THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Huntsville High School Athletics

It’s an early off-week, perhaps one that isn’t preferred especially since it’s left Muskogee with a nine-game regular season over two seasons. But the Roughers are going into the second one on the upside after a 54-0 road win at McAlester. Last year, Muskogee was 2-0 at this point. This year, they rebounded from a 26-20 loss to Midwest City with a performance that exceeded last season’s 51-13 thumping of the Class 5A Buffaloes. Yet, the Roughers have run off 74 unanswered points since stumbling into a 26-0 deficit against the Bombers at Indian Bowl. The passing game became what the coaching staff anticipated it would be last week, and then some. Quarterback Jacob Medrano’s 500-yard performance is believed to be a school record. While there were some discrepancies in the final totals, officially it goes down as 481 yards, making it the most among area schools since Hilldale’s Kort Morgan threw for 519 in 2015 and Eufaula’s Ethan Sharp went for 497 in 2008. He completed 14 of 17 passes The differences in the two outcomes thus far offensively was in Midwest City’s advantage up front, athletic secondary personnel to match Muskogee’s speed, and reducing receivers Diante Crutchfield and DJ Mayes to playing offense only. Crutchfield had four catches for 292 yards and three TDs. Mayes had three catches for 60 yards. Mathis Givens had a 62-yard TD pass among three catches for 85 yards. In all, six different players made receptions. Jason Medrano, the Roughers’ offensive coordinator, said they were also able to pick up on something he thinks they’ll see often against a still-developing offensive line which has just two career starts. “McAlester was blitzing us hard inside which I think most teams are going to do,” he said. “But we were able to take advantage of them leaving the middle of the field open and the coverage where they were trying to man (Crutchfield) on the back side, which is something that other than Midwest City and Booker T, other teams aren’t really going to be able to do.” Jacob Medrano saw this and made the checks at the line of scrimmage. Three times, it turned into touchdown plays. But, it’s not that he isn’t familiar with the look, though. “He saw it against Midwest City but our receivers couldn’t get off the ball and he didn’t have enough time to get it out there,” his father and OC said. “Speedy (Crutchfield) was 10 yards past coverage at the point of the catch and when that happens he’s not going to get caught.” Just as they saw with McAlester head coach James Singleton’s scheme, Muskogee will face three-man fronts up to Bartlesville and including the upcoming home game Sept. 15 against Bentonville (Ark.) West. “Of course Bixby is solid defensively and the same scheme as McAlester, but the speed isn’t the same. James had the same scheme last year (when they lost to eventual 5A champ Carl Albert in the quarterfinals),” Jason Medrano said. “As long as we can protect Jacob enough, he’ll complete passes. We’ve got to get the offensive line seasoned enough where he has four seconds to throw back there or we can get three or four yards a carry and keep the pressure off of him that way. If we do that, we will be fine offensively.” Defensively, things seem to be going just fine. The unit held McAlester to under 100 yards in total offense and past midfield once. Defensive coordinator Jason Sexton’s 11 haven’t allowed a point since Midwest City’s final touchdown with 6:09 to go in the third quarter. Muskogee had five sacks Friday. Seventeen different players accounted for tackles, with safety Devin Hillmon with eight and defensive end Mike Edwards and linebacker Karrington Ashley with six. “The kids saw our adjustments worked against Midwest City even though it was too little, too late,” Sexton said. “Momentum and progression in pass defense was very pleasing. We began to chop tackle and handle our gap responsibilities. The last six quarters have been more along the line of what I expect.” Sexton commended Edwards and Ashley as well as defensive tackle Michael Buckhanan for leadership, Hillmon back defensively being a key, as well as the play of sophomores Kaunor Ashley in the secondary, Davion Williams up front and Marcus Newton at linebacker “being well above their ages.” The off week will allow for fine-tuning. The third slot of the season was held by four different teams at one point or another when the schedules were built two years ago. That won’t happen next year when Muskogee gets McAlester, Midwest City and Putnam City in non-district.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Huntsville High School Athletics

ROUGHERS HEAD INTO OFF-WEEK ON POSITIVE NOTE

MIKE KAYS

Muskogee Phoenix | 9/5/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Shane Keeter