Newby praises Manning, Highlanders When you saw the scoreline for MacArthur's game against then-No. 2 Ardmore last week, you might've been surprised.
The Highlanders (6-4) dispatched of the Tigers, 36-7, ending Ardmore's seven-game win streak and shocking the state in the process.
However, some tried to explain away the anomaly, citing the fact the Tigers (8-2) had already sealed the District 5A-1 crown and home field advantage in the playoffs — therefore making it a meaningless game.
Although Ardmore didn't need a win, it was certainly desired. The Tigers rested no starters for the contest, even after quarterback Tero Roberts went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter.
Ardmore coach Josh Newby assured Mac's victory was no fluke.
"I think Mac just played that well," Newby said. "They outcoached us and outplayed us — there's no excuses on the Ardmore Tigers' part. They had a whole lot more of a spirited effort than we did, and I think some of the schemes coach (Brett) Manning chose to run were right on. I think their staff did a really good job."
The Tigers' only other loss this season came in a 28-12 decision to No. 1 Carl Albert — the Highlanders' opponent for the first round of the playoffs.
Newby, having seen both teams up close, said though the Titans 10-0 record might seem intimidating, he wouldn't be surprised to see the Highlanders pull off another monumental upset if they continue playing at a high level.
"I think Carl Albert is incredible," Newby said. "But I think if MacArthur plays like they did versus us, they definitely give themselves a great opportunity to win."
After all, Newby knows all about upsetting the Titans.
He was an assistant coach when 6-4 Ardmore — note the record — shocked the state-championship favorite Carl Albert on the road in the first round of the playoffs in 2011.
The Highlanders have a chance to pull off a similar feat at 7 p.m. Friday night at Jim Harris Stadium in Midwest City.
Felter regaining confidence
Upon climbing aboard the team bus for the ride back to Lawton from Altus two weeks ago, Racer Felter made a vow.
The sophomore quarterback had a rough outing against the Bulldogs, throwing three interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown. If it hadn't been for a defensive holding penalty, he would've thrown two pick-sixes during the contest.
He had a satisfactory performance against Ardmore, though, completing 9 of his first 10 passes on the way to a 126-yard night on 9-of-12 passing. Trey Longacre and Jarious McKnight were his favorite targets, combining for 112 yards on eight receptions.
Manning said it was important for Felter to rebound the way he did.
"He was disappointed in his performance (against Altus)," Manning said. "He wanted to have a good week, and he said that on the bus ride home. He was already over that, and he said, 'I'm going to do better against Ardmore', and that's what he did."
Mac returns to rankings Guess who's back?
After a four-week absence from the Oklahoma High School AP rankings, Mac has returned to the poll as the No. 9 team in Class 5A, receiving 23 points. Points are awarded based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scoring system, meaning a first-place vote earns 10 points, a second-place vote earns 9 points and so on.
Ardmore dropped three spots to No. 5 after its 29-point loss to the Highlanders.
Although he appreciates the respect from the voters, Manning has made it clear he doesn't pay attention to the rankings, and he maintains that position.
"I really don't feel any way about," Manning said. "I understand when you lose a few games, people are going to think you're not very good, and that's fine. Maybe it's better that people think that. We're just trying to concentrate on ourselves and do the best that we can."
Navigating the playoffs
When it comes to the Mac football program, deep playoff runs are simply expected.
The Highlanders have advanced to at least the semifinals in three of the past four years. Overall, the team has made five semifinals appearances (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016) under Manning, advancing to the championship game twice.
"That's always one of our goals — getting to the semifinals," Manning said. "Once you get there, everybody is really good, and it's just a matter of playing well and making plays.
However, Carl Albert stands in the way of yet another run this season.
If Mac were to upset the Titans, getting to the semis wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. The Highlanders would take CA's top-seed status and get to host either Shawnee (7-3) or Claremore (6-4) at Cameron Stadium in the second round, which are both winnable games for Manning's squad.
Likely awaiting Mac in the semis would be No. 4 Altus, which beat the Highlanders in Week 9 at home in a 26-15 contest that was closer than the score indicates. A neutral site could serve to benefit Mac in that scenario.
Manning said he'd love to get another crack at the Bulldogs if things play out that way.
"I think any time you lose a rivalry game, getting a chance to play them again is like a dream come true," Manning said. "If we can get by Carl Albert, I feel good about our chances next week. I think we're continuing to get better. We played our best football last week, and hopefully that will continue."
Regular season stats RUSHING (Car-Yds): Nick Mahan 281-1,623 (25 TD), Racer Felter 122-678 (11 TD), Dashaun Davis 28-120 (TD), Ty Neugebauer 7-38, Jarious McKnight 3-15, Eric Willoughby 1-6, JR Winningham 12-(-13) (TD). TOTAL: 454-2,467 (37 TD).
PASSING (Compl-Att-INT-Yds): Felter 88-155-7-1,468 (10 TD), Winningham 39-73-4-467 (TD), Mahan 0-1-0-0. TOTAL: 127-229-11-1,935 (11 TD).
RECEIVING (Rec-Yds): McKnight 46-842 (6 TD), Trey Longacre 32-440 (3 TD), Mahan 16-208, Tre Currin 17-186 (TD), Ja'Sean Carter 7-180 (TD), Brad Hoskins 7-56, Weston Golson 1-12, Neugebauer 1-11.