Titans, Jays play for home field play-off game

It's not uncommon for Guthrie and Carl Albert to be playing for the 5A-2 district championship in Week 7. However, this season it may not necessary decide the district title in Week 7, but it will have a say in hosting a first round play-off game.

Guthrie (4-2, 3,0) and Carl Albert (4-2, 2-1) renew their rivalry with a match-up inside, the Rock, Jelsma Stadium on state wide television with KSBI-TV and the exclusive radio home of the Jays on Triple Play Sports Radio 105.1 FM.

The Jays are 7-2 when playing on television games since 2001. The two losses have come to Carl Albert (2006 and 2008).

"Guthrie is our favorite team. They are our good friends except for on one Friday. It has turned into a great football game," Titans head coach Gary Rose said in a television interview. "Rafe and his staff do a marvelous job coaching and if there not the best coached teams then they are one of the best."

Guthrie enters the game on a four game winning streak and an improved offense. In the two losses to McGuinness and El Reno, Guthrie could manage just an average of 79-yards rushing and 68-yards passing.

Since the four game win streak the Jays have averaged 119-yards on the ground and 189-yards in the air, but against Carl Albert will see one of the pass defenses in 5A.

The Titans lost the top defensive player in the state in Daytawion Lowe (OSU) and in addition to Ozell Littleton (UCO), but return Trevante' Porter (6'1 180), a Texas Tech commitment, and Markell Walker, who had two interceptions in the Titans 16-13 win over the Jays a season ago in Midwest City.

Through six weeks of play Carl Albert is holding opponents to 13-points a game, but in their two losses to Booker T. and Shawnee they allowed an average of 30-points. Guthrie is averaging 22-points a game.

Offensively, the Titans play maker is Porter, who has 106 rushing yards on 20-carries and 317 receiving yards to go with four touchdowns. Porter will line-up at running back and at the slot.

Walker will also be a target for senior quarterback JT Realmuto. Walker has corralled 9-catches for 188-yards with one of those catches being a touchdown.

Realmuto is being used more as run threat then a year ago. Realmuto has rushed over 550-yards and has scored eight times on the ground, but may prove to be the most dangerous through the air with 944-yards and 10 touchdown passes. He has been intercepted seven times while completing 63% of his passes.

Realmuto also serves as Carl Albert punter with an average of 31-yards and plays defense.

The one key recipe missing for Rose is an every down running back after the departure of 3-year starter

	Gary Rose continues to lead the Titans as one of the top programs in the state.

and now Tennessee Volunteer David Oku. Despite the running back by committee, the Titans are averaging 240-yards running the ball. Junior Kenton Whittington (5'9 170) has gotten the majority of the carries is coming up on 250-yards rushing and has hit pay dirt three times.

Rose has shown concern over his team's condition in the fourth quarter and is something they are working on as the Titans will play 10-11 players on both sides of the ball.

Senior Tre Hightower (5'9 170) has taken some carries along with Porter to help the rushing game along with Realmuto taking more carries in the run first Titan offense that will line up with a two tight end set formation.

Guthrie sophomore linebacker Landry Chappell continues to lead the team in total tackles with 78 and just behind him his senior linebacker Jaden Chappell with 66 tackles along with Kentrell Brothers will have a big say in stopping the Titan run plans. Brothers is third in 5A with with 8-sacks in seven games.

The Jays will counter with a strong defensive line that is living up to their reputation over the past three, four years in stopping the run. This season the Guthrie defense is allowing just 64.83-yards a game and maybe more importantly just 10-points a game, but the Jays secondary will be challenged this week with Realmuto and Shawnee's Braylee Brown next week.

Much like the Titans, Guthrie will try and get their running game going after rushing for 55-yards in last weeks game with Harrah. On the season, the Jays highest rushing total came against Piedmont with 167-yards and have failed to rush over 104-yards three times this season and were 1-2 in those games (McGuinness, El Reno, and Ardmore).

Guthrie's offensive line continues to improve each week and has allowed freshmen quarterback Bryan Dutton to be more comfortable in the pocket and allowing his receivers to get open.

Dutton has hit nearly 64% of his passes and has five receivers with at least two touchdown grabs: Corbin Crockett, Devonte' McCulley, Hank Hudson, and John Clark has two each while junior play maker Kentrell Brothers leads the team with four touchdowns to go along with almost 400-yards receiving and ranks sixth in 5A receiving.

"Their little quarterback is doing a heck of a job and Kentrell Brothers is a great player so we have our hands full and this is why we are excited for this game" Rose said.

"I rather do this then get those easy wins. Its fun, its excited to go back to Jelsma Stadium. Its a great place to go and play," Rose concluded.

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