Giant 6AI doubleheader played in a small stadium

And just two weeks after dominating in a home loss to Norman, Bixby also sent a message to the rest of 6AI.

Specifically, Jenks sent a message to Bixby and Bixby sent one directly back to Jenks.

In Friday’s quarterfinal games, the Jenks Trojans defeated arch-rival Union 42-7 while Bixby looked like Bixby usually looks in late November.

Against a previously strong Norman North team that was considered a real threat to the two-time defending champion Spartans, Bixby held a 45-point halftime lead and won 59-14. In a 10-point loss to undefeated Owasso, the same Norman North team scored 54 points and more than 600 yards.

The 6AI semifinal doubleheader is set and the side is even more surprising than Union-Jenks or Norman North-Bixby’s results.

At 64-year-old Lantow Field in Claremore, Black Friday features Jenks-Owasso at 1 p.m. and Edmond Memorial-Bixby at 7 p.m

Since the Claremore Zebras compete in Class 5A, Lantow Field is typical of a 5A venue in size. The seating capacity is approximately 6,000. The stadium is equipped with a beautiful, large video board and a new, state-of-the-art pitch.

It’s a nice place to play and the name is a tribute to the Claremore brothers Norman and Robert Lantow. These Army heroes lost their lives as paratroopers in World War II.

However, Lantow Field appears to be very small for 6AI semifinal games. It feels like MLB postseason games are being played in a Double-A stadium.

Why aren’t the semifinals played in a 10,000-seat stadium like Union or Broken Arrow? I was told that the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association looked at all the options in the Tulsa area and ended up with a very short list of options.

Apparently most schools didn’t want to host Thanksgiving weekend.

What happens when 10,000 spectators come to a facility with 6,000 seats? What about the lines for concessions and restrooms? Could there be a limit on how many people are allowed through the gates? Yikes. Could cause problems.

While I’m disappointed that neither Union nor Broken Arrow wanted to host these games, I’m told that the people of Claremore have enthusiastically expressed interest in hosting high-stakes 6AI games. I expect a nice level of hospitality and look forward to great games.

I put the 6AI semifinalists with Bixby at #1, Jenks at #2, Owasso at #3 and Edmond Memorial at #4.

Before Friday, Edmond Memorial had not recorded a postseason win since 2009.

Owasso was great through the first seven games of the regular season, but the Rams had to fight to beat Edmond Santa Fe’s team, which entered the game with a 1-6 record. A week later, the Rams did beat Norman North, but the Owasso defense struggled terribly that night.

And during a 40-26 quarterfinal win over Deer Creek, Owasso endured a shaky second half and took 13 penalties.

Jenks is a really hot team. The combined score of the last seven Jenks games: Trojans 259, opponents 46. Against Union, the state’s best running back – KD Jones – scored four touchdowns and totaled 241 yards on runs and receptions.

During a district showdown in the regular season, Bixby defeated the Trojans 21-7.

Why Bixby is number 1? And why would I have Bixby at No. 1 when just two weeks ago the Spartans had nine punts and were 1 of 15 on third-down conversions against Norman?

Here’s why: Because Bixby has won nine championships in the last ten seasons and betting against Loren Montgomery is stupid.