2019 still fresh on their minds

Cashion denied Pawhuska its shot at revenge.

Now with the script flipped, the Wildcats will see if they can do some exacting of their own.

Third-ranked Cashion (13-1) will take on No. 1 Ringling (14-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday to determine the 2021 Class A state football champion at UCO’s Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond. (Note: Rankings are from the final Associated Press poll, which were released at the end of the regular season.)

The defending state champion Wildcats are making their third consecutive appearance in the championship game.

“I don’t think people realize what our program has accomplished,” said head coach Lynn Shackelford, who has Cashion in a state title game for the fifth time in eight years.

“I told the guys after the game that reaching the finals three years in a row doesn’t happen very often, especially in Class A where you have to win four games to do it.

“I hope it sinks in at some point. It’s a big deal and should be celebrated.”

Cashion isn’t the twotime defending champ because of its loss in the 2019 championship.

On the same turf - then called Wantland Stadium - an undefeated and topranked Cashion team was knocked off 20-14 by Ringling.

“It hurt then and it still hurts,” Shackelford said.

That was Shackelford’s third loss in a state title game (2014 to Thomas and 2015 to Stratford).

Ringling attempted just seven passes in its 59 snaps. However, six were completed and three went for touchdowns.

Ringling also dominated the time of possession (32:14 of the 48 minutes).

This year’s Blue Devils squad - still coached by Phil Koons - is much the same as the 2019 team that won it and the 2020 squad that lost in the semifinals to Thomas (which Cashion beat in the finals).

“They’re big, they’re physical and they play like they’re mad at everyone,” Shackelford said.

Ringling averages about 230 rushing yards a game and attacks teams by committee.

Kaden Barron averages 72.8 yards a game and has run for 13 TDs.

Senior Coltin Fincher has run for 16 scores and averages nearly 50 yards a game.

Chase Taylor and quarterback Karson Daniel both have more than 250 yards on the season and have combined for 10 TDs.

The difference in this team and 2019’s champions?

“These guys throw it a little better,” Shackelford said.

Daniel has more than 1,700 passing yards with 22 TDs and just two interceptions on the season.

Six different Blue Devils have caught a touchdown pass, six of them more than one.

The Blue Devils average 48.2 points a game and beat foes by nearly 40 points an outing.

The Blue Devils beat their mirror image, Morrison, 13-12 in last week’s semifinal.

That was their lowest offensive output of the season, by far.

Ringling’s second-lowest point total was a 27-12 win against Wayne.

Outstide of those two games, Ringling has scored at least 35 points every game. It’s scored in the 70s twice.

While this year’s Ringling squad isn’t quite as stingy as two years ago (that team went nine consecutive weeks without surrendering a single point during one stretch), it’s still solid.

Last week’s win was the 13th time in 14 games Ringling has given up 13 or fewer points. The lone exception was its 42-32 win against Pawnee in the quarterfinals.

The Blue Devils have five shutouts and have given up eight or fewer points two other times. They give up an average of 8.6 points per game.

Cashion has won 13 straight games since its season-opening loss to Rejoice Christian.

The Wildcats average 39.8 points a contest while giving up 15.6.