Barry Lewis: Jenks appears equipped for a repeat
BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Monday, December 03, 2012
12/03/12 at 5:09 AM
Go to Barry Lewis' BlogOriginal Print Headline: Jenks appears equipped for a repeat
With seven defensive starters returning, Jenks appears to be in good position to win a second consecutive Class 6A football title next season.
Junior defensive backs produced four of the five turnovers that the Trojans' defense came up with during a 55-20 victory over Norman North in the state championship game Friday night. Dylan Harding had two interceptions while Austin Casillas and Steven Parker had one apiece. Senior cornerback Braden Calip also had an interception.
"It's going to be really exciting next year," Parker said. "I can't wait."
The Trojans won their last 12 games after their first 0-2 start since 1986. But the second loss, 46-27 to DeSoto (Texas), proved valuable to Jenks.
"DeSoto was a tuneup for this," Parker said. "They are a fast team like Norman North."
Parker is projected to be one of the state's top recruits in 2014, He has narrowed his college choices to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Alabama.
Junior linebacker Luke Thompson sacked Norman North quarterback Peyton Gavras three times.
"It was the best game I've played and I'm very excited about that," Thompson said.
Thompson described winning the state title as "surreal, it's fantastic. It's unbelievably believable."
On two of the last three times that the Trojans have ended state title droughts, they have also won the gold ball in the following year.
"I've played with these boys for a long time now so it's awesome to think I will get one more year with them, one more shot," Thompson said. "I want this feeling again."
The starting defense entered the final not having allowed a touchdown in six games and was dominant again on Friday except for a mid-game lapse.
"It's kind of hard to come out at half and play with a sense of urgency," Parker said about Jenks' 41-7 lead. "So after we gave up those two touchdowns (in the second half), we decided enough was enough and came back strong."
Winning the gold ball was an emotional moment for Jenks senior lineman Brandon Waggoner, as he fulfilled a promise he made to his mother, Anna, that he would win a state title. Anna Waggoner died of cancer in Aug. 2011.
"I am so excited," Waggoner said. "Right when the clock was hitting zero, I was tearing up."
The victory enabled Jenks' Allan Trimble to become the first football coach in state history to win 10 state titles.
"It just let's you know that there have been a bunch of great kids and great coaches I've gotten to work with," Trimble said.
So did Trimble feel relief or joy over the Trojans' first state title since 2007?
"I've had years where it was relief, but this is not relief," Trimble said.
"This is just a pleasure. This is a true blessing to watch these kids do what they were trained to do. It was just the epitome of teamwork. It was fun.
"Nobody has any agendas. They take it upon themselves to do what the team needs them to do. That's why they are good."
Tough loss for Cardinals: Top-ranked East Central's bid for its first 5A state title since 2005 ended with a 24-8 loss to Midwest City Carl Albert in the championship game on Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium. East Central led 8-7 after three quarters, but Carl Albert scored 17 in the fourth, with the last 14 set up by interceptions,
East Central standout receiver Stanvon Taylor had 139 total yards, but the Titans allowed him to only touch the ball twice in the second half when the game slipped away from the Cardinals.
"Our whole game plan was to get him the ball in a little bit of space, with bubble screens, and we couldn't get the ball to him," East Central coach Bobby Klinck said. "I know he was disappointed. It really was nobody's fault, it just wasn't our night, We're going to miss him."
East Central's defense allowed only one scoring drive of more than 30 yards and that ended with Blake Walker's go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.
"For the most part defensively we thought we kept them in check," Klinck said.
Carl Albert's first fourth-quarter touchdown was set up by an interception that followed four consecutive East Central penalties that occurred between snaps.
"Our kids haven't done that before and it really surprised the heck out of me that they lost their composure like that," Klinck said. "I just wish I had prepared them a little bit more. It breaks my heart that I got outcoached. They deserved better."
Klinck hoped a late-game skirmish that resulted in an East Central player being ejected would not detract from his team's season.
"It was just frustration," Klinck said.
"Some of these kids have just been through so much. I'm not going to give them any excuses at all, we talked about it, that we're classier than that. I hope one action doesn't represent an entire group of outstanding solid young men. It was embarrassing but ... they are going to be class citizens."
For Carl Albert, the win capped an amazing comeback this season as Gary Rose picked up his ninth title as the Titans' coach.
"To go from 1-5 to a state title is incredible," said Carl Albert junior quarterback-safety Steven Thompson, who rushed for 189 yards and three TDs, and intercepted two passes.
Game times set: The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association announced times for the three state championship games scheduled next weekend at Boone Pickens Stadium. The 3A final between Blanchard and Kingfisher is at 7:30 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, the Class A title game between Ringling and Wynnewood is at 1 p.m., followed by Davis and Oklahoma Christian in 2A at 7:30 p.m.
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