It’s Kay County Bedlam week.Tonkawa’s football Bucs host the Newkirk Tigers at 7 p.m. this Friday. And “they’ll be a handful,” Buc Head Coach Mike Kirtleysaid this week. Offensively, the Tigers will run from a spread. “Their trigger man is really good and can go the distance at any time. They have a big and physical line,” Kirtley said. “They look a lot like Chisholm.”Defensively, Newkirk will be multiple with both 3 and 4 fronts. In the final pre-season scrimmage vs. Chisholm last Thursday night, “We didn’t get off to as fast a start as we wanted, but when we did, we did good. We passed the ball well and ran good,” Kirtley said, “We just have to get rid of the turnovers.”Defensively, other than the two “long scoring plays, we played pretty good,” the head coach concluded.Newkirk is picked fourth in District 2A-1. Perry is 5th and Blackwell 8th.Tonkawa won last year’s meeting 28-6. The Tigers were 6-5 on the season a year ago and barely missed advancing in the playoffs as they pushed a heavily favored Jones team before losing 21-20. The Bucs were 10-2 in 2022.Tonkawa will open with threee straight 2A clubs -- Newkirk here this Friday, then at Perry Sept. 8 and at Blackwell Sept. 15.The Bucs open District A-5 play Friday, Sept. 22, hosting Chouteau. Kirtley said he expects this year’s league race to be even tougher. “All of the teams in our league are much improved,” he said.In the Oklahoman’s coaches poll, Woodland is picked first, Hominy second and a tie for third between Tonkawa and Pawnee.In the Pigskin Preview, Hominy is picked first, Tonkawa second, Woodland third and Morrison fourth.
