Vian, Gore begin postseason at home Friday
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Wolverines play Spiro
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Class 2A fourth-ranked Vian starts playoff action at home Friday night when the Wolverines host Spiro in their first-round game.
Kickoff inside Charlie St. John Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Vian (8-2 overall and 7-0 in the district), the District 2A-5 champion, won its seventh- straight game Thursday night in Tahlequah by defeating Sequoyah (1-9, 1-6) 53-33.
Spiro (6-4, 4-3), which finished fourth in the 2A-6 standings, downed Wilburton (0-10, 0-7) 36-6 last week.
In its other district games Spiro lost to eighth-ranked Eufaula (48-13), Idabel (54-8) and Hugo (20-14) and the Bulldogs also beat Antlers (7-0), Valliant (2618) and Heavener (43-20). In non-district play Spiro defeated Panama (13-0) and Pocola (35-8) and fell to 3A No. 7 Muldrow (347).
“Good coached team, good quarterback,” Vian head coach Gary Willis said about Friday’s opponent. “Coach (Kyle) Fowler is over there and does a good job. It looks like a pretty good matchup for us speed-wise and we feel good about that.”
In their last meeting in 2021 the Wolverines topped the Bulldogs 56-42 in a District 2A-5 contest.
Some of Spiro’s key players on offense are quarterback Brycen Graham (6-foot-5, 195-pound sophomore), linemen Dalton Dollar (5-10, 240, sr.), Calvin McKinney (5-11, 235, sr.), Bryan Hammontree (6-0, 225, sr.) and Logan Carter (6-4, 255, sr.), running back Jordan Johnson (5-9, 170, jr.) and receivers Blake Dedmon (5-8, 145, sr.) and Gabe Perez (5-9, 160, sr.).
“They’re in shotgun but it’s more of a pro-style run-offense,” Willis said. “They’re predominantly run, a lot of counter and they’re a big run team. Their quarterback was a freshman wide receiver last year and he does a good job. They will throw but they’re based out of the run and they’ll use a tight end and two running backs a lot of the time.
“Just start by stopping the run and taking away any deep throws in the passing game are keys for our defense. Containing him (Graham) will be a big part of the run-game. He’ll drop back to pass and take off on you.”
A few of the Bulldogs’ key players on defense are linebackers Jordan Johnson, Hunter Sparks (5-8, 165, sr.), Kadon Craig (5-11, 190, jr.) and Dalton Dollar, defensive lineman Logan Carter and defensive back Tommy Worton (5-9, 155, sr.).
“They’re a 4-4 on defense,” said Willis. “Seems like Spiro even with different coaches has been in the 4-4 as long as I can remember. Knock on wood we feel like we’ll have good success running the ball and if not Diego (Ramos) is throwing well and we feel like there’s some things we can take advantage of there too.”
