Class 6A football notebook: Missing telecast
BY MIKE BROWN & BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writers
Saturday, December 01, 2012
12/01/12 at 3:24 AM
DirecTV notified Fox Sports Oklahoma on Thursday that it would not be able to carry Friday's game because of "bandwidth," Fox Sports Oklahoma spokesman Ramon Alvarez said.
"We regret their decision to drop the telecast and the inconvenience it caused their customers to miss the game. DirecTV has assured us they will carry Saturday's OSSAA championship games on channel 680," Alvarez said.
Clinton plays Anadarko in the 4A final at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium and East Central faces Carl Albert in the 5A title game at 7:30 p.m.
Bringing home the gold: Jenks won its 13th state championship to go along with eight runner-up finishes.
Trojans trifecta: The Trojans picked off three passes in the first half and totaled five in the game after having only nine interceptions in their first 13 games.
Steven Parker, Dylan Harding and Braden Calip, who all were tied for the team lead with two entering the game, each picked off a pass in the first half.
Austin Casillas added a fourth early in the fourth quarter and Harding had his second of the night and a long return to end the game. Norman North quarterback Peyton Gavras had thrown only nine picks over the previous 13 games.
"We came out and limited the deep balls and took advantage when we had a chance," said Harding, a junior free safety. "The defense played great."
Power of the pooch: Norman North standout return man Jordan Evans ran back scores in each of the Timberwolves' playoff wins, but the Trojans gave him scant chances to get his hands on the ball with short kickoffs to the up backs.
Evans had a 24-yard punt return in the third quarter, but North was penalized on the play for a block in the back.
Clutch returner: Before Brett Tye's 96-yard TD kickoff return late in the first half for Jenks, his previous longest return this season was 74 yards. He had a 50-yard return against Union in the semifinals.
Streak ends: Jenks' starting defense had not allowed a touchdown since the first half of Week 7 before Corbin Cleveland's 61-yard TD reception with 42 seconds left in the first half.
Switzer speaks: Former University of Oklahoma and Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer gave a pregame speech to Norman North.
Academic champ: Bartlesville won the 6A academic title with a cumulative GPA of 3.32. The Bruins accepted at midfield before kickoff.
Think pink: Mounds officials accepted the school's trophy at halftime for participating in Win-Win Week, an OSSAA project to promote cancer awareness.
The school district raised $2,000 as one of 60 schools participating officially statewide, and was named Class 2A champion for the second straight year.
Other champions were Southmoore (6A), Del City (5A), Tecumseh (4A), Lexington/Purcell (3A), Canton (Class A) and Boise City (Class B).
