble. Against mutual opponents, the Hornets have the better defense and the Spartans have the better offense. Theoretically, this game should be fairly equally matched with the winner being decided on turnovers. 

The pick: Bixby 37, BTW 35.

No. 5 Midwest City Bombers  (5) vs No. 11 Enid Plainsmen (8)

The Bombers (5-3, 4-1) won an important district game Friday against Putnam City (3-5, 1-4) to continue to their quest for the district title in the district with the most parity. It was a low-scoring 7-0 affair made possible by the incredible Bomber defense.

The Plainsmen (3-5, 2-3) are coming off a 35-10 loss to Stillwater (4-4, 2-3). They gave up five turnovers, but forced three of their own. 

The pick: MWC 28, Enid 7.

No. 6 Putnam City West Patriots (7) vs No. 7 Lawton Wolverines (6)

The Patriots (6-2, 4-1) may not be the indisputable head of the district any more, but they're still in contention for the Title after a 27-17 win over Edmond Deer Creek (2-6, 2-3). The Pats have given up only two losses this season, 29-24 to the Sandites, and 21-16 to Midwest City. They have another big test at Lawton.

The Wolverines (4-4, 3-2) rode three straight wins with three close losses to quality teams. That changed Thursday with a 52-26 beat down from Choctaw (4-4, 2-3) to seriously damage their shot at a district title. With the incredible amount of upsets in the district, they're not out of contention yet, but they can't afford a loss. A win over Putnam will put them second only to Midwest City. 

The pick: PCW 26, Lawton 24.

No. 8 Choctaw Yellowjackets (12) vs No. 12 Deer Creek Antlers (10)

It's beginning to look like Choctaw (4-4, 2-3) can only win games they're picked to lose. The Yellowjackets have three wins against top-tier teams in Sand Springs, Midwest City, and Lawton, and upset losses to Enid, Putnam, and Stillwater.  

After their most recent 52-26 stunner over Lawton, they'll be looking to bring down Deer Creek and Putnam West to clinch a playoff berth. The Yellowjacket's high-powered offense averages 34 points per game while Deer Creek averages only 19 and gives up 35. The Antlers (2-6, 2-3) most recently went down 27-17 to Putnam City West.

The pick: Choctaw 42, Deer Creek 20.

No. 9 Putnam City Pirates (9) vs No. 10 Stillwater Pioneers (11)

The Putnam City Pirates (3-5, 1-4) put up a valiant effort against Midwest City before falling 7-0 while the Pioneers (4-4, 2-3) picked up a 35-10 win over Enid. Stillwater holds two-straight wins and all four of their losses were by a touchdown or less. A potential playoff berth is on the line and they're unlikely to leave their A game at home.

The pick: Stillwater 33, Putnam 23.

No. 15 Ponca City Wildcats (14) vs 6A-I Norman Tigers

Barring a miracle, the Ponca City Wildcats (1-7, 0-5) are unlikely to get a win against Muskogee (6-1, 3-1) in week ten, so their last real shot at padding their record comes in their home-finale against 6A-I Norman (1-7, 1-4). The same can be said for the Tigers.

Ponca gave up a 31-27 upset to Sapulpa (1-7, 1-4) last week, while Norman went down 35-7 to Broken Arrow (4-4, 3-2). The Wildcats have been competitive all season, averaging 17 points per game, while the Tigers have scored 15. Norman gives up an average of 44 points and Ponca gives up 40, but Norman plays in a far tougher division and district. 

The pick: Norman 28, Ponca 26. 

Editorial: Why OSU should NOT claim the 1945 National Championship

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Oklahoma State University, or rather, Oklahoma A&M, was retroactively awarded the 1945 football National Championship by the American Football Coaches Association last week. The problem is, there already is a National Champion for 1945--the Army. Apparently the AFCA established a panel to rewrite history. 

The AFCA has recognized a National Champion annually since 1950 when the University of Oklahoma won its first National Title under Bud Wilkinson. The organization recently decided to retroactively award Titles for the 1922-1949 seasons and will arbitrarily select Champions based on pleas from those schools, rather than based on the polls that already existed during that time period. 

The AP poll has been universally recognized as the awarding association for the 1936-1949 National Championships, and in that poll the Aggies weren't even ranked in the top four. By today's standards, they just barely missed the playoffs. 

There were several undefeated teams that season, but the undefeated Army team was unanimously selected by all 116 voters of the AP writers' poll as the top team in the country. Next up was the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide, followed by the undefeated Navy. 

No. 1 Army (9-0-0)

9/29 Army defeats Louisville Fields 32-0
10/6 Army defeats Wake Forest 54-0
10/13 Army defeats No. 9 Michigan 28-7
10/20 Army defeats Melville PT Boats 55-13
10/27 Army defeats No. 19 Duke 48-13
11/3 Army defeats Villanova 54-0
11/10 Army defeats No. 2 Notre Dame 48-0
10/17 Army defeats No. 6 Penn 61-0
12/1 Arms defeats No. 2 Navy 32-13

No. 5 Oklahoma A&M (9-0-0)

9/29 OSU defeats Arkansas 19-14
10/6 OSU defeats Denver 31-7
10/12 OSU defeats SMU 26-12
10/20 OSU defeats Utah 46-6
10/27 OSU defeats TCU 25-12
11/10 OSU defeats No. 19 Tulsa 12-6
11/17 OSU defeats Texas Tech 46-6
11/24 OSU defeats Oklahoma 47-0
1/1 OSU defeats No. 9 Saint Mary's 33-13

Comparing the two teams isn't that hard. OSU clearly had a good team. There's no contesting that. But they posted only one shutout to Army's five shutouts. OSU won their games by an average score of 31-8 whereas Army won their games by an average score of 45-5. Army had the number one offense in the country, and the number one defense. Army posted five ranked wins with an average score of 43-6, while OSU's two ranked wins came at an average of 22-9. And don't forget that Army had Heisman Trophy winner Doc Blanchard. 

But somehow, OSU was the better team?

By whatever wildly errant logic that the AFCA is using, Sand Springs should have several State Championships. The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA) didn't begin holding playoffs or recognizing a State Champion until 1944, leaving individual schools to claim to State Titles as they saw fit. In 1931 the Sandites went 6-0-1 with four shutout wins and a 0-0 tie with an equally impressive Skiatook team. At the time, high schools didn't play to overtime. Though they didn't have the toughest schedule, they did go undefeated. That's good enough, right? Again, in 1937, the Sandites went undefeated at 8-0-2 with six shutout wins and two 0-0 ties, both to winning teams. Once again, it wasn't the toughest schedule in Oklahoma, but neither was OSU's. 

In 1951, the Sandites went 11-1 with their only true loss being 27-6 to Sapulpa in week three. From there they won nine straight games, including five shutouts. They defeated Poteau 54-0 in the State quarterfinals before "losing" 20-20 to Ada. At the time the OSSAA didn't allow overtime and Ada was awarded the win on red zone penetrations. Apparently having a stout defense able to put up red zone stops doesn't matter to the OSSAA. Sapulpa was Class AA at the time while Sand Springs was A, so that loss doesn't affect their claim to a State title. They essentially went undefeated in their division, and had they been allowed to play overtime against Ada, who knows what might have happened? Ada went on to defeat Ponca City 20-13 for their first Championship. They now hold nineteen State Titles.

In 1962 the Sandites went 7-0-3 with three shutouts and three ties. They even beat Broken Arrow 32-0. At the time the Sandites weren't in an eligible conference and weren't allowed to compete for the State Title. 

That makes two State Titles that the Sandites could claim on wins, due to there being no playoffs, and two Titles they can claim on being unfairly excluded from the playoffs. But Sand Springs doesn't claim those Titles. We didn't claim them then, because we followed the rules and respected that there were better teams, and we don't claim them now, because it would be unfair to the schools that have already held them for decades. We are content to settle for our 1966 State Title and work towards earning new titles in the future rather than living in the past. 

If the University of Oklahoma were to claim National Titles outside of AP rankings, they would have ten more than the seven they claim. In 1915, Oklahoma went 10-0 under Bennie Owen. The official NCAA Division I Football Records Book even lists Cornell, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh as having equal claim to the Title, but only Cornell and Pittsburgh claim it. 

Cornell (9-0)
9/25 defeated Gettysburg 13-0
10/2 defeated Oberlin 34-7
10/9 defeated Williams 46-6
10/16 defeated Bucknell 41-0
10/23 defeated Harvard 10-0
10/30 defeated VPI 45-0
11/6 defeated Michigan 34-7
11/13 defeated Washington & Lee 40-21
11/25 defeated Penn 40-21

Oklahoma (10-0)
9/25 defeated Kingfisher 67-0
10/2 defeated SW Oklahoma 55-0
10/9 defeated NW OK State 102-0
10/16 defeated Missouri 24-0
10/23 defeated Texas 14-13
10/30 defeated Kansas 23-14
11/6 defeated Kendall 14-13
11/14 defeated Arkansas 24-0
11/19 defeated Kansas State 21-7
11/25 defeated Oklahoma A&M 26-7

Shutouts: Pittsburgh 6
Average Score: Oklahoma 37-5

Pittsburgh (8-0)
10/2 defeated Westminster 32-0
10/9 defeated Navy 47-12
10/16 defeated Carlisle 45-0
10/23 defeated Penn 14-7
10/30 defeated Allegheny 42-0
11/6 defeated Washington & Jefferson 19-0
11/13 defeated Carnegie Tech 28-0
11/25 defeated Penn State 20-0

Oklahoma was retroactively selected as National Champions by the Billingsley Report. Cornell was retroactively selected by the Helms Athletic Foundation, the Houlgate System, and the National Championship Foundation, while being selected as co-champions by Parke H. Davis. Pittsburgh was selected as co-champions by Parke H. Davis. 

Oklahoma had yet another undefeated season in 1949 under Bud Wilkinson and was retroactively awarded the National Title by the College Football Research Association, despite the AP giving it to Notre Dame. 

No. 1 Notre Dame (10-0)
9/24 defeated Indiana 49-6
10/1 defeated Washington 27-7
10/8 defeated Purdue 35-12
10/15 defeated No. 4 Tulane 46-7
10/29 defeated Navy 40-0
11/5 defeated No. 10 Michigan State 34-21
11/12 defeated North Carolina 42-6
11/19 defeated Iowa 28-7
11/26 defeated No. 17 USC 32-0
12/3 defeated SMU 27-20

No. 2 Oklahoma 11-0
9/23 defeated Boston College 46-0
10/1 defeated Texas A&M 33-13
10/8 defeated No. 12 Texas 20-14
10/15 defeated Kansas 48-26
10/22 defeated Nebraska 48-0
10/29 defeated Iowa State 34-7
11/5 defeated Kansas State 39-0
11/12 defeated Missouri 27-7
11/19 defeated No. 19 Santa Clara 28-21
11/26 defeated Oklahoma A&M 41-0
1/1 defeated No. 9 LSU  41-0

1949 saw four undefeated teams, including California and Army. However, Notre Dame received 172 of 208 first place votes in the final AP Poll. OU actually came in second on first place votes with 18, whereas the 1945 OSU team received 0. OU defeated three ranked opponents by an average score of 30-12, while Notre Dame defeated three ranked opponents by an average score of 37-9. Notre Dame also had a Heisman award winner, six players who went on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and four All-Americans. Oklahoma had one future Hall of Famer and five All-Americans. Just like in 1945, it was clear to the people alive at the time that Notre Dame was the better team, despite Oklahoma having far more claim to the Title than OSU did in 1945. 

The Oklahoma conversation can continue with 1953 (9-1-1, named by Berryman and CFRA) when Maryland (10-1) was recognized by the AP. The 1957  team (10-1, named by Berryman) when Auburn was recognized by the AP, despite having paid two high school players $5000 to play. In 1967 (10-1, named by Poling System) when USC was recognized by the AP. In 1973 (10-0-1, named by CFRA, DeVold, Dunkel, Sagarin) when Notre Dame was recognized by the AP. In 1978 (11-1, named by DeVold, Dunkel, FACT, Helms, Litkenhous, Matthews, Poling, Sagarin) when Alabama was recognized by the AP. In 1980 (10-2, named by Dunkel and Matthews) when Georgia was recognized by the AP. In 1986 (11-1, named by CFRA, Berryman, DeVold, Dunkel, NY Times, Sagarin) when Penn State was recognized by AP. Finally, in 2003 (12-2, named by Berryman) when USC was recognized by AP. 

OSU fans can call themselves National Champions all they want, but the fact is all 116 AP voters, who were alive at the time and actually watched the season, thought that Army was the better team. OSU has a handful of panel members who weren't even alive at the time. 

Oklahoma only claims 7 of our 17 awarded titles. Notre Dame only claims 11 of 22. USC claims 11 of 17. Michigan claims 11 of 16. Ohio State claims 8 of 16. Harvard claims 7 of 12. 

As a proud Oklahoman, I want OSU to win a National Title one day. I would love to see a day and age when OU and OSU are in the playoffs every year as the No. 1 and 2 ranked teams. It's unlikely, but wouldn't it be nice? Heck, throw Tulsa in there as well, so long as we're imaging a perfect world. 

I would much rather see OSU make a case for the 2011 season, when they won ten-straight to earn the No. 2 rank before dropping a double overtime upset to Iowa State. They bested OU 44-10, won their first and only Big 12 title, and beat No. 4 Stanford 41-38 in overtime at the Fiesta Bowl. That year there wasn't a single ranked team without a loss, and National Champion Alabama avenged their regular season loss to No. 1 LSU with a 21-0 victory in the Championship game. While I personally think Alabama and LSU were both far better teams than OSU, at least OSU got 4 of 60 votes in the AP poll that year, as opposed to 1945 when they got 0 of 116. 

Oklahoma State has come a long way as a program and I think one day they will likely win a Championship. But that day won't be this year, it wasn't in 2011, and it wasn't in 1945 either. In 2011 they were named the National Champion by the Colley-Matrix, and the Cowboys did the right thing by not recognizing it. They shouldn't recognize this one either.

I'm not being one sided in this. The AFCA still has 27 more National Titles to give out, of which OU could make legitimate claim to the 1949 title. We were undefeated and we posted one more win than Notre Dame, who was recognized by the AP. While many OU fans may be excited to win the '49 title, I won't be. You can hold me to it, if the AFCA calls Oklahoma the 1949 National Champion, I'll still be claiming seven national titles, not eight. National Titles should be decided at the time, not decades later by people who weren't around when the games were played. Notre Dame was the better team in '49 and Army was the better team in '45.

When Oklahoma State wins its first National Title, I will be as excited as anybody, and more excited than anybody who recognizes the 1945 Championship. Winning a real Title will be much sweeter without being watered down by revisionist history.