Published: October 02, 2008 10:16 am         

Cushing calls on fans for McLoud game

Cushing High is hoping to get some additional support from it's community at its McLoud High away game Friday.

Coach Lance Hoggatt said attendance has improved through the first four games but isn't nearly what it should be.

"(The players) work so hard, and they've got so many people telling them that they're no good and they're not going to be able to do what they need to do, there's not enough kids out," he said. "People are missing out on a group of young men that are sold out for Tiger football."

Hoggatt said this week's game will be a true test for fans because it's more than an hour to McLoud (3-1), where Cushing will face a tough opponent. The Tigers (1-3) will see who will "support them through the good and bad times," he said.

A recurring challenge for Cushing has been an abundance of underclassmen on the team. Hoggatt said the sophomores have responded well.

"We watch a lot of film with our kids," he said. "We grade our practices every day, and they've really done a good job of paying attention to details and coaching points that need to be fixed. Each week their mistakes become less and less."

Hoggatt added that Class 4A No. 11 McLoud has a couple of strong weapons that could be obstacles for the Tigers' success Friday. Senior quarterback Wayland Moore is one of them, he said.

"He's very calm and cool in the pocket and just as dangerous if you make him scramble, so we're going to have to have good rush lanes defensively and play really good in the back end in our secondary," Hoggatt said.

He added that senior tailback Cody Phipps will also be a threat to the Tigers' success.

"I coached against him when I was at Perkins and coached against him since I've been here," Hoggatt said. "All his four years of high school, I've coached against him. He's just a phenomenal running back, runs the zone play just about as good as we've seen. He'll outrun you, or he'll run you over, whatever he needs to do."

Despite these challenges, Hoggatt said Cushing will give them a challenge right back.

"We're about fighting to the death, and we're going to go out and see if we can pull off a big one," he said.



Room to improve

After a 21-point shutout against Yale High last week, Pawnee High will challenge another seemingly easy opponent.

The Black Bears (2-2) will play Barnsdall (0-4), but Pawnee coach Todd Beer said he won't take any team for granted.

"I wouldn't call any game easy, but I hope we get out there and play well," he said.

Beer added that improvement has ramped up in recent weeks for the Black Bears.

"We've had about six weeks, and I'm seeing some improvement," he said. "We had a real difficult task right off the bat with some pretty difficult teams and injuries, but now people are starting to understand what we're trying to do."

Beer said the large score margin last week allowed Pawnee to play some younger less experienced Black Bears, and if certain priorities are met, he hopes to play some more green kids.

"We have to win first, then we have to make sure we win by 15, then whatever happens after that we'll try to get some younger players in there," he said.

The two unranked Class A teams will meet on Pawnee territory Friday.



Perry to meet Newkirk in next away game

Perry High will play Newkirk High on Friday in Newkirk.

The Maroons (2-2) have already earned more victories this season than in the past two seasons combined and are looking to extend the two-game win streak against the Tigers (3-1).

     

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