By Mike Kays
For the first time since 2002, there’s no post-season football for Muskogee High School, giving coach Matt Hennesy an earlier -than-usual setting to sit down with the local media in a wrap-up of the 2009 campaign, with a peek at 2010.
Breaking down what was, and looking to what is or may be:
High points:
1. Fountain of youth.
The infusion of youth may have not led to many victories, but it gives approximately 15 sophomores and freshmen varsity-level experience and a head start on a two-year run.
“These guys got thrown into the fire because we had no choice with our numbers, but we’ll be better off in the long run,” Hennesy said.
Victor Williams and Kyler Harris will battle for the quarterback spot beginning next week, Hennesy said, but both are also interchangeable parts in the wildcat offense. A core of offensive linemen including Cody Heaton, Cameron Ousley and Dale Ford will hit the weight room to build on their seasoning. Matt Rust, whose knee injury in the summer knocked him out of the lineup, will bring some size comparable to the graduating Jeremy Burton at one tackle spot.
On defense, the more Darnell Walker, Xavier Hunter and Bradley McGee develop the more time Williams and Harris will be used primarily on offense and therefore not spreading two primary offensive weapons thin. Wesley Starr at linebacker and Chris Summers as a pure tight end also surfaced solidly this year. Virgil Moore at fullback has less of the running back by committee at this point with significant graduation losses there.
2. The seniors.
Brenton Bogar and Jeremy Burton got Division I looks the past two years and will extend their careers. But the overall success of this group won’t be measured until they’re married and with children.
“They learned a lot about life,” Hennesy said. “That may not be related directly to wins and losses but life isn’t always about wins. They showed a lot of resiliency through some tough times.”
Low points
1. Bartlesville 35, Muskogee 30.
It was a game that might well have shaped the rest of the season for both teams. Who knows what a loss to begin district would have done to the Bruins’ run which got them within a hair of hosting a first-round game for the first time since 2008. And had Muskogee held on to a 23-8 lead well into the third quarter, would the Roughers’ fortunes have changed? At the time, judging from Hennesy’s post-game mood, this game had more sting because it was one that got away.
2. Claremore 31, Muskogee 9.
A total collapse on both sides of the football in a game that ultimately knocked the team out of playoff contention.
“Against Bartlesville we just didn’t finish,” Hennesy said. “In this one we never got started.”
3. Dark Thursday.
Muskogee had a chance to get in the playoffs by beating Memorial when Claremore lost to Sand Springs the week after beating the Roughers. But the OSSAA intervened, working off an anonymous tip to declare ineligible a Sand Springs safety who started in that game and reward the game to Claremore via a forfeiture. Needing a Claremore loss and a Jenks loss to Sand Springs on Friday, the Roughers got neither.
Saying good-bye
Not only to the seniors, but two members of the staff will call it quits. Director of football operations Jamie Young was the last staff holdover from the Ron Freeman era and his 31-year career includes the Roughers’ last state championship. Assistant James Platter is also leaving his duties.
New neighborhood
Muskogee moves west, to an extent, in the new 6A-3 next season and the road appears somewhat tougher. Norman, Putnam City West, Shawnee and Southmoore replace Bartlesville, Sand Springs, Tulsa Memorial and Claremore, the latter two dropping to 5A.
Shawnee is 10-0 heading into the 5A playoffs this season, Southmoore is arguably the best team coming out of the west in the 6A postseason this year and of course, Jenks and Broken Arrow remain with Sapulpa.
Non-district opponents won’t include Union for the first time in memory. Muskogee will play Sand Springs, Tulsa Central and Owasso.
“Shawnee’s heavy in juniors and Southmoore’s quarterback is headed to Oklahoma,” Hennesy said. “It is probably tougher.”
Kendal Thompson will be a junior. He gave an oral commitment to Oklahoma on Nov. 9, still two years from being able to make it official.
