Top ranked Bixby dominates Wildcats

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Top ranked Bixby dominates Wildcats

Sat, 10/31/2020 - 13:54
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BIXBY -- The Bixby Spartans are ranked No. 1 in Class 6AII and many statewide football observers believe they may be the best team in the state in any classification. The Ponca City Wildcats aren’t going to argue those assumptions as they were beaten by Bixby 59-0 Friday night.

It was the first time the Wildcats had been shut out this season. The loss drops Ponca City’s record to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in district play.

Bixby has a powerhouse offense, but it was the Spartan defense that really dominated the Wildcats. Ponca City’s offensive unit had difficulty in getting anything going. In fact Bixby made 20 tackles for losses during the game, by a long shot more than any other team the WIldcats had faced this season. Ponca City’s defense, which

Ponca City’s defense, which has been tough all season, started the game on a good note. It held Bixby to three and out on the Spartans’ first possession and then recovered a fumble on their second time with the ball. The score was 8-0 at the end of the first quarter and 24-0 at the half. Bixby really dominated in the third quarter scoring 28 points and pushing the score to 52-0 at quarter’s end. The final seven points came in the fourth quarter after the Spartans made some offensive substitutions.

Ponca City received the opening kickoff and in three plays lost a net three yards. Bixby was three and out and punted to Ponca City, who again had trouble moving the ball. This time, however, the Wildcats did pick up two yards on three plays before punting the ball away.

The Wildcats got the first break of the game when Trey Seward recovered a Braylin Presley fumble to give Ponca City possession at the 50 yard line. Again it was three and out for the Wildcats, who lost a net 16 yards on their three plays before punting.

It took Bixby only two plays after the Wildcat punt to score the game’s first touchdown. The Spartans’ all-everything quarterback, Mason Williams, threw a 55-yard touchdown strike to sophomore receiver Luke Hasz. The Spartans went for two points and Jersey Robb made the score 8-0.

Ponca City again was three and out losing a net six yards on three plays. The Wildcat defense held Bixby’s next effort and the quarter ended 8-0. Bixby blocked a Ponca City punt early in the second quarter and got possession a the 29 yard line. Seven plays later Robb scored on a sevenyard run and then added two points to make the score 16-0.

Ponca City got its first first down with about nine minutes left in the half on a 14-yard pass play from Grant Harmon to Triston Cunningham. But the next three plays were a pair of one-yard losses and an incomplete pass, which stopped the Wildcats’ forward progress.

Ponca City recovered two more fumbles in the second quarter, but couldn’t capitalize. With 1:15 to play in the half, the Spartans scored as Williams carried the ball five yards for a touchdown and Luke Hasz added the two points to make the score 24-0.

It took Bixby only three plays to add to its lead in the third quarter as Braylin Presley broke off two large runs and the Williams connected with Hasz for a 36-yard touchdown pass. This time the Spartans kicked the extra point to put the score at 31-0. The next time Bixby got possession, it scored in four plays as Presley ran the final 10 yards for six points. The kick put the score at 38-0. Bixby scored again on its next possession, after an interception. The Spartans moved 52 yards on seven plays with Robb scoring from 5 yards out. The kick made the score 45-0.

The Wildcats got the ball into Bixby territory before being forced to punt. A big play in the drive was a 25-yard pass from Harmon to Sam McKinney. Punting the ball away, Ponca City pinned Bixby back to their 10 yard line. But four plays later the Spartans added another score, this one coming on a 72-yard pass from Williams to Hasz. The kick made the score 52-0 with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Bixby scored their final touchdown with 3:54 left in the game. Hayden Hill ran from five yards out for six points and the kick made the score 59-0.

Friday’s loss to Bixby may be the Wildcats’ final regular season game of the season. Muskogee was on the schedule for Nov. 6, but cancelled due to COVID-19 issues. Coach Scott Harmon said that efforts are being made to schedule another opponent, but the possibility of such an event is not great. The Wildcats will opt in to play in the Class 6AII playoffs which will get underway Nov. 12. Site and opponent are yet to be determined.

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