<h4><FONT COLOR="FF6666">District 5A-3</h4></font><br><b>District Prediction</b><br><br>1. Ada<br>2. McAlester<br>3. Tulsa East Central<br>4. Shawnee<br>5. John Marshall<br>6. Catoosa<br>7. Tulsa Edison<br>8.
Monday, August 28th 2000, 12:00 am
By: News On 6
District 5A-3
District Prediction
1. Ada 2. McAlester 3. Tulsa East Central 4. Shawnee 5. John Marshall 6. Catoosa 7. Tulsa Edison 8. Tulsa Central
Six Players to Watch
1. Seymore Shaw- Shawnee- Running Back- Generally regarded as the top college prospect in the state. Showed up about 15 pounds heavier than last year and just as fast. 2. Michael Watkins- McAlester- Tight End- 6’3†230 lbs. Great hands and good speed. Buffaloes coach John Homer is excited about his play at LB. He may end up there in college. 3. David Bowie- Tulsa East Central- Quarterback- Combined for nearly 2,000 rush/pass yards in 1999. Booker T. Washington coach Antwain Jimmerson called him “amazing†after All-city finals. Tremendous size, 6’3†205 lbs., for a fast QB. 4. Chuckie Caufield- Ada- Quarterback- This junior should have all the fanfare of a top recruit in 2001. For now, he’s simply a terrific option QB. 5. Matt Mangrum- Tulsa East Central- Linebacker- 6’1†220 lbs. Strong and athletic with a bit of a mean-streak. Posted 12 sacks in 1999. Should play weakside defensive end this year. 6. Myron Cooper- John Marshall- Wide Receiver- 6’3†185 lbs. A little thin, but runs fast enough that he rarely takes a big hit. Twenty pounds would make him a prized college pass-catcher. Can’t be double-teamed because he has a compliment in Patrick Warhop on the other side.
Six “Can’t Miss†Games
1. September 29th- McAlester at Ada- Even if this game didn’t mean so much towards the final district standings, it still would be a brawl. These two towns flat don’t like each other. 2. September 8th- Ada at Carl Albert- The two winningest 5A teams of the 90’s won six state titles between them. Carl Albert has won three straight gold balls. 3. November 3rd- John Marshall at East Central- This season-ender could mean the winner goes to playoffs and the loser stays home. 4. October 20th- Shawnee at McAlester- I love great individual matchups. RB Shaw versus LB Watkins should be a good one. 5. September 8th- Tulsa Edison at Booker T. Washington- Hornets beat Edison 21-7 in the All-city Preview. Edison fumbled six snaps in the game. Better execution could give the Eagles a good chance. 6. Septmeber 15th- Catoosa at Collinsville- Step down to take on Class 4A team, not a step down at all for the Indians. Collinsville is one of the strongest in 4A.
Team Capsules
Ada Head Coach: Larry McBroom Last Year: 11-1 Strength: The team traditionally works harder than most during the offseason. It takes that hard work to carry on the enormous tradition. Question Mark: Experience. Lost FB, TB, TE and three offensive linemen from 1999 team. Outlook: Who’s got the guts to bet against them? Not me. Look for another district title run and a lot of home playoff games.
McAlester Head Coach: John Homer Last Year: 8-5 Strength: Homer is in his first year as head coach, but served 15 as an assistant. Five of last years starting defensive front seven return. Question Mark: The offensive line is a little smaller and younger than usual. Outlook: Plenty strong enough on defense to make a run at Ada. Will not have a problem making the playoffs.
Tulsa East Central Head Coach: Travis Hill Last Year: 8-3 Strength: Very, very physical. There’s size and talent at nearly every position.. Question Mark: Offensive line might be the only problem, but unlikely. Most positions have great experience. Outlook: Every district has a “buzz†team. Those are the teams that nearly every coach says, “watch out for….†East Central is that team in 5A-3.
Shawnee Head Coach: Brent Whitson Last Year: 6-6 Strength: There’s a lot of excitement following last year’s playoff berth and good run (lost in second round to Bishop Kelley, 27-24 in OT). It helps to have Shaw toting the ball for you. Question Mark: Can they stop teams from scoring against them. Too many teams put up touchdowns on the Wolves last year. Outlook: One of six teams in the district that made the playoffs last year. Now they’ll have to scratch and claw their way in this year.
John Marshall Head Coach: Dan Cocannouer Last Year: 8-4 Strength: Terrific skill players are very fast. Three returning linebackers make for a tough defensive front. Question Mark: Is there a QB on the team to take advantage of Cooper and Warhop? Outlook: It’s extremely hard to leave any team out in this district. However, QB play will be critical and that’s a big question mark for the Bears.
Catoosa Head Coach: Scott Morgan Last Year: 6-5 Strength: The offensive backfield returns a lot of experience including FB Blake Wilson, a four-year starter. Question Mark: The offensive line lost a lot of experience to graduation. Outlook: The winged-t offense may be tough to handle for some teams. Good game plans could sneak the Indians into the playoffs.
Tulsa Edison Head Coach: Park Vogel Last Year: 2-8 Strength: Skill players have good speed. Last years juniors and sophomores got great experience. Question Mark: There’s not much size on the lines. There’s also a lack of tradition that other teams in the district don’t suffer from. Outlook: Vogel’s enthusiasm wasn’t tempered by last year. He really believes he can build a winner out of the Eagles.
Tulsa Central Head Coach: Carson Fields Last Year: 2-8 Strength: Young team pepped up a bit late in the season in 1999. Question Mark: Offensive line is a little thin. Outlook: This district is so tough for young talent to cut their teeth on.