How big of a deal is Putnam City’s state semifinal appearance?

If you played the Bee Gees’ disco hit “Stayin’ Alive” on an iPod, you’d have a connection to the Pirate’s last state championship (1977) as well as their last semifinal appearance (2003).

In 2003 (iPod), Mark Little led PC to a 10-3 record. The Pirates beat Moore and Broken Arrow in the 6A playoffs but were routed by Edmond Santa Fe, 31-0.

That meeting was the last time PC made the state semifinals.

In 1977 (Bee Gees), Jerry Potter and Original went 13-0 in Class 4A. Yes, that Jerry Potter, the legendary coach whose name recently went up at the athletic facility on the east side of the stadium.

Wins over Tulsa McLain and Lawton Eisenhower led to a matchup with rival Putnam City West.

The game was viewed by some as the high school version of the “Game of the Century.” Played at Taft Stadium, PC’s Kelly Phelps outdueled West’s Scott Tinsley for a state championship.

That followed state titles in 1974 and 1975.

Since then, the Pirates have been largely in the wilderness with short spurts of success.

Third-ranked Original (9-2) meets top-ranked Sand Springs (9-2) Friday (Nov. 28) at 7 p.m. at Edmond North.

PIRATES PROGRESSING UNDER ALEXANDER

During Putnam City coach Willis Alexander’s tenure, the Pirates fell to Stillwater in the quarterfinals in 2023, lost in the quarterfinals to Muskogee last season and now have taken another step.

“I’m happy with our progression,” Willis Alexander said. “I’m not satisfied with where we are, but we want to still strive for more.

“We’re at the point now where we have a 50 percent chance to play for a station championship. But, we’ve got to take care of business of what is in front of us right now.”

Pirate senior Steven Matthews sealed the quarterfinal win over Muskogee with an interception late in the contest Friday (Nov. 21). He said the team is tight-knit group.

“It’s very special because we’re connected like a family,” Matthews said. “We all play like a family. 
We all go down – highs, lows – we do it all together.”

TRIPP ALEXANDER EARNS HONOR

Senior Tripp Alexander was named the 6A-II-1 Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Tripp Alexander has 39 tackles and 13 for a loss this season. He also has two sacks and nine hurries.

PIRATE STAT LEADERS

Senior Rodgerick Sloan, Jr. notched his fourth 100+ yard rushing contest last Friday against Muskogee . Sloan has 882 yards and eight touchdowns so far this season. Turnbull follows with 652 yards and 13 touchdowns.

In the air, senior Savion James had only one catch against Muskogee but it the was go-ahead 15-yard touchdown reception. James has 21 catches, 527 yards and 10 scores this season.

Sloan follows with 408 yards and four receiving touchdowns.

Senior Mitchell Taylor has 295 yards with five touchdowns for the year.

Senior DeShawn Buford leads the team with 75 tackles with nine being for a loss. Fellow senior DJ Ackerson has 65 tackles and 13 for a loss.

Junior Evan Metoyer added 63 tackles with seven for a loss and senior Bishop Moore has 56 tackles and five for a loss.

Other tackle-for-loss leaders include senior Johnnie Efferson (14), senior Nasir Nelson (12) and sophomore Shaun Brown (10).

Efferson also has seven sacks. Ackerson has three sacks and 12 hurries. Buford also has three sacks.

UP NEXT

The third-ranked Pirates (9-2) face top-ranked Sand Springs (9-2) next Friday (Nov. 21) at 7 p.m. at Edmond North.

The Sandites eliminated Piedmont, 35-13, Friday.

Senior Easton Webb has thrown for 2,395 yards and completed nearly 68 percent of his passes. He has tossed 22 touchdowns to just seven interceptions.

Senior Chaves Williams leads the team on the ground with 406 yards and eight touchdowns. He averages 4.6 yards per carry.

Junior Tristan Birmingham has 289 yards and four touchdowns in six games.

Seniors Brock O’Dell and Webb haven’t rushed for many yards but each has four rushing touchdowns.

Webb’s biggest target in the air is junior Dominic Forbes, who has 1,242 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns. He set the school record for career receptions (152) in the Piedmont win. His 82 catches this season also set the school season record.

Sophomore Kayden Worthington has 273 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Paxton Salazar follows with 240 yards and three scores.

STATS THAT MIGHT MATTER

• Putnam City is averaging 42.5 points a contest while Sand Springs is averaging 39.3 points a game.
• The Pirates have allowed 16.36 points a game while the Sandites have allowed 15.18 points a contest.
• Both teams are about the same in total yards a contest (359 for Sand Springs and 352 for PC).
• Each team is 4-0 against common opponents. Sand Springs and Original each beat Putnam City West, Putnam City North, Muskogee and Piedmont.
• Willis Alexander is 3-2 in the playoffs at PC.

STATS THAT DON’T MATTER

• Putnam City and Sand Springs have played three times. The Sandites won regular season matchups in 2018 and 2019 and a first round playoff game in 2022.
• The Sandites are 2-8 in the semifinals all-time and is 22-27 in the playoffs overall.
• The Pirates are 3-2 in the semifinals but their last semifinal win was in 1977 (which led to the aforementioned state title).
• Putnam City is 21-24 in the playoffs.

Photographs courtesy of Richard T. Clifton.

Class 6A-II OSSAA Football Championship
FIRST ROUND/FRIDAY, November 14, 2025
Southmoore 21, Ponca City 14
Choctaw 52, Putnam City North 13
Piedmont 53, Bartlesville 28
Muskogee 62, Northwest Classen 16
Stillwater, Bye
Sapulpa, Bye
Sand Springs, Bye
Putnam City, Bye

QUARTERFINALS/FRIDAY, November 21, 2025
Stillwater 34, Southmoore 9
Choctaw 43, Sapulpa 21
Sand Springs 35, Piedmont 13
Putnam City 21, Muskogee 20

SEMIFINALS/FRIDAY, November 28, 2025
Stillwater vs. Choctaw, 1 p.m. (At Edmond North)
Sand Springs vs. Putnam City, 7 p.m. (At Edmond North)

CHAMPIONSHIP/FRIDAY, December 5, 2025
TBD, 7 p.m. (University of Central Oklahoma)