Jenks crushes Norman North for its 13th state football title

BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Saturday, December 01, 2012
12/06/12 at 12:53 PM

Correction: A Saturday Tulsa World Sports story listed the wrong player who kicked the extra points for Jenks in the 6A state title game. The kicker was Daniel Donley. This story has been corrected.

STILLWATER - Trey'Vonne Barr'e propelled Jenks' emphatic return to Class 6A state football's summit on Friday night.

Barr'e had 22 carries for 290 yards and three touchdowns to lead the top-ranked Trojans past No. 6 Norman North 55-20 before an estimated crowd of 15,000 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

The Trojans won their 13th state football title overall, but first since 2007.

"Winning the state championship (feels like) everything I thought it would be and even more," Barr'e said. "It's awesome. I love it."

Jenks continued the East side monopoly on the 6A gold ball as it has combined with Union to win the past 17 state titles. Allan Trimble won his 10th state title in 17 seasons as Jenks' head coach.

The Trojans (12-2) returned to glory as they completed a comeback from an 0-2 start this season. Norman North (12-2), which opened in 1997, was in its first state final. This was the first East-West matchup in the state final since 2006.

Barr'e, a senior tailback who eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards for the second straight year, had scoring runs of 35, 53 and 52 yards.

"He's a special kid and I love him to death," Trimble said. "He's a true champion."

All three of the TD runs by Barr'e came during a 35-point Trojans explosion in the last 9:05 of the first half as the Trojans took a 41-7 lead into intermission.

"You play in big games and sometimes those things happen," Norman North coach Wade Standley said. "He's a heck of a football player. I've seen him do it every week in the playoffs."

Barr'e took advantage of big holes opened up by an offensive line that included starters Brandon Waggoner, Nick Lucido, Stewart White, Clayton Esmond and Nick Daniels.

"My O-line had a beautiful game," said Barr'e, who rushed for 270 yards in the first half.

The long runs by Barr'e were a thrilling sight to Waggoner.

"It was exciting to watch, but also got tiring chasing him down the field," Waggoner said with a smile.

When the Timberwolves' defense totally focused on stopping Barr'e in the second half, Jenks quarterback Kyle Alexander took advantage with scoring strikes to Trey Michalczewski and Jordan Smallwood to squash a Norman North comeback bid. Alexander passed for 198 yards and three TDs. His leading receiver was Michalczewski, who had five receptions for 132 yards and a TD plus a two-point conversion.

Norman North tried to come back from its big halftime deficit as Peyton Gavras tossed two TD passes in the second half's opening six minutes to cut Jenks' lead to 41-20. Gavras completed 22-of-48 passes for 267 yards and three TDs, but was intercepted five times, including two by Dylan Harding.

But just when it seemed as if the Timberwolves were on the verge of putting some suspense into the game, the Trojans countered with Alexander's 66-yard TD pass to Michalczewski with 2:47 left in the third quarter.

With 9:39 left, Alexander added an 11-yard TD pass to Smallwood as Jenks ensured it would not lose the title game in the last seconds like it did in its last appearance in 2010.

"This feels better than I thought it would," Smallwood said about winning the state title.

Jenks scored the most points in a title game since a 56-8 victory over Yukon in 1997.

A lot happened in the game's first 89 seconds, which were capped by Braden Calip's 5-yard TD run for Jenks. That came on the play after an 87-yard run by Barr'e, who atoned for a fumble on the first play from scrimmage.

"Everyone on the team had my back and told me after the fumble it's all right and to do what you do," Barr'e said.

Jenks did not score again until a 35-yard run by Barr'e around left end with 9:05 left in the second period - two plays after Harding's first interception.

It took only 83 seconds for Jenks to score again as Barr'e raced 53 yards untouched for a 19-0 lead on the play following Norman North's failed fake punt.

The Trojans drove 66 yards in 10 plays on their next possession. On fourth-and-3 at the Timberwolves 28, Alexander fired a TD pass to Smallwood for a 27-0 lead with 2:49 left in the half.

Sixty-four seconds later, Barr'e scored on a 52-yard run on the first play after Steven Parker's interception.

Norman North answered with Corbin Cleveland's 34-yard TD catch with 42 seconds left. But Jenks' Brett Tye returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a TD, which boosted Jenks' lead to 41-7 going into halftime, and the Trojans were on their way to a championship.

"I've done it a long time and I've been blessed," Trimble said. "These young men have great character and are a pleasure to coach."

CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: NO. 1 JENKS 55, NO. 6 NORMAN NORTH 20

JENKS FOOTBALL STATE TITLES: 1979 • 1982 • 1993 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2003 • 2006 • 2007 • 2012
Original Print Headline: Lucky No. 13

Barry Lewis 918-581-8393
barry.lewis@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Jenks' Jordan Smallwood (right) celebrates a touchdown with Trey Michalczewski during the Class 6A state title game Friday in Stillwater. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Jenks' Trey'Vonne Barr'e (right) and Garrett Patterson carry the championship trophy after winning the Class 6A state title. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Jenks coach Allan Trimble hugs Trent Taber after the Trojans' state title game win against Norman North on Friday in Stillwater. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Norman North's Jake Higginbotham is brought down by Jenks' Steven Parker (top), Danny Hoyt and Dylan Harding. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World