Oklahoma high school football: Four downs on second-round playoff upsets & more

Oklahoma high school football playoffs are in full swing.

Here are some key storylines from Friday night’s second-round games:

More: Oklahoma high school football neutral sites, times announced for next round of playoffs

Best rivalry: McGuinness gets revenge in Battle of the Bishops

After growing throughout the season, Bishop McGuinness had a second chance against a Class 5A rival.

In the state quarterfinals, the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish reprised their Week 2 matchup at Tulsa Bishop Kelley and reversed the outcome with a 28-14 victory against the Comets to secure a semifinal berth.

Fifth-ranked Kelley claimed a 24-7 win in the regular-season Battle of the Bishops, and the Comets (9-3) didn’t surrender easily in the rematch. After a scoreless first quarter, Stice Smith broke through with a 1-yard touchdown run for Kelley, but McGuinness answered with Damon Cochran II’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Jack Foster.

The game was tied at 14 in the third quarter until Tom Watts reached the end zone on a 1-yard rush, putting the Irish up 21-14. Then JP Spanier sealed the victory with a 36-yard touchdown romp in the fourth quarter.

McGuinness (8-3) finished with 422 yards of offense while holding the Comets to 216.

Next, the Fighting Irish have another stop on their revenge tour. They face district foe Carl Albert at 7 p.m. Friday in Noble with a state finals spot on the line. The Titans won their regular-season matchup, 49-7.

More: Del City routs Guthrie to reach state football semifinals for first time since 1976

Closest finish: Claremore upsets Elgin to advance to 5A semifinals

Claremore didn’t have to score many points to make a statement on Friday night.

Their dominance was exuded on defense in all 48 minutes as Jarrett Hurt’s Zebras held their opponent to less than seven points for the first time all season.

“People say defense wins championships, and we definitely feel like that was the case last night,” said Hurt, who is in his eighth season at Claremore. “When you make big plays in the biggest moments like our defense did tonight, it just goes to show the adversity they’ve pushed through all year.”

The Zebras' defense forced three interceptions and four key fourth-down stops on Friday night en route to Claremore’s 7-6 upset road win over Elgin.

With the win, Claremore (11-1) advanced to the Class 5A semifinals for the third time in school history and for the first time since 1977, when they played under legendary Miami Hurricanes coach Larry Coker. The 11-win season tied a Zebras program record for most victories in a season.

“We've been to the postseason for seven of my first eight years here,” Hurt said. “So to take an extra step to get to where we want to be while making history along the way just makes me super proud of our entire program.”

Claremore will face off against second-ranked Del City at 1 p.m. Friday in Noble.

The Zebras have won four of five one-score games this season, averaging nearly 40 points per game. They’re set to face an undefeated Eagles defense that has held opposing offenses to less than seven points per game.

“We knew back in the spring that we’d have a chance to have a special season,” Hurt said. “We had no idea it would be a historic one. But it makes sense because we've got some high-character kids. We've built a great chemistry with one another, which has boded us well heading into each week.”

More: Blanchard bludgeons Sallisaw in Class 4A football playoffs 'by land and air'

Historic win: Perkins-Tryon reaches 3A semifinals with program record

Perkins-Tryon is chasing its first state championship in any sport.

The Demons have a tough climb in a Class 3A bracket full of perennial contenders, but they showed they belonged among the dynamos Friday night.

Third-ranked Perkins-Tryon vanquished Tulsa Holland Hall, 65-0, to reach the state semifinals for the first time since 2000.

No. 8 Holland Hall entered the matchup on a seven-game win streak, but the Demons quickly deflated the Dutch’s momentum with their largest margin of victory in program history.

At the end of the first quarter, Perkins-Tryon led 34-0, keeping head coach Dawayne Hudson on his toes as he roamed the sideline.

“It was a blur,” Hudson said. “I had to calm down a little bit because I was a little bit out of shape for 34 points in the first quarter. It was a wild, crazy, fun evening for the Demons.”

Perkins-Tryon (11-1) controlled every facet of the game. They capped their opening drive with a Tre Stevenson touchdown, created seven turnovers and blocked a punt for a touchdown. Focused on their physical run game, Hudson said the Demons spread the ball around, giving many guys opportunities to score.

Next, Perkins-Tryon faces undefeated Tulsa Lincoln Christian at 7 p.m. Friday in Bristow.

More: Choctaw beats Sand Springs in Class 6A-II football playoffs, sets up Stillwater rematch

Extra points

● No team from the west side of the state advanced to the Class 6A-I state semifinals. Bixby will face Owasso, and Tulsa Union will meet Jenks to see who advances to the state finals. Bixby quarterback Carson Kirby had an efficient night, completing 5 of 5 pass attempts for 152 yards and four touchdowns in the undefeated Spartans’ 59-20 quarterfinal win over Norman.

● Senior quarterback Chance Acord is continuing to have a solid season at Stillwater. He completed 11 of 13 pass attempts for 351 yards and five touchdowns as the Pioneers cruised past Putnam City, 56-7. Trey Tuck finished with 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns on two catches. In the Class 6A-II semifinals, the Pioneers will meet Choctaw, the opponent they defeated for last season’s state title.

● Junior quarterback Grady Adamson showed his dual-threat skills with 216 passing yards for two touchdowns and 92 rushing yards for two touchdowns in Deer Creek's 35-7 state quarterfinal victory over Bartlesville. Mason Smith compiled 111 receiving yards for a touchdown, while Mason Miller had one rushing touchdown and one receiving score. The Antlers will encounter Muskogee in the 6A-II semifinals.

● Heritage Hall blanked Berryhill, 49-0, to reach the Class 3A semifinals. Andy Bass not only completed 7 of 9 pass attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns, but also rushed for 191 yards and four scores on 10 carries. Jordyn Harris provided 187 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions. Hillman Browne added 11 tackles and five sacks. The defending champion Chargers will face Marlow in the Class 3A state semifinals.

● Hudson Howard fueled Washington’s run game in a 56-7 victory over Meeker. He finished with 10 carries for 201 yards and three touchdowns. The Class 2A defending state champions will meet Vian in the quarterfinals.

● Sophomore quarterback CJ Turnbull had a prolific game for Millwood, throwing for 203 yards and three touchdowns in the Falcons' 38-14 victory over Purcell. Millwood will face undefeated Idabel in the 2A quarterfinals.

● Clayton Creasey rushed for 209 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries as Jones defeated Davis, 30-26. He also completed 13 of 18 pass attempts for 109 yards. Luke Debusk led the defense with 16 tackles. Jones will meet Tulsa Victory Christian in the 2A quarterfinals.

● Class B is guaranteed to crown a new champion. Okeene ousted Laverne, 46-36, in the second round of playoffs. In every other class, the reigning state champion is still standing.

—Hallie Hart and Jordan Davis, Staff writers

More: 'We raise the standard': Carl Albert throttles Collinsville to reach Class 5A semifinals

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma high school football: Four downs looking back on Week 12