Jays headed back to state semi’s; downs Coweta

The Guthrie BlueJays pulled out a little bit of trickery, but in the end it was simply an old fashion style game plan of running the ball right at the defense.

The Jays took advantage of senior Kentrell Brothers ability to run, pass, and catch to get past the Coweta Tigers, 27-3, in the second round of the 5A playoffs inside Jelsma Stadium.

Entering the game with Coweta, the Jays appeared to be a team that wanted to throw the ball while the Tigers was a team wanting to run the ball. Turns out the teams were just the opposite.

Coweta (9-3) averaged around 13 passes a game, but attempted 21 passes in the second half alone. In total, Coweta quarterback Trevor Sumpter completed 15-of-32 passes for 157 yards.

Coweta managed 49-yards on the ground in the first half, but were limited to just three in the second half working against the state’s best rush defense. The Tigers were able to moved the ball at times, but never consistent enough to pose a scoring threat against a Jays team that is now allowing less than 8-points a game.

Coweta’s top rushing running back Clint Keel, who averaged 84-yards a game, was held in check on just 20-yards on 10-rushes.

Guthrie generally a balance offense stuck with a running game that saw senior Derrik Kelly collect 119-yards on 24 carries. Kelly was named the Farmers and Merchants Bank Player of the Game.

The Jays were forced to go three-and-out on their opening drive, but came back in the first quarter to go on a 12-play 80 yard drive in just under five minutes to crack the score board first. Quarterback Bryan Dutton found a wide-open Brothers in the center of the field for a 12-yard touchdown.

Both defense’s would keep tugging at the other offense. Guthrie facing a fourth down and one play, handed Brothers the ball on a sweep play to the near side and gain plenty for the first down. However, in the process, it set-up the next score.

Guthrie in the same formation, once again, handed the ball to Brothers, but instead of running, stopped and found a wide-open senior Marcus Ware for a 24-yard touchdown pass to give the Jays a 14-0 advantage.

Neither offense was able to do much in the third quarter, but Coweta’s drive to end the quarter set up a 46-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to make it a 14-3 game with 11:10 to play.

On the following possession, the Jays went on what head coach Rafe Watkins likes to call a “death march.” The march came with a formation that the Jays did not show until the fourth quarter with Brothers at the running back spot and Landry Chappell and Luke Davis as power backs. The game plan worked as the Tigers had no answer for the package. This death march was 78-yards on 12 plays and taking 7:01 off the clock. The result: a 2-yard run by Brothers to push the score up to 21-3 with 4:09 left in the game.

Coweta’s following possession resulted in an interception when Chappell stepped in front of a pass. Three plays later, in the same formation, Davis scored on a 3-yard run.

Guthrie and Booker T. Washington will play Friday night at Pioneer Stadium, in Stillwater, with a 7:30 kick. The game can be heard on Guthrie Sports Page, or the Triple Play Sports Radio Network (105.1 FM, 1020 AM, 1580 AM).