The win was Edmond Memorial's first win of the season, improving to 1-7 and 1-5.
After a first half that saw Memorial open up a 21-0 halftime lead, the second half featured nearly more penalties than points or yards gained as both teams slogged through a sloppy second half.
The teams combined for 199 yards in penalties with Enid accounting for 107, including a handful of personal foul calls down the stretch.
“Both teams were penalized quite a bit tonight,” said Plainsmen head coach Rashaun Woods after the game. “Some refs call it tighter than others. This particular crew called it both ways.”
Enid’s leading rusher, senior Trent Mitchell, was called for a personal foul in the first half, slamming down the football after a loss of three yards. He didn’t return to the game the rest of the way.
“We just have to make sure we conduct ourselves the right way,” Woods said regarding Mitchell not returning to the game. “It’s the way you conduct yourself as a Plainsman and we have to make sure we keep that in mind that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. It’s my responsibility to make sure that’s enforced.”
The Plainsmen found themselves bottled up offensively most of the night, unable to get traction on the ground or through the air.
Freshman Luke Rauh, who got into the game late in the fourth quarter, was Enid’s leading rusher with 25 yards on five carries. Prior to Rauh’s output, the Plainsmen were held to 24 yards on the ground.
Maddux Mayberry completed 10 of 31 passes for 94 yards and was also victimized at times by dropped passes.
Woods said Mayberry, who had been platooning with Blake Priest, had a good practice this week and the coaches felt he gave them the best chance.
After being shut down in the first half, things did not get much better for Enid in the second half as the Plainsmen were intercepted on their first possession of the half and punted or turned the ball over on downs on its five other second-half possessions.
The Bulldogs didn’t fare much better, but did add a late third quarter touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Carson Riney to Trace Evans and made it 35-0 in the fourth quarter on Nate Williams’ 1-yard run, following a 41-yard run by Williams to the 1-yard line.
The highlight for the Plainsmen in the second half was an interception by Tyrese Neal that stopped a Bulldogs drive at the Enid 29-yard line to start the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs got on the board first on a long, ground-chewing drive that started at their own 40-yard line. Memorial’s drive was kept alive when the Bulldogs converted on 4th and 5 from the Enid 30-yard line on a 14-yard pass from Riney. Later, a pass interference call on Enid kept the drive going and was eventually finished off by Mason Williams’ 6-yard run.
The Bulldogs’ opening drive covered 60 yards on 11 plays.
The Plainsmen were backed up to their own 11-yard line after a penalty on the ensuing kickoff and could not muster any offense and had to punt on a three and out.
Enid got a rare stop on Memorial’s next possession and took over at its own 25 after a turnover on downs but again was forced to punt after three plays.
The second quarter started much as the first as the Bulldogs drove 60 yards in 12 plays on their next possession. The Plainsmen had several opportunities to stop Memorial in the backfield but could not wrap up. Williams’ second touchdown put the Bulldogs up 14-0 after scoring from three yards out of the wildcat.
Memorial went up 21-0 following J.J. Ruff’s 51-yard punt return for a touchdown after picking up the bouncing ball and running nearly untouched into the end zone,
The Plainsmen had their best opportunity of the half after Sebastian Dimarucut returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards to the Bulldogs’ 38, nearly breaking it for a touchdown.
The drive was kept alive after a successful fake punt pass by Blake Priest and a penalty on the Bulldogs. But on fourth and nine from the 26-yard line, Mayberry missed an open Cam Mathis over the middle on what would have been a sure touchdown and the Plainsmen were turned away.
The Bulldogs outgained Enid for the contest 313-143 yards.
“Nothing surprising,” Woods said when asked about Enid’s struggles on defense and offense. “We have to continue to improve. We knew what we are.”
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