It may not completely erase the 2012 game, but the Guthrie BlueJays were able to ease some of the painful memories on Friday evening by containing McGuinness to a handful of rushing yards in a one-sided game.
Photo By Jeff Chappell
The top-ranked Jays (9-0, 6-0) got two touchdown scores each from running backs Kai Callins and Idae Alexander as the two combine for nearly 300 yards to help give their team a 33-7 win after the Irish gave the Jays a lopsided loss, 32-0, a season ago in Oklahoma City.
Rafe Watkins post game radio interview.
Perhaps just as impressive was the Guthrie defense, who held the Irish to one-yard rushing, That’s right, one. McGuinness (5-4, 4-2) averaged 284 per game entering the game inside Jelsma Stadium behind one of the top rushing attacks in quarterback Jacob Lewis and a beefy offensive line.
Not only did the win give Guthrie the district title for the fourth time (2007, 2010 and 2011) in the Rafe Watkins era, but extended the home game winning streak to 25 games. The win also improves Watkins record against the Irish to 3-3 and leaves only two teams with a winning record against the ball coach while at Guthrie (Douglass and Booker T. Washington).
After holding McGuinnes on their first series, Guthrie was driving the ball on their opening possession but a fumble stalled the drive inside the 10-yard line. However, Guthrie went touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, field goal and touchdown on their next five possessions. To go a step further, Guthrie did not punt on the entire evening.
Callins began the scoring with a 1-yard run in the first quarter and was followed up by Alexander’s two scores of 1 and 24 yards. Luis Morales added a 24-yard field goal as the final seconds rolled off of the first half to give the home team a 23-0 lead.
Callins finished with a career high 203 yards rushing on 26 carries. Alexander added 99 yards to give the Jays a 339 to 1 advantage in the running department. Callins in his post game radio interview says this is the best offensive line he has run behind. With their efforts, each member of the offensive line were named the Legends of the Game.
Callins added a highlight score when he took off for a 53-yard score on the first drive of the third quarter. Morales added his second field goal with a 29-yard kick.
Lewis, who was sacked six times, was forced out of the pocket several times and when he was able to deliver the ball he was not help by his receiving core with some early drops. Lewis finished the night with negative 15 yards rushing as he entered the game averaging 138 per game.
Beau Davis post game radio interview.
The Irish passing game had some positive plays, but that is when the Jays defensive dialed up even more pressure to continue to back the Irish up.
District Title
Guthrie secured home field advantage for the first two round of the playoffs and also secured Carl Albert’s second place spot in District 5A-2. The Titans will host a first round game and will be forced to go on the road for the second round with a first round win.
Deer Creek and McGuinness will square in week ten to see who will finish third and fourth in the district.
What a game. The weather, the play makers, the offensive line play, all were fun to watch. The defense is what stole the night for me. They gave up 1 or 2 big plays, but with a team like McGuinness, they will make those plays against anyone. But watching the defense surgically remove every weapon McGuinness threw at them, that was fun. Congratulations Jays!