NOTHING BUT GREEN: Week 10 high school football picks
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Progress sports editor Kevin Green
Note: Home team in CAPS.
Last week’s record: 5-2 [71.4%]
Overall record: 59-15 [79.7%]
The Oklahoman last week: 5-2 [71.4%]
The Oklahoman overall record: 53-19 [73.9%]*
*The Oklahoman did not make a pick for two games this season.
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Sometimes, you find similarities between two completely unrelated things in the strangest places.
I certainly didn't expect to find a connection between a high school football rivalry in Oklahoma and a half marathon in Kansas, but that is exactly what happened over the weekend.
On Sunday morning, I was in Lawrence, Kansas, pacing the Kansas Half Marathon. My assignment was 2 hours, 15 minutes, or 10:18 per mile.
My friend Seth Olson planned to run all 13.1 miles with me. Neither of us is in peak running shape at the moment, but that pace is comfortable enough. We figured we'd enjoy an easy training run together.
For 4 miles, everything went according to plan.
Then Seth started pulling away. Eventually, he was gone.
Normally, I could speed up and catch him. But I was wearing a pace shirt, carrying a sign and responsible for getting other runners to the finish line on schedule — in 2:15 or just under.
I had a job to do, so I maintained my pace while Seth finished about seven minutes ahead of me. And afterward, I realized Friday night's Battle of Highway 20 unfolded much the same way.
Claremore and Pryor entered expecting a competitive rivalry game with significant playoff implications.
Instead, the Zebras started pulling away, and before the Tigers knew it, Claremore was gone.
Pryor kept trying to establish its offense, even going for fourth downs deep in its own territory, but the Zebras had no obligation to slow down and match the Tigers' pace.
By halftime, it was 42-7. By the final whistle, 63-20.
That brings us to the final week of the regular season, when some teams will pull away into the postseason, and others will run out of road.
Here are my Week 10 picks:
Oologah 35, CLEVELAND 20: Oologah finally snapped its five-game losing streak with a 10-9 victory over Miami. Now the Mustangs can finish with consecutive wins.
Six common opponents favor Oologah by a combined 92 points in scoring margins, and the Mustangs have performed better against all six. Cleveland allows 46.2 points per game.
Oologah's offense remains a concern after managing just 185 yards against Miami, and the Tigers have shown occasional offensive life, scoring 42 against Sequoyah and 46 against Miami.
Still, the Mustangs' defense just held that same Wardogs team to nine.
The Oklahoman's pick: Oologah 21, CLEVELAND 20
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CATOOSA 38, Daniel Webster 12: Catoosa's postseason hopes are gone, but the Indians should finish on a positive note.
Daniel Webster allows 46 points per game and has surrendered at least 41 seven times. Against six common opponents, Catoosa holds a 139-point advantage in combined scoring margins.
The Indians' biggest obstacle might be itself. They committed 8 turnovers over their past two games.
Protect the football, and this shouldn't be particularly close.
The Oklahoman's pick: CATOOSA 31, Daniel Webster 13
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Chelsea 44, KIPP TULSA 22: KIPP Tulsa has scored just 58 points all season while allowing 61.7 per game.
The common-opponent results are equally lopsided. Chelsea has a combined scoring margin of minus-179 against six shared opponents, compared with the Bulldogs' minus-332.
The Green Dragons have one win, defeating Chouteau-Mazie 42-16. KIPP lost to the Wildcats 58-6.
Chelsea's offense averages only 12.9 points, but I expect its best offensive performance since beating Chouteau.
The Oklahoman's pick: Chelsea 35, KIPP TULSA 14
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YALE 28, Foyil 26: This might be the toughest game to predict between two teams playing to avoid last place.
Their four common-opponent results are nearly identical: minus-150 for Foyil and minus-156 for Yale.
But the Bulldogs lost to Coyle 30-8, while the Panthers fell 58-16 last week.
Yale's Brayden Greenfield has rushed for 384 yards and 5 touchdowns, while the Bulldogs have recorded 12 sacks. Foyil allows 44.3 points per game and has surrendered at least 45 six times.
I expect the Panthers to score, but Yale's defense and home-field advantage give the Bulldogs a slight edge.
The Oklahoman's pick: YALE 32, Foyil 28
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Life Christian 34, Claremore Christian 26: CCS gets another shot at Life Christian in Saturday's Frontier Christian Athletic Association championship.
The Eagles won the first meeting 32-14 and also have the better result against South Coffeyville, but the Warriors have demonstrated their offensive potential.
The concern is defense. CCS has allowed at least 30 points in five of seven games, and Life has already shown it can contain the Warriors.
I expect a closer rematch, but the Eagles remain my pick.
The Oklahoman's pick: No pick provided.
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Perkins-Tryon 38, INOLA 9: P-T has defeated Verdigris and Heritage Hall in consecutive weeks, overcoming deficits of 14 and 21 points in those contests, respectively.
The Demons now have a district championship within reach. Six common opponents favor P-T by a staggering 213 points in combined scoring margins.
Jerett Gibson accounted for 4 touchdowns against Heritage Hall, while Westin Atkinson rushed for 146 yards.
Inola showed improvement against Verdigris, but the Longhorns have struggled against stronger competition, and the Demons have too many offensive weapons.
The Oklahoman's pick: Perkins-Tryon 35, INOLA 16
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HERITAGE HALL 35, Verdigris 24: Few matchups are more evenly balanced on paper.
Verdigris and Heritage Hall have nearly identical scoring margins against common opponents: plus-182 and plus-185, and both lost to Perkins-Tryon, though the Chargers fell by one point and the Cardinals by nine.
Heritage Hall outgained P-T 481-332 but committed roughly 25 penalties. Quarterback Teagan Lawson threw for 257 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Porter England broke an 89-yard touchdown run.
Verdigris counters with a defense allowing about 15 points per game and a passing attack led by Jensen Underwood and Bret Schauffler.
But offensive-line injuries and Underwood's 4 interceptions the past two weeks concern me, though the Chargers' penalties are equally troubling.
The winner guarantees itself a home playoff game. Heritage Hall has lost only once in its past 93 district games, so I'll give the Chargers a slight edge.
The Oklahoman's pick: HERITAGE HALL 30, Verdigris 27
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SEQUOYAH 34, Henryetta 28: Win, and you're in. Lose, and you're done.
Sequoyah hosts Henryetta with the final District 2A-I-4 playoff berth at stake. Knights quarterback Nakona Johnson is dangerous, having thrown for 1,647 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for another 392 yards and f5 scores.
However, the Eagles have been more competitive against common opponents, losing to Sperry by three and Rejoice by seven. Henryetta lost those games by 37 and 19.
With Bryson Nichols, Gunner Allison, Mason Weeks and John Hull providing offensive options, I like Sequoyah at home.
The Oklahoman's pick: SEQUOYAH 28, Henryetta 24
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Claremore 23, COLLINSVILLE 22: Second place in District 5A-4. A home playoff game. And Claremore's first opportunity to win at Sallee Field since 2013.
There is plenty at stake.
Seven common opponents slightly favor Collinsville, which holds a 20-point advantage in combined scoring margins, but Claremore's 63-20 destruction of Pryor changed the picture considerably.
Both teams have dangerous rushing attacks.
Kannon Kinnard rushed for 172 yards and 5 touchdowns against Pryor. The Cardinals' Brayden Daniels produced 230 yards and 3 scores against those same Tigers.
Claremore also has Ayden Gaines, whose 2 fumble recoveries, defensive touchdown and rushing score helped dismantle Pryor.
But there is a catch.
The Tigers actually outgained the Zebras 417-349. Five turnovers and repeated short fields made that 43-point margin possible.
Collinsville isn't likely to be so generous.
The Cardinals have the steadier defense and home-field advantage, but Claremore has won four straight and is finding ways to create decisive plays. After what happened at Pryor, I'm sticking with the Zebras.
I expect this to be a tight defensive battle with several field goals, but a Kellen Gaede-to-Ayden Gaines touchdown pass early in the fourth sets the stage for a game-winning 31-yard field goal from Jaxon Burton at the buzzer, ensuring football returns to Lantow Field one more time in 2026.
The Oklahoman's pick: COLLINSVILLE 34, Claremore 22