Texas all-time passing leader to play in Oil Bowl

Nick Gholson, Times Record News

Graham Harrell, the most prolific passer in Texas high school football history, has accepted an invitation to play in the 67th annual Oil Bowl game.
The Ennis quarterback threw for 12,532 yards and 167 touchdowns in the three years he started for the Lions. In his senior year, Harrell passed for 4,825 yards and 67 touchdowns.
The two-time Class 4A offensive player of the year, 41-3 as Ennis' starting quarterback, signed to play for Texas Tech.
But first, he will lead the Texas all-stars against their counterparts from Oklahoma in the Maskat Shrine Temple charity game June 19 in Memorial Stadium.
Harrell is one of four Tech signees on the Texas Oil Bowl roster. Joining him will be Sherman center Josh Aleman, Everman defensive tackle Brian Jones and Gainesville cornerback Darcel McBath.
The University of Texas also has four of its signees on that roster, including two top guns off the Lake Highlands' defense - linebacker Jeremy Campbell and 6-5, 295-pound tackle Franklin Okam. Adam Ulatoski, a 6-6, 290-pound offensive tackle from Southlake Carroll, and Greg Dolan, a 6-7, 285-pound defensive tackle from Austin Westwood are the two other future Longhorns who have committed to the Oil Bowl.
Five Wichita Falls area players will be on the Texas roster - Tommy Henderson of Wichita Falls High School, Joe Mike Fouts of Holliday, Brandon Monroe of Electra, Chad Green of Windthorst and Matthew Manley of Childress.
Texas owns a 41-16-1 edge in the series, but Oklahoma won 24-21 last year and will be going for two straight with a roster that includes 14 players who have also been chosen for the state's All-State game.
Oil Bowl notes: Sean McGrath, a senior at Rider High School, has been selected to be an all-star trainer in this year's game.
? Ten of the teams in the Big 12 Conference will be represented in the game. The only two Big 12 teams without a player in the game are Kansas and Kansas State.
? Six Lone Star Conference teams will have players in the game -- Midwestern State, West Texas A&M, Eastern New Mexico, Northeastern State, Central Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma State.
? Tulsa Union is the most represented high school with four players from the 2003 Class 6A runner-up on the Oklahoma roster. One of those is Adam Blankenship -- the third Blankenship brother to play in the Oil Bowl. Josh and Caleb Blankenship both played in previous games, and their dad, Bill Blakenship - the head coach at Union - has also coached in the game.
? Southlake Carroll is the next most represented school in the game with three players.
? Coaches at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M should really be interested in this game. The junior college in Miami, Okla., has 11 players on the Oklahoma roster.
Sports Editor Nick Gholson can be reached before 4 p.m. weekdays by calling (940) 720-3447 or 1-800-627-1646 (ext. 447). Or you can e-mail him at gholsonn(at)timesrecordnews.com