The team that started it all for the Guthrie football program will be recognized for their accomplishment of winning the school’s first-ever state championship.
The 2002 state championship football team (12-2) will be honored and recognized at halftime of Friday night’s Guthrie and Carl Albert game. All former players are to meet in the south end zone in the first half and find Maggie Wade, who will organize the event.
The 2002 BlueJays won their last 10 games that season, including a 16-13 win over heavy favorite Booker T. Washington in the state finals, after beginning the season just 2-2.
It was the second season for head coach Rafe Watkins.
After losses to Shawnee and Douglass, the 2002 squad went on a magical run starting with a Senior Night 22-19 overtime win over Carl Albert as Russell Rush drilled the game winning field goal.
The play-off run included wins over Ardmore, Tulsa East Central, Chickasha and Tulsa Washington.
Ardmore was as big and athletic as anyone in the state, but the Jays controlled the game with a 29-12 home win. The town of Guthrie was in a buzz as the team next headed off to Tulsa.
East Central jumped out to an early lead, but Keenan Webb’s second touchdown score gave the Jays the lead for good in a 27-13 win setting up a semi-final match-up with Chickasha.
After a tour of the Oklahoma University football facilities and pep talk from head coach Bob Stoops and Trent Smith. Smith told the Jays, “Nobody loses in our locker room, so win!”
That’s exactly what they did by a slim 23-20 margin. Demarko Jones tied the game up at 13-13 and took the lead for good when Jones found Webb for a touchdown reception.
In the finals against top-ranked and undefeated Booker T., the Hornets were headlined by current NFL players Felix Jones and Oklahoma Player of the Year Robert Meachem, to go along with former OU wide receiver Quinton Chaney, the BlueJays never once trailed on the score board at Lewis Field in Stillwater.
Guthrie jumped out to a 16-0 lead and held on for a 16-13 win for the program’s first state championship.
still get goosies listenin to the highlights. was a great time then! your voices have changed a lot from 10 years ago! haha