WARR ACRES — Putnam City coach Willis Alexander knew his non-district slate would challenge his inexperienced Pirate squad.

Those challenges continued Friday (Sept. 11) as Booker T. Washington took advantage of mistakes and special teams scores for a 24-14 win at Pirate Stadium.

Original dropped to 0-3 to start the season for the first time since 2023.

“Everything that we’re doing is correctable,” Alexander said. “It’s not a talent thing. It’s an execution thing.

“Only time can take care of that.”

In the first quarter, the two teams traded punts and the Pirates kept the Hornets off the scoreboard with a blocked 30-yard field goal.

PC’s offense stalled and the special teams issues showed up.

The snap sailed over senior punter Reymund Medina’s head. He gave chase and alertly kicked it out of the back of the end zone for a safety with Booker T. Washington defenders on his heels.

Senior Max Houston took the free kick after the safety and weaved through Putnam City defenders for a 64-yard return for a score. Junior Josiah Wilson ran in the conversion.

Within seconds, a scoreless tie turned into a 10-0 Hornet lead with 2:39 left in the first quarter.

“We can’t give up 10 points on special teams,” Alexander said. “That’s the difference in the ballgame.”

Booker T. added a score early in the second quarter on a secondary breakdown. Junior Jeremiah Pearson caught a pass and zig-zagged across midfield for a 54-yard touchdown.

Original’s offense finally got into gear.

Junior tailback Marcico Petties reeled off a 28-yard run. Also, a roughing the passer call against the Hornets moved PC down the field. Senior quarterback Daeveon Simmons capped off the drive with a 1-yard score with 7:31 left before halftime.

Just under two minutes later, PC scored again. Hornet junior Marquan Taylor coughed up the football on the handoff and Pirate sophomore Derrion Anderson recovered the ball at the Hornet 24-yard line.

Two plays later, Simmons scored from two yards out to make it 16-14 with 5:51 left in the second quarter.

“The defense gave us opportunities,” Alexander said.

But, a defensive mistake widened the deficit for Original.

Booker T. Washington junior Elijah Hill squeezed through a hole up the middle and found himself alone in the second level. Hill outran everyone for a 92-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion made it 24-14 with 2:29 before half.

The Pirates moved the ball on the final drive before the intermission but the Hornets’ defensive line harassed Simmons in the backfield, something that happened most of the contest. Simmons finished with negative rushing yardage to go along with his two touchdowns on the ground.

The second half featured a lot of punting as neither team could sustain drives.

Putnam City’s final drive looked promising.

With 6:44 left in the game, senior Shawn Jones caught a short pass and sprinted up the field for a 40-yard gain. Original eventually reached the Booker T. 21-yard line before Simmons fumbled while trying to avoid pressure in the backfield.

The Hornets drove down the field and ran out the final 3:45 on the clock for the win.

Jones caught seven passes for 81 yards. Simmons completed 11 of 25 passes with 119 yards.

Petties, who was banged up and not on the field for every drive, rushed 15 times for 96 yards.

UP NEXT

The Pirates have a week off before beginning 6A-II-1 play Sept. 25 at Piedmont.

The Wildcats (1-1) have one more tuneup before district play next Friday (Sept. 18) with a road game at 6A-I Norman North.

Photographs courtesy of Danielle Johnson.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON – Safety, Fumble out of end zone, 2:45, 1Q
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON – Houston 64 Kickoff return (Wilson run), 2:39, 1Q
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON – Pearson 54 pass from Deroin (pass failed), 10:44, 2Q
PUTNAM CITY – Simmons 1 run (Yanez kick), 7:31, 2Q
PUTNAM CITY – Simmons 2 run (Yanez kick), 5:51, 2Q
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON – Hill 92 run (Wilson pass from Deroin), 2:29, 2Q