Norman can clinch playoffs with win
Norman enters Friday’s matchup with Edmond Santa Fe with a chance to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2012.
Five weeks into the football season, Norman coach Rocky Martin believed his team realized its potential, but he was still concerned.
The Tigers had lost three straight, including two District 6A-I-1 games. In the past, Norman had folded in that situation. This team is different.
“How they responded has been pretty fun,” Martin said.
No. 8-ranked Norman enters Friday’s matchup with No. 4 Edmond Santa Fe with a chance to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2012, a welcome step forward in a rebuild.
The Tigers (5-4 overall, 3-3 district) must win for the easiest path. If not, Edmond Memorial needs to beat Yukon.
Martin’s focus getting Norman to this point has been in making the kids believe they could. Last year, Norman was 1-9 in Martin’s first season after leading downtrodden Putnam West to the playoffs.
Norman opened this season 2-0 before its three-game skid.
Since, its lost only to Jenks as junior quarterback Cade Horton has caught fire. Last week, the Ole Miss baseball commit completed 5 of 10 passes for 74 yards and rushed for 247 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries.
He’s got Norman believing it can make the playoffs.
But even with a loss, the Tigers will be pleased with their season.
“Obviously we prepare to win, but what they’ve done this year is huge for the program,” Martin said. “Huge, huge, huge.”
Cache turning back clock
Cache coach Faron Griffin expects to see alumni who haven’t seen a Bulldogs football game in 20 years Friday night.
That’s how big No. 9 Cache’s game against No. 5 Clinton is around the southwest Oklahoma school. A district championship is on the line.
Cache hasn’t won one since 1983, when Griffin was a middle-school student there.
“Everybody’s excited,” Griffin said. “This means quite a bit for me. I grew up watching those guys on the ’83 team. We were tradition rich back then. You grew up wanting to be a Cache football player back in the 80s and Cache has kind of lost that. We’re hoping to bring that back.”
That’s why he’s had members of that team and his teammates return to speak to the current team throughout the season.
It’s inspired an 8-1 season, with the lone loss coming to Muenster, Texas.
A five-way tie?
Looking for the ultimate craziness? Two Class 3A districts could provide that.
In both District 3A-3 and District 3A-4, a fiveway tie could happen to determine the bulk of the playoff spots.
District 3A-3 could have a tie for each playoff spot, should Lincoln Christian get upset by Checotah along with wins by Seminole, Stigler and Idabel. District 3A-4’s crown belongs to Berryhill. If it wins, Vinita beats Locust Grove and Inola beats Cascia Hall, a five-way tie is created for the final three spots.
District points will break each tie in those scenarios.
Game of chance
Remember the coin toss that decided the playoff fate for two schools in “Friday Night Lights?” There could be a version of that this week in District B-8.
Should Summit Christian and Oaks each win by 15 or more points, a threeway tie for third and fourth along with Watts will be created. Same record and same district points.
Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association Director Mike Whaley said the three schools have already determined to meet ahead of the game somewhere undisclosed to flip a coin, draw out of hat or determine the teams who advance in some fair way.
Forfeit points rule changed
Five teams across the state forfeited district games this season, which officially eliminated them from playoff contention.
But it also stripped district points and district victories from their opponents, under a new rule in the OSSAA football handbook.
In the past, district opponents got a win and 15 points for forfeits, but coaches voted to change the rule. Makes sense, considering some teams forfeit one game but play out their schedule, which could impact a playoff race.