There will be plenty to play for on both sides when the Guthrie BlueJays and the McGuinness Fightin Irish meet Friday evening in another top game of the week. The Jays will look to all but capture the district title and keep a lot of other items in line.
The Jays and Irish kick off at 7 p.m. inside Jelsma Stadium. The game can be heard on Triple Play Sports Radio 105.1 FM and on the web at Guthrie Sports Page and Guthrie News Page.
Guthrie enters with a perfect 8-0 mark, including 5-0 in the elite district of Class 5A. The Irish will travel a 5-3 overall record and a 4-1 district mark. The Irish lone district loss came in week five to Carl Albert, 35-21.
The Irish will need a win to keep their hopes alive for a district title and also a home playoff game. An Irish win will tie them with Guthrie and Carl Albert with each having one loss going into the final week.
Guthrie would secure a home playoff game with a win on their home turf and would need another win next week against Northwest Classen to claim the district title and home field advantage in the playoffs.
McGuinness has won three straight games to lesser opponents, but have done so in dominating fashion by outscoring Western Heights, Guymon and Northwest Classen by a score of 134-25. However, the Irish are still looking for their first marquee win. In fact, they have not taken down a team with a winning record, but will have a chance to do so in their next two games with Guthrie and Deer Creek.
Along with the current three game win streak, McGuinness will enter the game with confidence after giving the Jays one of their worse losses in the decade a year ago in Oklahoma City by shutting the Jays out 33-0. In fact, the Irish have won three of the five meetings against the Jays dating back to 2004, including the last two meetings.
Quarterback Jacob Lewis will be the primary focus that the Guthrie defense will need to shut down if they want to collect their 25th straight home win.
The senior has rushed for 1,109 yards and 18 touchdowns. Lewis will be complimented with running backs Gray Cochenour and Braden Roy. Cochenour averages 45 yards per game while Roy adds an additional 42, but is a threat to catch the ball. Roy has 14 catches, 228 yards and two scores.
The Irish passing game has not been able to keep pace from a year ago. Lewis has thrown for 11 touchdown passes, but has thrown 12 interceptions. The leading receiver, Carl West, has 18 catches, 306 yards and three scores.
The McGuinness run threat will be truly challenge by a defense that has held six of their eight opponents to 25 yards or less running the ball. Last week against Deer Creek, the Jays shut down a run-happy Antler team to negative 14 yards rushing.
The Irish defense is allowing a respectable average of 129 yards on the ground. The BlueJays are averaging 276 yards rushing led by senior Kai Callins and junior Idae Alexander.
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