In Focus: Class B-C finals...
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
CLASS B
CHEROKEE CHIEFS
Record: 13-0
Ranking: No. 2
Coach: Bryce Schanbacher, third season at Cherokee
Previous state titles: None
Road to 2010 finals: Beat Central Marlow 48-0, beat Caddo 38-32, beat Dewar 46-12
2009 record (playoffs): 5-5 (none)
Last week: Cherokee’s defense came up bug after falling behind 6-0 early. The Chiefs held Dewar to just 68 yards on the ground through the first three quarters. Chase Wallace ran for two touchdowns and Justin Schanbacher ran for two and threw for another to put Cherokee in the championship game for the first time.
Player to watch: Justin Schanbacher, QB. The senior has more than 1,100 yards and 179 touchdowns rushing. Last week, he ran for 129 yards.
Notable: The Chiefs are in the playoffs for the first time since 1999. This year’s seniors were freshmen on Cherokee’s 0-10 team in 2007. … The Chiefs had never made the semifinals before this season. … Senior Anthony Thresher has more than 15 sacks. … Scored 38 or more points in every game but one, a 26-6 win over Laverne on Sept. 10. … Cherokee rushed for 321 yards last week after running for 281 the week before. … Henry Washington returned a kick 85 yards for a touchdown against Caddo. … Senior Chase Wallace is Cherokee’s leading tackler.
WETUMKA CHIEFTAINS
Record: 11-2
Ranking: No. 6
Coach: Lee Vick, first season at Wetumka
Previous state titles: None
Road to 2010 finals: Beat Welch 42-34, beat Davenport 42-20, beat Kiefer 32-14
2009 record (playoffs): 7-3 (none)
Last week: With the game tied at 14 in the fourth, Derrick Moore broke off a 93-yard touchdown run that started an 18-point fourth quarter that sent the Chieftains to the state championship game for the first time since 1970.
Player to watch: Derrick Moore, RB/CB. After running for 251 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries last week, the sophomore has more than 2,200 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also has more than 200 receiving yards. Moore is also the Chieftains leading tackler on defense.
Notable: Scored 42 or more points in eight games, including five of the last six before last week. … Sam Timmons, a junior, has more than 500 yards rushing and has thrown for around 600. Last week, Timmons had six catches for 82 yards playing receiver. … Since going 1-9 in 2005, the Chieftains have steadily improved. They went 3-7 the next year, 4-6 in back-to-back years before just missing out on the playoffs last season despite a 7-3 record. … The Chieftains were forfeited to twice this season.
CLASS C
DEER CREEK-LAMONT EAGLES
Record: 12-0
Ranking: No. 1
Coach: David Zachary, seventh season at Deer Creek-Lamont
Previous state titles: None
Road to 2010 finals: Beat Arkoma 56-6, beat Temple 40-6, beat Forgan 20-0
2009 record (playoffs): 10-3 (Beat Midway 42-20, beat Shattuck 16-12, lost to Timberlake 52-14)
Last week: Connor Kirby and Patrick Swaggart combined for 294 yards rushing as the Eagles beat Forgan for the second time this season. Deer Creek-Lamont, which beat Forgan 42-8 on the road Oct. 15, held the Bulldogs to 58 yards rushing and no passing yards.
Player to watch: Connor Kirby, RB. Kirby has more than 1,650 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground for the undefeated Eagles. In the win over Forgan, Kirby ran for 150 yards on 32 carries.
Notable: Deer Creek-Lamont is in the state championship game for the first time in school history. … Swaggart ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries in last week’s win. … The Eagles first score of the second half against Temple was set up by a blocked punt that led to a 37-yard touchdown to Derek Dowell from Lawson Thompson. Thompson later added an interception. … Kirby had three touchdowns in the win over Temple. … Scored 40 or more points in all but two games, a 30-16 win over fellow Class C semifinalist Covington-Douglas on Nov. 5 and last week.
