WARR ACRES – Putnam City and Yukon provided plenty of turnovers, miscues and pre-snap penalties Friday (Aug. 30), but the Pirates bore the brunt of their mistakes in a 26-16 loss to the Millers in the season opener for both teams.

“We can’t make those type of mistakes and expect to win a football game,” Putnam City coach Willis Alexander said. “We got to clean those things up.”

The miscues started in the first quarter with pre-snap penalties on both teams. At the 3:29 mark, the snap sailed over the head of Yukon punter Jonathan Haxton. The ball rolled in and out of the end zone for safety, giving PC a 2-0 lead.

After a punt backed the Pirates up to their own 6-yard line just before the end of the first quarter, junior quarterback Josh Lombard was sacked in the end zone on the first play of the second quarter. The dueling safeties tied the game at 2-2.

After the Millers got the ball due to the safety, senior Michael Exum picked off Yukon quarterback Carter Creach.

On the next possession, Lombard was intercepted as Yukon linebacker Keller Troxell stepped in front of Pirate junior Visanio Boyd, Jr. Troxell scored after a 48-yard return to give the Millers a 9-2 lead with 10:09 left before halftime.

The Pirates made a change at quarterback with sophomore Denymm Friday replacing Lombard. Friday found junior Savion James across the middle for a 74-yard touchdown reception and the Pirates tied the game at 9-9 with 8:25 in the second quarter.

Putnam City took the lead at the 6:25 mark on a 57-yard punt return from sophomore Gabriel Osborne. After catching the ball near the middle of the field, Osborne eluded Yukon defenders and headed towards the Putnam City sideline. As the Millers pursued him near the sideline boundary, Osborne cut back and outran everyone else for the score.

Later in the quarter, Osborne ran another punt back for a score after the next Yukon possession but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Millers offense new life.

Yukon moved the football before halftime but the Pirate defense forced turnovers and turned away the Millers.

The Putnam City offense struggled to finish drives in the second half as mistakes mounted. The Millers took to the ground to take the lead.

Miller junior Destry Lujan, who had been effective in short-yardage situations scored on a 15-yard run with 9:50 left in the third quarter.

Yukon senior kick Jairo Diaz adde a 25-yard field goal with 9:56 left in the game.

Finally, senior Logan McKenzie broke free on an up-the-middle run for 39 yards and the clinching score with 3:56 left in the game.

Putnam City drove down into Yukon territory late in the game but the drive fizzled as time ran out.

Despite the loss, Alexander knows the season is young.

“The good thing about it is all our goals are still in front of us and everything. Hey, this was a measure stick that I think we needed.”

Alexander said his squad struggled with pre-snap penalties leading inconsistent play on offense.

“It’s hard to get in rhythm offensively in the game,” Alexander said.

He praised the Pirate defense.

“I thought defense played lights out, the defense gave (the offense) many opportunities, but we can’t keep putting them out there and not giving them some room to operate and work with.”

UP NEXT

Putnam City travels to Putnam City West Friday (Sept. 6) to meet the Patriots. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	F
Yukon (1-0)	0	9	7	10	26
Putnam City (0-1)	2	14	0	0	16