Not in the (end) zone

In the last seven-plus seasons, Kingfisher has failed to find the end zone in a football game just four times.

Perkins-Tryon has now had a hand in half of those.

The latest was last Friday night when the Demons stymied the Jackets’ offense in a 14-3 win at Perkins-Tryon High School.

Every point was scored in the second quarter as the teams played largely between the red zones for much of three quarters in the District 3A-1 opener.

“We knew going in that it was going to be tough to score and we thought we were going to make it tough on them as well,” said head coach Jeff Myers.

“It played out that way, but they were able to execute a few more times than we did. We’ve got to be better.”

The loss dropped KHS to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in district games.

Perkins-Tryon was picked by coaches in the preseason to win the district.

The Demons entered the night averaging just a shade under 30 points a game.

They got all the points they eventually needed when junior running back Tre Stevenson the son of former Kingfisher and Crescent standout Eric “Woody” Stevenson - scored on a 6-yard run the first play of the second quarter.

The Jackets were able to piece together a four-minute drive, but eventually turned it over on downs at the Perkins 34.

The Demons put together their only other scoring drive of the night, one that lasted nearly five minutes.

Stevenson capped it with a 3-yard plunge. A two-point conversion pass put the Demons up 14-0 with 3:02 left in the half.

That’s when KHS was able to piece together its lone scoring drive of the game.

Quarterback Jax Sternberger hit Paytun Burnham for one first down and ran for another as KHS moved the chains.

Eventually, senior Aaron Delatorre was called on and delivered a 38-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

“It wasn’t what we wanted, but it did give us just a little momentum going into the half,” Myers said.

“We were easily still in the game, but knew if we could come out, get a stop on defense and find a way to score on offense, it was a whole new game.”

The defense did its part by forcing a three-and-out, but the offense never could find its rhythm.

The teams traded punts for the entirety of the third quarter, though Kingfisher was showing signs of life to start the fourth.

The Jackets had moved the ball to the Demon 30 and got as far as the 13 yard-line.

However, Sternberger’s thirddown pass was picked off in the end zone to end the threat.

KHS threatened to score one more time, but only got as deep as the Perkins 27.

“There were a few opportunities in the first half and a few in the second half. A play here or a play there. If we connect on those, it breaks the game in a different direction,” Myers said.

“But we didn’t execute them for one reason or another. You have to make those plays to beat a good team like Perkins.”

The pick was the lone turnover of the game for either team and they combined for just six penalties.

“It was a relatively clean game,” Myers said. “There really wasn’t a ton of difference other than them being able to take advantage of a couple more opportunities than us.”

The Jackets ran for just 70 yards on 32 attempts.

Dallen Barton netted 45 yards on his 14 carries.

Sternberger was 20 of 30 for 150 passing yards.

Burnham caught five passes for 39 yards and Harrison Evans five for 46 yards.

It was the first time since Oct. 25, 2019, that KHS hasn’t scored a touchdown. That was a 27-3 loss to Heritage Hall in the driving rain.

KHS also was kept out of the end zone on Sept. 16, 2016, by Bethany, but won the game 9-6 on the strength of three Cade Strickland field goals.

Perkins-Tryon shutout the Jackets 34-0 in October 2015.

“Just like that Bethany game, our defense played more than good enough for us to win this one,” Myers noted.

Perkins’ worst offensive output prior to this game was in a 43-27 loss to Cushing, which is one of the top-rated teams in 4A.

Like KHS, Perkins had 220 total yards.

A bulk came on the ground as the Demons rushed 37 times for 146 yards.

Stevenson got the call 21 times for 95 yards. Outside of one early 21-yard run, though, the Jackets were able to contain the bruising back.

Tanner Dawes was 8 of 12 passing for 74 yards, but was just 2 of 6 in the second half.

Delatorre was in on 16 tackles.

Sternberger had seven while Barton and Evans delivered six apiece.

Wrigley Kennedy and Tanner Parker had five tackles apiece while Cade Cooper - making his first appearance of the season - and Jake Reagan had four each.

“We were good enough on that side of the ball,” Myers said. “We’ve just got to be able to finish drives on offense. We did do some good things and the good news is that everything is correctable.”

The Jackets stay on the road this week as they travel to Mount St. Mary.

The Rockets (1-3, 0-1) are coming off a 51-14 loss at Metro Christian in their district opener.