NOAH LINEBACKER Charlie Van Risseghem is having a stellar season for the home-schooled Jaguars after facing much tougher foes than opposing blockers during the summer.

"Istanbul was crazy — I got hit by a car, and then there was a time I was confronted by the mafia," Van Risseghem said about his experience while on a Christian outreach trip in Turkey, where Christians make up less than 1 percent of the population.

Van Risseghem, a three-year starter who is one of the top defensive players for the 7-2 Jaguars, spent two weeks in Istanbul.

"I think being hit by the car was intentional," Van Risseghem said. "I was crossing a street and a bunch of people at this intersection were really mad at me for handing out (Christian) tracts. I got behind this car, and all of a sudden they throw it in reverse. I was hit on my side, but there were angels covering me because my side felt almost like steel all of a sudden. I think I dented the car maybe more than it hurt me. I didn't fall over, I just kept walking. There were no bruises, no scratches on me."

On Aug. 3, while his NOAH teammates were practicing in Broken Arrow for the season, Van Risseghem had another experience in Istanbul that he'll probably never forget.

"We'd be handing out thousands of tracts going down the main street, but we couldn't just stop in one place and talk to anyone because the police would've come and we would have been sent to jail," Van Risseghem said. "I was by myself when I was confronted by the mafia. They were trying to find out information about me and find out where I lived, but God helped me get out of there safe and sound."

Van Risseghem's overseas missions trip began with a month in Nalchik, Russia.

"I got to do all types of amazing things there with burn victims and relief homes (for refugees of villages under terrorist attacks), working with special-needs children in orphanages and setting up camps for kids," Van Risseghem said. "I also was able to stay in shape there because there was a gym near where we lived."

His last two weeks overseas were spent in Antalya, Turkey.

"I loved my time in Turkey," Van Risseghem said. "I have such a heart for the nation and would like to go back."

Van Risseghem then spent a week at the Youth with a Mission base in Colorado Springs, Colo., before returning home on Aug. 27 to Tulsa where he could hardly wait to get back onto the football field.

"I went straight from the airport to here, where they were in the middle of practice," Van Risseghem said. "I was so excited to see my teammates and they were excited to see me. It was such a weird feeling being at practice because I didn't go to any of the summer camps I normally would, but I got right back in the flow of things."

A night later, Van Risseghem was in for a few plays in a scrimmage against Collinsville. A week later, he had four tackles in a season-opening victory over Rogers and had four more the next week against Class 3A No. 3 Metro Christian. Van Risseghem ranks third for NOAH in tackles behind Caleb Gastelum and Matthew Long.

"It took him a few weeks to get fully adjusted back to football, but since then he has played great," NOAH coach Joe Blankenship said.

Van Risseghem, who likes speaking to church and youth groups about his experiences, hopes to play college football, study to be a teacher and wants to dedicate his life to ministry in world missions. He has his own Web site: www.CharlieVan.com.

NOAH visits the Union junior varsity on Thursday night.

Dewey clinches playoff berth: Casey Strate's state-leading 12th interception of the season with 40 seconds left clinched a Class 3A playoff berth for Dewey, which held on to edge Perkins 40-36 on Friday. Strate's other interception in the game was returned for a TD. His clinching interception came after Perkins drove to the Dewey 46.

"That's pretty impressive," Dewey coach Chris Revard said about Strate's dozen interceptions in nine games.

Steven Eastham had a big game for Dewey with a season-high 112 yards rushing and four TDs. His final TD on a 3-yard run put Dewey ahead with 1:26 remaining.