Southwest Showcase: Oklahoma vs. Texas high school football border wars

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The idea of Texas and Oklahoma teams competing for football bragging rights has trickled down to the high school level. The Red River Rivalry tag has been taken by the annual October Texas-Oklahoma grudge match in the Cotton Bowl. The Southwest Showcase is the title being used for Saturday’s doubleheader featuring top Texas and Oklahoma high school football teams at Pennington Field in Bedford, Texas.

Two of Oklahoma’s traditionally strong Tulsa-area programs – Jenks and Tulsa Union –are traveling down to Bedford to play non-district games against DeSoto and Euless Trinity. The teams will reverse the site and opponents in 2013.

Jenks (Okla.) vs. DeSoto (Texas)

Bedford’s Pennington Field, 4 p.m.

Jenks, a 12-time state champion and perennially strong program, lost to Union, 14-7, in last week’s annual “Backyard Bowl” rivalry game. The Trojans are expected to

Wide receiver Jordan Smallwood, a 6-2, 190 senior who had 50 catches for 726 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011, is Jenks’ marquee offensive player. He also looms as a dangerous rushing weapon, averaging a first down every time he runs a reverse. Quarterback Kyle Alexander and running back Trey'Vonne Barr'e are also keys. Linebacker Trent Taber is the Trojans’ defensive leader.

DeSoto produced an eye-popping 492 yards of offense against a very good Arlington Martin team in the Eagles’ 37-14 Zero Week win.

DeSoto quarterback Desmon White and running back Dontre Wilson put on a show against Martin, combining for 441 total yards and all five Eagles touchdowns.

Wilson, an Oregon commit and member of VYPE DFW’s 200 Game Changers and All-VYPE Preseason Power Team, also returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown last week.

The DeSoto defense shutout Martin in the second half, limiting the Warriors to 201 offensive yards.

The Eagles appeared among teams “On The Verge” in this week’s VYPE National High School Football Rankings.

Jenks coach Allan Trimble to the Tulsa World his team is looking forward to the challenge of playing top-level competition to get ready for the district schedule and playoffs.

"DeSoto is really fast," Trimble said. "It's going to be a humdinger."

Tulsa Union (Okla.) vs. Euless Trinity (Texas)

Bedford’s Pennington Field, 8 p.m.

Union has won four straight Oklahoma 6A state championships and is favored for a fifth in 2012. The Redskins are currently ranked No. 1 among Oklahoma 6A schools and No. 10 in VYPE’s National High School Football Rankings.

The Union offense is led by quarterback Hunter Atyia, a 5-10, 165 senior who completed 137-of-199 passes for 1,668 yards and 14 TDs in 2011. He throws to a receiving corps that includes Tulsa commits Chris Hall and Khalid Kornegay. Senior defensive end Dalton Rodriguez (6-6, 255) – an Oklahoma commit – applies pressure on defense. College prospect Blake Mejia anchors the Union offensive line.

Euless Trinity, which fell from No. 24 spot in last week’s VYPE National High School Football Rankings after losing a tight 31-24 overtime battle with nationally ranked Bellevue, Wash, has a shot at national redemption with a win over Union. Trinity hasn’t started 0-2 since 2004.

Trinity coach Steve Lineweaver told The Dallas Morning News Thursday that he didn’t know whether quarterback Matt Hawkins would be ready to play against Union. Hawkins was injured late in the fthe loss to Bellevue

Hawkins became dizzy after a hit late in the fourth quarter of the Trojans’ game against Bellevue (Wash.) and was left out of the overtime period. Sophomore backup Christian Hammock was forced into action and threw the game-ending interception.

“Matt’s doing well considering the wallop he took,” Lineweaver said. “It’s still undecided. He hasn’t practiced this week, except he just did some live stuff yesterday as part of following what the doctor said.”

Union coach Kirk Fridrich told the Tulsa World why he likes to schedule nationally prominent teams even if they’re out of state.

"It's almost impossible to rank teams nationally," Fridrich said. "But I know that recognition is important to our program and our kids. You have to play games against out-of-state teams to be ranked."

Go to VYPE Oklahoma for more news on Tulsa Union and Jenks football.

Go to VYPE DFW for more news on DeSoto and Euless Trinity football.