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If a battle with the big dog is inevitable, the time factor doesn’t really make much difference.
That’s the approach coach Mike Snyder is taking as his streaking Seminole Chieftains prepare to take on Class 3A’s biggest, baddest dog, Tulsa Cascia Hall.
Seminole, owner of a 9-2 record, will travel to Tulsa Cascia Hall, possessor of three straight state championships, for a Class 3A second-round playoff game Friday night. Kickoff is slated for 7:30.
Cascia Hall is on a 10-game win streak following a season-opening 34-27 setback to Tulsa Holland Hall.
Snyder, who has guided the Chieftains to six straight victories, has high praise for the success-laden Commandos of coach Joe Medina.
“They are as well-coached a team as we will ever play,” Snyder said. “Joe Medina has put that program on another level. The state championship still goes through Cascia Hall, no matter when you play them. You look at film of them in 2004 or 2005 and you look at film now and you will see nothing has changed with their approach. Good programs don’t change that much.”
That said, Snyder said he is looking forward to the matchup. “We’re out-athleted. If we played them 10 times, we might lose nine. But we have to play them just once, so we have to find a way to win that one. Anything can happen.”
Junior quarterback Thomas Rouse (6-1, 180) of Cascia Hall has been very accurate in the passing department, connecting on 104 of 163 for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has been intercepted just six times.
“He throws the ball well and he has good running speed,” Snyder said.
His top two receivers have been Timmy Curthoys with 34 catches for 452 yards and six touchdowns, and Luke Moellers with 23 receptions for 434 yards and six touchdowns.
Junior Patrick Bass (5-9, 180) is the leading Commando rusher with 598 yards on 72 carries, including 10 touchdowns.
“Offensively, they are just so talented,” Snyder said. “They will line up in the I-formation with a double tight end. That causes some balance problems for defenses.”
Cascia Hall’s defense has registered four shutouts, including a 21-0 decision of Class 4A powerhouse Glenpool in Week 2. Other than Holland Hall, no team has scored more than 21 points against the Commandos.
“They run really well on defense,” Snyder said. “One of their linebackers, Conner Sherwood (6-3, 220), is probably one of the top juniors in the state. He’s a player.
“Defensively, no one has been consistent about moving the ball on them.”
Bass has also latched on to four interceptions and teammate Erik Testa has converted six field goals, the longest of which was 36 yards.
Seminole quarterback Garrett Clark, who threw three touchdown passes in a 24-8 first-round victory at Keys-Park Hill, has completed 123 of 195 attempts on the year for 26 touchdowns.
Tyler O’Daniel has caught 42 of those passes for 654 yards and six TDs. Kory Brinlee, who had two scoring catches against Keys-Park Hill, has 41 receptions on the season for 515 yards, including seven touchdowns.
Clark has also received quality pass-catching production from Thomas Clark with 19 for 309 yards and two touchdowns, and Trevor Martin, with 15 for 220 yards and six touchdowns.
Clark is also Seminole’s leading rusher with 559 yards on 86 carries. He has rushed for seven touchdowns.
Senior Tristan Johnson, with 562 yards, is Seminole’s second-leading rusher but is finished for the season with a knee injury.
Trenton Newson has 480 ground yards on 87 attempts and Adam Kuehner has compiled 397 yards, including nine touchdowns, on 78 carries.
Linebackers Kuehner and Tim Rogers have compiled 70 and 68 tackles, respectively. Trey Ervin not only has 64 tackles but leads 3A with seven interceptions. Kuehner has three thefts and Seminole has 17 as a team.
Cascia Hall is allowing just 194.2 yards per contest.
For Snyder, who has appeared in the playoffs for 26 consecutive years, postseason appearances are still fun.
“It’s a challenge because Cascia Hall is just so well coached,” Snyder said. “They are never going to line up wrong. But you shouldn’t have an easy second-round game. You should enjoy playing these teams because it is a challenge.’
If a battle with the big dog is inevitable, the time factor doesn’t really make much difference.
That’s the approach coach Mike Snyder is taking as his streaking Seminole Chieftains prepare to take on Class 3A’s biggest, baddest dog, Tulsa Cascia Hall.
Seminole, owner of a 9-2 record, will travel to Tulsa Cascia Hall, possessor of three straight state championships, for a Class 3A second-round playoff game Friday night. Kickoff is slated for 7:30.
Cascia Hall is on a 10-game win streak following a season-opening 34-27 setback to Tulsa Holland Hall.
Snyder, who has guided the Chieftains to six straight victories, has high praise for the success-laden Commandos of coach Joe Medina.
“They are as well-coached a team as we will ever play,” Snyder said. “Joe Medina has put that program on another level. The state championship still goes through Cascia Hall, no matter when you play them. You look at film of them in 2004 or 2005 and you look at film now and you will see nothing has changed with their approach. Good programs don’t change that much.”
That said, Snyder said he is looking forward to the matchup. “We’re out-athleted. If we played them 10 times, we might lose nine. But we have to play them just once, so we have to find a way to win that one. Anything can happen.”
Junior quarterback Thomas Rouse (6-1, 180) of Cascia Hall has been very accurate in the passing department, connecting on 104 of 163 for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has been intercepted just six times.
“He throws the ball well and he has good running speed,” Snyder said.
His top two receivers have been Timmy Curthoys with 34 catches for 452 yards and six touchdowns, and Luke Moellers with 23 receptions for 434 yards and six touchdowns.
Junior Patrick Bass (5-9, 180) is the leading Commando rusher with 598 yards on 72 carries, including 10 touchdowns.
“Offensively, they are just so talented,” Snyder said. “They will line up in the I-formation with a double tight end. That causes some balance problems for defenses.”
Cascia Hall’s defense has registered four shutouts, including a 21-0 decision of Class 4A powerhouse Glenpool in Week 2. Other than Holland Hall, no team has scored more than 21 points against the Commandos.
“They run really well on defense,” Snyder said. “One of their linebackers, Conner Sherwood (6-3, 220), is probably one of the top juniors in the state. He’s a player.
“Defensively, no one has been consistent about moving the ball on them.”
Bass has also latched on to four interceptions and teammate Erik Testa has converted six field goals, the longest of which was 36 yards.
Seminole quarterback Garrett Clark, who threw three touchdown passes in a 24-8 first-round victory at Keys-Park Hill, has completed 123 of 195 attempts on the year for 26 touchdowns.
Tyler O’Daniel has caught 42 of those passes for 654 yards and six TDs. Kory Brinlee, who had two scoring catches against Keys-Park Hill, has 41 receptions on the season for 515 yards, including seven touchdowns.
Clark has also received quality pass-catching production from Thomas Clark with 19 for 309 yards and two touchdowns, and Trevor Martin, with 15 for 220 yards and six touchdowns.
Clark is also Seminole’s leading rusher with 559 yards on 86 carries. He has rushed for seven touchdowns.
Senior Tristan Johnson, with 562 yards, is Seminole’s second-leading rusher but is finished for the season with a knee injury.
Trenton Newson has 480 ground yards on 87 attempts and Adam Kuehner has compiled 397 yards, including nine touchdowns, on 78 carries.
Linebackers Kuehner and Tim Rogers have compiled 70 and 68 tackles, respectively. Trey Ervin not only has 64 tackles but leads 3A with seven interceptions. Kuehner has three thefts and Seminole has 17 as a team.
Cascia Hall is allowing just 194.2 yards per contest.
For Snyder, who has appeared in the playoffs for 26 consecutive years, postseason appearances are still fun.
“It’s a challenge because Cascia Hall is just so well coached,” Snyder said. “They are never going to line up wrong. But you shouldn’t have an easy second-round game. You should enjoy playing these teams because it is a challenge.’
