Antlers freeze Bulldogs in second half win, 27-14

With the wind whipping westwardly, the Deer Creek Antlers defeated the Memorial Bulldogs 27-14 in Deer Creek on Friday night after the Antler’s Hunter Freese averaged more than 10 yards per passing attempt and more than 7 yards per carry. Memorial hurried out to an early lead after the Bulldog’s took their opening drive 50 yards in 10 plays to score a touchdown. Memorial forced Deer Creek into a three-and-out after the Antlers received the opening kickoff, and an errant punt forced into the westward-blowing wind gave the ball to the Bulldogs at center field. Memorial would dink and dunk down the field, averaging 5 yards per play on the drive, before Memorial’s Darius Parker pounded in a carry from 1 yard out. Deer Creek answered back; however, when the Antlers drove the ball 80 yards to even the score at 7-all. Deer Creek’s Hunter Freese found Logan Huslig for a 63-yard catch and run on a 3rd down and 10. Huslig’s conversion catch set up the game’s tying touchdown: A 17-yard screen pass from Freese to Deer Creek sophomore Lamorris Davis. The Antlers moved the ball 80 yards on the scoring drive, all of which came from those two plays. Just before the first half ended, Memorial looked to score another seven. The Bulldogs took over on their own 13-yard marker with 4:21 left in the half. Memorial drove the ball to the Deer Creek end zone primarily off a 58-yard reception from Burgess to Parker. Two plays later, Memorial’s Nate Williams ran it in from 7 yards out. Deer Creek was unable to answer before the half, and the Bulldogs took a 14-7 lead into the locker room. Although the Antlers never posed an answer in the first half, Deer Creek opened the second half with an equalizer. After Memorial was forced into a three-and-out, the Antlers took over at the 50. The Creek found a connection between Freese and Paxton Gary for a 36-yard touchdown pass to set the score even at 14. The Antlers took advantage of another Bulldog drive that was without a first down, as the Antlers took over on their own 44. Deer Creek drove the ball all the way to the end zone and scored on another screen pass to Davis. Davis’s touchdown screens came on identical plays from almost the exact same location of the field. Memorial was held scoreless throughout the second half, and Deer Creek’s kicker, Alexi Oldham, added two field goals late in the fourth quarter to put the final score at 27-14, in favor of Deer Creek. Oldham’s field goals came from 26 and 35 yards out. Deer Creek’s Freese did the heavy lifting for the Antlers in Friday’s win, recording 252 yards passing on 14-25 and 2 touchdowns. Freese also rushed for 66 yards in 9 attempts. The contest was a bounce-back game for both teams, as both Memorial and Deer Creek lost their Week 2 matches to Edmond North and Edmond Santa Fe, respectively. The win improved the Antlers to 2-1, while simultaneously dropping the Bulldogs to 1-3.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Edmond Memorial High School Athletics

ANTLERS FREEZE BULLDOGS IN SECOND HALF WIN, 27-14

AARON ALBERTSON

The Edmond Sun | 9/15/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Drew Harmon