OKCPrepSports

Putnam City

Pirates

FOOTBALL

Pirates come from behind to defeat Westmoore, 17-14

Thursday night’s game between Putnam City and visiting Westmoore was important to just about every team in District 6A-2.

The Pirates and Jaguars are among the best teams in the state.

But what resulted was a statement about what is wrong with the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association’s system for determining who goes to the playoffs.

Always trying to be politically correct, the OSSAA has a system where playoff teams are decided by their in district wins and losses. When a tie among these teams occurs in the standing, which often happens, the OSSAA has a secondary system in place – point differential. If a team wins by five, they receive five points in the differential column. The game’s loser has five points subtracted.

The purpose of the system is to keep teams from running up the score on a weaker opponent. Thus, the differential maximum is 15 per game. If you win by 20, you only receive 15 differential points. Likewise, the loser can only never lose more than 15 points in a contest.

This game proved that the coaches are looking at the differential – and not trying to win until the final seconds are off the clock.

Westmoore, trailing by three points, 17-14, chose to punt with less than a minute to play rather than attempt to win on a four-and-15 situation from their 15-yard line. Why? Had they failed to get the first down, Putnam City might have attempted to score – either a touchdown or a field goal to increase their three differential points to six or 10.

The system, like the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), is wrong, but it is what we have to deal with.

This is not a condemnation of the Westmoore coach. He, evidently, was doing what was best for his team in the long run.

To the fans who want to see their team win, it was confusing and disappointing.

But the game was exciting.

Unranked and under-appreciated at the beginning of the season, Putnam City is turning heads as the Pirates reach the midpoint of the season undefeated. This game was another example of how far these Sea Dogs have come. They were not expected to beat Mustang or Lawton Eisenhower, but they did so with ease.

Week five of the season looked to be the biggest test of the Pirates. Their opponent, Westmoore, has been a Top 10 team all season. The Pirates did not reach the Top 10 until last week.

There were doubters.

Putnam City stopped Westmoore’s first possession when T. J. Coulter intercepted a pass from Tracey Norwood.

The Pirates began on PC’s 35-yard line. With Nico Watson at quarterback, Putnam City moved the ball downfield to the Jags’ 10-yard line. When the drive stalled, Tyler Wegner kicked a 27-yard field goal to give PC a 3-0 lead with 4:10 remaining the opening quarter.

The Pirates started the next period with a three-and- out for Westmoore. The Jaguars’ punt was fumbled by the Pirates – and lost.

Westmoore began with a fresh set of downs from the Pirates’ 41-yard line.

The Jaguars quickly moved into a a first-and goal from the 8-yard line. Norwood ran to the four on first down. Craig Ralls ran to the two on the next play – and was stopped cold by the Pirates’ Trey Fore.

Facing third-and-goal from the 2-yard line, the Jaguars went to the air – and Coulter snagged his second interception of the game.

Starting from the 20, PC struck quickly with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Watson to Coulter, who was streaking down the sideline in front of the PC coaches.

Wegner’s extra point gave PC a 10-0 lead.

Westmoore used a pass interference call against the Pirates to keep their next drive alive. The Jags moved 71-yards to score an touchdown. The final 26 yards came on a run by Ralls. It was his second and third efforts that propelled him into the end zone.

The first half ended with PC leading by three, 10-7.

A key play in the second half was an attempted punt by Putnam City. The kick was blocked by Nick Roberts.

Westmoore scored moments later on a 6-yard run by Ralls.

PC now trailed by four, 14-10.

With 3:09 remaining in the game, Putnam City began what would be a make-or-break drive for the Pirates.

With Chris Cormier at quarterback, PC started at their 22-yard line.

A Cormier pass to Coulter was followed by one to Wegner.

With a late hit penalty on the Jaguars, PC was at midfield.

Cormier passed again to Wegner on a screen and then to Xavier Avery gave PC first-and-10 from the Jag’s 35.

With less than two minutes left in the game, Coulter passed over the middle to an open Anthony McDaid for a touchdown.

Putnam City led by three with 1:42 remaining.

The Jaguars’ final chance started poorly. Carven Proctor knocked down a pass from Westmoore’s Jordan Meers.

On second down, Meers was sacked by Dominick Gilbert-Phillips.

After an incompletion, the Jags faced fourth down and called out “No mas” – just as boxer Roberto Duran had done in a fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. “No more!"

The Jaguars punted to keep the Pirates from trying to score and widen their victory margin.

Putnam City remained undefeated at 5-0 – and 2-0 in the district. Westmoore is now 3-2 and 1-1 in the district.

Life is good for the Putnam City Pirates.

And the doubters became believers.