DUNCAN —
It has become the traditional way to open the high school football season in Stephens County. When Velma-Alma and Comanche hook up on the gridiron tonight at Jeb Bryant Stadium-Edgar Martin Field, it will be standing room only.
The Comets come with lofty expectations placed upon them. Velma-Alma is ranked ninth, and has high hopes because of a team built around a solid senior core.
The Indians are under the tutelage of first-year head coach Steve Justus. Justus was an assistant for CHS last season and has a solid grasp of what he expects from his squad.
“Our goal is to get lined up and do the things it takes to win. In the other sense ... it is a big game. It is always a big game between Comanche and Velma,” Justus said. “There are a lot of people in the stands that are ready for football to start. We want to go out and make a good showing.”
V-A head coach Greg Gothard said that it will be important to the players to make a good showing to open the season because of the opponent.
“With it being a rival, and it is a good rivalry and I think it is a hated rival. If you talked to their kids, they’d probably say I hate Velma” he said. “If you talked to our kids off the record they’d probably say the same thing.
“It is a little bit of bragging rights, because they live by each other and are going to see each other in Duncan every weekend.”
Even though the players tend to get caught up in the rivalry, Gothard said that he has always had a great deal of respect for the current and past coaches at Comanche.
“I certainly respected Coach (Brent) Clark when he was there and Coach (Dale) Condict when he was there,” he said. “And I’ve known Coach Justus, I’ve known for a long time, and they’ve all done a good job.”
Justus said that his team will have to be well-prepared to handle the Comet attack.
“They are good at what they do,” Justus said. “They are very good at what they do. It seems like Week 1 they are a well-oiled machine.
“You better play well. Be assignment football. Do the things that you have worked on all week long. Hopefully, if you do things right that things come out right, the end is right in that you come out with a win.”
On Velma-Alma’s side, Gothard said that he is comfortable with where his team is at.
“I think we have some really good football players. Having 10 seniors, and the majority of those 10 seniors have been players since they were sophomores,” Gothard said. “We’ve got to be more disciplined and play better defense than we have in the past couple of years. A big question for us is going to be in the kicking game. We are going to have a new punter and new kicker.”
On the other hand, Justus said that he would like to be a little more settled with his team.
“I’m never where I want to be. I think I always need a few more bullets for the gun,” Justus said.
— Ron Booth is the managing editor for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 166, or via e-mail at ron.booth@duncanbanner.com.
Sports
Rivalry gets season started
Comets, Indians ready for clash
- Sports
-
-
Playoff hoops start tonight
Tonight the real season begins for area Class A basketball teams.
-
Demons going after dual state title
For many years, Duncan High School has been known for its proud wrestling tradition. On Saturday the Demons will have a chance to add to that growing tradition as they take part in the Class 5A Dual State Championships, which will be held at Yukon High School starting on Saturday at noon.
-
Area teams set for big week
A few thoughts on area sports while trying to make sense of Oklahoma’s high school basketball playoffs, the most confusing postseason in all of sports.
-
Senior night for Duncan
There will be a sense of pride plus plenty of emotion Friday night at Duncan Gymnasium.
At 6:30 p.m. the No. 13 Duncan Lady Demons (15-7) will take to the floor against Ardmore (1-18) on Senior Night. Seniors Ashley Gonzalez, Hannah Allen, Dani Jo St. Clair, Britton and Brooklyn Scott along with D’Shala Culberson and Jamesia Milton will be honored during the contest. -
Indians prepare for dual state
With the second weekend in February comes the first part of the busiest three weeks on the high school wrestling schedule, Dual State.
The Comanche Indians will be making the three hour drive to Cushing, looking to advance past the semi-finals, something which has eluded them the past two years thanks to Perry. -
Carletti-Silva inks with Army
Though his feelings were strong, Jim Holloway tried not to have too much influence on the decision.
Duncan’s head football coach didn’t want to push his senior quarterback into leaning one way or another. -
Demons rout Altus
After a tough loss on the road last Friday night against Lawton MacArthur, it seemed the Duncan Demons needed a boost to get themselves going for the last week of the season. DHS had its sights set on using the Altus Bulldogs as the tool for their motivation Tuesday night at Duncan Gymnasium.
-
Lady Outlaws smother Rush Springs, 38-28
It wasn’t one of Marlow’s best offensive performances of the season. Luckily it was one of the Lady Outlaws best defensive showings.
For only the third time this season, Marlow held an opponent to fewer than 30 points and the Lady Outlaws topped the visiting Rush Springs Lady Redskins, 38-28. -
Culberson, DHS hold off Lady Bulldogs
There is a saying, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” For the Duncan Lady Demons, a rematch against Altus at Duncan Gymnasium on a chilly evening seemed like the perfect motivation to help DHS avoid a two-game losing streak Tuesday night.
-
Duncan hosts Altus tonight
ometimes it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how fast you get back up.
After a tough overtime loss Friday night at Lawton MacArthur, the No. 14 Duncan Lady Demons (14-7) will look to rebound this evening against the No. 11 Altus Lady Bulldogs (12-6) with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. from Duncan Gymnasium. - More Sports Headlines
-
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC
Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion'
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
