Guthrie powers past Lawton Mac in playoff victory

The Guthrie Bluejays dominated the Lawton MacArthur Highlanders Friday night, earning a decisive 43-21 victory in the first round of the OSSAA playoffs at Jelsma Stadium. This marks the second consecutive year the Bluejays have ousted the Highlanders in postseason play.

With the win, Guthrie (8-3) advances to the second round, where they will face the Booker T. Washington Hornets at S.E. Williams Stadium in Tulsa. The winner will secure a spot in the state semifinals. The Hornets (9-2) rallied to defeat Collinsville, 25-20.

The victory extends Guthrie’s home playoff winning streak to 17 games, a school record that started in 2002.

The win also marked a milestone for Jays head coach Kelly Beeby, securing his 100th career victory. Beeby has achieved 84 wins in his 11 seasons and 16 victories during his three-year tenure at Chisholm from 2001 to 2003.

The Bluejays delivered their most complete performance of the season, scoring on all but three offensive drives: the first possession of the game, a missed field goal, and a final kneel-down at the MacArthur one-yard line.

Offensively, the Jays piled up 379 total yards, with 332 on the ground.

Senior quarterback Kolten Carlock and junior running back Elijah Smith led the rushing attack. Carlock dazzled with 133 yards on 13 carries, including two touchdown runs. The versatile senior has been a cornerstone of Guthrie’s success this season, tallying over 1,600 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns across multiple positions.

Smith contributed 152 yards on the ground and added a touchdown, pushing his season totals to 893 rushing yards and seven scores.

The Bluejays never trailed in the game, scoring 22 points in the second quarter to head into halftime with a commanding 29-14 lead. The Guthrie defense stepped up in the second quarter, applying consistent pressure on the Highlander quarterback and limiting their offensive effectiveness for the remainder of the game.

MacArthur, who finished with 180 passing yards, was plagued by eight first-half penalties that stalled key drives.

Guthrie will now set its sights on returning to the state semifinals for the first time since their 2013 state championship run. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. next Friday.