Comets close season 11-1
Photo Credit: Liz Dewell
Denise McArthur
December 16, 2009
Filed under Sports, Top Stories
Not many people outside the Kelley football program believed that this year would be a success, but inside, coaches and players believed that this season would be something special. The Comet football team began the season ranked 10th, before becoming number one for eight straight weeks after beating the number one team Booker T. Washington 28-14 in the fourth week of the season. With the Comets not having an undefeated season since 1980, they turned their luck around as the team was ranked number one going into the playoffs. The Comets had not won a playoff game since 2004, but the team broke that curse and shut out Ada 25-0 in the first round.
With already beating Class 5A powers Booker T. Washington and Bixby in an 11-0 start, the Comets faced the Carl Albert Titans on November 20 at Prassa Field. With the Titans winning eight of the last 13 state championships, the boys were faced with a huge challenge.
Although the Comets scored twice in the final 8:45 to force a 21-21 tie and send the game into overtime, the outcome was not in Kelley’s favor.
“We knew they were a solid team and that it would be a good game, but we gave it our all,” senior linebacker Connor Kach said.
With a holding penalty and delay of game, the double overtime was going to be hard to win after being backed up to the Titan 21 yard line. Even with the two late fourth-quarter touchdowns, the Comets fell to No. 6 Carl Albert 34-31 on a 1-yard run from the Carl Albert quarterback J.T. Realmuto in double overtime.
“It’s not the way the season should have ended,” senior strong safety Ray Wolber said.
In head coach J.J. Tappana’s opinion, that playoff game was the state championship. It certainly ended up being more intense considering the Titans demolished Bixby to win state 21-7. Kelley beat Bixby in regular season play 21-17, proving that the Comets could have made it to the state championship if different playoff brackets were chosen.
The season may have come to an abrupt end, but “this was one of the tightest teams we have ever had,” offensive coordinator Brandon Birks said.
This group of guys learned much more than how to be a successful team.
“I learned that I could count on all of my bros to help me out and that we all need somebody to lean on,” senior free safety Tate Byers said.
“It is refreshing to see a group of kids come out everyday willing to practice which definitely showed on Friday nights,” Birks said.
“From the beginning of offseason in January, the goal of the year was to just play as long as you can,” Tappana said.
With the Comets ranked 19 in the Southwest region by ESPN, the team definitely showed that they could withstand the test of time. With the Comets strong defense only allowing 9.2 points per game, they were hard to beat. Having two Tulsa World Athletes of the Week on the team added to the success of the offense. Seniors Joe Dowdell and Stephen Sherwood were vital players when it came time to score. Dowdell broke the school’s career touchdown receptions, while Sherwood’s game plan was to run like a bull. The offense came together thanks to senior quarterback Jack Cameron who, after being injured most of his junior year, recovered and kept the Comets alive in the final seconds of many close games this season.
A consistent coaching staff added to the success of this season. With this senior class being only the second group to have Coach Tappana all four year of high school, the coaches only added fuel to the fire.
“All that these boys know is how I coach and how I run my program, consistency has a lot to do with it,” Tappana said.
Although the Comets have reached the playoffs 11 consecutive seasons, “we changed perceptions,” offensive line Coach Eric Roepke said. “We weren’t just settling for the playoffs and to be a good team, but that we really belonged with the elite programs. This year’s team has definitely raised the level of expectations for the upcoming years.”
“This year has been the perfect journey,” Byers said.
With beating the three big rivals: Booker T. Washington, Bishop McGuiness, and Bixby, being District Champions, and making it to the second round of playoffs, Birks explains his feelings about the team and all of the success best when he says, “I am proud.”