NORMAN — After two weeks of home playoff games, Norman North fans will face a drive to watch their team face off against Owasso in the state semifinals.
The North-Owasso game will be played on Friday at Tulsa Union. The Class 6A semifinal and championship games are played at neutral sites, alternating between east- and west-side schools every year.
The other semifinal game, Tulsa Union-Jenks, will be played at Broken Arrow High School. The title game will be played at Oklahoma State University.
Passing success not enough: Norman High’s Zach Long had his best passing game of the season on Friday, going 12 of 16 for 136 yards.
But it coincided with the Tigers’ worst night on the ground this season. They finished with just 105 rushing yards on 39 attempts, less than three yards per carry.
“We were able to have some success through the air, but they did what no other team has done this season,” coach Greg Nation said. “They stopped our inside run game and our outside option game.”
What’s next for Ward? After sitting out the entire football season, DJ Ward is ready to move on. According to the Southmoore senior, he will be graduating in two weeks and enrolling at the University of Oklahoma next semester. He said he wants to get a jump on the other incoming freshmen.
The 6-3, 245-pound Ward is the No. 1 ranked high school player in Oklahoma by Rivals.com in the 2013 class and the No. 6 ranked defensive end in the nation. The OSSAA ruled him ineligible after he transferred from Lawton to Oklahoma City Douglass then to Southmoore in the offseason.
Bright futures: Westmoore’s Josh Morgan and Jhames West saw their high school careers come to an end last week when the Jaguars lost to Tulsa Union in the first round of the playoffs. But their football careers still have some life left.
West, who moved from receiver to quarterback this year, said he’s getting looks from TCU, New Mexico, Colorado state, Wyoming and San Diego State. Each of them want West as a wide receiver.
“That’s fine,” West said. “I’ll play wherever they want me to play as long as I get my college paid for.”
Morgan, who played middle linebacker, is talking to Air Force, Central Oklahoma and Southwest Baptist.
“It kind of sucks in a way, because I really love this school and team,” Morgan said. “But everybody’s high school career ends sometime. I’m going to get back in the gym and hopefully continue my success at the college level.”
Wild play spurs key score: Owasso earned its 35-15 victory over Norman High on Friday night by making more big plays than the Tigers. But it was a wacky, rather than well-executed play, that set up the Rams’ second score of the game.
The play came in the second quarter with Owasso already up 7-0. On third down, quarterback Jaylen Lowe dropped back and threw a bullet across the middle of the field to Jake Burd. Burd bobbled the ball and watched it slip out of his hands toward the ground. But the ball happened to bounce off the back of his cleat and ricochet straight up and right back into his hands.
A few plays later Cole Neph caught a 13-yard pass from Lowe to put Owasso up 14-0.
Corbin HoslerFollow me @Chosler88chosler@normantranscript.comMicheal KinneyFollow me @eyeamtruthmkinney@normantranscript.com
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