Barry Lewis: Stallard, Cleveland have complete performance against Oologah
BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Monday, October 08, 2012
10/08/12 at 5:17 AM
Go to Barry Lewis' BlogOriginal Print Headline: Cleveland puts on a complete performance
Chas Stallard and his Cleveland Tigers teammates are looking for a different ending this season.
In each of the previous two seasons, Cleveland started 4-0 and 5-1, but could only manage one win in the final four games of 2010 and lost four in a row to end 2011 to miss the playoffs.
Cleveland is 6-0 and No. 9 in the Tulsa World's Class 4A rankings. There hasn't been a loss of focus for the Tigers this season.
"We have a good group of seniors and they are taking care of business," Cleveland coach Dale Anderson said.
Last Friday was the type of game that Cleveland would have stumbled in the past two years as it faced Oologah, which was 3-2 and had allowed only 48 points this season. Instead of stumbling, the Tigers put together their best performance of the season and rolled to a 63-28 victory.
"It was one to remember," Stallard said. "The experience we've gained in the last two years is going to help us because we've been so close to making the playoffs."
Stallard, a four-year starter at quarterback, completed 17-of-23 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 17 carries for 152 yards and two TDs.
Dakota Hewitt had a career-high 215 yards on 24 carries and four TDs.
"We thought Oologah might try to take away Chas, so we told Dakota to be ready," Anderson said. "He made the most of his opportunity. We knew he had that potential. We really clicked on all cylinders."
Stallard was excited about the team's offensive explosion.
"We've had a lot of yards and moved the ball a lot, but we've stopped ourselves with penalties and mistakes," Stallard said. "We eliminated that stuff and that shows what we can do. Our offensive line had a great game."
For the season, Stallard has completed 71-of-112 passes for 1,287 yards and 12 TDs with only two interceptions.
"The game is slowing down for me; I'm making better reads and not making bonehead passes," Stallard said.
Stallard also has 629 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
"It's a shame that someone with 8,000 yards in his career has had no one throw papers down to offer him a scholarship," Anderson said. "Even though he's not 6-foot-3, I think he's the best quarterback in the state of Oklahoma.
"He's had a great year, and this (Oologah) was his best game."
Stallard, who is 6-1 and also a baseball standout, has drawn some recruiting interest from Air Force, Northeastern State, Central Oklahoma and Drake.
"I love football more, but I might have better opportunities in baseball," said Stallard, who has worked with former University of Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith over the past two years.
Stallard rarely leaves the field as he also starts at safety. This is his first year as a defensive starter. In Week 5, he returned a fumble for a key touchdown against Vinita.
"People ask if I get tired, but I would rather be on the field instead of watching," Stallard said. "I like to compete, and we have a good group on defense."
That defense includes a strong linebacker corps of seniors Tyler Jones, Josh Ratliff and Lucas Whaley.
"The strength of our defense is the front seven, and six of those are returning starters," Anderson said. "They were a big reason we stopped Oologah from running the ball, and Oologah has a huge line."
Cleveland will host winless Miami on Friday before finishing with No. 2 Wagoner, No. 10 Catoosa and McLain.
"We know it's going to get tougher," Stallard said.
Week 6 stars: Zach Jackson completed 18-of-27 passes for 179 yards and four TDs to lead 3A No. 2 Berryhill past Sperry 40-7. Justin Jackson and Jeremy Smith each had six receptions and a TD. ...
Vinita's Gage Bertram had 11 carries for 127 yards and two TDs, completed all three of his passes for 68 yards and two TDs, and had eight tackles on defense in a 45-22 win over Webster. ...
J.D. Hanslovan had nine carries for 89 yards and three TDs plus 13 tackles, a fumble caused and was 5-of-5 on extra-point kicks in 3A No. 5 Verdigris' 50-6 win over NOAH. His teammate Seth McLaughlin had 14 tackles, including four sacks. ...
Zane McElroy rushed for two TDs in Collinsville's 23-7 win over Central. ...
Nowata's Nate Moore had two TD runs and two touchdown catches in a 42-7 win over Pawhuska. ...
Wyandotte's Andrew Douthit had 32 carries for 193 yards and a TD in an 18-15 win over Salina. Ryan Garrett had two 1-yard TD runs, including the winner early in the fourth quarter, and a late Salina drive was stopped at the Wyandotte 5. ...
Wetumka's Chase Williams had 17 carries for 159 yards, six catches for 63 yards, nine tackles and two interceptions in a 52-12 win over Class B No. 4 Dewar. Williams also had his fourth punt return for a TD this year, an 84-yarder.
Former local stars on ESPNU: Louisiana-Monroe will be featured on ESPNU's All-Access at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The feature will include a look inside the apartment of former Booker T. Washington linebacker Ray Stovall and former Jenks offensive lineman Ben Risenhoover. Both were interviewed for the program. Other former state high school players on the team include Bartlesville's Colby Mitchell, Muskogee's Jeremy Burton, Broken Bow's Mitchell Bailey and Shawnee's Brayle Brown.
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