Putnam City played defending state champion Muskogee to a scoreless tie before losing 14-0 Friday (Nov. 22).

Pirate coach Willis Alexander said winning a game like that would be the next step to being atop 6A-II.

“We gotta find a way to break through. When we break through, you know, I think we got a opportunity to raise that gold ball, but you know, we just still have to find a way to break through and make plays, get that breakthrough win for us,” Alexander said via phone after the game.

Alexander believes this is part of the process, PC lost in a rout to then-defending state champ Stillwater last season in the quarterfinals but only lost by two scores in the quarterfinals this season.

“Everybody wants instant success. This is not a microwave. We got to put in time. We got to put in hard work. I mean, we’ve come a long way in two years,” Alexander said.

CLOSER LOOK AT PC/MUSKOGEE STATS

Junior Joshua Lombard completed 13-of-23 for 112 yards. Senior Demarion Ridley was Lombard’s top target with four catches for 60 yards. Junior Visanio Boyd, Jr. added three catches for 16 yards. Fellow junior Savion James added three catches for 15 yards.

Junior Rodgerick Sloan had 13 carries for 46 yards on the ground.

On defense, junior Tripp Alexander had three tackles and a sack. Senior Michael Exum had three tackles with two tackles for a loss.

Sophomore Keandre Huffman, senior Johnn Sheffey, junior Johnnie Efferson and junior DJ Ackerson each had two tackles in the loss.

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)

All games at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.