THE PERKINS JOURNAL, Thursday, December 2, 2004-A7
,I
Editor
tually soon end
,on football
Demons head
COach Jason Reece
he hasn't been
1 his previous two
'get a much quicker
will open the
n at Stroud
year's disap-
the Demons
in an even
in addition to
In the past,
Was just about a
any preseason
15 rostered
t have gone through
0f practice. That's
as many that
l be able to change
little bit and that's
on in prac-
said. "We're going
team that will
everybody we
lack size."
three starters
from last year's squad. Lead-
ing the list is senior Michael
Jones. Last season, Jones led
the team in scoring with an
11 points per game average in
addition to pulling down about
eight rebounds per game.
Long-range shooters Bran-
don Sharp and Tyler Story,
both juniors, also return. They
each averaged about 10 points
per game.
The Demons hosted the
Yale Bulldogs in a scrimmage
last Wednesday during the
Thanksgiving break. After the
outing, Reece noted there were
a lot of little things that can be
improved on. "But our teams
generally do that throughout
the year," he added.
"The thing about the scrim-
mage was it was nice to play
somebody else and not just
practice, practice, practice,"
Reece said. "An opponent will
help you expose more weak-
nesses and show you what you
need to work on and for that
reason it was good."
Every player got some court
time and generally he was
pleased with what he and his
See DEMONS on A8
Perkins-Tryon senior Michael Jones drives in fora layup during
a summer league game against Ripley. Jones is one of three
returning starters for the Demons. P-T will open the season
Friday night at Stroud.
Journal file photo
Returning state tournament qualifiers Matt McKnight (top photo)
and Ryan Fielding (bottom photo) lead the Perkins-Tryon wres-
tling team into a new season with a new coach. The Demons
will take to the mat for the first time at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the
junior high gymnasium hosting Tulsa Webster.
Journal photos by Rick Lomenick
S
al
NTING & EMBROIDERY
Get
Coke
Good luck to the basketball and wres-
tling teams as you begin your seasons.
The Model Tee Student/Athlete of the
Week will resume in next week's edi-
tion.
By Rick Lomenick Priortothe start of workouts,
Basketball radio Journal Sports Editor Cochran said the team set a pair
Despite losing the state tour- of attainable goals. The first
broadcasts set nament-caliberofwrestlersfrom was to qualify more than five
Select Perkins-Tryon Ladylastyear's squad, first-yearhead wrestlers to the Class 2A state
Demons and Demons basketball coach Ottawa Cochran sees alot tournament. In the last three
games will be broadcast via the of potential from this group of seasons, the Demons have sent
radio airwaves this season. Perkins-Tryon grapplers, five matmen to the state tourna-
KGFY 105.5 FM will broad-The Demons will open their ment each year.
cast five games beginningdual season Tuesday night host- The other goal is to qualify
Friday at Stroud, said Stillwa- ing Tulsa Webster. The match for the dual team state tourna-
ter Radio News Director and will begin at 6 p.m. in the junior ment. But to do that, the Demons
P-T play-by-play announcer high gymnasium, willhave todefeat quality oppo-
Bill Van Ness. Broadcast part- Cochran served as an assis- nents in Berryhill and Inola in
ner Rick Lomenick, Perkins tant to former head coach Gary district dual matches.
Journal Sports Editor, who will Riley for two seasons so he's The Demons have eight
provide the color commentary, knowledgeable of what kind of returning wrestlers from last
will join him. " t ilefiffie has. year's squad that finished with
Other games that will be "They work hard and I think a21-6 dual record and was sixth
broadcast include the Dec. 14 they will surprise a few people in the state rankings.
game at McLoud, the Jan. 14 with what they can do," Cochran Heading the list of returners
and Jan. 28 home games with said. are state qualifiers Ryan Field-
Seminole and Holdenville,Gone are the likes of Keny ing at 112 pounds and Matt
respectively, and Feb. 4at Chart- and Kyle Hornberger, along McKnight at 160 pounds. Even
dler. The post-season games will with high school All-American though both were eliminated
also be aired, and All-Stater Brad Ward. "It's early in the state meet, they
hard to replace that kind of cali- gained a lot of experience that
ber," Cochran noted, "but we Cochran hopes will spill over to
have the potential to be better
than last year." See WRESTLING on A8
an extra Holly Jolly ticket for every
item purchased from participating
Whistle Stop
Hall's Corner
Convenience Store
Perkins Food Center
Prairie's Edge
El Mexicano
The Oklahoma State Cowboys closed out their regular season
schedule with a 31-15 drubbing by the Texas Tech Red Raiders,
in a game that more resembled the beginning of the season than
the end of the regular season.
After two weeks of various ones calling for the head of defensive
coordinator Bill Clay, the defense held the Red Raiders to 436 total
yards, while the offense took the day off. Tech's much heralded
passing game was held in check, with the Raiders only getting
281 yards through the air. They were able to get 155 yards on the
ground against the Cowboys.
The Pokes were in fairly decent shape with a 15-14 lead at the 3:
06 mark in the third quarter. This, after 3 field goals and a 68-yard
pass interception return by Jamie Thompson, would have made
think that a victory was a reasonable possibility. Not to be.
It's a foregone conclusion that a well thought out game plan is
necessary to win football games. What must be in a plan is to adjust
to the opponent's defensive adjustments. This did not happen. It
appeared that come what may, the Cowboys were going to stay
with their running game because that was their strength. It's only
a strength when it's working. I kept looking for the Tech player
that was hiding in the Cowboy's huddle, as it appeared they knew
every down what play was being called.
The best play to call during the game is a play that the defense
is not expecting. The coaches need to get in the head of the defen-
sive coordinator and realize what the logical thing for the offense
to do and then do something else. Trash the game plan if it's not
working. The time to think is when the game is going on, not at
the end of the game.
Donovan Woods, the freshman quarterback, entered the game as
the Big Twelve's passing efficiency leader in conference games.
He threw only nine passes, completing six of them.
On the first possession of the third quarter, Woods completed
three passes in a four-play drive, setting up first-and-goal at the
Tech 6-yard line. Three straight Vernand Morency attempts up
the middle gained two yards. They had to settle for a field goal.
Figure that one out.
At the 6:26 mark, Tech leading 24-15 and OSU needing two
scores, Morency ran three straight plays. On the fourth play, Billy
Bajema caught a short pass, not enough for a first down and they
turned the ball over to Tech for a short driveand another touchdown.
If the running plays had succeeded, they would have been playing
right into Tech's hand by using too much of the clock.
See DIARY on A8
