NOTHING BUT GREEN: Week 14 high school football picks
Dec. 1—Last week: 1-1 (50%)
Overall record: 73-18 (80.2%)
Well, this is awkward.
With Verdigris and Sequoyah both losing last week, you're probably wondering why there is another picks column. It is a fair inquiry, for sure.
All nine football programs within Rogers County borders have seen their seasons come to a close. Those players have handed in their football equipment and are now participating in winter sports or preparing for spring sports.
Only four days removed from their semifinal loss to Heritage Hall, five Verdigris athletes saw action in a varsity basketball game. That is the nature of the beast — win or you're dribbling basketballs the next week.
But that's enough beating around the bush for now. What exactly are we doing here again?
Well, just because football in Rogers County has concluded, that doesn't mean the season is over. There are six state championship game this week, one of which includes Owasso.
And guess what? Although Owasso High School is in Tulsa County, parts of Owasso belong to Rogers County.
That means the Rams are available to me cover, and I am doing just that. Come Friday night, photographer Jay Lederman and I will be at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond covering the Class 6A-I championship, just like we did for Collinsville in Class 5A last year.
So if I'm going to be there, I'm going to give you my game prediction. That's not all, though.
Because we're already here, I might as well provide my expertise on the remaining five title matchups as well. Let's get to it.
Class 6A-I — BIXBY 48, Owasso 12: Owasso's six-overtime victory over previously unbeaten Union in the semifinals was nothing short of a miracle, but that's all it was — a miracle. I think the Redhawks might've been overlooking Bill Blankenship's squad a bit, especially when you consider they had already beaten the Rams 35-17 this season.
Owasso has had a good run as of late with eight-consecutive wins, but that doesn't automatically put them on the level of Bixby. I'm not convinced last week wasn't a fluke.
The Spartans certainly look more beatable than they did a few weeks ago, but I see them handling business like they did in their 49-14 win over the Rams in Week Zero.
Bixby rolls to its eighth state title since 2014. Someone to watch for Claremore fans, though, is Owasso quarterback Mason Willingham. Willingham, formerly of Skiatook, played against the Zebras in 2019 before transferring to the Rams.
Class 6A-II — STILLWATER 41, Choctaw 31: One of these teams will win its first state title since the 1960s, so something has to give.
The battle between quarterbacks Gage Gundy and Steele Wasel will be electric, for they have combined for nearly 6,300 yards of offense and 79 touchdowns this season.
The Pioneers get the nod here simply because they are due a championship. They were foiled by Bixby in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, and now that the Spartans are in 6A-I, there are no excuses. This is their year, and they will avenge their 2020 semifinal loss to the Yellowjackets.
On a side note, this matchup has family ties for me. My wife is a Stillwater grad, and my uncles Terry and Rod played football for Choctaw in the late 70s and early 80s. In fact, Uncle Rod was a member of the 1981 district championship team. The Yellowjackets hadn't won another district crown until this year.
Class 5A — Carl Albert 35, McALESTER 21: As a Carl Albert grad and avid Titans supporter, I get nervous for every championship game.
I'm mostly nervous this time around because I have underestimated McAlester all season. I was shocked when it beat Bishop McGuinness in the semifinals. If the Buffaloes can beat the Irish, they are certainly capable of beating the Titans.
However, of all the Carl Albert teams that have won championships over the past decade, this one might be the best.
McAlester has proven it has talent outside of star running back Erik McCarty, an OU commit who is out for the season, but the Titans look untouchable with players like Reed DeQuasie and Xavier Robinson leading the charge.
CA makes it six state titles in seven years.
Class 4A — CUSHING 38, Wagoner 20: I actually picked Wagoner to win it all on my playoff bracket because it is hard to beat a good team twice. I thought there's no way a Dale Condict-coached team loses to the same opponent twice, especially after suffering a 42-0 loss to Cushing earlier this season.
I'm going back on that pick, though.
Sure, Wagoner won't lose by 42 this time, but it is hard to pick against the Tigers. They have looked so impressive and so dominant with Blaze Berlowitz, who has passed for 3,654 yards and 54 touchdowns this season, at quarterback.
You can say I'm playing it safe, but right now it feels foolish to say this Cushing team is capable of losing a game.
Class 3A — Metro Christian 35, HERITAGE HALL 34: It is crazy to think that despite the success these programs have experienced in recent seasons, this will be their first meeting in 39 years.
Heritage Hall is a perennial power but is making its first championship appearance since 2018. Meanwhile, Metro Christian has handled the move up to Class 3A perfectly and carries an undefeated record into Thursday as it looks to win its third championship in four years.
Although both teams have looked great down the stretch, the Patriots have been just a tad more impressive. Kirk Francis, who has thrown for 3,753 yards and 53 touchdowns this season in helping Metro average 45.2 points per game, will be the difference in a tight game.
Class C — TIPTON 32, Waynoka 28: Tipton is a traditional power, and that's what I'm basing this pick on.
The Tigers won three-consecutive titles from 2016-2018, and I got to cover the latter of those when I worked at The Lawton Constitution.
Furthermore, Tipton and Waynoka have four common opponents — Ryan, Mountain View-Gotebo, Medford and Timberlake — and the Tigers hold the point-differential advantage, having outscored those teams 226-38 while the Railroaders outscored them 212-58.
It'll be close, but give me the Tigers.