When will we know if it will be Norman North or Midwest City?

For those looking for a definitive answer as to which team is better between Norman North and Midwest City, well, we’ll all know when they play each other. Outside of that, everything is guesswork. And they may not play. The Timberwolves and Bombers are not on each other’s schedules, so it would be a playoff game if they meet up.
Now, there was that 14-0 Midwest City win over Norman North in a scrimmage, but it’s hard to know what to make of that for two reasons. For starters, as Norman North coaches and players will attest, they didn’t play all that well in any of their pre-season scrimmages — at least not up to their expectations. Second, both teams saw it for what it was –  an amped up practice. Granted, both teams knew they would be among the best in Class 6A this season, but neither played that scrimmage with the intensity or desire that they would if they were to meet in a real game under the current circumstances.
However, if you’re looking for clues, here are a couple:
Watch how North finishes the regular season. The T-Wolves didn’t close real strong last year. They had a close call against a Mustang team that wasn’t as tough as this year’s version and they lost to Lawton to prevent them from winning their first outright district title. They walloped Moore in the season finale, but they allowed 29 points to a hapless Lions squad. But a lot of that was inexperience in being a hunted team. That shouldn’t be a problem this season. North has already gotten the Muskogee Albatross off its neck, so that won’t haunt the T-Wolves either.
North plays Mustang on Oct. 9 and Edmond Santa Fe on Oct. 30 and close the regular season with Lawton on Nov.7. If the T-Wolves handle business in the first two games and hammer Lawton revenge-style in the final, you can bet they will be going into the playoffs like a house of fire. If they struggle or lose any of those games, that will pretty much leave quite a shadow of doubt for most onlookers. But this team looks built to get better as the season goes along, so a fade is unlikely.
As for the Bombers, they play a schedule from here on out where they will be major favorites. Any loss would be a huge upset. Few expected the Bombers to go unbeaten in the regular season last year — go ahead and book it this season. The best way to know if MWC will be able to go all the way is to watch its big boys, not its fly boys. We know they have speed everywhere. But all those jets didn’t do them any good when they met Jenks in the semifinals last year. To beat a Union or Jenks or Broken Arrow, Midwest City’s offensive and defensive lines are going to have to be able to match up. That will be the key. So, while tempting to watch Tim Flanders and pals torch the turf, keep an eye on the guys up front and notice if they are controlling the movement along the line.