Mac faces tough El Reno; Apache, Walters to battle

One quality that good football coaches possess is patience and staying calm even in the darkest moments of what can be a long season with many highs and lows.

One week ago MacArthur was unbeaten and riding high with thoughts of reaching the playoffs as the District 5A-1 champion. That goal came crashing down after the Midwest City rolled to a 42-7 victory over the Highlanders in a game that had little positives for Mac. Mac, MWC and El Reno are all 3-1 in district and trail Elgin which is 4-0 in district and 7-0 overall. Yes, there are still scenarios where anything can happen, the road for Mac got a lot tougher.

This week something will definitely have to change when El Reno comes to Lawton to meet the Highlanders tonight at 7 p.m. at Cameron Stadium.

“We just had a miserable game,” Mac head coach Brett Manning said prior to Monday’s practice. “It’s hard to figure out because we had good practices last week and we all thought we’d come out and play well. But we just didn’t execute offensively in the first half and were unable to get on the scoreboard when we had chances.”

Now the Highlanders have another tough assignment against the physical Indians.

“El Reno has a big, physical offensive line and they just line up and try to overpower you,” Manning said. “They have a good back (Malachi Nicholson) and they just try and get good matchups up front and move you out and then assault you.”

This writer is like most everyone who has seen the Highlanders play; they looked impressive on defense and had been able to move the football against some good teams. There seemed to be few flaws with Mac but they lost and it wasn’t a freak loss; Mac just got pushed around and while the Highlanders moved the ball well at times, they just didn’t look like the team that had started 6-0.

While Mac still seems to have a good shot at making the playoffs, the schedule is not easy with El Reno tonight, then a road game at Elgin next week and a home game against dangerous Noble on Nov. 3.

This game could go either way but the Indians are very physical and that may be the best way to neutralize the Highlander’s quickness: El Reno 22, MacARTHUR 21

While that game is the top big-school matchup of the week, the best small-school game on deck Friday has Apache visiting Walters in the battle for the top spot in District A-2.

Both teams are 3-0 in district while Walters is 6-0 overall and Apache is 5-1, the lone loss coming to talented Minco. Both teams are getting most of their yards on the ground with Warriors’ quarterback Houston Herrin providing a big part of the ground threat. For the Blue Devils, BJ Palmer is the workhorse.

Where this game may turn is the passing threats that both have in their schemes. Apache’s Dom Scott is a threat whenever he gets the ball. Fans of these two clubs will remember last season’s game at Apache where Herrin exploded for a long TD run early in the game and the Apache defense did the rest in a 16-0 victory.

The home field advantage is sometimes not a factor as both sides will be packed with fans, but this week we think the Blue Devils will have revenge on their minds and find a way to pull out the win: WALTERS 30, Apache 28.