Guthrie Head Football Coach Rafe Watkins is set to begin his 10th season on the Jays sideline and one goal remains the same since his arrival in 2001. Winning football games in the post season.
Guthrie has been a staple when it comes to playoffs, but with that comes a target from opponents.
In 2009, the Jays started off on an 0-2 start and trailed Piedmont 14-0 and the bandwagon started to fall apart. Both locally and state-wide. Everyone had their excuses with the previous graduating class, who finished as the winningest class in Guthrie history, a freshmen quarterback, and overall a young team.
However, the biggest goal was still in front of them with district play to start. However, two goals were not attained. No district title and no home playoff game, but perhaps getting away from Jelsma was a good thing?
Guthrie and Duncan in the opening playoff round was a great game to watch and listen too with it coming down to the final seconds for the Jays to hold off the Demons. Round two at Tulsa East Central is one of those games that many still look back on and ask how did they do it. The following week, Guthrie fans packed the visitor side of Stillwater High School for the state semi-final game and nearly saw the Jays get back into the title game for the third time in eight seasons.
Fast forward to 2010 and everyone is expecting another deep playoff run. Media, fans, students, and yes the football coaches and players. However, the coaches and players understand it is not going to be given to them and they are the ones that have to prove it on the field each Friday night.
In the past nine seasons, the Jays have played in the playoffs eight times. The only omission was 2004 in an injured plague season.
In those eight playoff runs Guthrie is a combine 14-6 (70%) with two state titles. Other examples in that time frame (2001-2009) include: Carl Albert 22-5 (81%) with four state titles, Shawnee 10-6 (62%) with one state title, and Lawton MacArthur 13-8 (61%). Guthrie’s district has won seven of the past nine state titles in Class 5A.
Before 2001, Guthrie had not seen the playoffs since 1993 ending a seven-year dry spell. Prior to 1994, Guthrie piled up five post season berths in six years missing out in 1992. Their playoff record in those six seasons were a combine 5-5.
In the past 28 years, Guthrie overall is 164-148 with 16 playoff appearances, including 18-14 record in post season games, but in the last nine seasons are 84-26 overall with the 14-6 post season record.
The 2010 season is less than a month away from kicking off and the regular season schedule should give the Jays a good look at what they could see come Week 11 and on. Duncan, Ponca City, Enid, Deer Creek, Ada, and Carl Albert highlight the schedule that should give Guthrie fans what they may come to expect in November.
Duncan is one of the favorites to win the 5A gold ball this season and a heavy favorite to win their district. Booker T. Washington has been a gold mine for talent and now add Darrell Hall, former Star Spencer coach, to the sidelines and the Hornets seems like a natural fit when it comes to the state semi-finals, or state championship game.
Naturally, you can never leave off the defending state champions in the Carl Albert Titans. Yes, they lose a couple of skill players that carried the load in the ’09 championship season, but it sure does seem they are motivated to prove everyone that they do not rebuild.
Those are the heavy weights, but keep in mind the 2002 Guthrie team was not labled as a contender and we saw what happened that season.
Looks like a fun upcoming 5A season.
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