LC poses stiffest of challenges for KHS in quarters

Kingfisher’s first round playoff win at Lone Grove last Friday advanced the Jackets to the quarterfinal round of the Class 3A playoffs.

They’ll do so against a familiar foe, but one they haven’t had any success against.

KHS travels to Tulsa Friday to take on top-ranked Lincoln Christian.

The Bulldogs are the two-time defending state champions and are 11-0 this season.

It only gets worse from there.

“When I watched film last year, I thought Sulphur was pretty much the best team any of my teams had ever gone up against,” KHS head coach Reagan Roof said.

“I think this Lincoln Christian team is even better.”

That Sulphur team beat KHS 66-0 in the first round of the playoffs and ultimately lost 28-27 to Lincoln Christian in the state championship.

The 2025 version of the Bulldogs - by all accounts is better than the ones that won titles in 2023 or 2024.

“I didn’t believe it at first,” Roof said. “But after watching their film, I’m convinced.”

The Bulldogs have outscored foes 592-42 this season, an average of 53.8 to 3.8 per game.

A majority of those points surrendered - 33 came against Shiloh Christian, the defending Class 6A state champ from Arkansas that’s currently ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in that class depending on the poll.

In Lincoln Christian’s other 10 games, it has given up a total of nine points.

Six of those came to Heritage Hall in a 29-point win in Week 2 and three came against Muldrow.

Those three points were the only ones given up by Lincoln Christian in its seven district games.

The Bulldogs pitched six shutouts in those contests and have eight overall, including 56-0 against Jay in the opening round of the playoffs last week.

The offense isn’t shabby, either.

Senior QB Carter Ricke has thrown for 2,548 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Braeden Baker has run for 88 yards and 20 scores, but is one of just several running weapons for an offense that averages 270 yards on the ground.

And, said Roof, the Bulldogs take nothing for granted.

“They play as hard as any team I’ve seen,” he said. “Their motors never stop running.”

This is Kingfisher’s third trip to Dennis Byrd Field for the quarterfinals.

The Jackets were defeated 55-14 in 2019, a season that saw the Bulldogs go on to win their second state title.

KHS returned in 2022 and was dealt a 48-12 defeat.

The teams first met in the 2009 Class 2A state championship game. Lincoln Christian won its first of four overall titles in that game, 35-0.

This year’s challenge is as tough as any of those previous teams against Lincoln Christian.

“They’re obviously really talented and play really hard,” Roof said. “They don’t really show any weaknesses.”