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Monday, September 1, 2008
The Reasons for the Season
Central Oklahoma, OK
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We love high school football. You do, too. And here’s why
1. 8-man football (enough said)
2. Goalposts that look like oversized H’s
3. Big Name Games
The Soul Bowl is Douglass vs. Millwood. The Polo Bowl is Casady against Heritage Hall. The Moore War is Moore against Westmoore and easily the coolest nickname for any game is Edlam which was coined for the Edmond Santa Fe-Edmond North game.
4. Jenks-Union
No schools have dominated like these two. Since 1995, either the Trojans or the Redskins have won the Class 6A state title.
5. The I-40 corridor
In the last 39 years, Clinton, Weatherford and Elk City have combined to win a state championship in 17 of the seasons, including four by Clinton and one each by Elk City and Weatherford from 1996-2001.
6. The perfectly manicured field at Hollis
7. Five-hour bus rides to Boise City
8. Cheerleaders who cry
9. Small schools that get to play on the largest field
When the Class A and 2A schools come to the Big 12 stadiums, it sure looks cool – and the stadiums sure look big.
10. Cups at Velma-Alma
Low-key, low-cost decorations combining Styrofoam in chain link, it is a tradition in Stephens County when the playoffs come to Velma.
11. Coaching legends
Joe Tunnell at Rush Springs retired as the state’s most winning coach. Allan Trimble and his Jenks dynasty. Mike Little won titles at Putnam West and Putnam North. Joe Ross took Thomas to seven state titles.
12. The paw prints on Main Street
Head to any small town and you can find your way to the stadium by checking out the pavement. If you see the paw prints in the school colors on the concrete, a logo, or the mascot, you’re heading in the right direction.
13. Don’t buy a map. Just look for the stadium lights
You’ll never get lost in a small town. Just look up.
14. The Douglass Band
15. Football players in uniform next to girls wearing formal dresses for homecoming night
16. The Rock at Guthrie
Jelsma Stadium is one of the great venues for football in the state.
17. Friday Night Frights
Five places that are ghost towns on Friday nights
1. Shattuck
2. Washington
3. Dewar
4. Oologah
5. Clinton
18. In high school football, there are no contracts, holdouts or retirements
19. Nicknames
In a football state like Oklahoma, we have no Sooners, but there are Razorbacks (Panama), and Longhorns (Jones, Lone Grove). However, we do have Millers (Yukon), Wampus Cats (Atoka), Engineers (Watts), Diggers (Wilburton) and Whippets (Okeene and Varnum).
20. The 19 flags over Ada
19 state titles for the Cougars and they let you know about it, too, as they bring each of those pennants on the road with them and put them up for display.
21. Clinton’s Tornado Bowl
The coolest name for a stadium in the state
22. The “He could go” factor
You know, the kind of player that makes everyone stand up each time he touches the ball. Players like Brandon Daniels of Ada, Prentice Rhone of Norman, Kye Staley of Guthrie, Dewell Brewer of Lawton and Che Foster of Edmond.
23. Friday Night
Nothing says high school football like Friday does.
24. The Gold Ball celebration
It never gets old, but it’s always the same.
25. Legendary performances
1. The catch and run by Kejuan Jones against Union in 2000 – Jones went 80 yards with 8 seconds left and Jenks topped Union 41-37.
2. Reggie Smith’s domination of Edmond North in 2003 – Smith turned in a performance. He had 114 rushing yards, 85 receiving yards and 100-plus on punt returns as the Wolves topped North and made the 6A semifinals.
3. Teddy Lehman vs. Clinton in 1999 – Lehman ran for 91 yards and three touchdowns in the semifinal 24-23 over heavily favored Red Tornados.
26. TV helicopters landing next to the field
27. Paper signs are still cooler than inflatable tunnels
28. Inflatable Tunnels are pretty cool, too
29. Small-town diners
Good food, good talk.
30. Great players
This season, Oklahoma boasts some of the top players in the nation. Players like David Oku at Carl Albert, Jeremy Smith at Tulsa Union, Gabe Lynn of Jenks and Ronnell Lewis of Dewar.
31. Great rivalries
Five games that are every bit as big – and important – as OU-Texas
1. Broken Bow-Idabel
2. Moore-Westmoore
3. Millwood-Douglass
4. Sand Springs-Sapulpa
5. Ada-Ardmore
32. Every Friday is homecoming
Former players and graduates of the school fill up the sidelines at their alma maters.
33. The train at Davis
So loud you can you feel it. So close, it shakes you.
34. The steps at Wantland
Not many better ways to take the field than coming down the steps at UCO’s Wantland.
35. Small-town Sonic
36. .50 cent popcorn
37. Student sections
38. Dance teams
There’s Ping Pings at Sapulpa. There’s High Steppers at Union. Tigettes at Broken Arrow, the Couganns at Ada and Highlanderettes at Lawton MacArthur
39. The Wing-T
Yes, there are some teams that still run it.
40. The Wishbone
Always a classic in Oklahoma
41. Straight-on kickers
Perfect for those H-shaped goalposts
42. Quarterback clubs
43. Cheerleaders tossing mini footballs into the crowd
44. Seeing Sam Bradford, Wes Welker, Jason White and others before they became stars
45. Booker T’s Tradition
Maybe the Hornets are known for basketball, but R.W. McQuarters, Renaldo Works, Robert Meachem and Felix Jones sure are impressive names. This year, linebacker Michael Doctor is the next star to be.
46. Small town football stands
47. Games worth seeing (this year)
There’s always a number of great games every season, but for the high school fan, these are already on the calendar for October:
Oct. 16 - Guthrie at Carl Albert
Oct. 24 – Putnam City at Midwest City
Oct. 31 – Sequoyah-Claremore at Cascia Hall
Nov. 7 – Plainview at Davis
Nov. 7 – Lawton MacArthur at Deer Creek
48. District scenarios going into week 10
If you have a slide rule, calculator and schedules and results for each of the 300-plus teams who play football, you can figure out who’s going where in the playoffs.
49. Large school crowds
Any time you start thinking high school football is just a Norman Rockwell painting, check out the Jenks-Union game. Head to Broken Arrow. Go to the Moore War. Expect crowds of 10,000, 20,000, sometimes 30,000 or more.
50. Night Train Lane
The long-time historian of Booker T football and animated PA announcer at Hornet games.
51. Jenks football
Maybe the Trojans are too big, maybe they are hated, but there are sure a lot of schools that would love to be just like them.
52. Coaching apparel
Hey, guys, wear what you want. It’s not like this is some sort of fashion show. Shorts? Pants? Sweat suits? Whatever!
53. Pep Rallies are still cool
54. Cool helmets
Alex, Elgin, Clinton, Star Spencer, Broken Arrow to name a few
55. National Champions
The 1990 Lawton Eisenhower Eagles went 14-0, outscored its opponents 476-110 and was named the best team in the nation by USA Today.
56. District standings.
No BCS, no computer formulas. Finish fourth or better, you’re in the playoffs.
57. Coaches still exchange game film on Saturday mornings
59. The Berryhill Burger
It’s a concession stand burger, but you wouldn’t know it. One of the best around
60. Marching bands that have less than 30 members
Not exactly the Pride of Oklahoma, but you get the idea
62. Alumni wearing their letterman jackets to the game
63. The Fire Department in every town across the state watches the game from atop their trucks
64. Football Town, Oklahoma
Check out these names – Dwight McFadden, James Trapp, Will Shields, Mike Minter, Kelly Stinnett, Dewell Brewer, Jamaal Brown, Butch Huskey, Charles Thompson, D.J. Wolfe and, maybe the best of them all, Eddie Hinton. All played football in Lawton.
65. Halftime adjustments are done in the end zone, not in the locker room.
66. Homemade bakery goodies at the concession stand.
67. Size doesn’t matter
In high school football, any size can play. This season 6-foot-9, 360-pound Clayton Moncrief will play for Class C Kinta. Meanwhile, Tony Hooks, all 5-foot-6, 140 pounds of him, will play for Class 4A Tulsa McLain.
68. Schools that use livestock as mascots
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