6A state final storylines
BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Friday, November 30, 2012
11/30/12 at 5:24 AM
1. Can a West team break the Union-Jenks title monopoly?
Midwest City (1994-95) was the last West team to win the 6A state title. Those Bombers teams are the only ones other than Jenks or Union to win the championship since Norman in 1992, which was the first year of 6A. Jenks or Union have won the last 16 state championships. Norman North is the first West team to reach the state final since Enid lost to Jenks 28-7 in 2006. If Norman North wins the championship, it will have done so by knocking off No. 4 Broken Arrow, No. 2 Owasso and No. 1 Jenks in consecutive weeks.
2. Does experience matter?
Jenks is in its 14th state title game in 17 years. Norman North had never even been in the semifinals until this year. Jenks has numerous players who participated in the 2010 state title game. It's tough for a team to win its first appearance in a championship game when it faces an experienced opponent. However, Norman North showed its maturity last week in a 49-42 victory over Owasso, which was making its third straight semifinal appearance. Norman North, however, is not the typical title game newcomer. Head coach Wade Standley was Union's defensive coordinator and won a title there as recently as 2008. And he has several staff members with title-game experience.
3. Can Norman North stop Jenks tailback Trey'Vonne Barr'e?
No Oklahoma team has really stopped Barr'e in the past two years. He has a touchdown in 26 consecutive games. This season, he has rushed for 1,947 yards and scored 29 overall TDs. Norman North's most realistic hope is to contain him as Union did in the season opener. If Norman North slows him down, it has a chance to shut down the Trojans' passing game. If it doesn't slow Barr'e, the Trojans will probably score at least 40 points. Norman North's defense was dominant in the first two weeks of the playoffs, but gave up 568 yards in a 49-42 win over Owasso last week. The Timberwolves showed last week they could win a shootout, but that would be a difficult path to victory against Jenks, which has a starting defense that has not allowed a TD in six games.
CLASS 6A CHAMPIONSHIP
NO. 1 JENKS VS. NO. 6 NORMAN NORTH
7:30 p.m. Friday
Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater
TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma Plus-68
Radio: KTBZ am1430
Weather: 60 degrees at kickoff; wind S 8-15 mph, gusts to 21
Tickets: $7 adults, $5 students
Records: Jenks 11-2, Norman North 12-1
First meeting
Associated Images:
Norman North's Bryan Payne and the Timberwolves reached Friday's 6A title game with a 49-42 win over Owasso last week. JOEY JOHNSON/For the Tulsa World
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