Both teams have had rebuilding seasons.
Both teams are struggling at 2-7 heading into tonight’s final game.
And both Norman High and Lawton Eisenhower know where they’ll be next week when the playoffs begin.
“We know what we’ll be doing week 11, and that’s watching someone else play,” NHS coach Greg Nation said. “I’m sure they want to end their season with a win, just like us.”
The Tigers (2-7, 1-5 District 6A-2) got run over by Midwest City last week at Harve Collins Field.
The Bombers’ Timothy Flanders ran all over the place and undefeated Midwest City left Norman with a 45-7 victory.
“They’re not a good football team,” Nation said of the Bombers. “They’re a great football team.”
Tonight the Tigers try to finish things up with a road victory in Lawton, and the Eagles match up very well with NHS.
While the Tigers have lived on their defense this season, the Eagles have a pretty explosive passing game led by quarterback Wes Dillon, who’s thrown for 1,518 yards and five touchdowns (against eight interceptions). Dillon’s favorite target is Class 6A’s leading receiver, Greg Everidge,
Everidge has 876 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 65 catches.
“They have some talent, and they’re explosive at times,” Nation said. “Like us, I don’t know if they’ve found their niche yet.”
The Eagles don’t run the ball much, and Louis Durant is their leading rusher with 383 yards on 93 carries. But they’ll be playing for pride on their home field.
Nation, in his first season at NHS, would certainly like a third victory to build the program on.
“It’s a bittersweet end, and we would have liked to have won on Senior Night at home,” he said. “But we feel like we’ve had some positives happen the past few games. Anytime you get to the end of your season, you want to finish on a high note.”
For the NHS seniors, this is a chance to finish their high-school careers with a victory.
When they hit the field in Lawton, many of the Tiger seniors will be running out in pads for the final time. Nation wants to make sure that isn’t lost on his players. He’s reminded them this week to soak in every play, and remember the hard work they’ve put into the season.
“I remember the very last night I played, and on the very last play I recovered a fumble,” Nation said. “One thing, as football coaches, we want players to remember that in life they’re going to face a lot of adversity. In football, you learn never to give up. You hope kids can take some of those lessons they’ve learned in football and apply it to life.”
Local Sports
November 7, 2008
NHS wants to close strong
- Local Sports
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Shambaugh proves he is one to watch
It was hot, humid and the bugs were flocking to the lighted field at Tiger Stadium on Wednesday night. No one seemed to notice any of it by the sixth inning, though. Everyone was watching Jay pitcher Cale Shambaugh pitch a gem....
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This one's for Papa
Wednesday was big for Nathan Thornhill for a couple of reasons. He led Team Texas to a convincing 9-1 victory over Team Arizona in the Heartland Baseball Classic. His 11 strikeouts in seven innings have been one of the highlights of the ...
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Heart on the Diamond
The first Heartland Classic began Monday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park....
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Soccer teams brave weather
Under gale-force wind conditions, the Norman High girls continued their soccer resurgence Thursday night at the NHS Soccer Complex, taking care of Yukon 1-0.
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T-Wolves take third at invitational
Norman North coach Dennis Etter likes his team this season. Tuesday, he got his first real look at just how good it can be.
- SaberCats come out in force Julian Wilson was the first Southmoore player to commit last summer. And he was pleased at everything that has happened since then.
- Clash seating arrangements
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Cats tame Tigers
MOORE — Coach Wes Clark didn’t want the game to turn into a track meet. He believed Norman High had a shot to knock off Southmoore if he could slow the game down to a crawl.
The strategy worked … for a quarter. But after Southmoore’s athletes were unleashed, they cruised past the Tigers 59-36 Tuesday. -
Bombers too much for North girls
MIDWEST CITY — Do the Norman North girls belong near the top of the Class 6A rankings?
Tuesday night, at least until the last six minutes, the Timberwolves certainly made their case.
Then it all fell apart. -
NHS battles, but North rules mat
Norman North, as expected, claimed Tuesday night’s mat edition of the Crosstown Clash.
Yet, getting past the Tigers by the slim margin of 42-31, it might have been Norman High coach Bo Maynes who exited the NHS Gym with the bigger bounce in his step. - More Local Sports Headlines
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