Mac coasts to playoff win

BY STEVE SINDERSON STAFF WRITER SSINDERSON@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM



    Close to 400 yards of offense, 35 points on the scoreboard and a defense which posted its first shutout of the season. There’s not much more a coach could ask for, that is, unless, that particular head coach happens to be MacArthur skipper Ernie Manning.

    The No. 4 Highlanders struggled through the first-half blues and then got back to business as usual in the second half, rolling by Woodward, 35-0, in a Class 5A playoff game Friday night at Cameron Stadium. The win vaults Mac into the second round, hosting McAlester Friday. The Buffaloes won their playoff opener, dropping Tulsa Bishop Kelly, 26-21.

    While the game was never in doubt, the undefeated Highlanders just didn’t seem themselves in the first 24 minutes of play.

    “We were not probably as focused as we needed to be,” said Manning. “You don’t put the ball on the turf when you’re focused. When we started messing around with the ball like that I knew that we weren’t going to be as sharp as what I would have liked.”

    Senior linebacker Trey Caldwell admitted the Highlanders may have looked past the Boomers, who were 4-6 coming into last night’s game.

    “I think in the first half Woodward was really up for the game,” Caldwell said. “We made some mistakes, puts some balls on the turf, made other mistakes we normally don’t make. Maybe we were a little bit flat, maybe kind of over looking Woodward just a little bit, which is not MacArthur football.

    “We have to know that we can’t do that any more because from here on out you overlook somebody, you don’t prepare like it’s your last game, you’re going to go home.”

    MacArthur, which held the Boomers to 41 yards in the first half, held a 14-0 halftime lead, but scored on its first two possessions of the second half to break the game wide open.

    “We came out in the second half and established some things,” said Manning. “We started playing quicker and that’s what we like to do. They just came out a lot more focused in the second half.”

    Junior Ryan John had to step in for the second straight week at quarterback as starter Austin Giles watched on the sidelines, recuperating from a concussion. Although maybe not as crisp as last week against Altus, John did connect on 22 of 32 passes for 253 yards and a 9-yard scoring pass to Garrett Barnes in the fourth quarter. John also rushed for a 1-yard TD.

    For Giles, watching from the sideline this week wasn’t quite as hard as last week. He’s not just watching either.

    “It was hard this first week but you kind of get used to it,” said Giles, one of the state’s leading passers. “I’m happy for Ryan (John) and the way he’s playing. He’s doing a good job.

    “I’ve been trying to help him out some. Me and Ryan, we see stuff different on the field so any time he has a question he’ll come to me after he talks to coach because I can relate to him a little better I think.”

    A jarring hit by Mark Billings on Woodward quarterback Cooper Harrison caused a fumble and set up Mac’s first touchdown. Sparked by a 22-yard John to Charlie Banks pass, Dominique Whaley capped the short drive with a two-yard plunge into the end zone.

    The Highlanders added another score early in the second quarter on John’s one-yard run. The TD was set up by Whaley who picked off a Harrison pass and raced 65 yards to the Woodward 15. The interception was one of four in the game for the Highlanders. Nieko Williams, Javon Harris and Jarrod Purser also had interceptions.

    Mac wasted little time finding the end zone in the third quarter. Following the opening kickoff, Harris raced 29 yards to the Boomers’ 30. Five players later Harris scored on a one-yard run. Harris led the Highlanders in rushing with 67 yards on nine carries.

    Jarde Stormer gave the Highlanders a 28-0 lead late in the third quarter when he scored on a 26-yard run. The final TD, also set up by an interception, was a John’s short pass to Barnes.

    The Boomers never threatened to score.

    “I know that Woodward is not one of the most explosive offenses around,” Manning said, “The defense did a good job and will continue to improve and play good the rest of the season, and we’re relying on that.”

RANDY STOTLER/STAFF ABOVE: MacArthur linebacker Mark Billings drags down Woodward quarterback Cooper Harrison during the first half of Friday’s Class 5A playoff game at Cameron Stadium. Coming up to provide support is Mac’s Trey Caldwell (40). The Mac defense rolled to its first shutout of the season, 35-0.



RIGHT: MacArthur quarterback Ryan John dives into the end zone to score on a one-yard plunge during the first quarter of last night’s playoff game at Cameron Stadium. John also threw a touchdown pass.






RANDY STOTLER/STAFF MacArthur running back Charley Banks gets a nice kick-out block from tight end Zach Zukerman (11) against a Woodward defender during the first half of Friday’s Class 5A playoff game at Cameron Stadium. The Highlanders coasted to a 35-0 victory.