WARR ACRES – Stillwater’s running game and second half Putnam City mistakes sank the Pirates, 28-7, Friday (Oct. 25) in a 6A-II-1 matchup.

“We had an opportunity. We had our chance,” Putnam City coach Willis Alexander said. “We just got to go finish the job and do things that we’re capable of doing.”

In the first half, the Pirate defense shined. After PC couldn’t get past midfield on the opening series, Putnam City senior punter Jayden Henson pinned the Pioneers at their own 5-yard line. Senior quarterback Mason Schubert peppered the Pirates with short passes, driving to the PC 20-yard line.

Putnam City stiffened when senior Michael Exum sacked Schubert on second down. Schubert completed two more passes but the loss of yardage led to a turnover on downs.

Again, the Pirate offense failed to move the ball and Henson’s punt was blocked, giving the Pioneers a short field.

This time, fourth-ranked Stillwater cashed in with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Schubert to sophomore Deakon Jones with 1:51 left in the first quarter.

Both teams traded punts and interceptions until midway through the second quarter.

On the first play after a Stillwater punt, the Pirate offense broke through.

Sophomore Denymn Friday connected over the top with junior Savion James on a 71-yard touchdown strike to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:51 left in the second quarter.

Neither team could finish a drive and the Pirates largely contained Schubert after the opening drive.

Stillwater changed tactics midway through the third quarter, taking out Schubert and relying on the ground game with senior Tan Booth and sophomore Bradford Mitchell taking direct snaps. The Pioneers marched 46 down the field, capped off by a 7-yard touchdown run by Mitchell to make it 14-7 with 2:01 left in the third quarter.

From that point, Pirate mistakes led to Pioneer points, putting the game out of reach.

Friday was intercepted on the next series and Stillwater cashed in again with another Mitchell touchdown run, this time from 12 yards out, with :20 left in the quarter.

Stillwater squibbed the ensuing kickoff and it appeared to going out of bounds, but the Pirates never fielded the ball. The Pioneers jumped on it in bounds, giving them the ball the PC 36-yard line.

“That’s that’s a mistake we can’t make.,” Alexander said. “We can’t have that mental breakdown.”

Using the same “Wildcat” direct snap ground game, Stillwater scored again as Booth ran it in from one yard out to make it 28-7 with 10:50 left in the game.

Putnam City drove deep into Stillwater territory on the next two drives, but the drives ended with a turnover on downs and interception, sealing the win for Stillwater.

“They took it to us and we’ve to be more physical up front,” Alexander said. “You can’t turn the ball over, can’t keep in the defense in that situation, but when you got a sophomore quarterback, you gotta take the good with the bad.”

Alexander praised his defense, especially in the first half.

“They played like we expect them to play. We made plays when we were supposed to make plays.”

6A-II DISTRICT 1	DISTRICT RECORD	OVERALL RECORD
Choctaw	5-0	6-2
Stillwater	4-1	6-2
Putnam City	3-2	5-3
Piedmont	3-2	5-3
Southmoore	3-2	4-4
Lawton Eisenhower	2-3	3-5
Northwest Classen	0-5	1-7
U.S. Grant	0-4	0-7

UP NEXT

The Pirates (5-3, 3-2) end the regular season on the road for the next two weeks. Putnam City travels to Southmoore (4-4, 3-2)

The Sabercats upset fifth-ranked Piedmont, 29-28 Friday (Oct. 25). Southmoore scored twice in the fourth quarter and added a two-point conversion for the win.

To finish the season, Putnam City meets the other two teams tied for third place in Southmoore and Piedmont (Nov. 8).

Photographs courtesy of Danni Johnson.

	1	2	3	4	F
Stillwater (6-2, 4-1)	7	0	14	7	28
Putnam City (5-3, 3-2)	0	7	0	0	7