Three area teams in playoff games
Tonkawa, Woodland and Newkirk will be in action Friday as the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association football playoffs get under way.
Tonkawa finished second in District A-5 and will host Mounds, the third place team in District A-6. Woodland was third in District A-5 and will travel to Hartshorne, the No. 2 team in A-6. And Newkirk finished fourth in District 2A-1 and will make the trip to Jones to challenge the No. 1 team in District 2A-2.
MOUNDS AT TONKAWA Mounds was 4-3 in district play and 5-5 overall. The Golden Eagles have beaten Porter, Wewoka, Savanna, Konawa and Allen. Their losses have been to Gore, Kellyville, Hartshorne, Stroud and Liberty.
Tonkawa has only one loss on the season, to unbeaten Hominy. The Buccaneers have been ranked all season and are favorites to advance deep into the playoffs. Mounds lost 55-21 to Gore, the only ranked team on its schedule.
WOODLAND AT HARTSHORNE The Woodland Cougars will make the long bus ride to Hartshorne to challenge the Miners Friday.
Hartshorne was 7-3 overall and 6-1 in district play. Its wins were over Wilburton, Savanna, Wewoka, Mounds, Konawa, Allen and Liberty. Two of the Miners’ losses were non district games, to Heavener and Henryetta. The only district loss was to Stroud.
Woodland finished 6-4 overall with nondistrict losses to 2A teams Newkirk and Pawhuska. The Cougars lost to highly ranked teams in district play--Hominy and Tonkawa.
NEWKIRK AT JONES Newkirk has had its best season in a long while, and its reward is a chance to play the very good Jones Longhorns.
Jones was 7-3 overall but a perfect 7-0 in district competition. Its three losses weren’t a disgrace, losing to powerhouses Bethany, Lincoln Christian and undefeated Washington. District wins came over Star Spencer, Crossings Christian, Luther, Meeker, Chandler, Kellyville and Bethel. The Longhorns annually are among the top teams in Class 2A.
Newkirk finished 6-4 overall and 4-3 in district play. Its three losses in the district were to good teams, Millwood, Oklahoma Christian School and Hennessey.