District 4A-3 notebook

Published: August 12, 2008

Senior quarterback Shawn Jackson racked up nearly 2,500 yards of offense last season and scored 22 touchdowns despite a high ankle sprain for much of the year. And that was when Tulsa McLain was outmatched in Class 5A. Now, Jackson will lead the Titans in Class 4A.

"We're looking for a big year out of him,” coach Danny Daniels said.

Daniels said Jackson has yet to sign with any college program, but that Kansas and Arkansas are both on his radar.

Jackson also had 77 tackles in 2007 as an outside linebacker.

•Real summer workouts: Oologah outside linebacker Jordan Tally has done double summer workouts. Tally, who led the Mustangs in sacks a year ago, has spent the summer training for the Navy Seals. Coach Sonny Schovanec said he's allowed Tally to miss some summer workouts because the Navy's demanding workout regime.

•Rivalry renewed: Vinita and Oologah are rivals in nearly every sport. This year, they'll compete in football for the first time in nearly a decade.

"It's good to get them back on the schedule because they're a quality program and we like to play quality people,” Vinita coach Duwayne King said.

Vinita moves up to Class 4A in 2008, and is in Oologah's district for the first time since Oologah was in Class 3A in the 1990s.

•Dual threats: Grove wide receiver and defensive back Dusty Gehrke, and Jay quarterback and defensive back Cayle Shambaugh will be dangerous on both sides of the ball in 2008. Gehrke, the 6-foot, 185-pound Division I prospect who is a three-time state champion in pole vault and a state qualifier in wrestling, led Class 4A in interceptions a year ago. Shambaugh, a 6-foot ,180-pound junior, has started since his freshman season.

•West back at Collinsville: Collinsville head coach Lance West is making his return to football.

West was the coach at Collinsville from the fall of 1995 through the fall of 2000, but he left coaching for eight seasons.

"I missed it,” he said. "I loved it when I was here, and it was one of those situations where they have allowed me to be both an administrator and a coach, so I decided to get back in it.”

West's last three seasons coaching at Collinsville, he led the Cardinals to a pair of 10-win seasons and a nine-win season.

He is also the assistant principal and assistant athletic director at Collinsville High School.

By Ray Martin

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