High school football: No. 3 McGuinness shuts out top-ranked Guthrie

The coach doesn't have to worry about that anymore.

Anyone questioning whether the Irish could compete with the best teams in Class 5A got their answer Friday night in a dominating 32-0 victory over top-ranked Guthrie at Pribil Stadium.

“This win puts us where we thought we were,” Jones said. “A lot of people in the state have let us fly under the radar a little bit. Coming up from 4A, a lot of people didn't understand that we were young last year.

“We knew when we came into 5A this year that we wouldn't be able to back down from teams like this.”

Opposing offenses are 0-for-October against the Irish after they logged their fourth consecutive shutout. But Friday's performance was far more impressive than the previous three goose-eggs they posted against Western Heights, Guymon and Northwest Classen.

Before Friday, Guthrie had been shut out only once since the 2001 playoffs, and came in having scored at least 36 points in seven of eight games this year.

“I think we prepare more than any team in the state,” said senior Cody Chancellor, who had two of McGuinness' three interceptions, along with a 41-yard touchdown catch. “We've been watching the routes they run. We felt like every time they came out, we knew what routes they like to go to out of that formation, and that helped us throughout the whole game.”

McGuinness intercepted three passes, recovered one fumble and got two onside kicks, limiting Guthrie to only 40 offensive plays.