Nov. 28, the day after Thanksgiving, the Irish traveled to Noble for a semifinal rematch with the only team that defeated them during the regular season: the Lawton MacArthur Highlanders. This time, the Irish controlled the second half, winning 61–28 and punching their ticket for the Class 5A State Championship game.
The first half was a heavy exchange, with neither team backing down. At halftime, McGuinness held a close 28–21 lead, leaving the win still up for grabs.
“We basically told them to relax and do their jobs,” Defensive Coordinator Tyler Cunningham said. “We weren’t executing the way we needed to in the first half, but once we made a small adjustment and the guys settled in, everything aligned. That third quarter was one of the best defensive performances we’ve had in a long time.”
Everything changed in the third quarter. On the opening drive of the half, senior running back DreAndre Bruton broke free for a 59-yard touchdown, igniting the Irish sideline and instantly flipping the tone of the game.
“When I broke that run, what went through my mind was, ‘We finally did it. We got our get back with Lawton Mac,’” senior running back DreAndre Bruton said. “That was the moment everything flipped.”
From there, McGuinness took full command. The defense shut out Lawton MacArthur for the entire third quarter, while the offense scored five consecutive touchdowns to close the night.
“I feel like the defense finally turned it on,” senior safety/receiver Hudson Akin said. “We scored 28 unanswered in the third quarter, and they didn’t score again until our second-team defense was in. It was basically a scoreless second half.”
Despite cold November temperatures, freezing rain and wind sweeping across the field, Irish fans packed the visiting bleachers. Students, families and alumni wrapped in their ugly Christmas sweaters and blankets, traveled through the Thanksgiving weekend to support the team. Former players from recent seasons also showed up to cheer, creating one of the most energized playoff environments McGuinness had seen.
“They feed off the energy of the crowd, and so do the coaches,” Cunningham said. “When the stands are packed and people are loud, it gives the players adrenaline. It absolutely makes a difference.”
For the seniors, the moment is historic. This is the first time since 2020 that the Irish have advanced to the State finals. The program’s last State-Championship win came in 2007, marking a potential opportunity to end an 18-year drought.
“It feels amazing,” Bruton said.
Akin mirrored this sentiment.
“It’s something you dream of,” Akin said. “It means everything to have this chance.”
McGuinness, now 12–1, will face defending champion Carl Albert at 12 p.m. Dec. 6 at the University of Central Oklahoma. Carl Albert advanced through the opposite side of the bracket with wins over McAlester and Newcastle, entering the championship with one of the state’s most efficient offenses.
With a dominant second half and momentum carrying them into December, the Irish enter championship week confident and hungry to finish what they’ve built all season.
“Carl Albert is one of the best programs in the state, and we know we’ll have to play really well,” Head Coach Ryan Stringer said. “But our guys aren’t intimidated. Nobody is picking us to win, and we like that. We’re loose, we’re confident, and we’re ready to let it fly.
