The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association football playoffs are nearing completion. This week championship games will be played in Classes 6AI, 6AII, 5A, 4A, 3A and C. It is semifinal week for classes 2A, A and B.

Ponca City will host one of the Class A semifinal games--Cashion vs. Pawhuska. The other Class A semifinal--Morrison vs. RIngling will be at Oklahoma City Western Heights. Both are at 7 p.m. Friday.

In Class 6AI, the championship game will be between old rivals Jenks and Tulsa Union at 1 p.m. Saturday at University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond. The Class 6AII championship game was between Bixby and Edmond Deer Creek Thursday night at UCO. In Class 5A, Collinsville and McAlester were scheduled to play 7 p.m. Saturday at UCO. The Class 4A title game is between Clinton and Tuttle 7 p.m. Friday, the Class 3A championship is between Holland Hall and Lincoln Christian at 1 p.m. Friday at UCO and the Class C championship is set 7 p.m. Friday at Weatherford between Timberlake and Mountain View-Gotebo.

The Class 2A semifinals feature Eufaula vs. Marlow at Putnam City and Washington vs. Beggs at Langston and the Class B semifinals will feature Laverne vs. Shattuck at Woodward and Dewar vs. Balko-Forgan at Enid. All semifinal games are at 7 p.m. Friday.

Games of area interest:

BIXBY VS. DEER CREEK OF EDMOND

The Bixby Spartans will look to continue their dominance over Class 6AII. The Spartans have won six of seven state championships since Class 6A divided into to separate classes. The Spartans have a lengthy winning streak going another point of pride for them.

They have been in Ponca City’s district the past seven seasons.

Deer Creel is, more or less, a surprise entry in the championship game. The Antlers finished in third place in District 6AII-1 behind Del City and Stillwater, but have beaten every other team they played to compile a 10-2 record. Deer Creek lost to both Del City and Stillwater in overtime during the regular season. In the playoffs they whipped Choctaw and Sand Springs to earn a spot in the title game.

Bixby, which will move up to Class 6AI next season, is a decided favorite by almost all who make predictions.

CASHION VS. PAWHUSKA

The Cashion Wildcats have been in the Class A state championship game the past two years losing to Ringling in 2019 and defeating Ringling in 2020 to earn the Gold Ball.

They are on track again to play in the title game this season, but first must defeat the Pawhuska Huskies.

Cashion got to the semis by topping the Woodland Cougars 41-22 in a game played in Fairfax. The Wildcats have a diversified offensive scheme, which features quarterback Clayton Harman, who can run or throw; running back Nick Nabavi; and receivers Alex Nabavi, Landon Lagasse and Mason Manning.

Cashion lost its first game of the season, to Rejoice Christian, but has won 12 in a row since then.

Pawhuska is 11-2 on the season with losses to Victory Christian and Hominy earlier in the year. The Huskies lost to Victory 39-33 in overtime and lost to Hominy the next week 33-31. Since then they have won 10 consecutive games, which includes a 43-12 victory over Hominy in the first round of the playoffs.

The Huskies can score points and have surpassed 70 once and 60 twice during the year.

The passing of Todd Drummond is key to the team’s offense. Drummond, according to statistics compiled by the Tulsa World, has completed 237 of 326 passes this year for 3,474 yards and 49 touchdowns. His principal receivers have been Mason Gilkey, who has caught 83 passes for 1,315 yards and 19 touchdowns and Dalton Hurd, who has caught 58 passes for 928 yards and 16 touchdowns. Linebacker Leashard Wildcat is among the state leaders in tackles with 116.

MORRISON VS. RINGLING

The Morrison Wildcats got to the semifianls by avenging an earlier loss to Tonkawa, winning a hard fought 12-0 game.

This week they face Ringling, the team who dropped them from the playoffs last season, so a matter of revenge enters into their thinking.

Ringling is a perennial participant in the Class A playoff picture, being runnerup last season and champion the year before.

This season the Blue Devils are 13-0 and have sailed through their schedule to reach this point. Last week, though, the Pawnee Black Bears led at one point in the second half before Ringling pulled out a 42-32 victory.

Quarterback Karson Daniel has thrown for 1,666 yards during the season, including 133 against Pawnee. One of his favorite targets is receiver Colton Fincher. The Devils can run also, with back Kaden Brown leading the way.

Since its loss to Tonkawa early in the season, Morrison has been on a roll. The Wildcats love to run the ball and control the clock and have an outstanding runner in back Tyler Voss. Quarterback Jalen Powell has proven he’s a passing threat and has made some big plays through the air when called upon to do so.