Good performances on both offense and defense were hallmarks of Friday’s Ponca City Wildcats’ 21-7 victory over Putnam City West.

After a slow start the Wildcat offense got going in the second half and generated almost 200 total yards. The defense held West scoreless throughout and made stops whenever it seemed like the visitors were getting something going.

Coach Scott Harmon had good things to say about each unit’s performance.

“Our running game got going in the second half. Coach (Brent) Parker figured some things out about what they were doing and we made some adjustments at the half. The running backs were running to daylight. Cam (Jackson) ran well again and Blake (Bristow) took some pressure off. We are going to have to give Blake more touches in the future and take advantage of his running,” Harmon said. “On defense, creating four

“On defense, creating four turnovers was a key. I’m proud of the defensive performance. Their (PC West’s) points were scored on our offense,” Harmon said.

The four turnovers were all interceptions and each one came at opportune moments to thwart a PC West offensive thrust. The West touchdown came as a Ponca City snap sailed into the end zone, allowing a West recovery.

Offensively, Jackson led the way with 25 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Bristow toted the ball nine times for 22 yards. They were the only two with positive rushing stats. Quarterback Nate Harbeson completed four of seven pass attempts for 53 yards. The longest was a 41-touchdown pass to Sam McKinney.

McKinney was the leading receiver with one catch for 41 yards and a touchdown. Jackson caught one pass for 10 yards and Tabron Stanton caught one pass for six yards. Harbeson completed a pass to Bristow for negative yards.

On defense two Wildcats had double digit tackles. Devin Zimmerschied had 12 tackles including 10 that were solos and James Godfrey had 12 tackles, including nine solo stops. With more than five stops were Nate Collins, 9; Trey Seward, 7; Collier Lively, 7; and Elijah Phillips, 6. The Wildcats had six sacks, with Seward and Godfrey picking up two each and Zimmerschied and Collins with one each.

The win boosts Ponca City’s record to 2-3 for the season and 1-2 in District 6AII-2. Around the district scores included one that generated mild surprise. Bixby, generally believed to have the team in all of Oklahoma football, defeated Choctaw by a close 24-13 margin. The score was tied 7-7 at the half. Choctaw, as you might remember, had to come from behind to defeat Ponca City 20-14 a week earlier.

“It just goes to show that anything can happen in any given game in our district,” Harmon noted. “You just have to come prepared to play week in and week out.”

The Wildcats have a short week to prepare for their next game, a district contest at Bartlesville on Thursday.

Area games of note:

WOODLAND 40, MORRISON 36

FAIRFAX -- In a game with monumental significance in district standings, the Woodland Cougars defeated the Morrison Wildcats 40-36.

It was a big win for the Cougars, who improved their record to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in district play.

Woodland led by 18 points at the half, only to see the Wildcats come roaring back to take a lead in the fourth quarter. Woodland was able to score to assume a 40-36 lead, but Morrison wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. The Wildcats were on a drive late in the game, but an interception sealed the win for Woodland.

“We told the kids at the half that they (Morrison) were going to come back and challenge us. They are a very disciplined, well-coached team that believes they will win every game,” Woodland Coach Casey Goad said.

Morrison drops to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in the district. The Wildcats are scheduled to travel to Hominy on Friday. Woodland is scheduled to travel to Chouteau on Thursday.

Quarterback Nate Lockert had another good game for Woodland. He rushed the ball 23 times for 142 yards and four touchdowns and one two-point conversion. He completed 4 passes four 78 yards. Jake Kennedy ran the ball 17 times for 79 yards and one touchdown; Mason Dysart carried the ball six times for 46 yards and one touchdown and caught two passes for 53 yards.

On defense, Jamie Jordan had seven tackles; Dysart had four tackles and one interception; Kennedy had seven tackles, Jackson Rhodes had nine tackles; Trey Reese had two interceptions; Ben Brock had five tackles and Luke Fisher had four tackles.

PAWNEE 54, TULSA NOAH 49

PAWNEE-- In a game that went back and forth to the very end, the Pawnee Black Bears outlasted Tulsa NOAH 54-49 Friday night.

There were 11 lead changes in the non-district game, most coming in the second half. NOAH scored first and led 7-0 after one period. Pawnee scored the first two touchdowns in the second period and led 16-15 at the half.

The second half was quite an event. NOAH scored first to take a 21-16 lead. Then Pawnee scored next adding eight points to lead 24-21. NOAH came back to add seven and lead 28-24. It was Pawnee’s turn and they added eight to lead 32-28, the score at the end of the third quarter. NOAH scored at the beginning of the fourth quarter adding seven points to lead 35-32. With 9:19 left in the game, Pawnee responded with the addition of eight points to take a 40-35 advantage. NOAH came right back and added six points to lead 41-40. With 2:10 remaining in the contest Pawnee went ahead 48-41 only to see NOAH strike with 20 seconds to score eight points and lead 49-48. Pawnee struck right back and with 1:02 in the game Blake Skidgel broke open a 41-yard run to score. The two-point conversion attempt failed and Pawnee’s lead was 54-49. NOAH was unable to score in the remaining time and the game came to a close.

The game was even in offensive statistics as NOAH generated 470 total offense yards to Pawnee’s 460. The Black Bears total was all on the ground. Blake Skidgel carried the ball 34 times for 262 yards and six touchdowns while Trevor Mitchell carried the ball 24 times for 178 yards and one touchdown.

Pawnee is now 5-1 on the season and the Bears will host Chelsea Thursday night.

TIMBERLAKE 64, DEER CREEK-LAMONT 0

HELENA -- It was all Timberlake Friday night as the Tigers swamped Deer Creek-Lamont 64-0. Timberlake scored 40

Timberlake scored 40 points in the first quarter and then added 24 more in the second quarter to lead 64-0 at the break. Because of the eight-man football mercy rule, the game ended at the half.

It took only 55 seconds for Timberlake to score its first touchdown, a 59-yard pass. Timberlake scored again with 8:26 left in the quarter on a 24-yard run, again with 5:45 left in the period on a 73-yard punt return, with 2:43 left in the quarter on a 15-yard pass and with 33 seconds left in the period on a 59-yard punt return. Timberlake added two points on each of the touchdowns.

Second period touchdowns were scored on runs of 26, 23 and 28 yards. Again twopoint conversion attempts were successful each time.

TImberlake amassed 248 yards on offense,, 130 on the ground and 118 through the air. DCLA had a minus 17 yards rushing and zero passing yards.

DCLA will host Bluejacket on Thursday night.