Monday Observations

• With the football regular season in the books for everyone but D-I, it’s time to look at some of the stats.  There were only two running backs in the state that crossed the 1,000-yard mark last season.  That number was doubled this year.  Here are the top 10 totals in all levels, with total yards (and average per game played):

1. Chris McClendon, OPSU, Sr. – 1,170 (117.0)

2. Jake Gandara, UCO, So. – 1,077 (107.7) – Bowl game remaining

3. Jordan Barnes, OBU, So. – 1,028 (93.5)

4. Semaje Perine, OU, Fr. – 1,001 (100.1) – Two regular season games remaining

5. Karl Hodge, SWOSU, Sr. – 980 (98.0)

6. Lorenzo Alexander, SNU, Fr. – 909 (82.6)

7. Dawson Myers, OBU, Jr. – 830 (75.5)

8. Devlon Wortham, SOSU, So. – 796 (79.6) – Bowl game remaining

9. Jojo Snell, ECU, Sr. – 764 (84.9) – Bowl game remaining

10. Zack Langer, TU, Jr. – 677 (75.2) Two regular season games remaining

• A defending national champion with a preseason No. 1 ranking is going to have a big target and have opponents circle that date on the calendar.  Oklahoma City knows that well and faced a strong in-state rival with a lot to prove in its opening game.
Langston is ranked 24th in the preseason poll, but was ready for the early season rematch with the team that put it out of the postseason last year.  The Lady Lions got a bit of revenge with a 71-68 win in Gayles Fieldhouse on Saturday.
Each team had four players in double figures scoring.  Lynette Holmes led the way for Langston with 22.  Holmes’ shot in the paint with 1:25 remaining put her team on top for good, 67-66, and she and teammate Lulu Perry made free throws in the closing minute to seal.
Don’t be surprised at all to see these two meet again in the postseason in March.

• Firsts were achieved for a couple of state volleyball teams this weekend.
Southeastern won its first ever postseason match with a sweep of Southern Arkansas in the Great American Conference tournament quarterfinal.
The Savage Storm then met Southern Nazarene in the semifinal, a team achieving its own firsts.  SNU’s victory over Arkansas-Monticello was the first postseason win for the program since entering Division II.  The Crimson Storm then won the battle of the Storms, 3-0, to move to the championship match.  Southern Nazarene fell in the final, 3-2, to defending champion, Arkansas Tech.
However, the level of quality volleyball played in the state is on the rise.
(And that’s without even talking about what’s happening in Alva…)