CLASS B FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
BETHANY — Here's how Seiling and Velma-Alma match up in the Class B state football championship:
No. 1 Seiling Wildcats (14-0) vs. No. 4 Velma-Alma Comets (13-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Southern Nazarene University — SNU Football Stadium, NW 50th Street, Bethany
Live streaming: Available via the NFHS Network, requires a subscription
Tickets: $11.50 via GoFan mobile ticketing app or $13 cash at the gate
Coaches
Seiling: Gary Manuel (Seventh season) Velma-Alma: Randy Norton (Sixth season)
How they got here
Seiling: 54-0 against Alex, 56-6 against Turpin, 52-6 against Weleetka, 42-40 against Tulsa Regent Prep
Velma-Alma: 58-52 against CovingtonDouglas, 56-40 against Garber, 50-30 against Drumright, 66-48 against Okeene
All-time record: Velma-Alma leads, 1-0
Previous meeting: Velma-Alma beat Seiling, 12-7, in 1996 playoffs
State championship history
Seiling: Three state titles in eight appearances, last appearance in 2022 , last title in 1988
Velma-Alma: Two state titles in five appearances, last appearance in 2006, last title in 1994
Player to watch
Seiling: Kaden Manuel, QB, Sr. — The Wildcats quarterback has been stellar in his final high school football season. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound senior has been electric as a dual threat in the pocket, passing for 1,627 yards and 23 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,696 yards and 36 touchdowns. Manuel's play in 2022 also helped Seiling finish as the state runner-up, and he currently has offers from Division II Emporia (Kansas) State and East Central.
Velma-Alma: Slade Strickland, QB, So. — Strickland has defied the odds in his first year under center, leading VelmaAlma to its first state championship game in 17 years. The Comets quarterback has been immense in all facets — throwing for 2,780 yards and 40 touchdowns while also running for 1,555 yards and 20 touchdowns on 10.1 yards per carry.
Keys to victory
Seiling: Limiting Langsten Walker. The senior wide receiver has been virtually unstoppable when lining up across opposing defenders. Walker leads the Comets in receiving by a wide margin — catching 96 passes for 1,519 yards and 22 touchdowns. For Seiling to emerge victorious on Friday, the Wildcats' secondary must come ready to play after allowing Tulsa Regent Prep quarterback John Mark Roller to throw for five touchdowns in their semifinal win last week.
Velma-Alma: Containing the run game. Seiling's three-headed rushing attack of Manuel, Rush Hunt and Yovany Duarte has led the charge for the Wildcats all season long. The trio has rushed for nearly 3,200 total yards and 63 touchdowns combined and Seiling is outscoring opponents by 39 points a game. Expect the Comets' suffocating defensive line to draw up a response to the best offense Class B has to offer.