Demons set sights on Nault, Kingfisher Beggs looks to ground Yellowjacket runner in quarterfinal showdown By LARRY OWEN Times sports editor The Beggs Golden Demons will meet their biggest challenge of the season this Friday night when they play host to the top-ranked Kingfisher Yellowjackets in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A state football playoffs. The Demons enter this Friday’s meeting with Kingfisher fresh off their 34-28 win over a very talented Checotah Wildcat team last Saturday in the second round at Checotah. Beggs began their journey through the Class 3A playoffs two weeks ago with a 34-20 win at home against Claremore Sequoyah, then knocked off the No. 10 ranked Wildcats last week to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in three years. The last time the Demons were in the third round of the playoffs was in 2010 when they traveled to Kingfisher and a showdown with the Yellowjackets. Beggs found themselves on the short end of a 49-28 decision to the eventual state runner-ups and will be looking to extract a little revenge this Friday when the two teams meet once again for a spot in next week’s semifinal round. Kingfisher comes in with a spotless 12-0 record and are ranked No. 1 in the coachesaid poll in 3A. The Yellowjackets, who feature senior tailback Landon Nault, have scored a total of 589 points this season - an average of 49.1 points per game - while giving up only 76 points on defense, which is an average of 6.3 points per game. Kingfisher is a run-first type of team, averaging 257.2 yards per game on the ground, led by Nault with 2,095 yards on 232 carries and 41 TDs in 12 games this season for an average of 174.5 yards per game, 9.03 yards per carry, and 3.41 TDs per game. The Yellowjackets, this season, have earned six shutout wins this year, including last week’s 48-0 blanking of Jones in the second round. The other shutout victories for Kingfisher are Guymon (47-0), Hennessey (31-0), Heritage Hall (35-0), OKC Star Spencer (44-0), and Bethel (72-0). The other six wins for the Yellowjackets in 2013 have come against Chandler (58-19), OKC John Marshall (54-16), Oklahoma Centennial (69-18), Newcastle (45-7), Marlow (34-7), and Purcell (52-9). The main objective for the Beggs defense will be to find a way to slow down Nault, who has breakaway speed and the ability to break off long runs if not contained at the line of scrimmage. If the Demons can find a way to contain Nault, it will force the Yellowjackets to find other ways to come away with the victory. The Beggs defense will need to force the Kingfisher offense to pass the football more than they are accustomed to doing, as the Yellowjackets are only averaging 54.4 yards through the air in 2013. Kingfisher has attempted only 87 passes, completing 49, for 707 yards with 11 TDs and three interceptions in 12 games. Besides Nault, the next two top runners for Kingfisher are sophomore tailback Nick Smith with 74 carries for 615 yards and 10 TDs and junior QB Docker Haub with 328 yards on 80 carries and 5 TDs. Another running threat for the Yellowjackets is sophomore Tucker Arrington, who has 172 yards rushing on 50 carries and four scores. Kingfisher’s top receiver is junior Jace Sternberger with seven catches for 167 yards and four scores, followed by junior Bradyn Shepherd with 10 receptions for 160 yards and 2 TDs and junior Brett Smith with seven catches for 139 yards and one score. Offensively for the Demons this week, they will need to continue to get the ball in the hands of their two running backs - juniors Kerry Daniels and Lane Bouse, who have combined for 2912 yards rushing this year with Daniels leading the way with 1476 yards on 179 carries with 15 TDs. Bouse is just 40 yards behind Daniels with 1436 yards on 173 carries and 18 TDs. While the offensive line of Lane Martin (senior), Ryan Terry (senior), Dalton Markes (junior), Travis Hutton (junior), and Garrett Randol (junior) will be looking to open running lanes for Bouse and Daniels, they will also need to provide junior quarterback Tyler Marr the time in the pocket to find an open receiver downfield. In 12 games this season, Marr has completed 160 of 257 attempts for 2284 yards with 23 TDs and eight interceptions - an average of 190.3 yards per game. Marr’s favorite receivers are Bouse and seniors Patrick Cantrell and Shaliamere Rentie. In last week’s win over Checotah, Marr and Rentie hooked up twice in the first half on TD passes of 75 and 61 yards. Rentie also caught a 13-yard pass from Marr to complete his 3-catch, 149-yard night against the Wildcats. A win on Friday would put the Demons in the Final 4 - the Class 3A semifinals - against the winner of Hilldale and Seminole. Kickoff for Friday’s playoff opener is set for 7:30 p.m. at Golden Demon Stadium in Beggs. For those fans that are unable to catch the game in person, you can catch all of the action from the warm comforts of your home, as Herman Brown will be delivering a play-by-play broadcast on KOKL (AM 1240), beginning with the pregame at approximately 7:15 p.m. --- Road to Playoffs Beggs (10-2, 6-1 in 3A-6) Regular Season def. Bristow 41-7 def. Tahlequah Sequoyah 47-33 lost to Hilldale 61-27 def. Kellyville 55-14 def. Okmulgee 36-33 def. Inola 49-20 def. Bethany 49-27 lost to Victory Christian 48-28 def. Morris 69-21 def. Henryetta 48-7 Playoffs def. Claremore Sequoyah 34-20 def. Checotah 34-26 --- Kingfisher (12-0, 6-0 in 3A-3) Regular Season def. Guymon 47-0 def. Chandler 58-19 def. Hennessey 31-0 def. Heritage Hall 35-0 def. OKC Star Spencer 44-0 def. OKC John Marshall 54-16 def. Oklahoma Centennial 69-18 def. Bethel 72-0 def. Newcastle 45-7 def. Marlow 34-7 Playoffs def. Purcell 52-9 def. Jones 48-0 --- Class 3A Playoffs First Round Blanchard 76, Perkins-Tryon 13 Newcastle 28, Sulphur 6 Victory Christian 42, Dewey 3 Lincoln Christian 41, Stigler 21 Plainview 60, OK Centennial 0 Tuttle 31, Bethany 13 Locust Grove 62, Roland 10 Berryhill 43, Inola 14 Metro Christian 44, Okmulgee 0 Hilldale 32, Spiro 7 Seminole 52, Marlow 19 Heritage Hall 45, Lone Grove 35 Checotah 37, Jay 13 Beggs 34, Seq. Claremore 20 Kingfisher 52, Purcell 9 Jones 33, Cushing 14 Second Round Blanchard 41, Newcastle 0 Lincoln Christian 27, Victory Christian 26 (OT) Plainview 14, Tuttle 6 Locust Grove 30, Berryhill 8 Hilldale 14, Metro Christian 12 Seminole 52, Heritage Hall 27 Beggs 34, Checotah 28 Kingfisher 48, Jones 0 Quarterfinals Blanchard at Lincoln Christian Locust Grove at Plainview Seminole at Hilldale Kingfisher at Beggs
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 22:05:44 +0000
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