Playing for more: Pair of Jenks linemen look to fulfill championship wishes for deceased parents
BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Friday, November 30, 2012
11/30/12 at 5:36 AM
High School Gameday: Follow all of Friday’s high school football action on our High School Gameday page, with scores updated throughout the night and stories and photos from the games.
Related stories: 6A state final storylines.
Key matchup: Jenks special teams vs. Norman North’s Jordan Evans.
JENKS - Friday night is the moment that Jenks senior linemen Nick Lucido and Brandon Waggoner have been looking forward to for a long time.
For Waggoner and Lucido, the top-ranked Trojans' game against No. 6 Norman North at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater represents more than just a chance to win a Class 6A state high school football championship.
It's also the opportunity for each player to fulfill a commitment made to a deceased parent.
"Nick promised his dad we would win state and I did the same thing with my mom," Waggoner said. "We both made promises and we've got to hold to it."
Both have lost a parent to cancer during the past 16 months. Waggoner's mother, Anna, died in August 2011. Lucido's father, John, died on Oct. 17.
Football assisted both through the grief of losing a parent. Waggoner was strengthened by the support from teammates and those involved with the Jenks program.
"Everyone's so caring," Waggoner said. "They set you under their wing and you can talk to anyone on the team about anything."
Lucido also felt that support from the team.
"It definitely helped me being with my extended family," Lucido said and then gave a nod to Waggoner. "And having people who have gone through it before it is helpful, especially with this big guy."
Waggoner tried to use his experience to help Lucido.
"You could kind of see from his moods when something was wrong," Waggoner said. "We both know how the other is truly feeling. There is a special connection."
And they are connected on the playing field as the left side of the offensive line with Waggoner at tackle and Lucido at guard. The line that has helped Jenks average 48 points over the last 10 games also includes center Stewart White, right guard Clayton Esmond and right tackle Nick Daniels. Jenks' offense includes 6A's leading rusher, Trey'Vonne Barr'e.
"I've got to give a shout out to my line," Barr'e said. "They deserve the glory."
Lucido's season nearly ended after only one game as he suffered a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament in practice before Jenks' game at DeSoto (Texas).
"I thought I was done," Lucido said. "I thought when the doctor told me that it was torn, that my season was over. but I strapped it up."
Lucido, who will have surgery soon, missed only one game and returned against Owasso in Week 3 when the Trojans began their current 11-game winning streak that followed an 0-2 start. Lucido used as motivation to come back that he didn't want his father's last memory of him playing football to be watching Union in the victory formation at the end of a 14-7 victory over Jenks in the opener.
"The last game he saw me play was against Broken Arrow," Lucido said. "That was great because the way that one ended was we were taking a knee. The victory formation is the best play in football."
It also was a great game for Lucido and Waggoner as the Jenks offensive line dominated against a state-title contender, Broken Arrow, which was favored by district coaches to win 6A-2 in the preseason. Jenks, which had not been a district underdog in 20 years, won 6A-2 instead and is one victory away from its 13th state title, but first since 2007.
Waggoner, who also is a defensive end, and Lucido have impressed Jenks coach Allan Trimble with their performance and how they've handled trying circumstances.
"There are NFL scouting reports you get to fill out on your ex-players, and they ask you to fill out different things, and one of those things they ask is 'What's the most difficult thing they've had to overcome?' - or in other words how they handle adversity," Trimble said. "Those two guys have done it as good as anybody, and that carries over to their toughness and character on the field."
Top Jenks running backs since 2003
Jenks' top six single-season rushing leaders since 2003:
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Player, Year | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
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Zack Langer, 2009 | 284 | 2,346 | 8.3 | 38 |
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Trey'Vonne Barr'e, 2011 | 232 | 2,110 | 9.1 | 21 |
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Trey'Vonne Barr'e, 2012 | 209 | 1,947 | 9.3 | 27 |
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Freddie Carolina, 2004 | 236 | 1,762 | 7.2 | 24 |
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Chris Adkins, 2007 | 239 | 1,726 | 7.2 | 28 |
|
Alex Ross, 2010 | 122 | 1,548 | 12.7 | 27 |
East-West 6A title game matchups
This is only the ninth time in 21 seasons that the Class 6A championship game has featured a matchup between teams from the East and West.
2006: Jenks 28, Enid 7
2005: Union 33, Mustang 7
2003: Jenks 17, Edmond Santa Fe 10
2001: Jenks 38, Putnam North 28
1997: Jenks 56, Yukon 8
1996: Jenks 28, Midwest City 17
1994: Midwest City 21, Union 13
1993: Jenks 21, Edmond 14
Jenks football schedule and results
A 31: Union (at TU) L, 14-7
S 8: at DeSoto (Texas) L, 46-27
S 14: at Owasso W, 20-7
S 20: at Edison W, 82-7
S 28: Sapulpa W, 63-14
O 5: at Broken Arrow W, 24-7
O 12: Westmoore W, 38-14
O 18: at Muskogee W, 52-3
O 26: Bixby W, 41-6
N 1: at Putnam City W, 46-14
Playoffs
N 9: B.T. Washington W, 59-14
N 16: Edmond North W, 34-12
N 23: Union (at Broken Arrow) W, 41-10
6A championship
N 30: vs. Norman North (at OSU) 7:30 p.m.
Norman North football schedule and results
A 30: Norman (at OU) W, 30-20
S 7: Del City W, 41-14
S 13: at Westmoore L, 29-16
S 21: at Midwest City W, 66-27
S 28: Yukon W, 34-28
O 4: at OKC Grant W, 56-0
O 11: Edmond North W, 49-27
O 19: at Putnam North W, 34-7
O 26: Moore W, 54-0
N 1: at Lawton Ike W, 48-13
Playoffs
N 9: Southmoore W, 21-6
N 16: Broken Arrow W, 24-16
N 23: Owasso (at Union) W, 49-42
6A championship
N 30: vs. Jenks (at OSU) 7:30 p.m.
6A state championship
Vs. Norman North
7:30 p.m. Friday
Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater
TV: FSP-68
Radio: KTBZ am1430
Original Print Headline: Playing for more
Barry Lewis 918-581-8393
barry.lewis@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Jenks' Nick Lucido (left) and Brandon Waggoner will play for the Trojans in Friday's Class 6A championship game against Norman North in Stillwater. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World
Jenks running back Trey'Vonne Barr'e has rushed for 1,947 yards this season and 27 touchdowns. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World
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