Early start for Week 7 has many big games
It’s fall break week.
That means most of this week’s games come Thursday. Although there are a handful of games Friday night, most of the action moves up a day
Here are The Oklahoman’s top 10 games of Week 7:
1. 5A No. 2 McAlester (6-0, 3-0) at No. 3 Coweta (6-0, 3-0): One of the more anticipated matchups of the season, McAlester and its self-termed "Black Death" defense will hit the road trying to stifle a potent Coweta offense with quarterback Gage Hamm at the helm. Coweta High School sustained damage after a tornado late Sunday night, but it’s unsure whether that will affect Thursday’s game.
2. 6A-I No. 1 Jenks (6-0, 3-0) at No. 4 Edmond Santa Fe (4-2, 3-0): A rematch of the 2020 state championship game, Jenks travels to Edmond to match up with Santa Fe in a game that the winner gains full control for the district title. Jenks will rely on Jalyn Stanford and Jaiden Carroll in the run game, and Santa Fe will hope brothers Talyn and Tabry Shettron can dominate the passing attack.
3. 3A No. 1 Tulsa Holland Hall (6-0,
3-0) at No. 6 Berryhill (5-1, 3-0): Berryhill has played outstanding all season, even pulling an upset against Verdigris earlier in district play. But defending state champion Holland Hall has rolled all season and will be tough to beat.
4. 6A-II No. 4 Sand Springs (5-1, 2-1) at No. 1 Bixby (6-0, 3-0): Sand Springs lost for the first time last week against Tulsa Booker T. Washington, but quarterback Ty Pennington remains a threat and will have to have a big week for the Sandites to have any chance of knocking off Bixby.
5. 3A No. 2 Tulsa Lincoln Christian (7-0, 3-0) at No. 5 Seminole (6-0, 2-0): Lincoln Christian quarterback Max Brown has arguably been the state’s best signal caller to this point of the season and is a huge reason why the Bulldogs are again a threat to win a state title. Seminole will look to slow him down and continue its undefeated season while gunning for the state title.
6. 2A Prague (6-0, 3-0) at No. 9 Crossings Christian (4-2, 2-1): Crossings Christian had one of the state’s biggest upsets last week, topping Jones. This week, the Knights get district leader Prague, with a win giving them a huge chance at possibly capturing the district title with a strong finish to the season.
7. 5A No. 7 Lawton MacArthur (6-0, 3-0) at No. 10 Noble (5-1, 3-0), Friday: Lawton MacArthur seems back to its old ways, off to a perfect start to the season. But Noble is also playing as well as it did two years ago, and this matchup will be pivotal in determining a district champion.
8. 2A Luther (3-3, 3-0) at No. 4 Oklahoma Christian School (6-0, 3-0), Friday: After a rough non-district slate, Luther has played well the past three weeks, but the Lions have their biggest challenge yet, going on the road to try and upset OCS. The winner likely captures the district championship.
9. 6A-II No. 8 Deer Creek (5-1, 2-1) at No. 7 Midwest City (4-2, 2-1): The Antlers have already surpassed their 2020 win total, and they look as if they’re a lock for the playoffs. A win against a Midwest City team looking to rebound from a loss against rival Del City would go a long way to possibly hosting in the first round.
10. 3A No. 9 Kingfisher (5-1, 3-0) at Perkins-Tryon (4-2, 2-1): The teams have split this matchup each of the past two seasons, with the winner eventually hosting a first-round playoff game. The district standings are again shaping up to make a similar situation this year, so a win is key.