High school football picks: Week 3

Not a bad Week 2 with my picks. Clearly, though, I was way off in the Pryor-Fort Gibson game. Fort Gibson's offense isn't quite as good as I gave it credit for. I'll be at the Keys-Verdigris game tonight, but I'll be anxious to see the score of the Broken Arrow-Union contest all night.

My picks this year

Week 1: 14-5

Week 2: 15-5

Overall: 29-10

Local and area games

— Tahlequah at Sallisaw: If Tahlequah wins this game, there's a legitimate reason to be excited about Tahlequah's chances of making the playoffs. Sallisaw is much more comparable to teams in Tahlequah's district (Tulsa Central, Pryor, Edison, Grove, etc.). My pick: Sallisaw 22, Tahlequah 10.

— Keys at Verdigris: Talk about experiencing extreme highs and lows in two weeks. Keys won big in Week 1 only to be shut out by rival Vian in Week 2. This game was close last year, no reason to expect otherwise in 2011. My pick: Verdigris 30, Keys 28.

— Sequoyah at Victory Christian: VC hasn't allowed a point yet this year. But that happens when a team plays two inept offenses. There's a decent chance Sequoyah hangs 50 on VC. My pick: Indians 47, Victory 17.

— Drumright at Hulbert: You have to feel bad for Hulbert. The Riders seem to be losing players by the handfuls this year because of injuries. Here's hoping Hulbert gets healthy soon. My pick: Drumright 30, Hulbert 6.

— Tulsa Central at Muskogee: No team needs the comfort of home more than Muskogee right now. But if the Rougers can't contain Central's Tyron Garth, playing at Indian Bowl won't matter. My pick: Muskogee 21, Central 20.

— Wagoner at Grove: Honestly, this game might be the best in northeastern Oklahoma, outside of Broken Arrow/Union. My pick: Wagoner 25, Grove 17.

— Hale at Hilldale: This one might be over by halftime. My pick: Hilldale 53, Hale 10.

— Catoosa at Fort Gibson: After losing to Pryor at home, Catoosa is not the team FTG wants to see coming down the pike. I feel bad for Fort Gibson coach James Singleton. Beyond RB Jake Gandra, Singleton doesn't have much to work with. But he'll get it fixed before to long. My pick: Catoosa 29, Fort Gibson 13.

Other top games around the state

— Broken Arrow at Union: As a BA alum, I looked forward to this game for weeks on end in high school. Not real confident in my alma mater this time around, though. My pick: Union 37, BA 23.

— Owasso at Jenks: I think I've finally figured out Owasso. The Rams always beat the teams they're supposed to beat, and they get blown out by teams they aspire to beat. Put Jenks in the latter category, for sure. My pick: Jenks 33, Owasso 14.

— Sand Springs at Sapulpa: Love the Highway 97 rivalry. Covered it for two years and it's always a good game. My pick: Sapulpa 20, Sand Springs 10.

— Skiatook at Bartlesville: Tough to get a read on either one of these teams this year. Skiatook did, however, win a close one against Oologah last week. My pick: Bartlesville 24, Skiatook 21.

— Edmond North at Edmond Memorial: I've never covered an Edlam, but I hear they never disappoint. My pick: North 31, Memorial 23.

— Coweta at Bishop Kelley: This one is a toss-up. Two good teams in a first-round playoff rematch from 2010. My pick: Coweta 20, BK 17.

— East Central at Booker T. Washington: Raise your hand if you had BTW starting 0-3. Good chance it'll happen. My pick: EC 29, BTW 13.

— NOAH at Stilwell: Should be interesting to see how Kendal Davis does in his debut with NOAH after being denied eligibility at Union. My pick: NOAH 30, Stilwell 13.

— Metro Christian at Broken Bow: Patriots make a long, LONG trip to southeastern Oklahoma. Too bad Broken Bow won't be rolling out the red carpet for Metro Christian's arrival. My pick: Broken Bow 30, Metro 24.

— Millwood at Bishop McGuinness: Tough turnaround for Millwood, who lost Saturday to Douglass. My pick: McGuinness 20, Millwood 18.

— Davis at Heritage Hall: Another test for Heritage Hall before it goes on cruise control through district play. My pick: HH 45, Davis 17.

— Hennessey at Kingfisher: Hennessey could be facing a rare two-game losing streak. My pick: Kingfisher 26, Hennessey 20.

— McAlester at Ardmore: I think McAlester's offense overcomes Ardmore's strong defense in this one. My pick: McAlester 34, Ardmore 28.

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.