Dewar, Wilson seek to remain atop standings in Week 8
The end of the 2023 regular season is drawing near for Oklahoma high school football.
After this week’s action, there will be two games remaining in the regular season, which means that teams will be battling for playoff berths over the next three weeks.
For three Okmulgee County gridiron programs, the possibility to compete in the postseason in 2023, they will need to win their final three regular-season games and hope for a little assistance to punch their tickets to Week 11.
As it stands right now, the county teams whose playoff chances are hanging by a thin thread are the Henryetta Golden Knights, Morris Eagles, and Okmulgee Bulldogs. Henryetta is currently in a 3-way tie for fifth in the District 2A-5 standings with Warner and Okemah with 1-3 district records, while Morris and Okmulgee are tied for seventh overall in the District 2A-7 standings at 0-4 in district action.
The Beggs Golden Demons are also in a fight for one of four playoff spots in 2A-7, currently sitting in a tie for fourth with Sperry at 2-2 in district play with three regular-season contests remaining in 2023.
The Dewar Dragons and Wilson Tigers enter Week 8 sitting atop their respective districts with spotless district records (Dewar is 2-0 in B-5; Wilson is 4-0 in C-3) and appear in great shape of competing in the 2023 postseason.
Below are the outcomes for all six Okmulgee County football teams in Week 7:
• Beggs 54, Okmulgee 22
• Vian 49, Henryetta 14
• Sperry 33, Morris 12
• Dewar 58, Porum 0
• Wilson 26, Wesleyan Christian 12 The Knights will look to improve their playoff chances in Week 8 with a road trip to Okemah to battle the Okemah Panthers. The winner of Friday’s contest at the historic Pecan Bowl in Okemah will keep their postseason hopes alive, while the loser will see their playoff dreams slip further into non-existence.
Okemah enters the Week 8 contest with a 2-5 overall record, 1-3 in district play. The lone district win for the Panthers came last Friday with a 3524 decision against Roland. The only other season win for Okemah this season came September 8 at Wewoka (43-12), while the season losses for the Panthers have come against Pawnee (62-0) and Stroud (56-22) in non-district play and Tahlequah Sequoyah (50-8), Warner (26–
12), and Vian (41-14), respectively, in district action.
The Eagles and Bulldogs will look to keep their postseason dreams alive Friday with home district meetings with Westville and Kansas, respectively.
Week 8 losses for Morris and Okmulgee will more than likely end any chances of a playoff berth this season.
Westville enters the Week 8 showdown in Morris with a 1-6 season record, 1-3 in district play. The lone win for the Yellowjackets in 2023 came September 29 at Okmulgee, defeating the Bulldogs by a
56-28 margin. Westville’s six losses this season have come to Beggs (38-16), Sperry (42-14), and Victory Christian (60-14) in district action and Gentry, Arkansas (47-22), Lincoln, Arkansas (48-24), and Tahlequah Sequoyah (34-18) in non-district contests.
Kansas comes into Friday’s district game at Okmulgee with a 6-1 season record, 3-1 in district play. The Comets had their bid for a perfect season record end last Thursday with a 22-14 loss at Kiefer. Kansas began the 2023 campaign with non-district wins over Hulbert (65-7), Colcord (27-20), and Fairland (48-7), then earned three-straight district wins over Sperry (26-14), Morris (41-0), and Beggs
(37-20), respectively.
Beggs ended a 2-game district losing streak with its home win over Okmulgee last Thursday and will travel to Kiefer to battle a very tough and talented Kiefer Trojan squad that enters the Week 8 contest with a spotless 7-0 season record, 4-0 in district play, and is tied for the top spot in the 2A-7 standings with Victory Christian.
Kiefer began 2023 with non-district wins over NOAH (62-34), Adair (64-26), and Keys (62-14) and have earned district wins over Morris (30-12), Sperry (44-12), Okmulgee (58-38), and Kansas (22–
14), respectively, for the unblemished season record.
The Dewar Dragons, who are currently 7-0 on the season and 2-0 in district play following a 58-0, mercy-rule, win over Porum, welcomed the Quinton Savages to historic Dr. Ted Lewis Stadium for a key District B-5 contest on Thursday night.
Quinton comes into the district battle with a 4-3 season record, 1-1 in district play. The Savages began their district schedule October 5 with a 54-8 win over Midway, then evened their district record last Thursday with an 82-32 loss to the Caddo Bruins. Quinton finished its non-district schedule with
a 3-2 record, earning wins over Keota (42-20), Cave Springs (64-8), and Arkoma (58-6), while suffering losses to Wetumka (61-16) and Weleetka (64-14), respectively.
The Wilson Tigers enter Week 8 with a 4-0 district record and sit atop the C-3 standings following a
26-12 home win last Thursday over Wesleyan Christian. The Tigers will put their unblemished district record on the line Friday with a trip to Bluejacket and a showdown with the Bluejacket Chieftains.
Bluejacket enters the Week 8 contest with a 1-6 season record, 1-4 in district play. The Chieftains’ lone win of the 2023 campaign came September 8 in their district opener against South Coffeyville, defeating the Lions by a 30-12 margin.
Bluejacket’s non-district losses came against Cornerstone High School, out of Joplin, Missouri (50–
12) and Welch (48-6), while the Chieftains’ four district losses have come against Copan (68-20), Watts
(70-24), Wesleyan Christian (70-0), and Coyle (46–
0), respectively.
Kickoff for this week’s contests featuring Okmulgee County varsity football teams is scheduled for
7 p.m.
— 2A-5 Standings T-1. Prague – 4-0 (7-0)
T-1. Vian – 4-0 (5-2)
3. Tahlequah Sequoyah – 3-1 (4-3)
4. Keys – 2-2 (2-5)
T-5. Warner – 1-3 (2-5)
T-5. Henryetta – 1-3 (3-4)
T-5. Okemah – 1-3 (2-5)
8. Roland – 0-4 (1-6) — Week 7 Games
• Henryetta at Okemah
• Prague vs Warner
• Vian vs Keys *
• Tahlequah Sequoyah at Roland* *Played Thursday — 2A-7 Standings T-1. Victory Christian – 4-0 (6-1)
T-1. Kiefer – 4-0 (7-0)
3. Kansas – 3-1 (6-1)
T-4. Sperry – 2-2 (5-2)
T-4. Beggs – 2-2 (4-3)
6. Westville – 1-3 (1-6)
T-7. Morris – 0-4 (2-5)
T-7. Okmulgee – 0-4 (0-7) — Week 7 Games
• Okmulgee vs Kansas
• Beggs at Kiefer*
• Morris vs Westville
• Victory Christian vs Sperry *Played Thursday — B-5 Standings T-1. Dewar – 2-0 (7-0)
T-1. Caddo – 2-0 (6-1)
T-3. Webbers Falls – 1-1 (6-1)
T-3. Quinton – 1-1 (4-3)
T-4. Porum – 0-2 (2-5)
T-4. Midway – 0-2 (0-7) — Week 7 Games
• Dewar vs Quinton*
• Caddo vs Midway
• Webbers Falls vs Porum* *Played Thursday — C-3 Standings 1. Wilson – 4-0 (6-1)
T-2. Coyle – 3-1 (5-2)
T-2. Watts – 3-1 (4-3)
T-2. Wesleyan Christian – 3-1 (4-3)
5. Copan – 2-2 (3-4)
6. Oaks-Mission – 1-3 (2-5)
7. Bluejacket – 1-4 (1-6)
8. South Coffeyville – 0-5 (0-8) — Week 7 Games
• Wilson at Bluejacket
• Copan vs Watts*
• Wesleyan Christian vs South Coffeyville
• Coyle at Oaks-Mission *Played Thursday
