What to know about Week 4 of high school football: WCS, Copan ready for district play

Bad luck, thy name is Wesleyan Christian School’s football team.

As if the Mustangs, who play eight-man football, hadn’t been doused enough with the cold water of adversity, they’re facing another rugged adjustment of unavoidable necessity.

To put it simply, the Big Four with which they spent a good chunk of the offseason grooming to lead a season of great potential has been reduced to one.

First, their returning leading rusher and top linebacker decided to transfer prior to the season. Second, three-year starting quarterback Ty Cloud suffered an injury that sidelined him before he could take one snap in game action.

And, last week, leading receiver, defensive back and special teams wizard Kael Siemers had to come out with an injury and his status for return is in the realm of the unknown.

That leaves only Carson Tennison — a vital component for the past few years — as the most experienced and productive skill player remaining in uniform when the Mustangs (1-2) kick off district play this Friday against Oaks-Mission (1-2).

Meanwhile, Washington County’s other eight-man power, the Copan High Hornets, will be minus two stars going into Friday’s district debut against the Bluejacket High Chieftains. But the Hornets (1-2) at least have most of their key pieces in place and are the favorites on Friday.

“If we are where we think we are and if we’re heading where we think we’re heading, we need to take them out,” veteran Copan head coach Marshall Foreman said.

Following is this week's football slate and a closer look at this week’s tests for WCS and Copan.

Bartlesville area Week 4 high school football games

• Bartlesville at Tulsa Washington

• Jay at Dewey

• Caney Valley at Nowata

• Bluejacket at Copan

• Wesleyan Christian at Oaks

• Barnsdall vs. Claremore Christian

• Vinita at Pawhuska

• Oklahoma Union at Morrison

• Caney Valley (Kan.) at Cherryvale (Kan.)

Inside Wesleyan Christian School's adversity

Last year at this time, when they were fully staffed with their main starters, the Mustangs eyed the game against Oaks as a stepping-stone toward an eventual district title.

But this year’s meeting doesn’t have such a cut-and-dry outlook.

“They’re improved from last year,” WCS head coach Curt Cloud said. “We’re going to have our hands full.”

Perhaps Cloud’s biggest challenge is settling on a new quarterback to fill in for Siemers and Cloud — a choice that will impact greatly the offensive game plan the coaches worked out during the previous nine months. Cloud is considering between two young players to fill the quarterback gap.

“We’ve got to have some of the older guys step up,” he said. “Our focus will probably change from passing to more running, but we’ll see.”

Tennison, Xander Weeks, Brock Timmons and Mason Jensen are veterans Cloud is counting on to step up.

He’s more focused on defense as the main emphasis on Friday.

“Defensively, we’ve got to have a good game,” he said, adding the focus will be in limiting Bluejacket’s shifty-running quarterback. “Offensively, we’ve got to generate some offense somehow. … Obviously, this is our first game in district and we want to go out and win on the road. They’re (Bluejacket) kind of green. … I think we can execute.”

Meanwhile, Cloud isn’t obsessing about his team’s woes.

“It is what it is and you’ve got to take it as it comes,” he said.

Copan still believes 'we’re going to win'

The Hornets will go to battle without skilled dynamo Shooter Brewington and impact lineman Jaxon White. In fact, they still might be out for the Sept. 29 showdown against Wesleyan Christian, he said.

But, Copan still has a good share of its proven manpower left, including sophomores Kane Foreman, Teegan Caron and Weston O’Rourke and junior Karson Woodworth.

Foreman is a second-year starter at quarterback.

“I think he’s got more of a better command of the offense,” coach Foreman said. “He grasps it pretty well. He’s much more confident.”

As evidence of Kane’s maturity in the position, he tossed eight touchdowns and no interceptions in the first three games.

Confidence is a trademark the entire Hornet team possesses, coach Foreman said.

“Last year, they were hoping we could win every game,” he said. “This year, they believe we’re going to win.”

Bartlesville area football: Copan will rely on sophomore pair to lead explosive Hornet attack

But, he’s not taking Bluejacket lightly. Last week, the Chieftains trailed by only a touchdown, 14-6, in the third quarter before they lost 48-6.

“They can hang around a bit,” coach Foreman said. “We need to take care of business. I feel like we should go in and win convincingly.”

But, Foreman also hopes to avoid the mercy (45-point) rule, in order to extend the game and give his less-experienced players some quality minutes.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: What to know about Week 4 of HS football in the Bartlesville area