NORMAN — While much of the focus this week will be on Norman North, which enters Friday’s title tilt with Jenks the heavy underdog, the Timberwolves aren’t the only ones trying to make history.
It’s been five years since Jenks won the state title, which is an eternity for a program that has won nine of the last 16 Class 6A championships. You have to go back to 1992, and the creation of Class 6A, to find the last time the Trojans went five years without a title. In Jenks, making it to the title game isn’t enough — success is measured only by championships, of which the Trojans have 12.
Of course, most of the blame for the current “losing” streak goes to Tulsa Union, the only team besides Jenks to win a title since Midwest City did it in 1995.
The Redskins have won the last four state championships, and entered the playoffs as the favorites to make it five in a row after defeating Jenks 14-7 in the season opener.
But the Trojans may have excised that particular demon last week in a 41-10 trouncing over Union in the semifinals. Jenks ran wild over Union in the rematch, with the 31-point margin of victory the Trojans’ largest-ever over Union in the playoffs. And that victory has many pegging the Trojans as big favorites in Friday’s showdown.
“Jenks played an outstanding game and had a lot to do with the way we executed,” Union coach Kirk Fridrich said. “They did a great job of coaching and executing.”
A win Friday means more to Jenks than just another title. It would reestablish the Trojans as the dominant football power in the state after four years of falling short.
Jenks is led by star running back Trey’Vonne Barr’e. Barr’e, who has drawn interest from a number of colleges including Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, has been a workhorse for the Trojans this season. And he was a big part of the reason Jenks made it past Union.
In that game, Barr’e had 22 carries for 214 yards and a touchdown before coming out in favor of the backups with Jenks already up big.
Barr’e, Jenks all-time leading rusher, has rushed for more than 4,000 yards in his career and has scored 59 touchdowns, two short of tying the school record.
But Barr’e isn’t the Trojans’ only threat. The team boasts speed up and down the roster, and quarterback Kyle Alexander has a talented group of receivers, led by Oklahoma commit Jordan Smallwood, to throw to.
But it hasn’t been a perfect season for the Trojans. They struggled offensively in the season-opening loss to Union, and it was the defense that had troubles in Jenks’ Week 2 loss to DeSoto, Texas. In that game, the Trojans allowed a season-high point total of 46 in the loss, possible giving North a blueprint to build from.
Corbin HoslerFollow me @Chosler88chosler@normantranscript.com
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