Hominy hungry for playoff redemption

DISTRICT A-6 PREVIEW

A season-opening loss fueled a 12-game win streak at Hominy last season.

The Bucks rolled through their district and the first three rounds of the playoffs en route to a date with the undefeated Stratford Bulldogs in the Class A semifinals. Stratford shut down Hominy to win 27-0 and went on to take the Class A state championship.

An experienced and hungry Hominy squad now looks to resolve some unfinished business.

“Right now our expectations are pretty high,” said coach Scott Harmon. “We’ve got really good football tradition here in Hominy and had a pretty good run at it last year; just kind-of ran into a buzz-saw there in the semifinals.

“We’re looking to get back there and redeem ourselves, because we don’t feel like we played really well.”

Harmon’s team didn’t lose much from its 2015 squad. The Bucks are the heavy favorites to repeat as Class A-6 district champions.

The Bucks’ roster is highlighted by senior Zaven Collins, a 6-foot-4 quarterback and Class of 2017 Tulsa commit.

He’s surrounded by fellow senior Tanner McElyea, one of the most durable tailbacks Harmon has seen in his career, and senior Colt Wilson.

“We’ve got a real big senior class,” Harmon said. “We’ve got a lot of experience, good size, good athleticism. One little question mark for us will be we’ve got to replace a couple linemen up front that were pretty much two- or three-year starters for us. We’re going to have to have a couple kids step up.”

Seniors Braden Sleeper and Bradley Brown are back and will look to be those leaders along the offensive line.

Hominy opens its season Sept. 1 against Cleveland — the team that handed

DISTRICT A-6 COACHES’ POLL

1. Hominy (12-2) 2. Kiefer (10-2) 3. Woodland (6-5) 4. Mounds (4-6) 5. Summit Christian (1-9) 6. Porter (4-7) 7. Liberty (3-7)

Last year’s record in parentheses the Bucks their lone 2015 regular season loss.

Harmon doesn’t believe his team is far off from where it needs to be and will look to live up to the program’s lofty expectations with a loaded senior class.

KIEFER RETURNS ROVANG

Senior running back and linebacker Caleb Rovang is back from a 10-win Kiefer team.

Rovang leads a cast that only lost to one team in the regular season a year ago — the defending district champion Hominy Bucks.

Kiefer posted four shutouts and scored 40 or more points seven times last season.

Kiefer is the leading candidate to challenge Hominy for the district. The two teams will square off Oct. 28 in Hominy.

EXTRA POINTS

Mounds returns senior quarterback Mike Crain and junior Mason McDonald. McDonald recorded 95 tackles last season, while Crain will look to find senior receiver Sam Nelson often on the offensive side of the ball. … The new additions to the district include Woodland, which moves up to Class A from Class B. Liberty moves down from Class 2A to A. And Summit Christian moves from District A-7 to A-6.