High School Soccer playoff preview (2024)

Correction

A Tuesday Tulsa World sports story listed the wrong school as handing the Jenks girls soccer team their only loss this season. Edmond North is the only team to defeat the Trojans this season.

Class 6A boys

Defending champion: Norman North

Team to beat: Edmond North

The 11-2 Huskies have won eight in a row and have avenged one of those losses (by Putnam City North). Edmond North reached last year's semifinals only to lose in a double overtime thriller to Union.

Local teams to watch: No. 2 Jenks (10-2-1) owns a win over No. 1 Edmond North and must be taken seriously. ... Owasso, Broken Arrow and Union could also make a deep playoff run and not much separates that trio.

Playoff glance

Tuesday's first-round matches: Westmoore at Edmond North, Edmond Santa Fe at Edmond Memorial, Bishop Kelley at Jenks, Union at Broken Arrow, Enid at Owasso, Bartlesville at Bixby, Yukon at Norman North, Bishop McGuinness at Norman.

Friday's quarterfinal matches: Westmoore-Edmond North winner vs. Edmond Santa Fe-Edmond Memorial winner; Bishop Kelley-Jenks winner vs. Union-Broken Arrow winner; Enid-Owasso winner vs. Bartlesville-Bixby winner; Yukon-Norman North winner vs. Bishop McGuinness-Norman winner.

May 7: Semifinals

May 11: Championship, Broken Arrow High School, 3 p.m.

Class 5A boys

Defending champion: OKC Northwest

Team to beat: OKC Heritage Hall

The 13-0, No. 3 Chargers own seven shutouts and have given up just seven goals this season. No. 4 Western Heights (12-0) is the only other undefeated squad.

Local teams to watch: No. 1 East Central (10-3), No. 2 Edison (12-1) or No. 5 B.T. Washington (8-2) could make a deep run. One of East Central's losses was to Washington. Washington also beat a good Edmond Deer Creek club this season.

Playoff glance

Tuesday's first-round matches: El Reno at OKC Heritage Hall, OKC Capitol Hill at Lawton MacArthur, Tahlequah at East Central, Cascia Hall at Coweta, Claremore at B.T. Washington, Memorial at Edison, Guymon at OKC Western Heights, Chickasha at OKC Northwest.

Friday's quarterfinal matches: El Reno-OKC Heritage Hall winner vs. OKC Capitol Hill-Lawton MacArthur winner; Tahlequah-East Central winner vs. Cascia Hall-Coweta winner; Claremore-B.T. Washington winner vs. Memorial-Edison winner; Guymon-OKC Western Heights winner vs. Chickasha-OKC Northwest winner.

May 7: Semifinals

May 10: Championship, University of Tulsa soccer field, 8 p.m.

Class 4A boys

Defending champion: OKC St. Mary

Team to beat: Poteau

The No. 1 Pirates (12-1) have not lost to an Oklahoma school this season. Poteau's lone defeat came from Fort Smith, Ark., Northside 2-0. The Pirates have scored 86 goals this season.

Poteau reached the state semifinals last year and lost a 1-0 shootout to eventual champion St. Mary. St. Maryhas been eliminated, but last year's runner-up, Santa Fe South (10-3), should be a contender.

Local teams to watch: No. 3 Oologah (12-1) won its district and No. 7 Victory Christian (11-2) has a young and hungry team fresh off the school's first district crown.

Playoff glance

Tuesday's first-round matches: OKC Classen at Woodward, Clinton at Santa Fe South, Miami at Catoosa, Fort Gibson at Victory Christian, Stilwell at Oologah, Verdigris at Poteau, Newcastle at OKC Southeast, Bethany at Cache.

Friday's quarterfinal matches: OKC Classen-Woodward winner vs. Clinton-Santa Fe South winner; Miami-Catoosa winner vs. Fort Gibson-Victory Christian winner; Stilwell-Oologah winner vs. Verdigris-Poteau winner; Newcastle-OKC Southeast winner vs. Bethany-Cache winner.

May 7: Semifinals

May 11: Championship, University of Tulsa soccer field, 8 p.m.

Class 6A girls

Defending champion: Bishop Kelley

Team to beat: Bishop Kelley

The No. 1 Comets (12-1) have made a habit of winning state soccer championships, winning 13 of the last 14. Kelley moved up to 6A last year and still managed to perform on a high level.

The secret to the Comets' success is simple. They are a team. From goalkeeper to forward there is very little drop in talent.

Kelley is led by six Division I signees (Claire Kelley, Arkansas; Kaela Little, Notre Dame; Katie Sprouse, Clemson; Darienne Chapman, Tulsa; Kirstie Wilburn, Oral Roberts) and one Division III signee (Erin McIntosh, Wisconsin-Whitewater). The team has 10 shutouts this season and has not lost to an Oklahoma team in two years.

Local teams to watch: No. 2 Jenks (12-1) has only lost to Edmond North and has a prolific scorer in Texas A&M-bound Liz Keester, who rewrote the career goals record for the Trojans this season. No. 4 Union (10-3) has played tough without the services of injured leader Anna Beffer.

Playoff glance

Tuesday's first-round matches: Bishop McGuinness at Edmond North, Putnam City North at Edmond Memorial, Bartlesville at Jenks, Ponca City at Broken Arrow, Bixby at Bishop Kelley, Owasso at Union, Southmoore at Norman North, Mustang at Norman.

Friday's quarterfinal matches: Bishop McGuinness-Edmond North winner vs. Putnam City North-Edmond Memorial winner; Bartlesville-Jenks winner vs. Ponca City-Broken Arrow winner; Bixby-Bishop Kelley winner vs. Owasso-Union winner; Southmoore-Norman North winner vs. Mustang-Norman winner.

May 7: Semifinals

May 11: Championship, Broken Arrow High School, 1 p.m.

Class 5A girls

Defending champion: Edmond Deer Creek

Team to beat: No. 2 Edmond Deer Creek (10-3) has not lost to a 5A school all season. Two of the Antlers' three losses came in the rugged Heart of America tournament in Kansas City. The other loss came from 6A's Edmond Memorial to open the season.

Local teams to watch: No. 2 Edison is 12-1 and has been beaten by No. 3 Claremore (11-2), but the Eagles got revenge with a 1-0 overtime win at Claremore to end the regular season and win the district title.

No. 5 B.T. Washington (9-4), No. 9 Pryor (6-3) and No. 11 Cascia Hall (7-3) could advance far, too. However, Cascia Hall and Pryor must face each other in the first round. Carlie Cook leads Cascia Hall with 12 goals.

Playoff glance

Tuesday's first-round matches: Lawton MacArthur at Edmond Deer Creek, OKC Heritage Hall at Chickasha, Metro Christian at Edison, Cascia Hall at Pryor, Skiatook at B.T. Washington, Coweta at Claremore, OKC Northwest at Noble, Durant at Carl Albert.

Friday's quarterfinal matches: Lawton MacArthur-Edmond Deer Creek winner vs. OKC Heritage Hall-Chickasha winner; Metro Christian-Edison winner vs. Cascia Hall-Pryor winner; Skiatook-B.T. Washington winner vs. Coweta-Claremore winner; OKC Northwest-Noble winner vs. Durant-Carl Albert winner.

May 7: Semifinals

May 10: Championship, University of Tulsa soccer field, 6 p.m.

Class 4A girls

Defending champion: Verdigris

Team to beat: Verdigris

The Cardinals are 9-3-1 but have not lost to a 4A squad this season. Verdigris has scored 35 goals in the last 10 games.

Local teams to watch: No. 2 Fort Gibson (9-1), No. 3 Catoosa (11-3), No. 4 Claremore Sequoyah (9-4) and No. 8 Glenpool (10-3) are capable of advancing far into the playoffs.

Playoff glance

Tuesday's first-round matches: OKC Classen at Elk City, Newcastle at Harrah, Mannford at Claremore Sequoyah, Stilwell at Verdigris, Catoosa at Glenpool, Wagoner at Fort Gibson, Weatherford at Piedmont, Bethany at Cache.

Friday's quarterfinal matches: OKC Classen-Elk City winner vs. Newcastle-Harrah winner; Mannford-Claremore Sequoyah winner vs. Stilwell-Verdigris winner; Catoosa-Glenpool winner vs. Wagoner-Fort Gibson winner; Weatherford-Piedmont winner vs. Bethany-Cache winner.

May 7: Semifinals

May 11: Championship, University of Tulsa soccer field, 6 p.m.