Muskogee Rougher Football

2008 PLAYOFFS - ROUND 1

OT- MUSKOGEE 9 vs STILWTER 16

It was with unbridled confidence that Muskogee defensive coordinator David Heath said prior to the start of this football season that with much of his unit returning, it was perfectly fine with him to put the team on its shoulders while a younger offensive counterpart matured.

For much of the year and for all but one play in the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs, it did.

It was on that play, a jump-ball pass in the corner of the end zone in overtime, that they had no answer for — literally.

Stillwater freshman quarterback Jerame Littell’s 10-yard-toss to tight end Anthony Sparks gave the Pioneers a 16-9 overtime win Friday at Indian Bowl, ending the Roughers’ season at its earliest point in four years, following three straight semifinal appearances. Sparks, listed at 6-foot-3, outjumped 5-foot-10 junior defender Ruben Gaines for the ball and Stillwater’s only offensive touchdown of the night.

“He went up for it and we didn’t have a guy on our team who could cover him on that,” Muskogee head coach Matt Hennesy said. “Ruben covered him as well as he could be covered.”

"(Sparks) just made the catch,” Stillwater coach Rusty Atkins said. “It’s just football. Man, that was a great defense we played out there tonight.”

It was a defense that had to play at its best, considering that the Roughers, donning the white road jerseys they were 5-0 in this season, were without starting sophomore quarterback Archie Bradley on offense. Bradley separated his shoulder in last week’s regular season finale. He wasn’t the only one with a bum shoulder. The defense had to go without junior Brenton Bogar’s presence in the secondary after he too hurt his shoulder during practice this week.

Backup quarterback Mitch Stevenson had three interceptions, including one that turned into a 47-yard touchdown return by Tyler Sullivan, but gave a gritty effort, particularly in the second half, where he led the Roughers to a pair of scores — scoring himself on a 1-yard run that made it a 9-6 game and then directing a drive that ended on a 28-yard Matt Bishop field goal. Prior to that, on the Roughers’ first possession of the second half, Stevenson had a 54-yard touchdown pass off a bubble screen to Vernon Scott called back due to a holding penalty.

Stevenson was 18-of-27 for 127 yards for the contest. The junior quarterback was also sacked four times and saw plenty of heat, particularly on third-down situations. Sullivan’s pick came when Stevenson was under heavy pressure on a third-and-8 at his own 46. For the night, Muskogee was 3-of-15 on third-down conversions.

On the Roughers’ overtime possession, Stevenson was caught in the backfield for a loss of two, threw a jump-ball in the end zone that was just off the hands of senior receiver Angelo Shipp — who had three catches for a game-high 53 yards — tossed to Scott for four yards and then threw incomplete in the end zone.

“He only had a week to learn to make his reads,” Hennesy said of Stevenson. “For what he was thrown in to, he was a trooper. He did everything he could to give us a chance to win. He gave a good effort.”

Stevenson got a big hand from Scott, a senior running back who finished with 103 yards on 25 carries, including a 17-yard carry to the Stillwater 4 on the touchdown drive. On that play, Scott carried Stillwater defenders Sullivan — he of the interception score — and Tevin Davidson for seven of those yards. Scott also had a 27-yard carry to set up the field goal.

Muskogee freshman Victor Williams had a pair of interceptions for the defense, setting up Muskogee’s touchdown with his first grab. A play that would eventually haunt the Roughers came on the extra point. After lining up in the apache set as if to show a two-point conversion look, Hennesy instead sent Bishop on for the extra point with the time clock running down. With Stevenson holding, the kick was blocked.

“The intent all along was to kick the extra point. We knew that was what we needed at that point,” Hennesy said. “Mitch went to put the ball down and it hit the tee and knocked the ball over.”

Muskogee finishes the season at 7-4. Stillwater (7-4) will meet Midwest City (11-0), a 41-13 winner over Putnam City North, at Midwest City next Saturday.

“In the end, it’s just a football game and they’re all tough to lose,” Hennesy said. “I’ve never had a loss that wasn’t tough.”

In their final games as Roughers, linebacker Erik Howell and Arkansas-bound nose tackle Robert Thomas had 10 tackles each.

By Mike Keys
Phoenix Sports Editor