The Countdown Is On

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% Off Your Subscription By Entering Knight25 In The Coupon Code Area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the end of this week, we'll officially be at the halfway mark of the regular season. It seems like yesterday that we kicked the season off but the district battles are about to start heating up in a major way. We can't help but look further into the future as the countdown is on in some of the classes for eventual district showdowns that could end up being state championship previews. Below, we take a look at five different games that will be taking place in the next five weeks that feature two of the best teams in their respective classes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>ARDMORE AT TUTTLE - WEEK TEN</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Class 4A, we'll have to wait until week ten but it could be worth the wait when top-ranked Tuttle hosts #2 Ardmore. In this battle of Tigers, we'll see defending state champion Tuttle hosting an Ardmore team that has climbed up to #2 in the 4A rankings and have been absolutely dominant so far this season. Tuttle's only blemish on their record was a road loss to a top five Elgin squad from Class 5A. Both teams jumped up a spot in the 4A rankings after last week's Broken Bow-Sallisaw result. It wouldn't be surprising to see this end up being a 1 VS 2 match-up in week ten. The biggest question we have is whether or not this will be a state championship preview. Both teams look like serious contenders for the Class 4A gold ball this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>BROKEN ARROW AT BIXBY - WEEK NINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's hard to put another game higher than this one in terms of anticipation across the state of Oklahoma. Top-ranked Bixby will host #2 Broken Arrow in week nine and it's a game that has been circled for a very long time. These two teams met in the 6A-1 semifinals a year ago and the Spartans took care of business on their way to another state championship. Coming into this season, it feels like the consensus has been that Broken Arrow is the most talented team in the state and might be the best team in 6A-1, but Bixby is still Bixby and the Spartans aren't going to just hand over their crown. Through the first month, these teams have lived up to the hype and this week nine clash will be one of the more highly anticipated regular season games in recent memory. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>KIEFER AT CASCIA HALL - WEEK SEVEN</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Class 2A-1, this game is looking better and better with each passing week and we cannot wait to cover this clash in week seven. #3 Cascia Hall and #4 Kiefer look like they are on a crash course for one another and nothing has changed after the first month of the season. Now, the big question moving forward will be whether or not either of these two teams can push a Lincoln Christian or a Washington for that state championship in December. We think the answer is yes. Both the Commandos and the Trojans have looked really good to start this season and not matter what the result is in mid-October, we think that both teams are going to be tough outs when the playoffs roll around. Both teams look like serious state title contenders. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>STILLWATER AT SAND SPRINGS - WEEK SEVEN</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's been a blood bath in 6A-2 with all the top teams playing very difficult non-district schedules and the records show that. But in week seven, we'll see top-ranked Stillwater come to the Tulsa area to face defending state champion Sand Springs. This is a match-up of top three teams and two teams that expect to make it to Edmond in December. Both teams have played very challenging non-district schedules but should be better for it as the district slate plays out. The Sandites are looking to capture a second straight state championship while the Pioneers are searching for their first title since 2023. We've seen four different teams win the last four state championships in 6A-2. Both of these teams look to be the first team to win a second title during this stretch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>TONKAWA AT FAIRVIEW - WEEK EIGHT</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class A-1 has already had several showdowns featuring ranked teams that could end up deciding a district championship and we're only one week into district play. Here's another one in week eight out in western Oklahoma. #3 Fairview will host top-ranked Tonkawa in week eight. These two teams know what it takes to make a run to Edmond to contend for the state championship. It wouldn't be surprising to see this game decide the district title. Although Hooker is going to have something to say about that and Tonkawa will go out to the panhandle to play the Bulldogs this week. But this late October game is going to feature two teams that expect to not only contend for the district championship, but they hope that springboards them to a state title. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->