Going for gold
BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Sunday, November 25, 2012
11/25/12 at 5:29 AM
East Central will face Midwest City Carl Albert in prime time next Saturday as the Class 5A state championship football game is going to be held at night for the first time since the 11-man high school finals were moved to Oklahoma State University's Boone Pickens Stadium in 2009.
Times, dates and sites were announced on Saturday by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association for next weekend's five state football championship games and six semifinal games. OSU is in the fourth year of a five-year contract to be the host of the 11-man title games.
As expected, the 6A title game between No. 1 Jenks (11-2) and No. 6 Norman North (12-1) will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday. That leaves the 1 p.m. Saturday slot for the 4A final between No. 3 Anadarko (13-0) and No. 4 Clinton (11-2), followed by top-ranked East Central (9-4 including four forfeit losses) against No. 8 Carl Albert (8-5).
In the previous three years, the 5A game was played in the afternoon and the 4A game was at night.
"We try to put the teams that have more traveling to do in the afternoon," OSSAA associate director David Jackson said on Saturday.
In the 2A semifinals, top-ranked Vian (13-0) will face No. 2 Davis (13-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Midwest City.
"Vian is going to have a little farther to travel than Davis, but this was the best neutral site that we had of the places that were available between the schools," Jackson said.
In the other 2A semifinal, No. 8 Frederick (13-0) faces No. 9 Oklahoma Christian (12-1) at 7:30 p.m. at Southwestern State in Weatherford.
The 3A semifinals will be a doubleheader on Saturday at Putnam City as sixth-ranked Jones (11-2) meets No. 8 Blanchard (11-1) at 1:30 p.m., followed by top-ranked Seminole (12-0) against No. 2 Kingfisher (13-0) at 7:30 p.m.
In Class A, Enid's Selby Stadium will be the site for the semifinal between fifth-ranked Texhoma (12-0) and No. 9 Ringling (11-1) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday while top-ranked Wynnewood (12-0) faces No. 8 Cashion (13-0) at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Norman.
The eight-man title games will be played at Southwestern State on Saturday. In Class C, top-ranked Tipton (13-0) meets No. 3 Forgan (12-0) at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Class C showdown between top-ranked Laverne (13-0) and No. 4 Pond Creek-Hunter (12-1) at 7:30 p.m.
Fox Sports Oklahoma has exclusive television rights to the championship games. Specific cable channel assignments for live broadcasts will be announced Monday as FSOK will carry Oklahoma City Thunder games on Friday and Saturday nights.
6A state championship
Jenks vs. Norman North
7:30 p.m. Friday
Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater
5A state championship
East Central Vs. MWC Carl Albert
7:30 p.m. Saturday
Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater
Barry Lewis 918-581-8393
barry.lewis@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Jenks' Brett Tye (right) celebrates with Nick Daniels after Tye scored a touchdown during Friday's 6A semifinal game against Union in Broken Arrow. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
East Central's William Goree scores in front of McAlester's Allen Woodmore during Friday's game. BRETT ROJO / For the Tulsa World
Jenks fans watch Friday’s game against Union in Broken Arrow. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
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