In 2o1o, the Guthrie football team entered the El Reno game on a season high with a win over rival Carl Albert, and in 2011 that will be true again. Only this time, the Jays hope to have a better showing than a season ago against the Indians.
The BlueJays (7-0, 4-0) travel to Memorial Stadium for a Thursday evening showdown with the El Reno Indians (1-6, 1-3) for the final true road game of the season. The game falls on Fall Break with the majority of high school games being played on Thursday evening.
Guthrie is enjoying their second best start in school history with a 7-0 record. The only other came in the 2007 season when the Jays went a perfect 14-0 en route to their second state championship.
El Reno, who is likely to miss the play-offs, will be playing their final home game of the season and are hoping to end another three-game losing streak. The Indians lone win came back in week four with a 49-21 district win over Noble after starting the season 0-3. However, the Indians will have played Carl Albert, Deer Creek, Ada and Guthrie in consecutive weeks. The four opponents are very likely to represent 5A-1 come playoff time.
A season ago, Guthrie entered big favorites over an Indian club that finished 4-6, but managed just a 16-0 win as the Guthrie offense struggled with just 239 yards of total offense. Despite a low offensive output, the Jays defense held El Reno to only 72-yards of offense and kept the Indians to an average of 1.42 yards a play.
The 2011 Indians have put together a nice offensive season under first year head coach Shawn Mason, but the defense has been the achilles heel so far this season.
The El Reno offense will come in ranked fifth overall in Class 5A in total yards with 314 per game and do so in a balance offense. The Indians run game is their bread and butter with a 129 yard average despite their passing game among the tops in 5A with a 185 average per game.
The Indians will showcase three threats on offense in quarterback Raymond Little, running back Donnie Everheart and receiver Blake Elmenhorst.
Little ranks sixth in 5A in total points scored and is the ninth leading rusher in 5A with 432 yards on 97 carries. The 5’7 156 pound senior has completed 56-of-96 passes for 934 yards and seven touchdown tosses.
Little’s primary threat will be 5’8 150 pound senior Elmenhorst, who has collected 22 receptions for 314 yards with three of those hitting pay dirt.
The second biggest threat to run the ball for the Indians is Everheart (5’10, 165). The junior has 323 yards on the ground on 46 rushes, but is a threat to receive the ball. Everheart has over 530 yards on offense combine and has six touchdowns.
The offense produces a respectable 24 points a game, but it’s the Indians defense that is allowing an average of 31 per game.
With eight returning starters on the defensive side, El Reno has shown difficulty in stopping the run. On average, opponents are averaging 222 yards on the ground and a respectable 111 more yards through the air. The same defense will try to handle a Guthrie offense that leads 5A in rushing with 267 yards per game.
Senior linebacker Austin Fergunson leads the Indians defense as well as all of 5A tacklers with 85. Defensive end Marchus Thompson is quick and defensive back Kail Cole is putting together a nice season with 63 tackles and two interceptions.
The game can be heard across North Central Oklahoma on Triple Play Sports Radio 105.1 FM as well as world-wide on your smart phone or computer at www.GuthrieSportsPage.com. The radio pregame is set for 7:00 and the kick to follow at 7:30.
hey beat elreno