Black Diamonds to have district title showdown with Ada for 2nd straight season

It’s deja vu all over again for both the Sallisaw Black Diamonds and the Ada Cougars when they meet at 7 tonight at Perry F. Lattimore Stadium.

For the second straight regular-season finale, the Black Diamonds (7-2 overall, 5-1 in District 4A-4 play) and the Cougars (8-1, 5-1) will meet to decide the district champion. Last year, the Cougars clawed the Black Diamonds to the tune of 40-14 on Week 10 in Ada.

If Sallisaw beats Ada and Poteau defeats Broken Bow tonight at Costner Stadium, then the Black Diamonds will be the outright district champion — and would get up to two home playoff games.

If Sallisaw beats Ada and Broken Bow defeats Poteau, the Black Diamonds and the Savages will be co-district champions, but the No. 1 seed will go to Sallisaw thanks to its 40-30 road win over Broken Bow on Oct. 3.

If Sallisaw loses to Ada by a point and Poteau defeats Broken Bow by 15 points or more, the Black Diamonds will end up with the No. 2 seed — and have an openinground home playoff game next Friday night.

However, if the Black Diamonds lose to Cougars and the Savages defeat the Pirates, then the Black Diamonds would drop all the way to No. 3.

“There are a lot of (playoff) implications on this ball game,” Sallisaw coach Brandon Tyler said. “More than likely, we’re either going to be first or third. To be second, Broken Bow would have to lose by more than 15 points and us only lose by one (point). Stranger things have happened. We want to be the district champions. That’s our goal so we can get two playoff games at home.”

Tyler said the players know what the stakes are for tonight’s home showdown with the Cougars.

“I told the kids Monday that you don’t get a lot of second chances in life, but we have one,” he said. “We get this opportunity to play them (the Ada Cougars) again for a district championship. It’s setting up the same way. It’s just like last year. It’s a big ball game for our kids, and I think they understand the ramifications of this one. They have a chance to win a district championship, and possibly get two playoff games at home — and not have to go on the road next week.”

The only loss the Cougars have suffered was a 42-14 blowout loss to the Savages on Oct. 24 at Broken Bow’s Memorial Stadium, which at that time snapped Ada’s seven-game, seasonstarting winning streak. Last week, they bounced back by winning their Senior Night game 42-6 over Glenpool last Friday night in Ada.

“Ada is a very fine football team,” Tyler said. “They have one of the better defenses we’re going to see all year. They’re senior heavy. A lot of those guys have played a lot of football the last three or four years. They have a lot of three- and four-year starters. They have one of the better linebackers in Class 4A football — No. 0 (Kelton Stipe) is really good. Their defensive linemen are 6-5 and 6-6, 220, 230, 240 (pounds), so they’re big up front. They run to the ball extremely well on defense. Offensively, they’re going to throw a lot of multiple stuff at us. They’re going to try to throw the ball. Their quarterback (Brock Broyles) has thrown for a little over 1,500 yards. They have a 1,000-yard rusher at running back (Caron Richardson). They’re pretty balanced offensively in what they do. They want to try to establish the running game early with the Richardson kid. He’s a big ol’ load. He, just like their quarterback, has been a four-year starter. We definitely will have our hands full. They’re a very fine football team.”

Tyler said the Black Diamonds will need to play an all-around sound game tonight to get the win.

“We have to figure out a way to slow them down,” he said. “We have to eliminate the big plays. We have to try to make them drive the field on us. We can’t let them have 28 points and not run an offensive play like we did last year. Defensively, we’ve played really well against them each of the last two years. We gave up seven points our first year here. Last year, I know is (the final score) was 40-14, but the defense only gave up 14 (points). Those guys have got to come ready to play on that side of the ball again this week. Offensively, we have to control the line of scrimmage. We have to get first downs. We can’t turn the ball over. We can’t give them a short field like we did last year. We have to come out and play with a lot of passion, and just see how it falls.”

Not only is there a district championship at stake tonight for the Black Diamonds, they also will celebrate Senior Night for the players, trainers, cheerleaders and band members. Sending the senior players out winners in their last-ever regular-season game would mean a lot. Senior Night festivities will begin at 6:30 tonight prior to the 7 p.m. district game.

“You obviously want them (seniors) to go out winners,” Tyler said. “They’ve had a great career here. Obviously, it didn’t go well their freshman year (a 0-10 record), but, like we were talking, our first year here when they were sophomores (a 7-5 record and a trip to the Class 4A state quarterfinals), they were two plays away from possibly winning nine games that year. They won nine (9-3 and a second straight trip to the state quarterfinals) last year. They have a chance to finish 8-2 in the regular season this year. These (senior) guys have been a big part of the program changing and winning again. It would be a great feather in their caps to be able to go out on top (tonight).”

Tyler said the Black Diamonds are healthy for the most part for tonight’s district title showdown with the Cougars.

“We’re healthy,” he said. “That’s another bonus going into Week 10. You’re obviously going to have bumps and bruises. We have no major injuries. We’re pretty much full speed. (Senior running back/ defensive back) Matthew McGrew is still battling that shoulder injury. He kind of tweaked it again last week, but I think he will be good to go by (tonight).”