Panther’s aerial assault levels Wolverines, 50-16

If you didn’t go to the game in Holdenville on Friday night and are looking for a recap in this article, it would not be a disservice to you as a reader to just say the Panthers unloaded from the bus and proceeded to do whatever they wanted to for the next three hours, dropped half a hundred on the scoreboard, loaded back onto the bus and came home.

The Wolverines had no answer for Kurtis Wilson, who threw for 302 yards in the first half and added 33 more to that total in the third quarter before getting the rest of the night off. Okemah’s defense prevented Holdenville from scoring an offensive touchdown all night. The Wolverine’s points came from two solitary plays, an interception near the Panther goal line and a kickoff return.

Holdenville’s offense got the game underway but Landon Dennis set the tone for the night with a solid hit on the Wolverine quarterback on the very first play, forcing an incomplete pass. Two plays later, Holdenville was forced to punt.

Starting at their own 20-yard line, the Panthers ran for a loss of a yard before Kurtis Wilson began his dissection of the Wolverine defense with a 41-yard pass to Wacey Williams. Two plays later Wilson connected to Williams again for a 26-yard touchdown. A successful two-point conversion made it 8-0.

Holdenville’s offense returned for the second time with the same results, punting after a quick three and out.

Okemah started their next drive at their own 9-yard line. After a run of no gain, Kurtis Wilson connected to Kaiden Bear for 37-yards, Wacey Williams for 24-yards and scored with a 30-yard pass to Landon Dennis. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful but the Panthers had an early 14-0 lead.

The Wolverine’s offense took the field and managed to drive to the Panther 44-yard line and into the second quarter before turning it over on downs with key tackles from Byron Shepard and Landon Dennis.

The Panthers only needed three passing plays to find the end zone again, with Kurtis Wilson connecting to Kaiden Bear for a 32-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion failed a second time, but Okemah had extended the lead 20-0.

Holdenville’s next offensive push was stronger, making it inside the Panther 10-yard line, but critical tackles from Byron Shepard and Mikey Cruz forced a 4th and goal for the Wolverines. Landon Dennis and Jesse Wingate stopped the drive with a quarterback sack, turning the ball over on downs again.

Starting inside their own goal line, the Panthers made short work of the long field. Mikey Cruz rushed for a 30-yard gain and Kurtis Wilson completed a 35-yard pass to Wacey Williams. On the following play, Kaiden Bear made a tremendous leaping catch on a 28-yard pass from Wilson for the touchdown. The two-point conversion was successful and Okemah led 28-0.

Holdenville’s offense returned to the field but this time the Panthers held them to only one first down before they were forced to punt the ball away.

The Wolverine punt was a good one, pinning Okemah down inside the goal line at the 5-yard line. A quick interception from the Wolverine defense put Holdenville on the board for the first time. A successful two-point conversion made the score 28-8.

Okemah returned on offense and again drove the length of the field but the Wolverines intercepted the ball in the end zone, preventing the Panthers from scoring. Holdenville’s following drive ran out the second quarter.

The Panthers offense took the field to open the third quarter. A sequence of rushing plays from Mikey Cruz and Makhan Harjo led to a wide-open touchdown on a play action pass to Cruz. The two-point conversion was successful and Okemah extended their lead 36-8.

Holdenville’s offensive drive was short-lived when Tyler Campbell hit the Wolverine runner, forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Panthers.

Four plays later, Okemah scored for the sixth time on a goal line run from Makhan Harjo. After an unsuccessful two-point conversion, the Panthers led 42-8 and the refs began a running clock.

Holdenville’s offense stalled once again and turned the ball over on downs with key sacks coming from Korbyn Vansant and Mikey Cruz.

Protecting a solid lead, the Panthers kept the ball on the ground but Holdenville could not stop the drive and Okemah scored again on an 8-yard burst from Landon Dennis. The successful two-point conversion made it 50-8.

On the following kickoff, Holdenville returned it all the way for a touchdown. The successful two-point conversion made it 50-16.Okemah ran out the clock for the final drive of the game.

The Panthers will be celebrating Homecoming week against Prague this Friday with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at the Pecan Bowl.