Oklahoma football playoffs: Del City downs Claremore to reach 5A championship game

Eagles take care of business in 34-13 win to stay undefeated

NOBLE, OKLAHOMA – It very easily could have been a trap game. 

One step away from playing for a state title and a possible rematch with defending champion Midwest City Carl Albert on the horizon, Del City could have overlooked Claremore and found themselves in a dogfight during Friday’s 5A semifinals.

But that is not what happened. The Eagles came into the game looking to take care of business as they put away the Zebras, 34-13, at Noble Stadium.

The victory clinched a spot for Del City in next week’s 5A state title game against the winner of Carl Albert and Bishop McGuinness, who plays later Friday night at Noble.

“It goes back to last week,” Del City quarterback River Warren said, referring to the Eagles' dominant quarterfinal win against Guthrie. “I think we played really tough last week. It carried on to this week; we have one more.”

After losing in the quarterfinal round in 2022, Del City coach Robert Jones tried to make sure his team came into the contest with Claremore prepared and focused only on the team in front of them. But coming off that Guthrie win, Jones and his coaching staff had to go into overdrive to make sure his team kept their eyes on the Zebras, who in their quarterfinal game knocked off previously undefeated Elgin.

“It was tough,” Jones said. “You could sense it all week. Especially after that big win over Guthrie. We could kind of sense our guys being complacent. Kind of overlooking them.

"So, we just had a physical week of practice and it was really tough on them on the psychological part. Kids are going to be kids and it felt complacent. It wasn’t the same intensity we had last week. Hopefully, we get back to that intensity we had last week.”

It didn’t take long for the Eagles (12-0) to show they were not in the overlooking mode. On the opening drive of the game, Warren connected with TCU commit LaDainian Fields on a 30-yard touchdown pass.

Jones liked the play so much that he went right back to the combination on the next possession. With Claremore (11-2) choosing to single-cover Fields, it was the same outcome as Fields scored and put Del City up, 14-0.

“I was just finding the holes and seeing the triangle,” Fields said. “Just find the triangle and try to predict what they are going to run. It’s a lot of film. I already knew what they were going to run.”

The Zebras didn’t have the same luck as they got off to an omniscient start. On a third-and-long, quarterback Braxton Etheridge dropped back to pass while looking downfield.

However, he didn’t see the Eagles' Ricklan Holmes coming on a blitz and Holmes hammered the senior signal caller.

Del City's Ricklan Holmes (top) delivers a sack during the Eagles' Class 5A semifinal win against Claremore on Nov. 24, 2023

Ethridge stayed on the ground for a few minutes and had to be helped off the field. He returned on the Zebras' next drive, but the Eagles' message had already been sent.

“It felt great,” Holmes said. “I saw it. My coach called (the play). I was like “Oh, it’s my time to shine.’ Let’s go set the tone. Let’s go make a statement.

"I saw him and the edge was open. I saw the quarterback and I knew what it was after that. It felt great. I knew I had set the tone for the game.”

Second-quarter touchdown runs from Braelon Adamah and Rodney Fields gave Del City a 27-7 lead at halftime.

Del City slowed down in the second half on offense. Besides LaDainian Fields adding his third touchdown of the day, they were shut out.

But it didn’t matter, as Del City’s defense never allowed the Zebras to get into the game. Ethridge threw a touchdown pass to Gage Deckard as time expired, but the Eagles were already on the field celebrating before the final gun sounded.

“We planned to be physical and we planned to be disciplined. That’s what we did,” Holmes said. 

-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK