Is it ever a good thing to lose the Midfirst Bank Backyard Bowl?
Considering the many reversals of fortune in the Union-Jenks football rivalry, it's interesting to ponder as the Trojans and Redskins prepare for Friday's annual slugfest at Chapman Stadium.
Call it myth or urban legend. And it's probably impossible to establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
But the simple fact is that the team that wins the regular-season meeting seldom wins the almost inevitable playoff rematch.
"It crosses your mind. It happened last year," Jenks blue-chip defensive back Steven Parker said. "You hear people talk about it. It's always been a rumor or a myth. But we don't believe in that."
Union won last year's season opener 14-7, but Jenks came back to win 41-10 in the Class 6A semifinals and rolled Norman North a week later to claim its 13th state championship.
Since 1998, when the Trojans and Redskins began their dual 6A domination, the teams have met 11 times in postseason play. And in eight of those games, the regular-season winner lost the rematch.
"The coaches might think about that," Union linebacker Sam Blankenship said. "But we just want wins. It's for bragging rights. That's how it is with Jenks and Union. We want to win both games."
Jenks coach Allan Trimble isn't greedy. Don't tell anyone, but he would gladly trade a win in Friday's game, "if you knew you could win the next one. But that's not how we're looking at it."
Let's get real. Athletes aren't wired to lose on purpose, even with positive benefits attached. As Marsellus Wallace warned Butch Coolidge in "Pulp Fiction": "That's your pride (messin') with you" - or words to that effect.
"We never go into a game wanting to lose," Union defensive end Coleby Evans said. "Although looking back at it, it does seem like whoever won in the Backyard Bowl lost the state championship game - or lost in the semifinals. But you never want to lose."
Redskins running back Justin Silmon said he would rather "find a way to win the first game, and then find a way to (reverse the trend) later on."
Jenks tight end Matt Cloud said, "You go into every game with the mind-set that it could be your last. One (injury) and you're done. So you try to win every single game."
Union coach Kirk Fridrich said, "You have to keep this game in perspective for what it is. It's big for the community and the fans, but on Saturday morning, as coaches, we've got a game to play the following week. You can't evaluate your season on one game."
Jenks' playoff win last year wasn't such a radical reversal. The teams seemed evenly matched in Week 1 - the Trojans fumbled away a potential go-ahead score in the fourth quarter - and by season's end, Jenks was riding a player-of-the-year surge by senior tailback Trey'Vonne Barr'e.
But there have been notable reversals. In 2003, Union won the first meeting 37-0, but Jenks won 14-12 in the semifinals. In 2010, Jenks won 33-7 in the regular season, but Union pulled off a 50-47 stunner in the 6A championship game.
Football people always talk about how hard it is to beat a team twice in one season.
"I think it helped us when we prepared for them the second time," Jenks kicker Jack Tyler said.
Losing adds to a team's motivation for the rematch, Trimble said.
"If you're a championship-caliber team and you've lost to a team once, you're definitely gonna take advantage of that second opportunity," he said.
Until Union did it in 2008 and 2011, Jenks had never lost to a team twice in one season. In 1998, the Trojans took comfort in that, and scored the original reversal-of-fortune triumph in the series.
Union won the September meeting 55-45 at Hunter-Dwelley Field behind Danny Morris' six rushing touchdowns, and spent the entire season ranked No. 1.
But Jenks took flight in midseason when Trimble turned over the offense to quarterback Ben Bowling, and the Trojans won 41-28 in the 6A final at Boone Pickens Stadium.
A rivalry of reversals
Since 1998, the Redskins and Trojans have met 11 times in the playoffs. In eight of those years, the team that lost in the regular season won in the playoffs.
Backyard Bowl Picks Breakdown
Both teams are strong on offense, but Jenks gets the edge, 31-24, because it has the state's best defense, is healthier and has more momentum. However, this series is filled with examples of teams that have been clear favorites and been upset.
- BARRY LEWIS, World Sports Writer
Kaylor Pearson's addition puts Union's stellar receiving corps off the charts. A Redskins win isn't out of the question. But Jenks' performance against Euless Trinity is hard to ignore. In fighting from behind against a program renowned for its toughness, the Trojans looked like the toughest team on earth.
- MIKE BROWN, World Sports Writer
Maybe you've forgotten, but I'm a Texas guy, so I can't tell you how impressed I was with Jenks' win over the weekend against perennial Texas power Euless Trinity. The Trojans look to be the class of Oklahoma this year and should prove it Friday.
- MICHAEL PETERS, World Sports Editor
It's hard to envision Jenks-Union games that aren't close. But Jenks made it a rout in the playoffs last year. And this year's defense is being compared to some of the school's best. That's saying something. Jenks wins this Backyard Bowl.
- MIKE STRAIN, World News Editor
I'm picking Jenks for two reasons: momentum and defense. Unlike last year where Jenks left Texas a little battered after a loss, this year it earned an impressive win over Euless Trinity. Plus, Dylan Harding and the rest of Jenks' solid defense should handle a banged-up Union offense.
- PATRICK PRINCE, World Assistant Editor
Jenks had a big win last week over a national power, but the Redskins have never lost two in a row within the same season under Kirk Fridrich and this won't be the game. Look for a big special-teams play to push Union over the top.
- MARK FOSTER, World Sports Writer
| Year |
Regular Season |
Playoffs |
State champ |
| 2012 |
Union 14-7 |
Jenks 41-10 (semis) |
Jenks |
| 2011 |
Union 41-19 |
Union 30-29 (semis) |
Union |
| 2010 |
Jenks 33-7 |
Union 50-47 (final) |
Union |
| 2009 |
Jenks 27-25 |
Union 52-19 (final) |
Union |
| 2008 |
Union 24-17 |
Union 34-20 (final) |
Union |
| 2007 |
Union 43-42 |
Jenks 42-24 (final) |
Jenks |
| 2006 |
Jenks 9-6 |
no playoff meeting |
Jenks |
| 2005 |
Jenks 48-44 |
no playoff meeting |
Union |
| 2004 |
Jenks 17-13 |
Union 27-17 (semis) |
Union |
| 2003 |
Union 37-0 |
Jenks 14-12 (semis) |
Jenks |
| 2002 |
Union 33-12 |
no playoff meeting |
Union |
| 2001 |
cancelled (9/11) |
no playoff meeting |
Jenks |
| 2000 |
Jenks 41-37 |
Jenks 31-12 (final) |
Jenks |
| 1999 |
Union 27-24, OT |
Jenks 14-7 (final) |
Jenks |
| 1998 |
Union 55-45 |
Jenks 41-28 (final) |
Jenks |
Mike Brown 918-581-8390
mike.brown@tulsaworld.com
Backyard Bowl
No. 1 Jenks (1-0) vs. No. 2 Union (0-1)
7:05 p.m. Friday
TV: Cox Cable 3
Radio: KTBZ am1430 (Jenks); KYAL fm97.1 (Union)
Original Print Headline: Backyard Blues?
High School Football
The Tulsa World is looking for photographers to shoot all the action surrounding high school football games - the fans, the bands, the mascots, the cheerleaders and plays on the field. This will be in addition to the staff photographers we send to area games.
We covered 30 schools and had more than 900 photos to choose from when we created this gallery. See what we liked or see all the galleries from Week 2. If you like a photo, you can buy it.
