KHS finds ‘quick start’ button
Jackets score early, often in homecoming win over Bridge Creek
KHS SENIOR Keaton Abercrombie (2) stiff-arms a Bridge Creek defender during the Yellowjackets’55-13 victory over Bridge Creek last Friday. Abercrombie had eight catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. [Photo by Hayden Wittrock/KHS Photog
KINGFISHER LINEBACKER Kyle Fahlenkamp drags down Bridge Creek’s Karson Hoppe during the Yellwojackets’ 55-13 victory last week. [Photo by Russell Stitt/www.stitt.smugmug.com
With one exception this season, Kingfisher’s starts to its football games have been, in a word, lackluster.
“It’s been something we as coaches haven’t been able to put our finger on,” head coach Jeff Myers said. “Every team is different and this one is still a work in progress, but we’ll keep trying.”
Whatever they did before last Friday’s homecoming matchup with Bridge Creek worked in a big way.
Clayton Abercrombie ran back the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown to kickstart a 55-13 victory for the Yellowjackets.
“Whatever we did or said, I wish we could bottle it up,” joked Myers after the game, which was Kingfisher’s third straight win.
The Jackets are now 4-2 overall and 3-0 in District 3A-1.
“But we know the guys were tired of the sluggish starts, too. They wanted to reverse that trend. Now we just have to keep it going in the right direction,” Myers said.
Kingfisher’s momentum didn’t stop with the kickoff. The Jackets scored on their first two offensive possessions and four out of five in the first half.
When it appeared Bridge Creek might steal some of the mojo away, the Jackets had an answer.
The Bobcats scored with 41 seconds left in the first half to pull within 28-6 and were poised to receive the second half kickoff.
Instead of conceding the half, though, Kingfisher attacked.
Kingfisher scored just before the half when Cade Stephenson kept a play alive with his legs, found Keaton Abercrombie coming back to the play and then watched Abercrombie do the rest.
Keaton broke multiple tackles and figurative ankles en route to a thrilling 65-yard touchdown reception with five seconds to go in the half.
“They (Bridge Creek) had a chance to take some momentum into the half and really get some if they could find a way to score to open the second half,” Myers said of the Bobcats.
“But for the second straight week, we closed the half strong and made sure it was us taking the momentum.”
Kingfisher’s lone fruitless first-half possession was a fumble by Keaton Abercrombie in the second quarter.
However, he more than made up for it.
The senior had six catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns by halftime. He finished with eight catches for 179 yards.
“He made things happen when we got him the ball,” Myers said. “And Cade made sure to get it to him.”
Stephenson was as efficient as he’s been all season.
The junior had just two incompletions in 18 attempts and accounted for 260 yards and four TDs through the air. He chipped in another 38 yards on nine carries.
As a team, KHS ran for 216 yards and averaged 5.7 a carry.
Caleb Dick ran for 72 yards on his 12 touches and had a 2-yard TD run in the first quarter and one from 3 yards out in the third.
Also in the first half, Riley Myers got two carries for 19 yards.
“That’s something we’ve been looking at and tinkering with,” said Myers of his son’s appearance in the run game. “It’s a different look in the backfield.”
Stephenson, who also returned a fumble 37 yards for a score in the second half, threw touchdowns to Jarret Birdwell and Hayden Stafford to go along with the two to Abercrombie.
“He was really solid,” Myers said of the QB. “He spread it around and made good decisions all night.”
Five different Jackets caught a pass, four of them at least twice.
Alan Munoz led the defense with seven tackles while Kyle Fahlenkamp was in on six, including a sack.
The easiest stretch of Kingfisher’s season is over as the last three foes - Bridge Creek, Blackwell and Mannford - have a combined 4-14 record.
“It definitely picks up this week,” Myers said.
KHS hosts Perkins-Try-on at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Demons nearly sent shockwaves across the 3A landscape last week when they took No. 1 Heritage Hall to the wire.
However, a pick-six with 11 seconds left lifted the Chargers to a 28-21 victory.
“We’ve been keeping up and we’ve seen lots of film. We knew Perkins was good,” Myers said. “They just proved it last week.”
The loss was the Demons’ first of the year. They enter Kingfisher 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the district.
“They’ve got size, they’re physical and they have experience at some key positions,” Myers said. “But we also feel like we’re a good ball team, especially if we come out and play the way we did last week.
“We really look forward to the challenge.”