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By: Chris Evans
It appeared after the first half of the state semi final game with the No.1 Guthrie Bluejays and No.2 Tulsa East Central Cardinals that it was going to be a game to the end, but at the end it was the ‘Jays in another convincing win.
After a 7-7 first quarter score and a 17-14 Bluejay lead at the half, Guthrie would outscore East Central 28-0 in the second half to win 45-14. The win gives puts Guthrie in the state championship game next week.
The 'Jays will play the winner of Bixby and Lawton MacArthur. That semi final game will be played on Saturday night.
The Guthrie defense was challenged at the half by the Bluejay coaching staff and the ‘Jays took the challenge and excelled in the second half.
"That's the most complete half we've put together all year,” head coach Rafe Watkins said.
East Central held the Bluejays on their first possession of the night and on the Cardinal’s first drive would fumble the ball to Guthrie and the 'Jays would take advantage.
Talented Cardinal running back Kenny Session fumbled the ball which lead to a 31-yard pass connection between juniors Keaton Callins and Donte’ Foster. Foster’s touchdown now gives him 11 on the season.
East Central responded nicely to the Bluejay score with a convincing 13 play, 76 yard drive that kept the Bluejay defense on the field for 6:22. Session would score from 4-yards out to tie the game at seven. It would be Session’s only score of the night and ends the season with 20 touchdowns.
On the following drive, Guthrie would regain the lead on a J Hensley 37-yard field goal to go up 10-7 with 8:21 to play in the half.
The Cardinals would take their only lead of the game at the 4:40 mark when fullback DeLon Profit took it in on a 4-yard run to give the Cardinals a 14-10 advantage. The East Central lead marked the second time this season that Guthrie has trailed.
Much like earlier in the game, Guthrie would have an answer just before the end of the half.
Guthrie would use a Kye Staley 1-yard run to take a 17-14 halftime lead after an eight play drive.
Although the stats at half were similar between both teams, Guthrie was more balanced with 88 rushing yards and 51 passing while East Central had 114 rushing yards and just 39 through the air.
Staley. at the half , would have 40 yards rushing on 9 carries, but the second half was about to begin and so too was the Bluejay defense.
Guthrie would score 28 unanswered points in the second half behind Staley’s 120 of 160 rushing yards on the Putnam City High School field.
Meanwhile, the Bluejay D would allow the Cardinals just six yards rushing in the entire second half and for majority of the half were in red numbers rushing the ball, but what started the onslaught would not be the offense or defense. It would be the best specials team in the state of Oklahoma and junior Josh King.
As teams have done for majority of the season, the Cardinals had kicked away from the Bluejay punt and kick return deep men, but Session’s punt would find King and that proved to be the difference in the end.
King took the punt from his 32 yard line and would dart up the middle before cutting it to the outside and beating Session, the punter, for his third punt return of the season and gave the ‘Jays a 24-14 lead with his 68-yard punt return.
On the next Bluejay possession, Guthrie would take 4:20, on nine plays, to push the lead 31-14, but kicker Hensley would injure his kicking ankle on the PAT and would need help off the field and did not return.
East Central, meanwhile, was struggling against the top rated Bluejay defense and was outside of their comfort zone and was struggling to find answers. In which, none would be found.
Guthrie quarterbacks Staley and Callins would add one score each to round out the scoring with 37 and 13-yard runs respectively.
East Central finishes the season 12-1 and continues to make semi final games including the past five seasons, but have only played in the title game once.
Guthrie looks for the second state championship in school history. The ‘Jays won their first title in 2002.