District 5A-4 at a glance
BY MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
8/15/12 at 4:32 AM
Related Story: Speedy Central looks to run to District 5A-4 title
DISTRICT 5A-4 GLANCE
Teams are ranked by district coaches' voting
1. Coweta Tigers
Head coach: Bubba Burcham (fifth year, 26-19)
2012-13 average daily membership: 939.00
2011 record: 6-5
District titles: 1955-57, '59, '61, '71, '83-84, '86, '94-96, '98, 2008
State titles: none
Top players: Randall Smith, WR/DB (6-1, 200, Sr.); Jakeem Johnson, RB/DB (5-10, 190, Sr.); Hayden Holmes, QB/DB (6-1, 185, Sr.); Tristan Butcher, LB (6-5, 200, Jr.); Hunter Raspberry, WR (6-3, 190, Sr.); Adam Price, WR (5-8, 160, Sr.); Josh Yocham, OL (6-3, 240, Sr.); Caleb Thomas, K (6-1, 170, Sr.); Clark Stunkard, OL (6-1, 230, Jr.)
Notable: All five Tigers losses in 2011 were by a touchdown or less. ... Burcham returns his starting QB (Holmes), a stable of backs (Johnson, Smith, Price) and four offensive linemen with starting experience. ... The Tigers will put their nondistrict schedule up against anybody's. They open with Wagoner, Carl Albert and Bishop Kelley.
2. East Central
Head coach: Bobby Klinck (first year)
2012-13 average daily membership: 1128.27
2011 record: 10-2
District titles: 1953-56, '79, 2002-07, '09-10
State titles: 2005, '10
Top players: Stanvon Taylor, DB (5-11, 175, Sr.); Deontre Youngblood, WR (5-11, 175, Sr.); Kimmie Carson, LB (6-2, 200, Sr.); Antoine Brown, DE (6-3, 210, Sr.); William Goree, RB (6-0, 185, Sr.); Trent Jenkins, DB (5-11, 175, Sr.); Latairrius Megoy, LB (6-0, 190, Sr.)
Notable: Klinck says talent abounds, but the Cards must replace their starting quarterback and leading rushers and tacklers from last season. ... Carson, rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, had 108 tackles last season. He has scholarship offers from Oregon State, New Mexico and Arkansas State. ... Youngblood caught three TD passes last season.
3. Central Braves
Head coach: Dan Phillips (third year, 13-8)
2012-13 average daily membership: 634.77
2011 record: 8-3
District titles: 1944, '46, '52, '86, '95, '97
State titles: 1946
Top players: Deangelo Brewer, WR/DB (5-8, 160, Jr.); Denzel Meadows, RB/SS (6-1, 175, Sr.); Sam Cotton, OT/DT (6-0, 290, Jr.); Micah Ponder, WR/SS (6-1, 180, Jr.); Keyonis Speight, RB/CB (5-7, 145, Sr.); Shamar Manuel, RB/DB (5-11, 160, Sr.); Anthony Barre, RB/LB (5-10, 200, Jr.); Keizon Reed, RB/LB (5-7, 230, Sr.); Nigel White, OL/DL (6-0, 250, Sr.).
Notable: Brewer helped win city titles in football and basketball at Lewis & Clark Middle School. ... Delton Forrester, an explosive kick returner, will miss the season because he turns 19 before the Sept. 1 cutoff. Devanta Johnson, who has recruiting interest from a dozen Division I schools, also turns 19 before the cutoff, but the Braves are seeking a hardship waiver for him.
4. Claremore Zebras
Head coach: Rob Gilbreath (fifth year, 18-24)
2012-13 average daily membership: 1214.48
2011 record: 4-6
District titles: 1959, '61, '63, '69, '70, '72, '77, '81, '90, '93-94, '99
State titles: none
Top players: Jordan Cunningham, LB/RB (5-11, 185, Sr.); Cale Pierce, OT (6-4, 350, Sr.); Grady Caton, DE (6-2, 220, Sr.); Gage Meisinger, RB/LB (5-10, 190, Jr.); Matt Whatley, QB (5-9, 175, Jr.); Caleb Webster, WR/CB, 6-0, 160, Jr.); Bryson Short, LB, 5-10, 180, Sr.)
Notable: Cunningham was the Zebras' leading tackler for the second straight year. He totals 285 stops in two seasons. ... Cunningham also was the team's leading rusher with 739 yards and 12 TDs last year. ... Whatley has started at QB since midway of his freshman season. ... Zebras hope to balance an offense that averaged 197 rushing yards but just 59.8 through the air.
5. Collinsville Cardinals
Head coach: Kevin Jones (third year, 3-17)
2012-13 average daily membership: 711.76
2011 record: 4-6
District titles: 1959, '68, '78-79, '86, '88, '93, 2000
State titles: none
Top players: Derek Iannapollo, QB (5-11, 175, Sr.); Newt Salisbury, OL/DE (6-3, 250, Sr.); T.J. Johnson, WR (6-1, 180, Jr.); Nathan Johnson, OL/DL (6-0, 240, Sr.); Keenan Priddy, RB (5-10, 210, Jr.); Zane McElroy, QB (6-2, 210, Jr.); Hunter West, RB/LB (5-9, 190, Sr.); Cole Keim, OL (6-2, 265, Jr.).
Notable: The Cards are loaded with juniors who started as sophomores last season, and experience abounds. ... Salisbury and Nathan Johnson return to bolster the offensive line after missing 2011 with injuries. ... Iannapollo threw for 1,182 yards and six TDs last season. ... Priddy scored seven TDs.
6. Pryor Tigers
Head coach: Jason Freeman (first year)
2012-13 average daily membership: 754.15
2011 record: 9-3
District titles: 1957, '69, '78-79, '82, 2011
State titles: none
Top players: Carson Smallwood, RB/LB (6-0, 190, Sr.); Alex Smith, WR/DB (5-10, 180, Sr.); Drake Hamilton, OL/DL (6-3, 290, Sr.); Will Stover, OL/DL (6-3, 240, Jr.); Kyle Goforth, OL/DL (6-0, 270, Jr.); Dalton Powell, OL/LB (5-10, 190, Sr.); Alex McGammon, TE/OL (5-10, 220, Sr.).
Notable: Pryor's 2011 team was only the fourth in school history with nine or more wins. ... Key players are gone on both sides of the ball, but Smallwood had a team-best 149 tackles last year and accounted for six TDs. ... Freeman must rebuild a defense that held seven foes under 10 points last year and allowed only 11 per game.
7. Grove Ridgerunners
Head coach: Dennis Millican (eighth year, 54-27)
2012-13 average daily membership: 706.34
2011 record: 4-7
District titles: 1958-59, '63, '69, '71, '73, '82, '91, 2008
State titles: none
Top players: Anthony Krause, LB/K (5-11, 195, Sr.); Rocky Jeffries, DL (6-1, 295, Sr.); Gibson Russ, DB (6-2, 175, Sr.); Kaden Libermore, DB (5-11, 175, Sr.); Bill Nixon, DE, 6-4, 190, Sr.); Austin Cross, DB (5-11, 150, Jr.); Benny Steffenson, RB (5-10, 185, Sr.); Ty Phillips, TE (5-10, 190, Jr.)
Notable: Ridgerunners went to the playoff finals in '06 and semifinals in '08, but haven't won a postseason game in three years. ... Krause had 90 tackles last season. ... Steffenson accounted for nine TDs. ... Jeffries, a three-year starter, has 78 career tackles.
8. Tahlequah Tigers
Head coach: Brad Gilbert (first year)
2012-13 average daily membership: 1160.19
2011 record: 3-7
District titles: 1946, '51, '75, '83, '88-89, '90-91.
State titles: none
Top players: Jarel Todd, DT (6-2, 315, Sr.); Caleb Morton, DE (5-11, 190, Sr.); Alex Rice, OL (5-11, 310, Sr.); Mason McMillan, RB (6-0, 182, Sr.); Brandon Conrad, FS/WR (5-11, 175, Jr.).
Notable: Gilbert took over as interim head coach when Charles Cooper stepped down last year for health reasons. ... Leading rusher McMillan has two starting seasons under his belt. ... Juniors Jake Johnson and David Dick and sophomore Will Carlile battled for the starting QB job in spring drills.
Original Print Headline: District 5A-4 Glance
District Previews Schedule
The World will preview every district that includes a team in the Tulsa metro area. The schedule:
Aug. 12: 6A-1
Aug. 13: 6A-2
Aug. 14: 5A-3
Wednesday: 5A-4
Thursday: 4A-2
Friday: 4A-3
Saturday: 4A-4
Sunday: 3A-5
Monday: 3A-6
Tuesday: 3A-7
Aug. 22: 2A-5
Aug. 23: 2A-6
Aug. 24: 2A-7
Aug. 25: 2A-8
Aug. 26: A-7
Aug. 27: A-8
Aug. 28: Others/Independents
Associated Images:
Hayden Holmes returns as starting quarterback for District 5A-4 favorite Coweta. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World file
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