Stillwater wins thriller in Deer Creek
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Game Recap: 2OT Stillwater- 35 Deer Creek- 28
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Friday night fall evenings are creeping into the air and that’s exactly the type of “football weather” that we had setting the stage at the very impressive complex at Deer Creek Schools in Edmond, Oklahoma. Stillwater was coming into town for a top 10 matchup with the Deer Creek Antlers. After a non scoring game for most of the first half which didn’t see anyone find the end zone until Stillwater did so on back to back possessions in the second quarter, with TD runs from Holden Thompson and Gage Gundy Gage Gundy 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Stillwater | 2023 State OK respectively. Only to then turn right around to allow their first score of the night to Deer Creek late in the first half on a nine yard pass from Brett Pense Brett Pense 6'2" | QB Deer Creek | 2022 State OK to Jevion Jones that would leave the Pioneers up 14-7 at the half.
The second half would begin in a similar fashion as the first where neither team had success finding the end zone until late in the third quarter when a Gage Gundy Gage Gundy 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Stillwater | 2023 State OK pass would be tipped into the hands of Deer Creeks Bryson Rouse who then took the ball 97 yards for a pick six that would tie the game up at 14. This would be the first of a couple INTs for Rouse who again picked off Gundy in the Redzone to help prevent the Pioneers from taking a late lead in the third quarter. The Antlers had 3 INTs forced heading into the fourth where they would again force a Redzone turnover by Stillwater, this time on the ground. This would give way to a 80-yard TD pass from DCs Brett Pense Brett Pense 6'2" | QB Deer Creek | 2022 State OK to Jevion Jones and complete a 21-0 run from the Antlers that seemed like would go on to win the game. The two teams would yo-yo the field on possessions until Deer Creek boomed a punt to the 6 where Stillwater and Gundy would take over with a little over 3 minutes remaining and down by 7. Gundy would drive the Pioneers down the field and throw an 11-yard strike to Ty Smithton with 8 seconds left as the XP tied the game and forced the first OT.
Deer Creeks Gavin Smith would start the scoring in OT with a sneak to give DC the 28-21 lead on the ensuing XP. Stillwater would quickly respond with a 10-yard score on their first play with a pass from Gundy to Zac Tyson and force a 2OT. Stillwater would again score on a 5-yard Holden Thompson run and completed XP to go ahead 35-28. The Stillwater defense would stifle the Deer Creek offense and hold them out to keep the score 35-28 in favor of the Pioneers and give them a big win to kick of their district schedule while also extending their record to 3-1(1-0) to start the season. This one was a great matchup on both sides that is an early candidate for game of the year thus far.