Line newcomers could provide big boost for McLoud

After watching his youthful offensive line perform at a recent University of Central Oklahoma football team camp, McLoud head coach Eric Cardin discovered three new reasons to be excited.
“I thought we did pretty well at the camp,” Cardin said. “We have three new offensive line starters and they held their own. As a team, we held our own.”
Slated to receive their first fulltime starts along the offensive front are seniors Sampson Morgan and Eric Orr. Joining them as a newcomer starter will be junior James Johnson.
That threesome will hopefully add to the talent pool of returning offensive line starters Chaz Mattocks and Connor Akin.
Mattocks, a senior, has grown into an imposing 6-foot-4, 290-pounder and Cardin says college coaches have taken notice.
“UCO is already interested in him,” Cardin said. “Chaz is just one of those late bloomers who really started coming on last year.”
If the offensive line prospers and stays healthy, McLoud should be in good shape because it has some excellent skill-position players, notably tailback Cody Phipps.
Phipps, after rushing for more than 1,700 yards as a sophomore, was highly touted entering last year’s junior campaign. But a high ankle sprain relegated him to only about five games.
That injury really showed in the production department as he was limited to about 600 yards on the ground in 2007.
Cardin will also have the returning services of senior quarterback Wayland Moore. “He is really a young senior at just 16,” Cardin said.
McLoud will compete in a July 7-on-7 passing league at Jones. Star Spencer will also be involved in the competition.
The Redskins will launch their 2008 campaign Sept. 5 at Harrah. The Redskins’ other two non-district opponents will be Class 3A squads Perkins (Sept. 12) and Blanchard (Sept. 19). The Redskins picked up Blanchard after Seminole moved to Class 4A and was assigned to the same district as McLoud.
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Several Tri-County athletes were recognized in the 2007-2008 year-end collector’s edition of the magazine, “High School Sports.”
In the Central Oklahoma portion of the June segment, Dale’s Trevor Nelson was among eight baseballers listed under ‘players to watch next season.’
Bethel’s Tyler Martin was among six baseballers in the ‘who impressed’ category. Martin was the victorious pitcher in Bethel’s 6-4 state tournament quarterfinal desision, allowing nine hits and striking out six.
Shawnee’s Brett Davis, a senior-to-be, was joined by four other athletes under the heading, ‘football stars equal track standouts.’ Davis, who has already committed to Tulsa’s football program, was last spring’s Class 5A 300-meter state hurdles champion. He also was the 110-meter hurdles runner-up. Davis has excelled as a quarterback, receiver and defensive back for coach Billy Brown’s staff over the past two seasons.
And in golf, Bethel’s Kyle Lewis was recognized on two lists — ‘who starred’ and ‘golfers to watch next season.’
Lewis, a state runner-up as a freshman, took this spring’s Class 3A championship by a six-stroke margin.
Joining Lewis on the ‘golfers to watch next season’ list was Caitlin Swisher of Chandler.
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Shawnee’s five home games in 2008 will be Deer Creek (Sept. 12), Western Heights (Sept. 19), Harrah (Sept. 26), Durant (Oct. 10) and Noble (Oct. 31).
The Shawnee road games will be Chickasha (Sept. 5), Carl Albert (Oct. 3), Ardmore (Oct. 16), Guthrie (Oct. 24) and Capitol Hill (Nov. 2).
All of the regular-season games are set for Friday nights with the exception of the Thursday night meeting with Ardmore.