Friday night
    Nobody knows bedlam like the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys. But the Hulbert Riders and Sequoyah Indians sure come close. The two teams square off Friday night for Cherokee County Bedlam, with a lot on the line for both schools.

     For one, bragging rights are on the line, as the two schools are situated just 17 miles apart. The players from both programs know one another, and it is always important to have bragging rights over your neighbor.

     Even more importantly for the Indians, a win over the Riders would lock up a District 2A-7 title for Sequoyah, which means two home playoff games.

     "Our kids are ready to go," said Sequoyah head coach Don Stogsdill. "This is a very big game, and the two schools are big rivals. So, I know their players are going to be ready to go, also."

     The Indians have rattled off five straight wins, since losing their district opener against Kansas. In that time, Sequoyah has climbed into the top spot in the district, and is looking for the school's first district title. The Riders enter the game at 1-8, and have dropped their last eight games after winning the season opener against Porter. Hulbert will finish last in the district, but the records of the two teams mean nothing when these two rivals step on the field.

     "Hulbert is very tough to prepare for, because there is no telling what they are going to do," Stogsdill said. "They line up in a lot of different formations, and we will have to be prepared for anything. Their passing game has really gotten better over the past couple weeks, and they have been able to run the ball a little bit, too. Our defense will have to step up and make sure we don't let them get off to a big start."

     The Riders also know they are in for a tough, physical game, and would like nothing more than to knock the Indians out of their district title.

     "We know what Sequoyah is playing for, and frankly, our kids want to take that from them, they don't want Sequoyah to win our district," said Hulbert head coach Rick Lang. "We are ready to play some bedlam ball. This is a big rivalry for the two schools, and as coaches, we don't even have to say anything to the kids to get them fired up."

     The Riders may not be playing for a trip to the playoffs, but a win on the final week of the season would go a long way toward earning the team a little respect, according to lang. And, despite the 1-8 record, Lang feels his team is a dangerous team.

     "We have a great opportunity in front of us, and I really feel we have had some success this year," Lang said. "We don't have the wins to show for the success we have had, but I know our kids are going to go out and play their best game."

     No matter the winner, or the stakes or records for each of the teams, one thing is certain -- when Sequoyah and Hulbert square off, there will be bedlam!

     Both teams boast several talented players, who have caught the eye of opposing coaches. Here is what Lang and Stogsdill had to say about the other team's top guns.

Stogsdill on:
* Matt Meredith: "He is a very good athlete, and is developing into an outstanding quarterback. He is throwing the ball well, and we have to work hard to keep him under control.

* Matt Whitaker: "He was injured last week, so we aren't sure if he will play, but we are going to prepare as if he is playing. He is really quick and has some great moves. He is very good, when he is healthy.

* Andy Bryan: "One of the toughest runners in the district. He is a good, tough runner, and just a hard-nosed football player. He is the type of player coaches love to have on their team."

Lang on:
* Chad Stephens: "This kid is the heart and soul of their team. We have to get a hat on him, right from the start. He is a great football player."

* Josh Caughman: "A very tough linebacker and running back, and a tough runner to bring down. He is a big kid who works hard, and we will have to be ready to tackle him."

* Solomon HorseChief: "One of the best receivers in our district, and just a great athlete. He will go up in the air and catch the ball, so we have to play very well in our secondary." 

HULBERT -- Over the years, the Sequoyah vs. Hulberrt rivalry has produced several classic battles.

     That wasn't the case Friday night, as the Indians cruised to a 61-0 win in Battle of Cherokee County, to lock up the District 2A-7 title and secure homefield advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs.

The Indians' offense was firing on all cylinders in the first half, as Sequoyah racked up a 54-0 advantage.

     Junior quarterback Chad Stevens opened the scoring at the 7:35 mark, with a 3-yard TD run. Sequoyah recovered the ensuing on-side kick, and tailback Josh Caughman rumbled 14 yards for a touchdown, making it 13-0.

     The Riders were forced to punt on their first possession, and the Indians took over at the HHS 48-yard-line. Stevens took the ball down the sideline for a touchdown on a first-down run, but the score was negated by a clip. But Bud Ballou would give the Indians their third touchdown of the day, cruising in from nine yards out, to make it 20-0 with 3:34 left in the quarter.

     Hulbert was held to three-and-out on their following possession, but a great punt pinned the Indians back at their own 2-yard-line. After a couple runs by Caughman, followed by a nice one-handed reception by receiver Solomon HorseChief, Stevens raced 64 yards for his second score of the game, making it 27-0 with 23 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Once again, the Indians recovered an on-side kick, setting up shop on their own 41-yard-line.

     Caughman rattled off a 59-yard touchdown run on first down, but the Indians were flagged for clipping, and the ball came back to the 42-yard-line. Hulbert's Danny Whitekiller recovered a Sequoyah fumble on third down to give the Riders good field position. 

Hulbert was held on a fourth down pass attempt, and the ball went back to the Indians at the Riders' 42-yard-line.

     Sequoyah wasted little time in rolling to another touchdown, as Stevens weaved his way through the HHS defense for a 42-yard TD run, making it 33-0 with 10:13 left in the half.

     The Indians again received great field position following an interception, taking over at the HHS 18-yard-line. After a pair of runs by Stevens and Caughman, Stevens found Lance Nells for a 6-yard scoring strike that made it a 40-0 game.

     The Riders took over at their own 15-yard-line on their next possession, and drove the ball to the 49-yard-line, but Ballou picked off an errant Hulbert pass, and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown, and the Indians held a 47-0 lead.

     The Indians would benefit from another gift, recovering a Rider fumble at the Hulbert 12-yard-line. Stevens tossed a touchdown pass to HorseChief, but again the Indians were flagged for clipping, and the play was negated. However, Stevens would rumble 18 yards for his fourth touchdown of the half, putting Sequoyah up, 54-0, with 4:42 in the half.

     The Riders were able to sustain a drive when they took over at their own 35-yard-line, pushing the ball down to the Indians' 24-yard-line. But time expired, ending the drive and the half.

Sequoyah pushed across one more score, on a fourth-quarter 30-yard run by Jonas Teehee, to provide the final margin.

     "I thought the Hulbert kids really played hard, and they have some good, young players," said SHS head coach Don Stogsdill. "Our kids just really came out strong, and did a great job. We knew how big it was to get the win, to wrap up the district title and secure homefield advantage in the playoffs. We just have to take it one game at a time now."

     Caughman and Stevens combined for 316 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Stevens racked up 213 yards, while Caughman netted 103 yards on the ground. Hulbert quarterback Matt Meredith was solid, completing 15-of-38 passes for 125 yards, but -17 yards rushing left HHS with 108 yards of offense. Hulbert's Whitekiller led all receivers with nine catcher for 85 yards.

     The Indians will host Hartshorne Friday, in the first round of the Class 2A State Playoffs. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 p.m. 

     Two area teams are in the high school football playoffs -- and both are teams that very few people gave a chance to be still playing at this point of the season.

     Keys High School, playing in its first-ever season of varsity football, finished third in District B-4, and will travel to Morrison to take on the Wildcats. The Sequoyah Indians defied the odds by rising from a preseason prediction of seventh in District 2A-7, to claim the district title. SHS will host Hartshorne, with their first two playoff games at home.

(Story has been edited-CDC)

     The Indians use their size and athleticism to dominate a football game. Sequoyah, despite two starting linemen who weigh just 200 pounds, averages about 240 pounds per man on the offensive line. And Chad Stevens is one of the best athletes in the state.

      As a quarterback, Stevens has thrown the ball for 902 yards, completing 43-of-149 passes. He has also toted the ball 127 times for 782 yards. As a free safety, Stevens has logged 31 tackles and seven interceptions. He also leads the state in punting, at 46.2 yards per punt, and has generated 1,864 total yards -- a big reason for Sequoyah's success, according to SHS head coach Don Stogsdill.

      "A lot of things have come together for our team this year," Stogsdill said. "We changed up our defense, we got the kids in the right positions, and we have had some players really step up. Chad is one of those players, and he has been a big part of our team's success. He is throwing the ball well, and he runs the option as well as any player I have been around."

      Perhaps even bigger for the Indians than their five-game winning streak is the fact that they will get to play at home, something that Stogsdill considers vital to any playoff run.

     "Being at home is a tremendous advantage," Stogsdill said. "It really makes a huge difference, to not have to travel, and to have a stadium full of fans cheering for you. We have had a great following all season, and it is good for us to be able to give our fans a couple home playoff games. We are all excited, and ready to get the playoffs started." 

     Nobody gave them a chance when the season started.  Yet, here they are, the Sequoyah Indians, not only playing a first-round playoff game, but hosting one.

     The Indians are flying high heading into Friday night's playoff game. They have won five straight games, their passing game has blossomed after early strugles, and their running attack is as dangerous as any team in Class 2A.

     Not to mention their defense, which has been superb the past several weks. Head coach Don Stogsdill is looking to ride the strong play of his team through at least a couple rounds of the playoffs.

     "There probably is a team, somewhere down the line, that is going to beat us; but then again, we are playing well enough to beat anybody," Stogsdill said. "Our defense has been particularly tough against the run, and that is always important. Once we got all of our players in the right positions, which took us a few weeks, then we really started coming together as a team."

     The Indians' offense will be tough for Hartshorne, their first-round opponent, to figure out. Sequoyah has big-play potential in their passing game, and a running attack that features tailback Josh Caughman and quarterback Chad Stevens.

     "They will play 5-2 on defense most of the time, and we feel like our option attack can really work against them," Stogsdill said. "And, I think we can have some success throwing the ball against their cornerbacks."

     The Miners also rely on their running game, and have a strong tailback in the 5-8, 178-pound John David Spears. He has good speed and runs hard, and has been a point of emphasis for the Indians during their last couple practices.

     "We know we have to stop their tailback, and contain their quarterback," Stogsdill said. "They do not have a lot of size, and are more of a finesse team, and they are pretty predictable, but they play hard. We will have to play well if we are going to make it to the second round."

     The Miners are led by head coach Mike Reddick, who played under former Sequoyah football coach Warren James. That gave the Indians a little better idea of what to expect from Hartshorne.

     "We asked coach James what they would do, and he said they will line up and run right at you, and they will run a 5-2 defense," Stogsdill said. "And, after watching them on game films, that is exactly what they do. We just have to be ready to go, and show up mentally prepared. That is the key for us."

     A win against Hartshorne would pit the Indians against the winner of the Chelsea vs. Metro Christian game, which would be played at Sequoyah. 

     On a night when temperatures dipped near freezing, the Sequoyah Indians had a hard time getting things heated up.
Sequoyah surrendered a pair of Hartshorne touchdowns in the third quarter, and came up just short with a spirited rally in the fourth quarter to fall, 18-15, in the first round of the Class 2A State Playoffs.

     The Indians, trailing 18-7 in the late stages of the fourth quarter, scored a touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Chad Stevens, then Stevens hit Mac Farris on the 2-point conversion. The score made it 18-15 with 2:25 to play, and gave the Indians new life.
Hartshorne recovered the ensuing on-side kick attempt by the Indians after a big pileup at the 47-yard-line, and ran out the clock on the Indians' bid to advance to the second round.

     "We just waited too late to start playing," said Indians head coach Don Stogsdill, who guided SHS to its first district title since 1953. "These guys have never had playoff experience, and they just weren't ready to play. I was worried about that all week."

     The Indians took their opening drive and marched into Miners territory, but an interception set Hartshorne up at their own 34-yard-line. The Miners used a grinding rushing attack to march down the field, scoring on a 2-yard burst up the middle. The PAT attempt sailed wide, and HHS had a 6-0 lead with 3:38 left in the opening frame.

     On the extra point attempt, the Indians lost starting receiver/cornerback Solomon HorseChief for the game, when he landed hard on his helmet after jumping up to try and block the kick. The loss would prove costly for the Indians, who rely on HorseChief as their top receiver.

     "When Solomon got hurt, it did have an affect on our game plan," Stogsdill said. "It forced us to rely a lot more on our option game, and they were able to put eight players in the box, and take that away from us."

Still, the Indians were able to grab the lead in the waning minutes of the first half.

     After trading possessions for most of the second quarter, the Indians appeared to break through when Stevens picked off a Hartshorne pass and returned it 37 yards for an apparent touchdown. However, the return was nullified by a clipping penalty, and the Indians set up shop at the HHS 22-yard-line.

     After moving backward on two straight running plays, the Indians took to the air, and Stevens found Farris for a 27-yard pass, giving SHS a first-and-goal at the 2-yard-line. Stevens punched the ball into the endzone on a QB sneak, and Farris booted the kick to make it 7-6, which stood up until halftime.

     The third quarter belonged to the Miners, who scored touchdowns with a 3-yard run and a 9-yard pass, the second score set up by a long interception return from Hartshorne.

     The two teams traded possessions to start the fourth quarter, but the Miners' running game was able to control the clock, and time was running out for SHS.

     Sequoyah took over with less than 5:00 to play, on their own 3-yard-line. Stevens hit Lance Nells with a key 12-yard pass on first and long, following a penalty, then scrambled 15 yards on fourth-and-seven to keep Sequoyah's hopes alive.

     An incomplete pass and a sack forced Sequoyah into a third down and 24 yards, from the 44-yard line. But Stevens was able to evade a pair of blitzing linemen and toss a long strike down the sideline to Martin Wind, who dove and hauled the ball in at the 1-yard-line. Steven's sneak and 2-point pass made it 18-15, but the Indians' hopes ended when Hartshorne recovered the on-side kick.

     "I am very proud of our boys, and they should walk with their heads held high," Stogsdill said. "They earned a district championship, and nobody can take that away from them. You can't jump in a car for the first time and right away know how to drive, and this game was a lot like that. These kids didn't have playoff experience, and now we know what it is like. We have nine starters returning on offense, and nine more returning on defense, so we will work hard to be back in the playoffs next year. Only then, the kids will have a better understanding of the level of play it takes to win these games."

     Stevens led the Indians in rushing, with 55 yards on 18 carries. He also completed 5-of-14 passes for 126 yards. The loss ended Sequoyah's year at 7-4. 

     The Sequoyah Indians surprised everyone in District 2A-7, winning the district title and advancing to the playoffs after being picked to finish next-to-last in preseason coaches' polls.

     So, it should come as no surprise that the Indians cleaned up on several postseason district awards.

     The Indians landed 17 players on the All-District Team, including district MVP Chad Stevens, Linebacker of the Year Josh Caughman, and head coach Don Stogsdill's coaching staff, which was named Coaching Staff of the year.

     Solomon HorseChief was named to the first team at wide receiver and defensive back, while Lance Nells was named to the first team at tight end and defensive tackle. Other first team selections included: Bud Ballou (linebacker), Johnson Proctor (defensive tackle), Mike Hudson (defensive end), Mac Farris (kicker), Martin Wind (defensive back) and Justin Gann (offensive line).

      Members of the Indians named Honorable Mention All-District included: John Bird (defensive end), Chip McLemore (lineman), Tristan Barnett (lineman), Dustin Reese (wide receiver), Ed Rackleff (offensive line), Lonnie Turner (linebacker/offensive line), and Jacob Foreman (linebacker/offensive line).

     "The players deserve the recognition, because they had a great year," Stogsdill said. "We won our first district title since 1952, and the players all stepped up and had a great year. We have a lot of these players returning next year, so we have high expectations for next football season, also."