High school notebook: Sequoyah-Tahlequah forfeits upheld; Elgin coach to sit out three games

Washington sat out last week's Oklahoma Christian School Athletic Association semifinals victory over Windsor Hills because the coaches decided he needed a week to work on his academics, but Biddle said Washington will play Friday night against the OKC Patriots for the Class 3A title at Putnam City West.

Washington participated in the U.S. Army All-American underclassmen combine in January, turning heads among scouts. Biddle says Tulsa has recently shown interest despite Washington's high school eligibility issues.

OFFENSIVE SWITCHES KICKSTART EDMOND MEMORIAL

Against Edmond North in Week 1, Edmond Memorial was playing their star running back, Warren Wand, at quarterback.

Tyler Holcomb is now the quarterback while Wand moved to tailback, making the Bulldogs more balanced offensively.

But Bulldogs coach Justin Merideth said the biggest improvement the Bulldogs made in the last half of the season was simply limiting mental mistakes and turnovers.

Edmond Memorial clinched a playoff spot with a 61-14 win over Putnam West on Friday night.

Wand rushed for 164 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns.

Wide receiver Will Scott caught four passes for 75 yards, including a 48-yard scoring strike from Holcomb. Scott also returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown.

“He is a kid who is a senior who has very big play ability,” Merideth said. “He is one of our better athletes.”

CORNWELL READY FOR REMATCH

Midway through the season, Jones quarterback David Cornwell said he'd like another shot at Perkins-Tryon after his Longhorns fell to the Demons 18-15 in the season opener.

Cornwell didn't think it would come this quickly.

Jones opens the playoffs at home against Perkins on Friday.

“We want to show them what we're made of this time,” Cornwell said. “We've very confident. They're going to play hard, they blitz and they get around the football but we're playing a whole lot better now.”

None more than Cornwell, the junior who was making his first varsity appearance in the season opener.

“I'm a lot different player now than I was then,” he said. “I've evolved a lot in learning how to win, learning how to move the sticks and get us in the end zone.

“That loss was an eye-opener. You never want to lose games but it kept our team humble. We've been in the fire and we know how to respond to it.”

TULSA MEMORIAL SNAPS LONG DROUGHT

When Tony Daniels took over the Tulsa Memorial program five years ago, one of his five-year goals was to make the playoffs.

It took all five years, but the Chargers are in the playoffs for the first time since 1989.

“Getting it on the fifth year, took a little bit longer than what I had thought, but we were finally able to get it done,” Daniels said.

Tulsa Memorial opens the Class 5A playoffs at Claremore on Friday.

After finishing one game shy of the playoffs the last two season, Daniels said he felt like this season was the year the Chargers would make the playoffs.

It also helped that quarterback Keith Driver came out of nowhere with more than 2,000 total yards and 19 touchdowns in his first year ever at the position.

“We were kind of missing the passing game the last couple of years and we're finally kind of able to get that,” Daniels said. “There's still some things we need to tweak with it, but I think that's been the biggest change.”