Offense vs Defense: winner goes to state championship game

It will be the top offense going up against the top defense in Class 5A with the winner moving on to play for the state championship next week in Stillwater.

Quarterbacks Bryan Dutton and Tony Kiefer are expected to have big days for their team.

Guthrie and McAlester will play for the first time in sometime in one of the 5A’s state semifinals, Saturday afternoon, at 1:00 in Sapulpa.

Lawton MacArthur and Ardmore will play in the other semifinal at Yukon High School at the same time.

The Guthrie and McAlester game can be heard on the Triple Play Sports Radio Network, including 105.1 FM, 1o20 and 1580 AM as well as on the web with Guthrie Sports Page Radio. Pregame is set for 12:30.

Both the BlueJays and Buffalos enter the game with perfect 12-0 records and winners of their district. The 12-0 status is the first time McAlester has held the record since 2001 and for the Jays the last time it occurred was in 2007.

Guthrie will play in their fifth state semifinal game in the last six years, but winning just one of  the previous four (2007).

For the BlueJays to make their third title game in school history, they must find a way to contain the McAlester offense and particularly senior quarterback Tony Kiefer.

Kiefer (5’10, 180) has accumulated tremendous numbers in the three years as the Buffalo’s signal caller with nearly 12,000 yards of total offense. This season alone, Kiefer has piled up 3,380 passing yards and 1,439 more on the ground. In 294 passing attempts, he has completed 175, including 36 touchdown passes to just 8 interceptions. Along with the 36 passing scores, Kiefer has 25 rushing scores.

Kiefer and the Buffalo offense leads Class 5A in passing, total yards and points. Ardmore and Bishop Kelley are the only two teams to keep the Buffs under 30 points.

With the tremendous amount of passing yards, Kiefer has two primary targets in Adam Boyd (6’0, 195) and Alvery Braxton (6’2, 155).

Boyd, a Tulsa University commit and a four-year starter, leads the way in receiving yards (1,109) to go along with seven scores. Braxton leads the Buffs with 13 touchdown receptions. Both have big play ability and  combined have brought in 105 of the 175 Kiefer completions.

Not to be over shadowed, Cody Lefors (6’1, 185), an Air Force commit, has 39 grabs with 11 of those hitting pay dirt.

Outside of Kiefer running the ball, McAlester head coach Bryan Pratt will give the ball to freshmen Dalton Wood (6’4, 226) and sophomore Jarome Smith (5’5, 181). The two running backs have piled up over 700 yards and seven scores combined.

This McAlester offense will face their strongest challenge with the BlueJay defense, who leads the class in stopping the run, allowing the fewest yards per game and points.

Guthrie prides themselves in stopping the run by allowing an average of only 52 yards per game, but has seen multiple passing offenses this season and have managed well. Although, McAlester will pose the biggest threat this season with their big play ability.

While McAlester has the big play ability and offensive numbers, the BlueJay offense may be the secret weapon if they were to punch their ticket to the championship game.

The BlueJays continue to lead the class in running the football with an average of 277 per game and scoring just two-points fewer than McAlester. With the wind chill factor to be in the upper 20’s and winds blowing anywhere from 25 to 45 miles per hour, it could come down to a ball control offense.

McAlester’s defense will try to contain the Guthrie offense that is averaging 408 yards of offense. The Buffalos are holding their opponents to 283 yards of offense and 17 points per game.

Leading the defensive charge for McAlester is senior tackle Jesse Lane (6’3, 225), who will enter with 103 tackles and four sacks. Behind Lane is junior linebackers Devin Rolan (6’0, 230) and Rolan Beck (5’9, 210). The two middle men each have 90 tackles.

The four members of the Buffalo secondary will come over from the offensive side of the ball: Lefors and Braxton at the corners and Kiefer and Boyd at the safeties.