Big Game Brett
Aside from the 2014 state title game, this week's game could be the biggest for MacArthur under coach Brett Manning.
The Highlanders (4-3, 3-1 5A-1) meet Duncan at 7 p.m. on Friday night for what could be shape into an impromptu playoff game at Cameron Stadium.
Mac needs only one more win the clinch a playoff berth for the 16th-straight season, but it's not going to be as easy as in years past. The winner of this Fall Break contest could be the final team in the playoffs from District 5A-1.
If the Highlanders were to lose to the Demons, they would be faced with having to knock off either No. 4 Altus or No. 2 Ardmore in the final two weeks.
Manning said his team knows what's at stake, but it can't dwell on the circumstances.
"We talked about the fact that it is an important game, but we want to practice, first of all, as good as we can," Manning said. "We want to give ourselves a great chance, and we want to go into Friday night feeling confident.
"We're going to play the best we can, and hopefully that's good enough. If it's not, we'll load up next week and try to do the same thing."
Luckily for Mac, history is on its side. Manning is 8-1 in playoff-clinching games and 8-0 in Week 8 games.
Knock on wood
The Highlanders enter Friday night with a roster full of healthy players for the second-straight week.
Weston Golson, who has been on the injured reserved for most of the season, returned last week — ending his six-week absence from Mac games.
The junior receiver suffered a groin and hip injury early in the scrimmage against McGuinness on Aug. 17, and he returned for a brief period against Lawton High three weeks later before re aggravating the injury.
He returned against the Spartans last Thursday, catching a pass for 12 yards.
"It's good for him — he's had a really tough year," Manning said. "He's practiced good for a few weeks now, and he's definitely someone who can help us. He's a good athlete and someone we were really counting on early in the season who we had to do without.
"I'm glad to see him back, and hopefully he can get more and more game reps."
Elsewhere, senior lineman Bryce Mahan is recovering from a sprained wrist, but he is expected to play with a soft-shell splint for protection.
Breaking the Fall
Many schools around Southwest Oklahoma have reached the halfway point of the first semester, which means it is time for Fall Break.
Although students and teachers alike enjoy the time off from the classroom, there is no break for the football teams jockeying for a spot in the playoffs. Mac is no different.
The Highlanders are on a strict schedule during the recess, going through practices as if it were a normal week. The team meets at 8 a.m. for a 40-minute film session, followed by on-field practice.
"We got on the field a little before 9 a.m. and had our normal practice, and (Thursday) we'll do the same thing," Manning said. "I try to make it as normal as possible. For everybody's sake, we try to have practice in the morning. No. 1, I want the kids to get up. I don't want them sleeping all day long.
"We get them up and get them moving around so hopefully they can stay on some sort of normal schedule during this week."
Manning said it is nice not having the distractions of school interfere with training. In fact, he said he wishes every week was like this.
"I love football without school," Manning said. "I think that'd be a lot of fun if we could concentrate on football all the time. It allows for more meeting time, and we don't feel as rushed as we normally do when we have school.
"I like preseason practice and I like Fall Break, and hopefully we can practice on Thanksgiving again."
Laying the Hammer down
The Hammer has been an esteemed tradition within the Mac program for eight seasons now, and Matt Woods joined the illustrious list of holders this week.
The junior led the Highlanders with 8.5 tackles against Southeast, recording 1.5 sacks in the process.
Manning said Woods has been a pleasant surprise at the defensive end position this year.
"He's worked his way into a starting role and was our leading tackler last week," Manning said. "He's done a great job, and we're expecting big things out of him this week — he moved from Duncan last year."