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By: Chris Evans
If the first nine weeks of the season was not any indication as the most likely outcome between top-ranked and unbeaten Guthrie and the Woodward Boomers then the first 13 seconds of the game would have been.
On the opening kick-off, Woodward fumbled the return and junior D.J. Hughes picked it up to scamper into the end zone from 7-yards out and just like that Guthrie held a 7-0 lead.
The Bluejays would pile 27 points on in the first quarter and 55 at the half before finally putting the Boomers away, 69-0. Guthrie improved to 10-0 and in doing so becomes the first Guthrie team ever to go 10-0.
Guthrie (10-0) will host the Ardmore Tigers (6-4) next week, inside Jelsma Stadium, for the first round of the Class 5A play-offs. Ardmore loss to Duncan Friday night, 41-16, and finishes fourth in district 5A-1.
The Bluejays and Tigers have faced off twice in the post season during the Rafe Watkins tenure. In 2002, in the first round, Guthrie defeated Ardmore at the Rock, but in 2003 Guthrie got the loss, in Ardmore, in Week 11.
Against the Boomers, Guthrie wasted very little time to score in each of the first three quarters. Hughes scored in the first quarter that took 13 seconds. Senior Kye Staley took a 44-yard run to open the second quarter. That score took 18 seconds off the clock, and to start the third quarter junior Josh King took the second half kick-off for a 98-yard kick return. That score took 15 seconds off the clock to begin the quarter.
Despite Woodward’s Senior Night, Boomer Stadium witnessed the smallest crowd, of the season, to watch a Bluejay game. In fact, it is safe to say without a student section and band, Guthrie fans outnumbered Woodward fans.
However, the attendance would not matter as the Bluejays had five scores that was 40-yards plus. Staley had two of those long scores with a 44-yard run and a 63-yard pass. In all, Staley finished the night with four touchdowns including three on the ground. Staley finished with eight carries for 99 yards, one reception for 63 yards, and was 1-2 passing for 9 yards.
All in all, Guthrie had six different players to score on the night. Ashton Morgan scored on a 19-yard run for the final score of the night. Senior Kent McDonald had a 23-yard reception, for a score, from junior Keaton Callins. The score was set-up by sophomore Jayden Chappell’s first interception of the season.
Clayton Smith had touchdown runs of 44-yards and 1-yard for the junior. However, the highlighted player in Woodward County was Callins.
Callins finished the night 9 of 12 passing for 199 yards while passing for two touchdowns. In the game, Callins also threw his first interception of the season.
As a team, Guthrie compiled 436 yards of offense that witnessed a balance attack with 205 yards in the air and 231 on the ground. Meanwhile, the Bluejay defense continued to flex their muscle by allowing just 100 yards of Woodward offense. The Boomers could only manage 17 yards rushing versus the much speedier Bluejay defense.
To further the point of the Bluejays domination, Guthrie allowed just 26 yards of offense on 27 first half plays for the Boomers. Woodward had 12 rushing carries, in the first half, and seven of those were negative runs.
The Guthrie defense pitched their seventh shut out of the season and allowed opponents to score in just five of the 40 quarters played this year.
The Guthrie offense now has scored 69 points four different times this season: Southeast, John Marshall, Noble, and Woodward. Also, the Bluejays scored 68 points against Harrah.
If you would like to more post game analysis please visit the podcast page. Also, you can hear coach Watkins thoughts on the game at http://guthriesportspage.mypodcast.com/.