‘Winning’s fun’: Pioneers stay unblemished behind Roberts’ four scores | Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Stillwater High soccer workforce entered its Week 8 highway contest in opposition to Putnam City West on the heels of a blowout win over Bartlesville. That’s been the theme of this season up to now for the Pioneers, who collectively outscored their first seven opponents 374-89.

And their dominant methods of successful continued Friday night, when the Pioneers remained unblemished with a 49-7 win over the Patriots at Patriot Stadium.

“It’s a big deal, you know?” Stillwater coach Tucker Barnard stated. “Winning is hard, so we try to not take it for granted.”

Barnard thought his workforce “left a little out there” throughout Week 7, largely referring to a gradual begin on offense. But the Pioneers (8-0) got here out firing on all cylinders this week.

After forcing the Patriots (2-6) right into a three-and-out on the sport’s opening drive, Stillwater struck first with a 3-yard landing run from senior operating again Noah Roberts.

Another three-and-out resulted in one other landing, with the Pioneers’ second rating in as many drives approaching a 27-yard toss from senior quarterback Gage Gundy to junior wideout Heston Thompson.

The Pioneers’ third drive of the sport paled compared to the primary two, although.

Gundy entered the competition with a single interception on the season. Picking off the prolific passer hasn’t been one thing that’s come straightforward to defenses up to now. But a tipped cross led to an interception from Patriots linebacker Dujuan Knight, who returned it 40-something yards for West’s lone rating of the sport.

Stillwater responded earlier than the half with two extra scores from Roberts. and regardless of the interception, Barnard isn’t anxious in regards to the offense a single bit.

“I think we missed some assignments. Not really that big of a deal, honestly,” Barnard stated. “To be eight weeks in before something like that happens – I probably need to temper myself a little bit. When you throw the ball as much as we do, you’re gonna throw a pick. The fact that we haven’t done that is pretty unbelievable.”

The Patriots’ defensive plan was to restrict any massive performs from Stillwater’s passing sport, and, for essentially the most half, they had been profitable. It was a method fueled by the Pioneers’ latest aerial assault, which accounted for 10 touchdowns in Weeks 6 and seven.

With West making an attempt to take the air out of the ball, the Pioneers turned to – and leaned on – Roberts.

He was a focus of Stillwater’s offense, scoring four complete speeding touchdowns, together with three within the first half. Roberts now has 21 touchdowns on the season, and he’s carried the ball greater than 150 occasions for over 1,000 yards.

“Some holes opened up, and I was just running hard,” Roberts stated. “When we can run the ball too, it makes us pretty much unstoppable.”

“It was good to get the running game going early,” Barnard stated. “From what I saw on the field, it looked like (Roberts) played really, really well. When we hit our aiming points and got our blocking assignments the way we need to be, there were huge holes for him to run through.”

Stillwater’s protection continued to embrace its “shark mentality,” a lesson taught by defensive coordinator Clarence Holley. It labored all through the primary seven weeks, and it held true for Week 8 as nicely.

With the Patriots’ lone rating coming through Gundy’s interception, the protection recorded its second shutout in 5 weeks. The Pioneers have allowed 20 factors over the past 5 video games.

“We’re not playing a perfect game. Probably won’t ever play one, you know?” Barnard stated of the protection’s pursuit of excellence. “But man, we’re gonna keep striving for that and pushing for that.”

West introduced maybe one of the vital balanced offenses that Stillwater’s protection has encountered this season. The Pioneers’ opponents are normally compelled to throw whereas making an attempt to maintain up. But the Patriots didn’t essentially try this.

Led by junior quarterback Shyheim Johnson, the Patriots tried to make use of their run sport to arrange passes downfield. Stillwater was prepared for that, although. That was what the Pioneers schemed for, and it led to Stillwater defensive again Trey Tuck snagging his second interception in as many weeks.

“The plan was to be like, ‘OK, make them throw it over us,” Barnard stated. “It leads to a lot of incompletions. … Now they’re in a bad down-and-distance situation, where they don’t really wanna be and where we do wanna be.”

With the playoffs approaching, Stillwater will journey to play Tahlequah in Week 9 for the second leg of a three-game highway journey to shut out the common season.

The Tigers (3-5) snapped a three-game shedding skid with a 70-0 win over U.S. Grant on Friday, giving them momentum to journey whereas making an attempt handy the Pioneers their first lack of the season.

But for now, Barnard and Co. are going to take pleasure in one other win earlier than refocusing and readying for the Week 9 showdown.

“Winning’s fun, losing’s not,” Barnard stated. “And we’re still winning.”

Follow News Press sports activities reporter Jon Walker on Twitter @ByJonWalker for updates on Stillwater High athletics.