8 questions to be answered this weekend

High school football

- Can Tahlequah go unbeaten in non-district play?

Through the first two weeks of the regular season, Tahlequah has survived two close calls against Fort Gibson and Stilwell. The Tigers' game this week is against a much more dangerous opponent in Sallisaw. In order to get to 3-0 for the first time since the early 90s, Tahlequah will have to overcome a key injury on defense. Cornerback Tanner Weston will be out with a knee injury. Sallisaw likes to run the ball on offense, so Weston's absence shouldn't be too daunting. One thing Tahlequah has going for it is the growing confidence of quarterback A.J. Campbell. The senior slinger was shaky against Fort Gibson in Week 1, but he was 11 of 14 passing with 100 yards rushing against Stilwell last week. Campbell will have to play big again if Tahlequah is going to win this week.

- Is Sequoyah taking on a misleading Victory Christian team?

Take a look at the opponents for Sequoyah and Victory Christian through two weeks. The Indians played two top-15 teams in Okemah (2A) and Beggs (3A). Victory Christian played Webster and a Holland Hall team that lost all of its key weapons from last year's team. To Victory Christian's credit, though, the Conquerors haven't allowed a point yet this year. That will change in Sequoayh's first road game. Look for Sequoyah to light up Victory Christian for 30-plus points.

- Will Keys rebound at Verdigris following humiliating Vian loss?

Keys coach Gary Willis said Keys' pride took a hit after a blowout loss to Vian in week 2. The Cougars can't let that linger, though, if they hope to enter district play 2-1. Verdigris, who has scored points at will this season, won't feel sorry for Keys, either. This game could be determined be whomever has the ball last.

- Can Hulbert hang with Drumright?

Hulbert, who started the season with roughly 30 players on its roster, has been decimated by injuries through two games. The Riders are down to around 15 healthy players on their roster, according to coach Mitchell Crittenden. That's not good news with a solid Drumright team coming to town. The Tornadoes have allowed only eight points this season, and Hulbert isn't a dynamic offensive team.

- Can Muskogee's offense and defense work together?

In Muskogee's first two games of the season, the Roughers have two different teams. Against Sand Springs, Muskogee's defense stood strong in holding the Sandites to only seven points. Last week, the Roughers' defense was torched for 41 points. Both games resulted in losses. Muskogee's defense needs a Sand Springs-like performance with the offense getting the ball to Victory Williams as much as possible in order to beat Tulsa Central.

College football

- Can Oklahoma and Bob Stoops get back to winning big games?

It's been a while since the Sooners have played a marquee game like Saturday's at No. 5 Florida State. In OU's recent history on the road, though, it hasn't mattered. The No. 1 Sooners have struggled away from Owen Field. That can't happen if OU wants to continue playing for a national title this year. I would expect Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles to have big games on Saturday.

- Will anybody be able to stay awake for the entire game between Oklahoma State and Tulsa?

Television rules the world now in college football. Need proof? Just look at the kick-off time between TU and OSU this weekend. It's absurd. It begs the question, if OSU is up big in the fourth quarter, will anybody be awake to see the end? Probably not.

- What will the play calling be like for Arkansas?

There's a good chance Arkansas' playbook is much more extensive than what the Razorbacks have shown this season. To this point, Arkansas has mauled Missouri State and New Mexico, and Troy will likely suffer the same fate Saturday. I'm sure Bobby Petrino and the U of A coaches will keep the game plan pretty vanilla with Alabama on the horizon in Week 4.

Other items to watch for this weekend

- Look to see if Tahlequah's softball team can rebound from its recent sluggish play in the Bartlesville tournament.

- Look to see how Tahlequah and Sequoyah volleyball teams fare in the Coweta tournament with some stiff competition.

- Look to see if weather plays a key role in football games on Friday night. Forecast calls for rain and cooler temperatures.

- Look to see if Kansas City, Dallas and St. Louis can all bounce back from Week 1 losses in the NFL.

- Look to see if some of the wild card races tighten up in Major League Baseball.

Now you know what to look for this weekend.

Check back in tomorrow for my Week 3 prep picks.

High school football picks: Week 2

Manged to go 14-5 in Week 1, and I regret my Owasso pick over Broken Arrow. I should know that I can't count on Owasso when it's playing someone good.

But I digress. Here are my Week 2 picks...

Local and area games

— Tahlequah at Stilwell: Tahlequah showed some mettle in Week 1, coming from behind to beat Fort Gibson in double OT. I think that win will resonant throughout the year for Tahlequah. My pick: Tahlequah 30, Stilwell 20.

— Beggs at Sequoyah: Been looking forward to the quarterback battle between Ramsey Hamilton (Beggs) and Brayden Scott (Sequoyah) for some time now. The Indians knocked off Beggs, 33-26, in 2010, and Beggs coach Bob Craig said his team lost some size up front from last year's team. Leads me to believe that Sequoyah will prevail. My pick: Sequoyah 34, Beggs 23.

— Vian at Keys: There will be talent everywhere on the field in Park Hill. Keys has Colten Douillard (RB) on its side, but Vian has Landon Decker (QB) and Tre Locust (WR). I want to say Keys claims its first-ever win against Vian, but I'm afraid it's not going to happen. My pick: Vian 40, Keys 38.

— Hulbert at Mounds: Hulbert came so close to knocking off Yale in Week 1. At some point the Riders will pick up a victory. Might as well be against a Mounds team they almost beat in 2010. My pick: Hulbert 20, Mounds 16.

— Muskogee at Owasso: Either Sand Springs' defense is stout, or Muskogee's offense is rough around the edges with a new QB and Victor Williams at WR. This is not a good situation for Muskogee to be in this week after scoring only 3 points against SS last week, and Owasso getting blown out at Broken Arrow. Note to Muskogee: get the ball to Williams early and often. My pick: Owasso 29, Muskogee 13.

— Wagoner at Hilldale: This game isn't getting enough pub around the state -- not to mention northeast Oklahoma. These two teams should put on a show in their final matchup in quite some time since Hilldale had to drop Wagoner as a non-district foe with the move to 3A next year. My pick: Wagoner 28, Hilldale 20.

— Pryor at Fort Gibson: After losing a heart-breaker to Tahlequah, Fort Gibson opens with a very beatable opponent. This should be a good game for FTG running back Jake Gandra to get on track and quarterback J.R. Singleton to pick up some confidence as a freshman. My pick: FTG 25, Pryor 14.

Other top games around the state

— Jenks vs. Union (Champman Stadium in Tulsa): Always a good one. If Alex Ross plays for Jenks, I'll go with the Trojans. If not, I'll lean toward Union. My guess is Ross will play. My pick: Jenks 22, Union 20.

— Bartlesville at East Central: EC will be a machine this season & a 6A opponent in Week 2 shouldn't be a problem. My pick: East Central 40, Bville 14.

— Coweta at Sand Springs: Coweta hung tough with Wagoner in Week 1, and Sand Springs snuck past a wobbly Muskogee club. My pick: Coweta 23, Sand Springs 14.

— Lawton MacArthur at Lawton: Lawton goes for the city sweep after blowing out Lawton Ike in Week 1. MacArthur should be a tougher test, though. My pick: Lawton 35, Mac 30.

— Broken Arrow at Odessa Permian (Texas) on Saturday: Oklahoma's first round with Texas didn't go so well: Desoto 63, Douglass 0. Maybe BA can get some cred back for Oklahoma HS football. My pick: Broken Arrow 20, Odessa 19.

— Catoosa at Collinsville: Cole Scheulen is the real deal for Catoosa, amassing 276 yards and 3 touchdowns on 17 carries in Week 1. No reason why he can't put up big numbers again this week. My pick: Catoosa 32, Cville 12.

— Booker T. Washington at Abilene (Texas) on Saturday: BTW struggled mightily to put points on the board against Carl Albert in Week 1. Going to Texas to play Abilene probably isn't the solution to that problem. My pick: Abilene 25, BTW 13.

— Glenpool at Cascia Hall: Cascia breezed past Holland Hall without its star tailback Patrick Bass. He's back this week, and that's not good news for Glenpool. My pick: Cascia Hall 29, Glenpool 17.

— Heritage Hall at Clinton: Good test for Heritage Hall before being able to set district play on cruise control. My pick: Heritage Hall 35, Clinton 20.

— Douglass at Millwood (Saturday): The Soul Bowl was a classic last year. Douglass will certainly be playing with a chip on its shoulders after getting embarrassed in Dallas earlier this week. My pick: Douglass 22, Millwood 20.

— Hennessey at Jones: Jones won this matchup 21-0 last year. Got to think Hennessey wants a little payback. My pick: Hennessey 19, Jones 13.

— Ardmore at Carl Albert: Carl Albert's defense stood tough against Booker T. Washington in Week 1. My pick: CA 20, Ardmore 10.

— Bishop McGuinness at Bishop Kelley: The Catholic battle of the year. I'm not quite sure what to think of Bishop Kelley this year. I do know the Comets will win the 6A volleyball title. My pick: McGuinness 23, BK 14.

High school football picks: Week 1

Local and area games
— Fort Gibson at Tahlequah: This game last year was one-sided for nearly three quarters. Fort Gibson, behind running back Jake Gandra, beat up Tahlequah, 30-10. Gandra is back, but THS seems determined to be better than its 2-8 record last year. This game will be won in the trenches. My pick: Tahlequah 21, Fort Gibson 16.

— Okemah at Sequoyah: Sequoyah has weapons everywhere on offense, but the Indians fall in love too much with the deep ball, which they complete about 30 percent of the time (seems like). Still like Sequoyah, though. My pick: Sequoyah 30, Okemah 20.

— Keys at Eufaula: Keys coach Gary Willis mentioned Eufaula's injuries that led to the Ironheads revamping their offense. The only thing keeping the Cougars from winning this game is if they're more focused on playing Vian in Week 2. My pick: Keys 29, Eufaula 14.

— Yale at Hulbert: These two teams combined to go 1-19 in 2010. Hulbert seems to be going in the right direction under new coach Mitchell Crittenden, but I don't if the Riders are there yet. My pick: Yale 17, Hulbert 10.

— Muskogee at Sand Springs: A lot of people have loved what they've seen from Muskogee to this point. Josh Blankenship might have one of the best athletes in the state at wide reciever (Victor Williams).  My pick: Muskogee 30, Sand Springs 27.

— Wagoner at Coweta: How will Wagoner fare without last year's QB Prince McJunkins? They'll be OK in 4A, but not in Week 1. My pick: Coweta 22, Wagoner 19.

— Hilldale at Pryor: I like Hilldale among the 4A ranks this year. Hornets always seem to have good talent at key spots. My pick: Hilldale 28, Pryor 13.


Other top games around the state
— Jenks at Bixby: For years, this matchup was one-sided in Jenks' favor. Oh wait, it's still that way. My pick: Jenks 42, Bixby 20.

— Evangel, La. at Union: Not sure how the Kendal Davis eligibility trial affects the Redskins. Even if it has, Union still has Kendall Holmes at tailback. My pick: Union 30, Evangel 27.

— Lawton at Lawton Eisenhower: As always, Lawton a team to reckoned with in Class 6A. My pick: Lawton 24, Ike 17.

— Owasso at Broken Arrow: Everyone seems so sure that BA will win its season opener. But I'm not so convinced with Keon Hatcher and Kason Key leading the Rams on offense. My pick: Owasso 27, BA 24.

— Ponca City at Sapulpa: While working at the Sapulpa paper, I covered this game twice. Both times it came down to the wire. Expect nothing less again this year. My pick: Sapulpa 25, Ponca City 20.

— Carl Albert at Booker T. Washington: BTW, after losing a wealth of talent from last year's team, will likely retool for another deep playoff run this season. But Week 1 could be shaky against the Titans. My pick: Carl Albert 20, Booker T. 12.

— Miami at Grove: A lot question marks surround both teams. My pick: Grove 14, Miami 10.

— Skiatook at Catoosa: Like Hilldale, I like Catoosa in 4A. Indians always end up plenty of talent and strength on both lines. My pick: Catoosa 24, Skiatook 13.

— OKC Douglass at Desoto, Texas (Monday): Oklahoma's reigning champ in 4A takes on a Texas powerhouse. Should be good. My pick: Desoto 23, Douglass 20.

— Caddo at Kiefer: Loved covering Kiefer and coach Josh Calvert's club while I was in Sapulpa. The Trojans continue to get better every year. My pick: Kiefer 30, Caddo 24.

— Berryhill at Glenpool: Regardless of the season, Glenpool is always a force. My pick:

— Ringling at Davis: Davis is a perennial power in 2A. Ringling, despite being in A, should be able to hold its own. My pick: Davis 30, Ringling 20.

— Bethany at Blanchard: Bethany is a sleeper in 3A. My pick: Bethany 27, Blanchard 9.

Tahlequah softball rolling right along

Few teams in Oklahoma high school softball are as hot right now as Tahlequah, which finds itself sporting a 20-1 record and No. 2 ranking in Class 5A.
Sure, Union (in 6A), Blanchard (in 4A) and Washington (in 3A) are hot in their own classes, but Tahlequah is storming through 5A competition right now, including two crucial District 5A-3 wins over Skiatook and Pryor this week.
As is always the case in fastpitch softball, if you have a good pitcher, you're sitting pretty. With that being the case, Tahlequah is loving life right now.
THS' pitcher Britney Johnson is 14-1 with an earned run average around one. And even at the 5A level — which includes other stellar pitching products, Haley Young (Pryor), Lindsey Dewberry (McAlester), Katie Kelley (Coweta) and Jessi Walker (Grove) — that's impressive.
Johnson's one lone slip-up — allowing six runs against Skiatook — was an example of how THS has become a complete team this season, despite losing three key seniors (Ashley Boswell, Jessie Patrick, Erica Sampson) from last year's state-tournament team. It seems when Tahlequah doesn't score many runs, Johnson is sharp and shuts down the opponent. And when Johnson doesn't have her A-game, her offense bails her out.
Even without Sampson's pop in the middle of the lineup this year, several players have stepped up to fill the void. Jenna Reed (center field), Randee O'Donnell (shortstop), Whittney Whittmore (third base) and Kaitlenn Rippetoe (first base) have up to task for Tahlequah on offense.
And even though Tahlequah is hot right now, there are still plenty of pitfalls ahead on the schedule. Next week Tahlequah plays at McAlester before entering in the Coweta tournament. And further down the road, THS plays road games at Skiatook, Pryor and Grove.

One and done: THS loses 56-15 in first trip to Dual State.

By BEN JOHNSON
Press Sports Editor
SKIATOOK — Tahlequah’s first-ever trip to dual state was short-lived. But that’s to be expected when you start off in a 24-point hole.
“Anytime you give up 24 points to the No. 1 team in the state, it’s hard to rally from that,” said Tahlequah coach Brandon Benson, whose Tigers fell to Class 5A No. 1 Altus 57-15 in the quarterfinals of the 5A tournament. “But I’m not at all concerned about how my kids fought tonight.”
The Tigers, who forfeited at four weights to give Altus 24 points, did, however, come up with four victories at the Skiatook Multipurpose Activity Center. B.J. Herrlein (215 pounds), Austin McTrusty (heavyweight) and Mitch Sellers each won by decision while freshman Hestin Lamons came up with a fall at 103.
“Hestin has come a long way,” Benson said of Lamons, who was tied at zero with Andrew Revilla when he came up with a pin midway through the match. “He still has a little bit to go before regionals. We’re going to have a good showing at regionals, and I think Hestin has a chance to win it.”
For Lamons, his win was a byproduct of not wanting to let him teammates down.
“After I saw B.J. and Austin win,” Lamons said, “I didn’t want to lose after they started a winning streak.”
Starting at 152 pounds, Tahlequah forfeited two matches right off the bat, putting the Tigers in a 12-0 hole from the get-go. Altus added increased its lead to 24-0 when Drake Martel (171) pinned Kyle Easter at 1:28, and Tyler George (189) pinned A.J. Campbell in the third period at 4:33.
Herrlein followed by giving Tahlequah’s its first points, scoring a 6-4 decision over Cedric Jamesin.
“I was up 6-2, but then I got a little sloppy on top,” said Herrlein, one of four seniors for THS. “It was my bad for getting sloppy, but I’m happy to get the win though.”
And being a senior, Herrlein said the win at dual state holds some special value.
“It means a lot,” he said. “Especially going into regionals. It gives me some confidence going into regionals.”
McTrusty’s victory was a little harder to come by, squeaking out a 3-2 win over Sean Carson.
“Austin has come a long ways this season as well,” Benson said of McTrusty, who prevented Carson from taking him down for two points in the final minute. “He’s finally kind of started to get an identity with his offense.”
At 112, Sellers edged Fernando Tapia, 4-2, to give THS its final points of the night.
Altus answered with three wins by fall, two by forfeit (140 and 145) and 6-5 decision by Kanyon Weldon (135) over Max Easter.
“I knew whoever they put on the mat was going to be tough,” said Altus coach Nick Wiliams, whose team had, easily, the longest venture to Skiatook, traveling four-plus hours from southwest Oklahoma. “And I’m not sure how many matches we wrestled, but they won half of them I think.”
While the final score might not reflect it, Benson was happy to see his wrestlers perform well on the big stage.
“It was good to see my kids compete and not get starry-eyed,” Benson said. “I was worried about that with my young ones becuase it’s like going to the state tournament — it’s a big deal. “To me, the way they wrestled, I’m extremely proud.”
Even in his first year with the varsity squad, Lamons knows what making it to dual state this year will mean in the future.
“It’s a big step,” said Lamons, whose team will host the Class 5A East Regional on Friday and Saturday at the TMAC. “We were awful the last few years. But we made a name for ourselves this year, and we’ve got some good kids coming up too.”


Altus 56, Tahlequah 15
(The dual started at 152)
103: Hestin Lamons (THS) pinned Andrew Revilla at 3:30.
112: Mitch Sellers (THS) won 4-2 decision over Fernando Tapia.
119: Jordan Litton (AHS) pinnd Shawn Eller at 1:54.
125: Christian Roney (AHS) pinned Trent Patrick at 4:31.
130: Matt Wilhite (AHS) pinned Justice Bailey at 1:05.
135: Kanyon Weldon (AHS) won 6-5 decision over Max Easter.
140: Ty Stevens (AHS) won by forfeit.
145: Keilan Torres (AHS) won by forfeit.
152: Kanyon Cunningham (AHS) won by forfeit.
160: Jeremy Delzer (AHS) won by forfeit.
171: Drake Martel (AHS) pinned Kyle Easter at 1:28.
189: Tyler George (AHS) pinned A.J. Campbell at 4:33.
215: B.J. Herrlein (THS) won 6-4 decision over Cedric Jamesin.
285: Austin McTrusty (THS) won 3-2 decision over Sean Carson.