Story last updated at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, August 29, 2002

Wolves to entertain Titans at Scrimmage
By FRED FEHR
SNS Staff Writer

Brandon Tyler will be a returning starter at linebacker for the Chandler Lions in the 2002 campaign. Tyler and his Lion teammates will open the season Sept. 6 against Kellyville.

Part two of an extremely difficult five-part pre-district challenge awaits Shawnee's Wolves tonight at Jim Thorpe Stadium.

Coach Brent Whitson's Wolves, who took on perennial contender Ada last Friday, will take a step up tonight by hosting five-time state champion Carl Albert.

The junior-varsity scrimmagee is set for 6:15 with the varsity to follow at 7:30.

Things won't get any easier during the non-district season, beginning with the opener against Guthrie Sept. 6. Shawnee will then travel to Stillwater and Ardmore before opening its district campaign.

"We look on the scrimmage as just another practice, but our kids get excited about it," said Shawnee coach Brent Whitson. "Carl Albert has walked away from football the last five Decembers with state championships."

Whitson said the Titans, coached by Shawnee High School product Gary Rose, were four-deep at tailback.

"They are blessed with good athletes, they are coached so well and they play excellent defense," Whitson said. "All of their defensive kids can run.

"They swarm to the ball. If you have a bunch of slow plodders, you can't swarm to the ball."

Asked if Carl Albert would be the most talented team his squad would face this year, Whitson said, "Carl Albert, McAlester and Ardmore will probably have the most athletic ability of anyone we will face."

Senior starting center Greg Shepherd, who missed the Ada scrimmage with a knee injury, may get to play tonight.

"Greg got a clean MRI and it gave him some impetus mentally," Whitson said. "He's probably about 50-50 for our scrimmage." Admission is $1 or a towel or a VHS.

"I hope everyone comes out to watch," Whitson said. "This is the best football team since I've been here," said the third-year coach. "They are a fun team to coach."

NOTES

The Shawnee seventh grade football squad will conduct an intrasquad scrimmage at 5 p.m. today..... On Friday at 4 p.m, the Shawnee seventh and eighth grade squads will entertain Monroney Junior High at Jim Thorpe Stadium.