When Putnam City turned to the running game, fighting against a strong, cold wind Friday (Nov. 28), senior Rodgerick Sloan, Jr. delivered.

Sloan rushed for 202 yards in the 6A-II semifinal loss to Sand Springs officially to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark at 1,083 yards. He also scored once in the contest.

The performance was Sloan’s career best and his second 200-yard performance at PC. He racked up 200 yards in the regular season finale with Piedmont last season.

Sloan finished his Pirate career with 1,979 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry for his career. In his senior season, Sloan averaged nearly seven yards a carry.

This season, Sloan also caught 20 passes for 408 yards and and four touchdowns. He finishes his career with 549 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches.

FINAL TALLIES

Junior Kahmi Herrera added 220 yards on 31 carries this season. He scored once. Sophomore Michael Ngugi followed with 124 yards on just eight carries this season, averaging 15.5 yards a tote. He scored twice.

Senior DeShawn Buford scored four touchdowns in 17 carries this season. Buford rushed for 80 yards. Seniors Davion Huffman (66 yards) and DJ Ackerson (47 yards) each added a touchdown run.

Fellow senior CJ Turnbull only threw two passes Friday, as the Pirates stayed on the ground against the Sandites. He completed the second pass on the last play of the game for 15 yards before fellow senior Savion James attempted a lateral in a last-ditch effort.

Turnbull rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown against Sand Springs.

In his lone season as a Pirate, Turnbull completed 62 percent of his passes for 1,630 yards and 21 touchdowns. He threw only five interceptions.

Turnbull also rushed for 725 yards on 113 carries. He scored 14 times on the ground and averaged 6.4 yards per carry.

James finishes his career at Original with 1,193 yards and 19 touchdowns. James caught 22 passes for 542 yards for his senior campaign. While his catch totals and receiving yards declined slightly, James averaged more per catch (24.6 yards) than he did as a junior.

Senior Mitchell Taylor emerged as a receiving threat for the Pirates. He led the team in catches with 27 for 295 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Shawn Jones III followed with 15 catches, 148 yards and two scores.

Senior tight end Thomas Stone caught 10 passes for 128 yards this season.

The PC offensive line helped the Pirates averaged 354.7 yards a contest this season.

The Pirate defense was led in tackles by Buford. He had 79 tackles, three sacks and nine tackles for loss. Ackerson followed with 73 tackles, three sacks and 13 tackles for loss.

Junior Evan Metoyer added 65 tackles, seven for a loss. Senior Bishop Moore had 62 tackles, five for a loss.

Senior Tripp Alexander led the team 16 tackles for loss. Alexander also had five sacks. Fellow senior Johnnie Efferson added seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

Senior Nasir Nelson had three sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Sophomore Shaun Brown collected 10 tackles for a loss.

Senior Ty Wallace also had three sacks.

Senior Jairus Polly finished with two interceptions to lead the team. James, junior Keandre Huffman, senior Steven Matthews, Jr., Ackerson, Moore sophomore Kenneth Young and senior Devin Spigner each had a pick this season.

Brown finished with three fumble recoveries.

HISTORIC SEASON

The Pirates reached the semifinal for the first time since 2003 (a 31-0 loss to Edmond Santa Fe). The team’s nine wins this season were the most since the 2007 team went 10-2 before losing in the quarterfinals to Union.

Putnam City coach Willis Alexander upped his career record to 21-15 after three seasons. Alexander’s teams have made the playoffs each year and his first season at PC was the only one with a sub-.500 record.