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By: Chris Evans
Christmas, New Year’s, birthdays, first day of two-a-days, and September 14th are some dates that a lot of football coaches and players around the Guthrie High School program have circled on their 2007 calendar.
Next, on the to do list portion of the calendar, for the second ranked Guthrie Bluejays comes this Friday when the eight ranked team in Class 4A's Deer Creek Antlers come pouncing into Jelsma Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kick-off. 7:30 p.m. is also the time that Guthrie hopes to erase last year’s embarrassing loss in Edmond to the then 0-2 Antlers from their short term memory.
“It was a very disappointing night. We played about as poorly as any team I have ever had since I have been here in Guthrie,” head coach Rafe Watkins said as his eyebrow raised and lower lip tighten up as he was called upon to ponder last year’s game.
"It was an absolute embarrassment and I have been waiting 365 days for this night (Friday),” Watkins said. “It’s not a slap in the face to us because Deer Creek has a good program it is just the way we gave it to them,” Watkins said in reference to eight Bluejay turnovers in the 19-7 loss.
Deer Creek enters Friday’s match-up, 2-0 on the season, with wins over below average teams in Piedmont and Tulsa Hale. However, weak or strong teams, Deer Creek has not allowed a score in the first two weeks and have outscored their two opponents 66-0.
The Antlers will return three year starter in junior quarterback Dax Dilbeck. Dilbeck has not been called upon to do much this season with just seven passes on the season and completing four of them. Dilbeck may have to open the passing game as they go up against a very stingy Bluejay rush defense.
“He’s one of the top quarter milers in the state. He is a very good athlete all around,” Watkins said.
Guthrie has allowed just 43 total rushing yards in their first two games, and outside of two secondary breakdowns in Shawnee have allowed 63 yards in the air.
Deer Creek will try and hit the ‘Jays with different runners with running backs Tyler Price, Sebastian Ibeagha, and Zach Trujillo. Price, a sophomore, is the feature back and has 158 yards rushing on 32 carries with two touchdowns.
Trujillo, who will be wearing jersey number 85, according to Watkins is their best overall football player on the team whether he lines up at tailback, tight-end, or defensive end.
Watkins likes to talk about the men in the trenches and for those who know how big senior linemen Colton Mize is (6-3, 265 pounds) he will be about the fourth biggest on the field. Antler senior linemen, Austin Benda is listed 6’7” 308 pounds and not only is a three year letterman, but is a Division 1 prospect as well.
So with an inexperience Guthrie offensive line and a huge defensive line for Deer Creek does this mean we can see the Bluejay offense trying to get to the outside and using their speed advantage to get around the corners?
“We got to be able to run to the middle too. Our offensive line is coming along and I feel like we got to be able to run our basic package, but naturally we feel like we do have an advantage on the outside if we want to run some speed option,” Watkins said.
The Antlers may decide to stack the box to help and stop the Guthrie running attack, but quarterbacks Kye Staley and Keaton Callins have been superb on the season in the passing department. Combined the dual threat is 12-15 for 130 yards with each scoring two passing touchdowns.
Denton Fox, head coach of Deer Creek, will most likely lean on the pre-game speech of knowing they have beaten the almighty ‘Jays before and would be sweet to do it two years in a row, but the Guthrie loss a season ago might have been a lesson learned.
“That game was the turning point of our season last year because it got us focus and we did not over look a team. I will be quite honest I think it has kept us focus this year. I don’t care how much you are favored by, or how great of a football team you are supposed to have it helps keep you focus,” Watkins continued.
A lesson learned from Week 3 last season? Yes. A lesson forgotten from Week 3 last season? Nope.
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