Booker T. and Bixby Means Bad Blood

Neither team likes the other one and virtually nothing is on the line Thursday night but bragging rights. Bixby expects BTW's best shot, anyway.

Thursday, July 28th 2011, 5:20 pm

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Nov 4, 2009 9:11 PM CDT

More Coverage on Oklahoma Sports
- Booker T. and Bixby Means Bad Blood (11/5)
- View Tulsa Public Schools’ Full Press Release (11/4)
- Investigation Finds 37 Booker T. Washington Athletes Ineligible (11/4)
- An Explanation of OSSAA Recruiting Rules (10/28)
- Booker T. Washington’s Playoff Hopes in Peril (10/28)
- Booker T. Washington Athletes Found Ineligible, Football Coach Suspended (10/27)
- Booker T. Washington’s Team Page
- Discuss the Booker T. Washington Situation on the Oklahoma Sports Forums

Bobby Lewis
Oklahoma Sports Reporter

TULSA, Oklahoma – The game was supposed to be a must-win, do-or-die, make-or-break showdown with mega playoff implications. Instead, it’s just another Booker T. Washington-Bixby game, this time with very few subplots or sidebars on the sidelines. What Thursday night’s 5A finale does provide is plenty of motivation.

“We’re going to play them the same way,” said Bixby senior running back Dewitt Jennings. “We don’t want to give them any excuses saying if they beat us they should have made it in.”

Bragging rights is the only thing on the line when the Spartans host the Hornets. Booker T. will not get the chance to defend its state championship after forfeiting three games for using ineligible players . The Hornets were forced to drop crucial district games to Miami, Hale and Pryor, effectively ending any shot they had at making it to the postseason.

Still, Bixby knows the games between the Spartans and Hornets are always heated.

“It’s going to be physical,” said Jennings. “Last year they came out pumped here and it was real physical. Last year, we ran the ball a lot on them, and we plan to do that again this year.”

“They are definitely a rival to us,” said Bixby quarterback T.J. Eckert. “I won’t say that we don’t like them, but they are definitely a rival to us.”

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday night at Booker T. Washington.