— Home streak at stake

Webbers Falls (7-2) will put its 11-game home winning streak on the line Friday night with their first round match-up with the 2010 Class C champ Deer Creek-Lamont Eagles (7-3).  The Warriors and head coach Shawn Dismuke have won three of their past four games, seemingly amping the expectation on the home team.

“There’s pressure there,” Dismuke said. “I think we have the size to stop them. We have got some bigger boys this year to put around R.J. Wofford.”

Wofford, at 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, is a returning starter who was on last year’s C-4 championship team that lost to Coyle.

Webbers Falls last meeting with the Eagles was also in the opening round but back in 2005, at Deer Creek-Lamont.  The home team in this series has won every time as DCL won 55-12 in 2005 and the Warriors pulled off the opening round win versus the Eagles as recently as 1999 with the 44-14 victory.  

“I think we are more prepared physically because we’ve played full games,” said Warriors tailback Dillin Coleman. “Playing Thackerville on our regular season schedule (and winner of C-4)  should also help us know what to expect too.”

Dismuke says his team has to pick up the intensity.

“It will just be a matter of how much they want it, it’s up to them now. I feel like we are continuing to build on the foundation last year’s team laid.”



Panthers jelling again

Cade Shearwood has had a long, productive career as quarterback at Stigler (8-2).  Last year he scrambled for over 3,200 yards and this year he has shown his passing improvement and confidence rise, throwing for over 1,500 yards.  Head coach Chris Risenhoover has nothing but praise for the year his seniors led them to what he hopes to be their best year yet.

“This is the most talented overall group these seniors I have ever had,” he said. “They have been in a lot of big ball games when they were growing up. These are kids that have played in big games.”

Jay (7-3) is making the trip south for the Class 3A battle in  Panthers country on Friday.  Stigler is making its eighth straight appearance in the postseason and Risenhoover thinks his team is hitting the right gear at just the right time. Also, Seth Sandlin is returning at running back after suffering an ankle sprain in week 5.

“He’s played but hasn’t been the same, but now he’s finally firing on all cylinders and healthy and we are really excited to try and take this thing to new places,” Risenhoover said.