For the third time this decade, Sallisaw will be trying to get past a Class 4A semifinal match-up against Star Spencer to reach the state championship game in Stillwater.

The Black Diamonds were successful in their first two tries back in 2000 and 2001 and they’ll try to make it a third time on Saturday night.

Kickoff between the fifth-ranked Diamonds (11-1) and fourth-ranked Star Spencer (10-2) is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Collins Field in Sapulpa.

Sallisaw is making its first semifinal appearance since 2003, thanks to last week’s 20-14 win over Bishop McGuinness. Head coach Craig Benson said the victory gave his players a belief they can keep their playoff run going.

“I think they’ve got a swagger about them and I like the fact that they are confident in their ability,” said Benson. “I think getting over the McGuinness hurdle did a lot for their frame of mind and their belief that this thing is within reach now.”

Star Spencer lost two of its first three games of the season, but has been on a roll ever since. The Bobcats shut out four opponents in a row and went undefeated in District 4A-2. They clinched the league crown in Week 10 with a 34-20 win at Glenpool that snapped the defending state champs’ 23-game winning streak.

“I think that surprised everyone a little because the media made Glenpool out to be the second coming of the New York Giants. But when you watch the film, Star Spencer just lined up and whupped them,” said Benson.

Star Spencer defeated Elk City 44-33 in the first round of the playoffs and then beat Oologah 44-29 last week. Darwin Rideau scored on a 36-yard run and a 70-yard pass from Franky Jamison, while Terrance Olds ran 75 and 12 yards for two more touchdowns.

The Bobcats have a powerful ground game led by Rideau and Olds, who are both averaging well over 10 yards per carry.

“They’re a carbon copy of one another. They’re both about 6-foot-1 and between 210 and 215 pounds. I think they’re equally as good. Olds comes off the ball at that fullback position like a rocket out of a cannon. Rideau is so fast on the edge that if he gets loose, they can score quickly,” said Benson, who believes both players have the talent to play college football.

“They are both Division I running backs. They are stinking good.”

Rideau leads the team with 1,543 yards and 20 touchdowns on 132 carries. Olds has run 89 times for 964 yards and 14 scores. And quarterback Jamison is no slouch either, having rushed for 789 yards and eight touchdowns.

“They’re the best one-two punch in 4A. And then you throw in the quarterback and, boy, they’ve got a triple threat,” said Benson. “You have to make sure you’re looking at the small numbers because if you’re looking at the big numbers (on the back of their jerseys) it means they’re leaving you. We don’t have anybody who can catch them.”

Jamison has also completed 48 of 90 passes for 995 yards and 10 touchdowns. Stevo Henderson is a big play threat in the passing game for Star Spencer.

“Jamison doesn’t throw it much, but he tries to get it to 11 (Henderson), who is a tall, lanky receiver. And they spread Rideau out there and he’s caught some touchdown passes,” noted Benson.

Star Spencer has put 39.6 points per game on the scoreboard this year and Benson knows it will take a top-notch effort from the Sallisaw defense to slow down the Bobcats.

“We’ve got to play with the same effort and intensity we had against McGuinness. And everybody has to play their position and trust their buddy to play his. We have to fit where we’re supposed to fit on defense, because that’s the whole key to this—everybody doing their assignment,” said Benson.

“Last week was our best defensive performance of the year. Now we need to take that and carry it on to the next two weeks.”

Some of the other key players for Star Spencer include senior right guard/defensive end Joe Christian and fellow linemen Irving Caldwell and Marcus Alexander.

Benson said Alexander is a quality defensive end, while Caldwell is a massive presence in the trenches.

“They don’t have heights and weights on their roster, but wait until you get a look at number 66 (Caldwell). He looks about 6-foot-10 and 330,” said Benson.

Antwone Watson leads Star Spencer in tackles with 113, plus five interceptions, and Charles Mitchell is a playmaker in the Bobcats’ secondary.

“Olds is a linebacker, Rideau is a free safety and Jamison is over there too on defense. Mitchell had three picks last week against Oologah and ran one back for a touchdown. They are very athletic on both sides of the ball,” said Benson.

Saturday’s game will be played on an artificial surface and Benson, who coached at Sapulpa earlier in his career, said it’s a quality playing field.

“They did it right. It’s FieldTurf, the same turf they have at OSU and it’s really nice,” said Benson, who took the Diamonds to Van Buren, Ark., on Tuesday to practice on a similar type of surface.

The coach also said the Diamonds are full-strength entering the Star Spencer game after suffering no major injuries last week. Senior defensive back Damon Lynch gave them a boost when he returned from a knee injury to play in the victory over McGuinness.

The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to the Class 4A state championship game, which will be played on either Dec. 4 or 5 in Stillwater at Oklahoma State University.

No. 1-ranked Weatherford (12-0) is playing Oklahoma City Douglass (9-3) in this week’s other semifinal.

Sallisaw Stat Leaders

Senior wide receiver Trey Wiley continues his assault on the Sallisaw record book. He broke the school mark for most receptions in a season the previous week and has now surpassed David Hadley’s record for receiving yards in a season, set last year. Wiley has now caught 73 passes for 890 yards.

That tops a receiving corps that also features Andrew Miller with 23 catches for 239 yards and Chase Hunt with 18 grabs for 266 yards among its other leaders.

The player getting them the ball has been senior quarterback Matt Oberste, who is just shy of 3,000 yards of total offense in 2009. Oberste has completed 128 of 230 passes for 1,914 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is also Sallisaw top rusher with 1,035 yards and 12 scores on 168 carries.

Junior Jeromy Davenport is next on the rushing chart with 201 carries for 919 yards and 17 touchdowns.

On defense, senior linebacker Jake Fitzsimmons has recorded a team-high 133 tackles. Dakota Petree is next with 81 tackles, followed by Hayden Spencer (64), Zack Wooten (60), Trevor Fitzsimmons (54), Cody Hale (49), Hunt (47) and Russell Kennedy (43).

Spencer tops the defensive unit with 15 sacks for minus 70 yards, while Trevor Fitzsimmons has 12 sacks for minus 60 yards.

Hunt has recovered three fumbles, while Lefler has picked off six passes. Lynch has five interceptions and Oberste and Blaine Kilinc both have three picks for the SHS defense.

Lefler has also kicked eight field goals and 28 PATs for 52 points this season.