Jeff Harrison
If you listened to the preseason chatter, you’d likely have circled tonight as the unofficial Class 6A-1 district championship. While No. 3-ranked Mustang (8-0, 6-0) changed all of that, much is still riding on tonight’s matchup between Edmond Santa Fe and Norman North.
The Wolves (7-1, 4-1) are all but a lock for the playoffs, and are looking to hold their ground as the district’s second-place team.
“If we win the game we’ll play at home in the first round, and that’s what we’re looking for, that’s what’s important,” Santa Fe coach Dan Cocannouer said.
Times are not so good for the Timberwolves (6-2, 3-2), who were the state’s top 6A team just a few weeks ago. After opening the year 5-0, including a big road win over Muskogee, the T-Wolves dropped back-to-back games to Mustang and Del City. But this week they can either gain control of second place or become in danger of missing the playoffs all together.
“I know there might be some psychological thing, but shoot they’re a good football team, they lost some key players on the offensive and defensive line and I think that’s showing up,” Cocannouer said. “They’ve been embarrassed two out of the last three weeks, and they’re going to come out and show they’re for real and so are we, so it should be a great game.”
While Santa Fe is eying a playoff game in Wantland Stadium, they’d also like to get revenge on the T-Wolves.
“We’re playing a team that the last couple of years has had our number,” Cocannouer said. “We went down there a couple of years ago and we came out second half and shut them down, but didn’t do it in the first half. Then last year we had eight starters out of the game and it was 7-7 at half time. We’d liked to have played them with a full load, and now we have a full load, so let’s go out there and see what we can do against them.”
The Timberwolves are loaded with talent on offense. Their biggest weapon is Iowa State-bound Beau Blankenship, who has rushed for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns, despite battling injuries much of the season. Blankenship is also a solid receiver out of the backfield with 14 catches for 199 yards and two TDs.
“I know (Blankenship) has been kind of banged up, but he just runs so dang hard,” Cocannouer said. “The thing is getting to him before he really gets going, and that’s been the key, that’s what Del City did against them.”
Quarterback Tyler Tettleton runs the show for North. The senior has passed for 1,264 yards and 17 touchdowns this year. His favorite target has been junior wideout Nyko Symonds, who leads the team with 323 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Timberwolves have a tough group of linebackers led by Beau Traber, who is among the leading tacklers in Class 6A with 103. Rounding out the corps is Nick Canavan, who has 96 tackles and Jon Johnson. Upfront the Timberwolves are led by one of the state's top defensive lineman in Nathan Badger (6-2, 260).
Cocannouer does not anticipate any struggles from his offense, which is putting up 39.75 points per game, but stressed the importance of a fast start.
“I felt like last Thursday against Lawton we weren’t 100 percent right away, but we need to come out the way we did against Del City and against PC North, and just get after them,” Cocannouer said.
The game is set to kick-off at 7:30 p.m. from Wantland Stadium.
