Freshman boys claim tournament championship

The Guthrie Freshman boys basketball team got a little bit of revenge on mid-day Saturday and in the process won the Mount Saint Mary’s Tournament.

The Jays were staged by Reed Roberts 18 points and 12 rebounds in a 66-50 championship win over the Shawnee Wolves, who just eight days previously handed the Jays a 66-42 loss. Guthrie also picked up tournament wins over Heritage Hall and Jones and are now 5-3 on the season.

“The games against Heritage Hall and Jones helped our morale because we were on a three game losing streak,” first year head coach Londaryl Perry said. “It also gave us the confidence that we needed going into the championship against Shawnee.”

The Jays were playing without Jacob Chappell, who is battling the flu, but did receive some added help with Kai Callins reporting to the team following the football season. Callins finished with a team high 20 points in the finals.

“We had some guys really step up. Landon Solorio played an intricate role due to the fact that Bailey Nichols has been battling injuries. He scored over 40 points for the tournament and dominated the boards,” Coach Perry said.

“Callins and (Jeremy) Brown were the floor leaders. In the Championship game these guys really made some big buckets during Shawnee’s final rally. Callins just controlled the game with great poise,” Perry added.

Roberts not only got the job done offensively, but defensively as well according to Perry. “He worked around the basket on both sides of the court, making it difficult for the Wolves guard him or get second shots.”

The BlueJays got some great individual efforts, but it was defense that grab the attention of their coach after some in-game adjustments with Shawnee’s transition offense.

“We cause so much chaos with our tenacious defense. We were very active. I had to make a change to our line-up very quick. I told Solorio that his primary job was to get back on defense and cover the basket as fast as possible. That made the difference in how we played,” Perry said.

Perry concluded about the championship performance, “I have to give credit to our entire team. We came in focused and ready. Everyone truly contributed to the game as a whole. I hope that we take this victory as a stepping stone for what is to come.”

Both the freshman girls and boys will not be in action until January 3rd when they take on arch rival Carl Albert inside the GHS gymnasium.

Scoring in Championship Game:

Kai Callins 20, Reed Roberts 18, Landon Solorio 12, Jeremy Brown 8, Dakota Leach 7, Bailey Nichols 1

Belcher enjoys visit to Sooners camp

Blake Belcher is about to be a busy 6-foot-5, 265-pound young man. The junior is about to hit the heart and soul of college football recruiting.

Bob Stoops and Blake Belcher on Junior Day.

The Guthrie left tackle, who moved to Guthrie his freshmen year from Tulsa, is considered by some as to having the best opportunity to be the state’s top lineman next season in 2011.

While there has been no official offer made yet, Belcher has already heard from Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Kansas, Colorado, Tulsa, and Oregon State.

This past weekend Belcher was invited to attended the Sooners Junior Day. The invitation was handed out to a selected few.

“It was a really cool experience,” Belcher said. ”I was with coach (James) Patton most of the day walking around.” Patton is the Sooners offensive line coach.

The BlueJay anchor got a first hand experience of a Sooner practice and a behind the scenes look.

“I got to watch their practice today (Saturday) and hang out with the o lineman. I ate lunch with coach stoops and coach Cale Gundy,” Belcher added. “After lunch I went to all the weight rooms and the locker room. Coach Patton took me around then we watched their highlight film.”

The day ended with a 20-minute meeting with the OU coaching staff.

The Guthrie offense excels in both rushing and passing and allows Belcher to showcase his rush and pass rush blocking ability.

Last May, he was named the Overall Most Valuable Player for the offensive linemen in the Schuman’s National Underclassmen Combine and attended another Schuman elite camp in Norman. 

Belcher plans to attend more camps this summer and wants to be able to attend the Army All-American combine in San Antonio in early January.

Football Banquet honors Jays, supporters

The annual Guthrie Football Banquet was held Sunday afternoon inside the Family Life Center with another good turn out of players, coaches, parents, and fans.

Seniors take time for perhaps one final photo shoot.

After a catered lunch by Klein’s Catering, freshmen coach Jon Chappell honored and introduced 32 players, who won the Suburban Conference with a 7-2 record. Chappell went on to say this season was the largest amount of kids to finish a season in eight or nine years.

Head Coach Rafe Watkins, who was named Class 5A-1 Coach of the Year, acknowledge many people who continued their services and commitment to the program. He first acknowledge the  Booster Club and their officer’s and thanked them for their help.

Watkins also thanked everyone from his assistant coaches, to the coaches wife’s, the chain gain, scoreboard operators, athletic trainer and trainers, ball boys, and radio crew.

Watkins then introduced all the sophomore, junior, and senior players and announced eight players who earned all district honors.

With all the winter sports officially getting under away this week, the football program will begin their off-season work out program.

Brothers named Player of the Year in 5A-1

The head football coaches of Class 5A, District 1 announced their all district team and the list was highlighted by Player and Coach of the Year being from Guthrie.

Kentrell Brothers was named the Player of the Year in the district and will be announced as All City Defensive Player of the Year as well as the state’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Kye Staley was the last BlueJay to be named the All District Player of the Year in 2007.

The Jays won the district title for the second time in four seasons and finished their season 11-2 with another appearance in the state semifinal’s.

Player of the Year—Kentrell Brothers – Guthrie

Offensive Player of the Year—Alex Christensen – Deer Creek

Defensive Player of the Year—Quincy Johnson – Carl Albert

Lineman of the Year—Kyle Croak – Carl Albert

Coach of the Year—Rafe Watkins – Guthrie

Offense

First Team                                                                  Second Team

QB-Kenneth Mayfield – W Hts                                    QB-Ridge Gargasz – ER

RB-Kenton Whittington – Carl Albert                         RB-Derrik Kelly – Guthrie

RB-Devonte Moore – ER                                             RB-Anthony Frazier – SE

WR-Dwight Dobbins – Carl Albert                            WR-Christian Johnson-Ada

WR-Deonte McCully – Guthrie                               WR-Gage Anderson-Noble

TE-Austen Roselius-Carl Albert                                 TE-Payton Patton-Ada

OL-Colin Walker-Carl Albert                                     OL-Pat Elliott-Carl Albert

OL-Bryce Sullivan-Guthrie                                      OL-Andrew Scribner-Ada

C-Anthony Frazier-Carl Albert                                    C-Braden Young-ER

OL-Ross Stracke-Deer Creek                                     OL-Jacob Cardenas-Noble

OL-Caleb Clary-Ada                                                  OL-Paul Kim-Deer Creek

Defense

First Team                                                                  Second Team

DL-Randy Armstrong-Ada                                           DL-Shawn Hudson-SE

DL-Felix Scott-Guthrie                                              DL-Ryan Vick-Ada

DL-Brent Bozarth-ER                                                  DL-Tanner Dyer-Ada

DL-Cale Russell-Ada                                                   DL-Ryan Thomas-Noble

LB-Isaiah Byrd-Deer Creek                                         LB-Trey Jones-Noble

LB-Tavin Deloney-SE                                                 LB-Evan Elder-Deer Creek

DB-Marcus Ware-Guthrie                                       DB-Nick Anderson-Ada               

DB-A.J.Wilson-Carl Albert                                        DB-Eric Mahoney-Deer Creek

DB-Ronald Lucas-Ada                                                DB-Nelson Williams-SE

DB-Jay Gogue-SE                                                       DB-Diontee Albert-Ada

DB-Michael Coleman-Deer Creek                              DB-Dylan Abner-ER

DB-Travis Brown-

K-Shawn McLaws-Deer Creek

P-Brady Bowers-Ada

Guthrie Honoralbe Mention:

RB – Alphonso Wilcots

WR – Tim Zupo