Facing a third and three from the three, Purcell called an interior run to the right to get in position for a possible game-winning field goal in the second overtime period last Friday night against Holdenville.
Running back Boston Knowles saw a bit of daylight to the left and got vertical between left guard Gunnar Baker and center Carter Goldston.
“He saw the front side of the d lineman and cut back went out the back door,” Purcell Head Coach Aaron Dillard said.
Knowles’ touchdown, his second of the night, sealed a 26-20 Dragon victory sending Purcell into the second round of the State Class 2A Playoffs at Millwood Friday at 7 p.m.
“The entire unit of our offensive line played really well,” Dillard said of the play of Brody Holder, Gunnar Baker, Carter Goldston, Derek Cravens, Landry Bacon and Brian Bernal.
They paved the way for Knowles to run for 148 yards including a 30-yard burst for the Dragons’ first score of the night.
Jett Tyler, who finished with 46 yards on four carries, found the end zone just before halftime from 16 yards out. A missed PAT gave the Wolverines a 14-13 advantage going into the halftime locker room.
Kash Guthmueller, who gained 50 yards on seven carries, burst into the end zone from four yards out in the third period.
The regular session of the contest ended at 20-20.
Purcell held Holdenville out from the 10 in both overtime periods.
“They make it tough as far as what they do with double tights and the single wing,” Dillard confirmed.
Christian Kirk and Guthmueller led the tackling chart with 20 tackles each.
Jonathan Minor finished with eight stops while Nathan Tekaat had six.
“Our inside and outside linebackers, ends and safties did most of the work. The interior linemen were there to eat up blocks. They did their job,” Dillard said.
“Kash had a great game and Brody Holder had a great second half. He really upped his game and Jonathan Minor did a good job on the edge. They make it really tough on you,” Dillard confirmed.
“We knew going in we were going to have a hard time stopping their running game and the same for them on us.”
On fourth down on Holdenville’s second overtime possession Dillard said, “Guthmueller got some penetration in the A gap and made the runner hesitate and then everybody got to him to turn him away.”
Millwood, last year’s State Runners-up, is 10-1 this season.
“They are really good,” the coach confirms. The only 2A team to beat them last year was Washington in the title game.
“They are really, really athletic on both sides of the ball,” Dillard said. “They can run and stretch you on offense and then smother you on defense.”
They have a receiver headed to OU and a linebacker/running back that is committed to North Texas. Both are really good players.
The Falcons will operate out of the spread on offense and base out of a 4-2 on defense.
“They will change their defensive fronts throughout the game trying to gain the advantage over the offense.
The key?
“Their offense is spooky,” Dillard said. “We’ve got to control the ball and keep them off the field and control the field position. We have to be opportunistic whether its penalties or turnovers we’ve got to take advantage of them,” Dillard confirmed.
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