Lawton High football coach Ryan Breeze met with The Lawton Constitution’s Kevin Green on Tuesday ahead of the Wolverines’ Friday matchup with city rival Eisenhower at Cameron Stadium.
A win would earn LHS its second-straight city championship.
Breeze talked about the post-800 wins celebration, the return of Antonio Perkins, post-practice popsicles and Eric Wiley’s progression at quarterback.
Week 2 debrief
Although LHS lost to Altus in Week 1, adjustments were a primary strength for the Wolverines.
They proved that again in Week 2 against MacArthur, storming back from 11 down in the fourth quarter to steal a 41-32 win. Chateau Reed, a move-in from Alaska, sealed the win when he intercepted Mac quarterback Racer Felter at the goal line and returned the ball 100 yards for a walk-off touchdown.
Breeze said it was payback for the Highlanders defeating the Wolverines on the final play of the game in 2016.
“I just suspected he would go out of bounds, but then he cleared,” Breeze said. “The only kid who had the angle was Felter, and he pulled away from Felter. That was an unreal feeling. You’re on the edge of your seat right there on the last play, and two years ago, they beat us on the last play. It was a neat, neat situation and a fun feeling.”
The win also earned LHS its 800th win in school history, the most of any team in Oklahoma.
Breeze said he allows 24 hours for sulking after a loss and 24 hours for celebration after a win, and the team took advantage of the latter following the historic milestone.
“We had a little dance off between the coaches and the kids, and it was a lot of fun,” Breeze said. “We had some music blaring, kids were dancing and they had a great time. It was a fun, fun atmosphere. We don’t care who we beat — if we get a W, we want to celebrate, and that’s something we’re always going to do.
“By the time I got to the bus, I had like 75 text messages telling me congrats, good job, big win, great comeback. (My friends and family) were pretty fired up.”
Rivalry festivities
There is a lot to look forward to this week if you’re a Wolverines fan.
The game against Eisenhower is always a much-anticipated, and in fact, the rivalry is getting some love at the national level this year.
The Great American Rivalry Series selected LHS-Ike to showcase as one of the country’s top rivalries, and it will provide coverage in a variety of ways, from photographs to video clips.
The company will also reward the top senior from each school with the Rivalry Student-Athlete Scholarship Award, and the host school will receive a donation to their athletic department.
Antonio Perkins, a former standout player for both LHS and the University of Oklahoma, will be honored as the All-Time Great of the rivalry as a part of the of the festivities.
Breeze played with Perkins during his time as a Wolverine, connecting for many touchdowns back in the late 1990s.
“He really made me look good,” Breeze said.
Post-practice popsicles
After every Tuesday practice, a frozen treat awaits the players when they come off the field.
Serving popsicles became a tradition years ago, and though the creator has since passed away, the practice has lived on.
“Randy Curry bought them, and he comes out and watches practice,” Breeze said. “He’s as good a man as there is. David Stanley’s dad started doing it – he'd get popsicles every Tuesday. When he passed away, Mr. Curry wanted to continue it. My uncle Mike buys them, too, so now we get popsicles two times a week.”
Wiley making strides
Quarterback Eric Wiley seemingly showed struggles completing passes against Altus and Mac, but Breeze said the numbers can be misleading.
Through two games, Wiley has thrown for 274 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions on 17-of-44 passing (38.6 percent).
“I know the numbers weren’t great statistically as far as completions go, but he had eight drops,” Breeze said of Wiley’s performance against Mac. “We have to do a better job making catches. So at practice, we throw it and throw it and throw it. (Tuesday), we did nothing but have the quarterback take a five-step drop, and the receiver catches it and runs up field. We did that for the first five minutes of practice, and it’s a drill we stole from Mike Leach. That’s the first thing he does every day.”