NOTHING BUT GREEN: Week 3 high school football picks
· Yahoo Sports
Kevin Green mug
Visit afnews.co.za for more information.
Progress sports editor Kevin Green
Last week's record: 5-2 [71.4%]
Overall record: 13-6 [68.4%]
The Oklahoman last week: 7-0 [100%]
The Oklahoman overall record: 14-5 [73.7%]
At this point, I might as well start calling these picks the Britney Spears special.
Oops … I did it again.
That is right. I jinxed the Claremore Zebras and caused them to lose another football game.
My powers first surfaced back in Week Zero, when I helpfully informed Sallisaw fans about Jaxon Burton’s field-goal range with the score tied late in the fourth quarter. Burton has a career long of 46 yards, and Claremore was approaching the point where it could potentially set him up for the winner.
Then, on the very next play, the Zebras lost a fumble. The Black Diamonds took advantage and scored the game-winning touchdown.
Coincidence? Maybe.
But after what happened Friday night at Lantow Field, I am starting to think I should keep my mouth shut ... and my phone turned off.
A former Claremore player texted me at halftime asking if I was surprised by the Zebras’ 21-0 lead over Muskogee.
Considering I had picked the Roughers to win 24-13, surprised was an understatement.
My response, as egg dripped from my face:
“I did not realize Muskogee was THIS bad offensively. Yikes!”
And trust me, it was bad.
Muskogee had 129 yards of offense in the first half and converted just 1 of 7 third downs. Nothing suggested a comeback was imminent.
I could have left it there, but I did not.
“This isn’t over yet, though,” I typed. “If Southlake Carroll can come back from 27-0 down to Jenks, Muskogee can come back from 21-0 down to Claremore.”
I should probably apologize for that one.
Now, that might have been a little wishful thinking on my part. I certainly was not rooting for Claremore to lose, but I was rooting for my prediction to remain alive.
After all, the entire point of doing this every week is to get as many picks right as possible.
Muskogee proceeded to outscore Claremore 28-3 in the second half, outgain the Zebras 238-102 during that stretch and score the winning touchdown with 1:08 remaining.
Roughers 28, Zebras 24.
Oops. Mark that down as a win for me, I guess.
As I left Lantow Field, though, I actually felt pretty good about the week.
Sequoyah had lost to Wyandotte, giving me one miss, but some of the other games had been difficult to pick. I figured I was headed for a perfectly respectable 6-1 record.
Then, walking toward my car, I noticed something. Where was the Claremore Christian score?
I had not seen a final from the Warriors’ trip to South Coffeyville. I figured CCS had won comfortably, and I simply needed confirmation.
So, I texted CCS athletic director Katie Schulze.
She responded in less than a minute.
“36 to 32 … South Coffeyville [insert facepalm emoji]”
Wait. What?
Of all seven Rogers County games last week, that was the one I felt most confident about. I picked CCS to win 42-24, and I thought there was a legitimate chance it could get considerably uglier than that.
The Warriors had beaten South Coffeyville by a combined 100-24 over the previous two seasons. The Lions were coming off what appeared to be a bad loss to Life Christian.
It seemed like a no-brainer, but apparently, the people at The Oklahoman knew something Christian Potts and I did not.
Because not only did we pick CCS on the Rogers County Football Forecast podcast, we spent a good chunk of time making fun of The Oklahoman for picking South Coffeyville, 41-22.
That aged beautifully.
“I wish I had better news for our friends from South Coffeyville,” Potts said on the show. “I think it’s going to be a long night for them. Claremore Christian will finish this game whenever they want to, I think, and it may be pretty fast.”
Then I piled on.
“We know that,” I said. “We know that Claremore Christian is going to take care of business, but our friends down at The Oklahoman, not so much.”
Oh, no.
Potts eventually predicted a 58-12 CCS victory, saying he did not “see much of a chance” for South Coffeyville.
I closed the conversation by saying I expected the Warriors to overwhelm the Lions in a fairly comfortable victory.
Enter Britney Spears again:
“Can't you see I'm a fool in so many ways?”
So, Claremore and Claremore Christian, I apologize. I cursed both of you last week, and that was not fair.
To quote Britney herself, “I’m not that innocent.”
And just to make the whole thing worse, The Oklahoman — yes, the same people we openly mocked for that South Coffeyville pick — went a perfect 7-0 on Rogers County games.
I went 5-2. Potts went 4-3.
The Oklahoman is now ahead of both of us in the season standings. Not exactly a good look for the self-proclaimed experts of Rogers County high school football.
Anyway, I have rambled on long enough. It is time to make the Week 3 picks.
Claremore and Sequoyah are off this week, which means there are only seven Rogers County teams capable of being victimized by my newfound powers.
I will try not to jinx any of them, but there are no guarantees.
———
TULSA NOAH 40, Oologah 28: Oologah’s 0-2 record is ugly, but I came away from the Glenpool loss more encouraged than the final score suggests.
The Mustangs essentially spotted the Warriors 14 points early, then didn’t allow another after the 4:20 mark of the second quarter. Brock Lustig and company have shown big-play potential, but sustaining drives remains the problem.
That is dangerous against a NOAH team that has scored 124 points in three games, including 64 against Daniel Webster. Even its 35-33 loss to Nathan Hale showed how quickly the Jaguars can turn a game into a shootout.
Interestingly, Glenpool beat that same Hale team only 23-20, so I don’t think Oologah is as far away as its record suggests. I expect the Mustangs’ best offensive performance yet, but NOAH has too much firepower.
The Oklahoman's pick: TULSA NOAH 35, Oologah 24
---
Inola 35, CATOOSA 20: Both teams have been blown out, but Inola’s 62-7 loss to Adair is easier for me to forgive. Adair may simply be really good.
Catoosa, meanwhile, has followed the same script twice: competitive first halves against Mannford and Verdigris before being outscored a combined 60-6 after halftime.
The matchup is especially concerning with Jayce Kent coming to town. The Indians allowed Mannford to rush for 380 yards, then surrendered 375 total yards to Verdigris.
Kent already has a 253-yard, 4-touchdown performance this season, while quarterback Yeshua Rachele went 13-of-16 for 147 yards and 2 scores in his first varsity start.
Catoosa is clearly improved from the team the Longhorns beat 40-2 last year, and the Battle of the Ports being its home opener should help. But until the Indians prove they can stop a physical rushing attack for four quarters, Kent gives Inola the edge.
The Oklahoman's pick: Inola 28, CATOOSA 12
---
VERDIGRIS 40, Miami 14: Miami’s 0-2 record is a little deceptive. The Wardogs lost only 34-33 to Vinita and rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit to make that a game. Their other result, a 48-7 loss to Stilwell, is considerably harder to overlook.
Meanwhile, Verdigris looks like it has taken a substantial step forward. Sophomore quarterback Jensen Underwood is 29-of-44 for 446 yards, 7 touchdowns and no interceptions through two games, helping the Cardinals outscore Sperry and Catoosa 75-21.
With 10 offensive starters and nine defensive starters back, Underwood doesn’t have to carry them, either. Miami should provide a better test, but Verdigris simply has too many ways to attack.
My biggest concern is another slow start after the Cardinals led Catoosa only 13-7 at halftime. Once they get rolling, though, I don’t think Miami keeps pace.
The Oklahoman's pick: VERDIGRIS 35, Miami 21
---
Salina 56, CHELSEA 2: This pick has less to do with Salina’s work so far than what Chelsea has allowed on the ground.
Ketchum rushed for 347 yards, then Nowata ran for an astonishing 481 yards without attempting a single pass. Asiah Saxton alone went for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns.
That is an enormous red flag against a Wildcats team that followed its 55-0 Locust Grove rout by taking Pocola to the wire in a 16-12 loss, reaching fourth-and-goal with a chance to win.
The Green Dragons do have some explosiveness — Brendon Paris broke a 71-yard touchdown against Nowata — but they have surrendered 145 points through three games. Until they show they can stop the run, it is difficult for me to project anything other than another long night.
The Oklahoman's pick: Salina 42, CHELSEA 14
---
Foyil 28, SOUTH COFFEYVILLE 24: Forget the records for a moment. Foyil’s two blowout losses came against Bluejacket and Webbers Falls, while South Coffeyville represents a considerable step down in competition.
More importantly, we already know the Panthers can match up with the Lions.
Foyil won this game 14-8 last season despite losing 5 fumbles, and the Panthers return more from that team. The Lions deserve plenty of respect after rallying past Claremore Christian, 36-32, but CCS was without Jaxon Robinett after halftime and struggled badly at the line of scrimmage.
After two weeks of punching above their weight, I think the Panthers finally look more like the experienced team I expected entering the season, preferably without another 5-fumble adventure.
The Oklahoman's pick: SOUTH COFFEYVILLE 30, Foyil 18
---
Wichita HomeSchool Defenders 46, CLAREMORE CHRISTIAN 22: After what happened last week, I’m going to be considerably more careful about declaring what Claremore Christian will do.
The Warriors can score. Grant Schulze has weapons everywhere in Malachi Zehder, Derek Smith, Landry Langford and potentially Jaxon Robinett, and CCS has put up 70 points through two games.
But coach Steve Robinett saying his defensive line was getting pushed backward about 6 yards per play against South Coffeyville is concerning entering a major step up in competition.
Wichita has beaten Sunrise Christian [Kansas] 38-12 and Lincoln [Missouri] 30-22, with its lone loss coming 38-6 against a highly rated Kansas City East Christian team.
The Warriors' offense gives it enough explosiveness to make an upset possible, especially if Jaxon Robinett is healthy, but I’m not convinced they can get enough stops.
And after last week, I’m certainly not going to say Wichita “does whatever it wants.” I learned that lesson.
The Oklahoman's pick: No pick submitted.