MUSKOGEE – Putnam City played top-ranked and defending 6A-II champs Muskogee to a scoreless tie at halftime Friday (Nov. 22), but the Roughers scored twice in the third quarter for a 14-0 win in the Class 6A-II quarterfinals at Rougher Village.

“They fought, couldn’t be more proud of them,” Putnam City coach Willis Alexander said via phone of his squad.” That group of kids, they gave us everything we asked for. They gave us everything they had.”

The Pirates (7-5) had opportunities in the first half to score.

In the first quarter, junior Joshua Lombard hit senior Demarion Ridley on a 29-yard pass down the PC sideline to the Muskogee 39-yard line but the drive stalled.

The Roughers (11-0) drove to the PC 28-yard line but couldn’t convert on fourth down, ending the threat.

Putnam City answered by driving from its 18 to the Muskogee 3-yard line with 4:02 left in the second quarter but on fourth down couldn’t convert. Senior Brayden Knox broke several tackles to try and reach the line to gain but was deemed short after a measurement.

Muskogee couldn’t move the ball and then tried a fake punt pass from senior quarterback Jamarian Ficklin (who’s also the Roughers’ punter). The pass fell incomplete, giving the Pirates the ball at the Muskogee 10-yard line with 2:25 left before halftime.

Original had opportunities from there. Lombard connected with sophomore LaDarren Shoals in the back of the end zone for an apparent score, but it was called back due to an ineligible man down field. A third-down sack of Lombard by Muskogee senior Tim Moore moved the Pirates backwards. PC faced a fourth-and-goal from the 22-yard line with two seconds left before half.

Lombard’s pass fell incomplete as time expired.

The Pirates had more yards than Muskogee (107-42), but both teams went to the locker room with a scoreless tie.

“When you’re playing a team like that on the road, you gotta take advantage of those opportunities,” Alexander said. “But, again, defense played lights out, gave us opportunities. You know, our inexperience on offense reared its ugly head.”

Muskogee finally drove in for a score with 8:33 left in the third quarter when senior PJ Wallace scored on a 5-yard run.

The Pirates couldn’t sustain a drive and the Roughers scored again on their next possession on a 2-yard from Ficklin with 2:16 left in the third quarter.

The Pirates had 166 yards of offense in the loss and didn’t turn the ball over but couldn’t get in the end zone, giving Muskogee its fifth shutout of the season.

Class 6A-II OSSAA Football Championship
FIRST ROUND/FRIDAY, November 15, 2024
Putnam City 26, Bartlesville 14
Putnam City North 21, Southmoore 0
Sapulpa 46, Lawton Eisenhower 31
Piedmont 48, Ponca City 7
Muskogee, Bye
Stillwater, Bye
Choctaw, Bye
Sand Springs, Bye

QUARTERFINALS/FRIDAY, November 22, 2024
Muskogee 14, Putnam City 0
Stillwater, 49, Putnam City North 14
Choctaw 52, Sapulpa 0
Sand Springs 44, Piedmont 14

SEMIFINALS/FRIDAY, November 29, 2024
Choctaw vs. Sand Springs, 1 p.m. (Wagoner High School)
Muskogee vs. Stillwater, 7 p.m. (Catoosa High School)

CHAMPIONSHIP/SATURDAY, December 7, 2024
TBD, 7 p.m. (University of Central Oklahoma)

	1	2	3	4	F
Putnam City (7-5)	0	0	0	0	0
Muskogee (11-0)	0	0	14	0	14

Photographs courtesy of Danni Johnson.