Jenks Sophomores
The success the Jenks Trojans have enjoyed this season can be contributed to many factors and one that seems to get little attention is the insertion of sophomores by head coach Allan Trimble as the season moves along to give several rookies experience so that they can step in if needed at seasons end. Some that come to mind in the past who helped The Mighty Maroon appear in the state title game 8 times in the last nine seasons are defensive end Brian Pickryl and back Bobby Klinck.
There have even been freshmen that have entered the spotlight, though be it in the shadows. Like last season with current player Tony Gillespie at defensive tackle and defensive end Tanner Shuck who actually started as a freshman on the state title team in 2003.
This years squad features three sophomores who stepped up to the spotlight right after the season-opening kickoff at Bixby. Gillespie did a good job of clogging the middle last season so his emergence as a budding all-state talent in 2005 is not that surprising.
Two players who were not expected to be premier players last spring, had to answer to the opening bell this season and there are running back Chris Adkins who has rushed for more than the coveted 100 yards in 3 of the Trojans first six games this season and leads the team in touchdowns with 7 scores. Adkins stepped into the starting role replacing senior Renard Johnson who was handed the number 1 spot after last season states title appearance. Afterall, he had several exciting bursts through the line in the playoffs last season as a backup to Freddie Carolina. That had Jenks coaches salivating thinking about Johnson for 2005 . But Johnson decided the grass was greener on the Union side of the ball so he moved to that school district so he could play for the defending state champions.
Then the quarterback situation seemed in good shape with Nick Sidorakis who backed up another all-stater last season in Andrew Brewer. But Sidorakis opted over the summer to concentrate only on basketball, despite being invited to some prestigious quarterback camps over the summer. However; Jenks moved on with incoming senior Jake Strain, who started the first 3 games of 2003 only to be out all last season with injuries. This season Strain had a broken finger that kept him out for the season opener, so coaches inserted sophomore Mark Ginter at quarterback. With Ginther being out of the Springdale game with a concussion, the senior Strain came back as the starter at quarterback. But after a 44-0 beating to nationally-ranked Springdale, Arkansas, coaches felt they needed to go back to Ginther. Thus Strain quit the team. So the quarterback derby was over and even though Ginther showed coaches in the spring workouts that he would challenge for the job, I dont think they knew Ginther would be firing at 70% completion rate, toss for 8 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions through the first 6 games of the season.
Ginther has shown remarkable poise in leading the Trojans back to key district wins over Broken Arrow and highly-ranked Owasso. According to other longtime media high school hacks, its a consensus that Ginther is one of the top 2-3 sophomore qbs in the state.
There have been two quarterbacks who lead Jenks to state titles even though they didnt start the season as the starters. Drifting back to 1993, starter Jarrod Hart was injured in the playoffs which opened the way for Brian Presley to lead the Trojans to a championship win over Edmond. Then in 2001, senior Jeff Hirshberg tore up a knee very late in the season just before the playoffs enabling junior Keith Jones to lead JHS to a title win over Putnam City North.
Back to this season, the Trojans suffered a humbling loss to nationally-ranked Springdale, who according to Coach Trimble had one of the best offenses hes ever seen, have emerged as the top-ranked team in 6A again. So as the Trojans continue with the high ranking, the possible district title (13th in the last 15 seasons), and a possible state championship run into early December, be sure and remember the sophomores Adkins, Gillespie, & Ginther who are assisting as sophomores and continuing yet another Trojan tradition.
Reflections from the Backyard Bowl
After a few days of being asked by HSSTM to reflect on what the Trojans learned about themselves from the Union game, I posed the same question to Coach Allan Trimble.
His impressions were that this team learned to never give up no matter the score (like 17 points down with 6-1/2 minutes left) or the time on the clock (behind by 3 with 18 seconds remaining and 63 yards away).
Trimbles other impressions, This team seems to really enjoy playing and that showed in the Backyard Bowl. It might have been the most physical game Ive ever coached. So I found out this team is pretty tough physically and mentally.
My impressions were that the Trojans improved from game 1 to 2 and hope to improve as the season goes along so that they might meet Union again in the playoffs as they have done the last two seasons and 5 times in the last 7 years.
Senior Jake Strain who engineered the fourth-quarter comeback at quarterback proved he can come in and lead this team and make the big plays and receiver Isaac Norman also showed us that theres another hero in Jenks so move over Kejuan Jones, who made a similar scoring play in 1999 or 2000? To beat Union.
The Jenks comeback also showed me senior Brandon McLaurin can have big games. When the team needed a skill player to make key plays in the fourth quarter, McLaurin was all over the field. He scored the touchdown to start the rally on a brilliant move on the corner freezing the defender. When Union was driving to ice the game, he came from behind the Union runner to strip the ball and pick it up for a fumble recovery and probably would have scored had he not stepped out of bounds. He then later caught a pass on the play before Strain and Normans hookup.
His potential was felt two years ago as a sophomore when he scored a handful of touchdowns from long-range on punt returns, running out of the backfield, and catching the ball in the flat. Last year, however; McLaurin didnt score a td even though he played quite a bit at receiver. So I kept asking myself, Whens he going to have his breakout game? My question was answered at Skelley September 8th. This past Union game was his breakout game.
One of the great phenomenons about the Backyard Bowl is which players will step up and be center-stage? A lot of times they are players who havent grabbed the headlines in the past. And a good reason for that, is that the marquee players on both sides of the ball cancel each other out so that leaves not as well-known players stepping their game up in the Backyard Bowl and state championship games. The past game was a great example on both sides of the field.
There were sure a lot of players to single out on both sides of the ball at Jenks but my vote goes to McLaurin for his much anticipated breakout game.
The Trojans also remember last season when they came from behind to win 17-13 in the regular season only to have Union come from behind to win the ultimate battle 27-17 in December. So they acknowledge that even though it was the most exciting game they may ever participate in and that we will talk about this one for a long, long time
.its a long season and will mean more should they find themselves playing the week of Thanksgiving when the state semi-finals.
The Chase Beeler Story
What do the Jenks Trojans need, to get back on top after coming up short to Union in last
Decembers state title game? Afterall, striving to make the finals for the 9th time in the last ten seasons to capture their 8th gold ball during that span shouldnt require much of an overhaul. Should it? Except the leader of this team will not be an offensive skill player or a standout on defense. But the most experienced and maybe the best leader might be senior offensive lineman Chase Beeler.
Coach Allan Trimble begins his tenth season at the helm and believes Beeler will easily follow in the line of great offensive linemen over the past dozen years who have gone on to great things like Allen Gonzalez who went on to Stanford, Sean Wells who suited up for LSU and had NFL opportunities, and Sean Mahan who matriculated at Notre Dame before settling in the NFL with Tampa Bay.
Beeler will more than likely be the most highly recruited player at Jenks since Rocky Calmus (former OU Sooner all-american now with the Titans). Even though he looks forward to his senior season, Beelers most cherished moment has been winning the state title in 2003, That was amazing! It was so dramatic to come out in the second half and take over the game, especially in the fourth quarter to win it all. Last season in losing to the Redskins though has been the most crushing blow so far. I thought after we won it all, the dynasty was back but to lose in the finals for the first time during this great Jenks run was hard to take. Most teams I would think would be proud, despite the recent successes, of just making it to the state championship game a year ago but Chase says not being satisfied with that silver ball is what makes Jenks
.Jenks, Its no solace at all. We remember and will use that as motivation to get back and correct it this season.
Chases success can not only be found wearing #75 on the field this fall but also being a wearing the emblem that says hes a member of the National Honor Society and the debate team. He thanks his parents for that. His mother, Susan, a former collegiate cross-country runner and now a physical education teacher at Owasso has told her children, Academics are just as important as athletics!
She looks forward to seeing him play in college whether its once or twice a year if far away (Stanford and the Ivy league schools are possibilities) or closer to home.
Its going to be a tough decision but were excited for him. Even though wed like to see him stay close to home, we also know this is can also be a big deal.. a big adventure so make the most of it. She replied.
As his father ponders Chases future his senior year and beyond, he cant help but appreciate where his son has come from with the Jenks youth football program. Darrell Beeler, a newly appointed fire investigator with the Tulsa Fire Department, has been a part of the program for several years as a coach and added, Coach Trimble doesnt nearly get the credit he deserves, not only with the high school program but with the open door policy with the youth coaches. The kids grow up knowing formations and the languange before they join the high school program.
During the Jenks run of 7 state championships in the last nine years, the names of Calmus, the Lohrs, the Mills, the McCoys and others have joined in creating the legacy. Chase though isnt sure his name should join that list. He proclaimed, Im not convinced itll be there with them and even if it is..Im still not sure I belong.
Having covered the Trojan dynasty since the early 90s I assure you Jenks fans will proclaim Chase Beeler as a big part of this wonderful legacy.
The Trimble Tree
The move several years ago to play the Jenks/Union regular season game on Thursday was a brilliant idea as it gives the Backyard Bowl its own identity even though OSU has decided to infringe on the hullabaloo with its contest the same evening at Florida Atlantic.
Usually on this Thursday night in week 2 of the season, the entire state turns its attention to the Jenks/Union game with just as much media coverage coming out of Oklahoma City as our own neighborhood. Did you ever wonder how it came to this much coverage?
Back in 1988, Tulsa Cable (now known as Cox Communications) decided to broadcast a high school game or games of the week. Now these games were shown on a tape-delayed basis on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons. The response was positive from fans and even high school administrators who felt (even taped) tv broadcasts would lessen the gate. The fans loved seeing their schools on television while the teams and administrators realized it was a two-hour commercial for their respective institutions.
Before long, the local tv stations followed suit by producing 15-minute and later 30-minute Friday night highlight shows. Now its evolved into one-hour weekly radio call-in shows for Jenks and Union on SportsRadio 1430 THE BUZZ and tv replay shows each week on cable for several schools. Whats next, a reality show featuring Bill Blankenship helping his wife last spring plan for their son (Calebs) wedding? Or how about Allan Trimble discussing with his wife, Courtney, how he will arrange the batting order on daughter Tylars softball team?
The wattage on this electrical rivalry really took shape though when Cox Cable broadcast the 1994 game at Union. In that game Ron Lancaster was coaching the Trojans. Justin Fuente and Eric Bernard (running back who later played at Texas A&M) guided the Redskins to a 7 point intermission lead. The Trojans came out in the second half before a sold out Union-Tuttle stadium, the first time it was extremely hard to get a ticket, and marched downfield in 13 plays and almost a 7-minute drive to tie the game and then scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to win, 37-30.
It was the game, in my opinion, that really hatched the rivalry as we now know it.
And it occurred to me in looking back that Allan Trimble was an assistant for Lancaster but later followed in 1996 as the head coach. Since Trimble has bloomed from the Lancaster family tree as one of his protégés to become a head coach. How many have fallen into head coaching positions from the Trimble tree?
Seven, actually, have matured into their own head coaching jobs starting with a Lancaster and Trimble understudy, defensive co-ordinator Matt Hennessey, who later was the headmaster at Dodge City, Kansas. He was the founding father of the Legion of Doom defensive system. Trimble recalls the style of Hennessey, Shoot, hes one guy I actually had to slow down instead of firing up. He is definitely the guy who started the great tradition and is responsible for the high expectations of our defense as we know it today.
Next to gain his own head coaching whistle was former offensive co-ordinator Tag Gross who now guides his alma mater, Holland Hall.
Trimble says Gross being a former quarterback was a great student of the game, Tag is very smart and the glass is always half-full with him. He saved me many times from running for the hills. He would always tell me its going to be alright coach.
Antwain Jimmerson has maybe been the most successful from the Trimble tree, having guided Tulsa Washington to the finals one season and the semi-finals a few other times in the past several seasons. The former linebacker coach was spirited according to the current Trojan mentor, Amazing high speed energy with a defensive mentality to go along with it. He always taught his Jenks players if you do one thing well, go to the ball full speed every play and it will all take care of itself
and it did.
Coach Trimble, who will enter his tenth season as head coach, remembers Doug Buckmaster who was at Jenks only one year after coming down from Kansas to tutor the quarterbacks. Following Jenks, Buckmaster then went to NEO A&M as an assistant before becoming a head coach at Carthage, Missouri. Trimble recalls Buckmaster as a great teacher, Doug was great at helping us develop what we have now regarding more receivers on the field and utilizing speed guys in the past like Jason Carter, Blaine Cooper, and Zach Edwards (who are all playing college ball today).
Darren Melton certainly came to Jenks after having been head coach at Metro Christian Academy. In fact, he was honored as Tulsa World Area Coach of the Year in the early 90s, guiding the Patriots that year to a 11-1 mark. Melton later became defensive co-ordinator of the Trojans and was in the middle of the six straight state championships Jenks won from 1996-2001. Melton begins his third year as head coach of the private Tulsa school, Lincoln Christian Academy. And even though he and Trimble dont work the same sidelines anymore, they remain great friends, I threw him into a very tough situation especially after the state title string had already begun and we asked him to learn our system and even though we gave up 55 to Union (losing 55-45 at Jenks) his first year in 98 we came back to win the state championship over the Redskins, 41-28 and a lot of credit needs to go to Coach Melton and how he stayed course with a young defense that season.
Two recent graduates from the Trimble school of coaching are Brad Calip who is now in his first year on Steve Kragthorpes Tulsa staff after coaching Bishop Kelley last season and his successor with the Comets in JJ Tappana, who moves over after reviving the Catoosa team a year ago.
Trimble thinks Calip has a bright future in the college ranks because he can adapt, He is a team player. He is a great offensive coach but we needed somebody to handle the cornerbacks and he did it and did it well. A great people person and with great character that should benefit Coach Kragthorpes staff for a long time.
And Tappana who tutored the linebackers briefly at Jenks. Another great people person who relates very well with the kids and is better than just about anybody Ive seen at adapting to each kids personalities.
So as you can see, what has helped build the Backyard Bowl isnt just two outstanding head coaches like Trimble and Blankenship or the many stars and program players who have had the spotlight shine on them but also coaches who have gone unnoticed at times until they get their shot to plant their own trees.
Trimbles stature reminds me of a very steady tree trunk and so does his coaching resume. And from the names Ive just mentioned, it appears this Trojan tree is getting stronger and bigger.
