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By: Chris Evans
The much talked about game of the year lived up to the hype, but the way the district title game panned out was not expected by many. The number two ranked Bluejays defeated the previously #1 ranked Titans, 24-21, for the district title in Midwest City
Many things were expected Friday night. The game was labeled as the best in the state. It was for a district title. Class 5A was going to have a clear cut number one team, and Guthrie fans were going to show up early and be vocal for four quarters. But, one item not expected was for Kye Staley to have negative yards rushing.
The Carl Albert game plan was simple. If they were going to get beat, they were not going to let it be by Staley. Guthrie had to find answers somewhere else. Indeed they did.
Juniors Clayton Smith and Keaton Callins took the pressure off of Staley, or was it Staley who took the pressure of Smith and Callins? Guthrie coaches placed Staley at receiver and the Titans would honored his presence many times with a double team. This gave Callins a more favorable match-up as one less person was able to come after Smith.
Smith finished with 141-yards rushing on 18 carries, including big second half runs. Callins, blitzed much of the night.,showed great composure and finished 8 of 16 passing for 107-yards. Meanwhile, Staley had minus three yards rushing on 15 carries.
Both teams were very comparable in the stat department. Guthrie finished with 239 yards of offense while Carl Albert had 249 yards. A key stat, however, in the game was field position.
Guthrie averaged starting on their own 43-yard line compared to Carl Albert averaging starting on their own 19-yard line. The Bluejays racked up 15 first downs and the Titans had 10.
Guthrie jumped out to a 7-0 lead when Callins found senior wide receiver Kent McDonald on a 16 yard touchdown pass. Callins, on a roll-out, found McDonald in the corner of the end zone where he tight roped the sideline for the score.
Carl Albert responded as four minutes later Titan quarterback, Robert Kizer, found David Oku, on a wheel route, for a 39-yard catch and pass to tie the game at 7-7. Oku was seen limping on an ankle that kept him out of last weeks game against Woodward, but seemed to be close to full speed on the touchdown reception.
Oku finished the game with 65-yards on 13 carries.
The Titans took their only lead of the night on an Oku 18-yard run along the boundary, on a stretch play, to make it a 14-7 game with 7:45 to play in the second quarter. The Titan score marked the first time that Guthrie had trailed an opponent all season.
Guthrie, unable to get anything going on the next offensive series, was forced to punt. Senior punter J Hensley executed a perfect punt, as Josh King downed the ball inches away from the Carl Albert goal line. The Titans went three-and-out, punted from their end zone, and set the Bluejay camp at their Titan 20-yard line after a poor kick.
Three plays later, Callins found a wide open Donte’ Foster in the corner of the end zone for a 24-yard connection. This sent the Bluejays to the halftime locker room tied up with the Titans at 14-14.
Carl Albert fumbled the return on the opening kickoff of the second half and Guthrie recovered the ball at the Titan 20-yard line. For the second straight possession Guthrie took advantage of the field position.
Smith took the first carry from the 20 to the 10-yard line making it first and goal. The Bluejays needed all four downs to get the score, but Staley, on fourth and goal, inches from a score, snuck over the plane of the goal line. This gave Guthrie the lead 21-14.
Hensley, again, came up big connecting on a 28-yard field goal with just under three minutes to play in the third quarter. On the night, Hensley put Carl Albert inside their 5-yard line twice, had a 28-yard field goal, and was tremendous on his kick-offs not allowing Oku extrachances of making plays in the special teams.
Carl Albert, trailing 24-14 to start the 4th quarter, was not about to go down without a fight and went on a nine play, 80-yard drive bringing them within three points of the Bluejays.
On its next possession Guthrie took time off the clock, but turned it over on downs and gave the Titans one the chance to tie or take the lead.
Carl Albert, on fourth down and five, ran a reverse to Stoner who looked down field only to realize that James Day was going to make him throw the ball sooner then he wanted. As a result, the senior standout out threw into triple coverage where Josh King leaped was awaiting the interception and the win. Afterwards, Guthrie used all four downs to run the clock out for the win.
To hear game quotes from Coach Rafe Watkins and Kelly Beeby please visit the podcast page.