Southmoore vs. Muskogee Capsule...

By Justin Hite

Southmoore SaberCats (3-0) at Muskogee Roughers (2-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Muskogee

Southmoore (3-0)
Why the SaberCats can win: Sophomore quarterback Tre Edwards will be behind center for his second career start and the SaberCats’ comfort level with the new signal caller is growing. The offense didn’t lose a beat when Edwards took over for Kendal Thompson against Westmoore and stayed consistent against Moore last week. It could get even better, but the real wild card might be the threat of Thompson suiting up only two weeks after a left knee strain.

Muskogee (2-1)
Why the Roughers can win: The Roughers have a lot of team speed and plenty of talented players — some play on both sides of the ball. Bradley McGee might be the best of them. McGee ran for 93 yards and more than 10 yards per carry in a recent win against Tulsa Central. It’ll also be Muskogee’s homecoming, which adds that much more importance.

Key matchup: Muskogee’s focus vs. Southmoore’s big play ability. It’s an odd matchup, but it fits. Muskogee begins a three-week stretch against the SaberCats, Broken Arrow and Jenks. At the same time, Southmoore has the ability to score on any play. One let down from Muskogee, and Southmoore will be counting six more points in its favor.

The pick: Southmoore 41, Muskogee 33. It’ll be a slugfest with plenty of speed. Whoever blinks first could be going home with a loss. Muskogee’s tough stretch will be too much, and another week under center will help Southmoore’s sophomore quarterback Tre Edwards.