Arnold’s big game against CHA almost didn’t happen
Staff Writer akemp@oklahoman.com
Oklahoma Christian School coach Derek Turner was thrilled with what he saw from his running back Mason Arnold on Friday night.
Thrilled because just days before he thought Arnold was done for the season.
“Just to see him out there was a good thing,” Turner said. “But then to see what he did (and) against who he did it against. He was playing with a little extra pep that’s for sure.”
What Arnold did, run for 211 yards and three touchdowns against Christian Heritage Academy (OCS’ biggest rival,) surprised the senior running back as well.
For his performance, he is The Oklahoman’s Player of the Week.
After a run against Pauls Valley the week before, he was twisted up in the pile by a defender and had to come out of the game. After a trip to the doctor, they feared he had injured a vertebrae in his back.
“I really didn’t think I was going to get to play against CHA, and that would have just been the worst,” Arnold said. “Last year was rough, they beat us and we wanted to come out and give it back to them.”
Last season was a slog between the two schools, CHA scored the first touchdown in the first quarter and then shut down OCS for the rest of the game until a late touchdown by the Saints made the final score 10-6 in favor of CHA.
Arnold said everything just felt off last year, nobody handled their assignments well and CHA really dominated on defense.
Now on a team loaded with 16 seniors, Arnold said he knew they not only had the talent but also the leadership to beat CHA.
“We had been looking forward to facing them for the whole year so I was pretty devastated,” Arnold said. “The thought of not playing was really killing me. This is our Bedlam.”
Arnold visited the doctor again the day before the game, hoping for good news.
He got it. His vertebrae had not been damaged. Instead it was just an issue with a muscle. Arnold was cleared to play.
Just like the 2016 game, CHA was first to score this year. Unlike 2016, OCS answered, and responded with fourstraight touchdowns.
Turner says Arnold is not much of “rah rah guy.” He rarely gets excited and leads mostly by example on and off the field. Turner said Arnold had never had a game quite like he did on Friday night.
As he watched Arnold reel off big run after big run against CHA, leading the way in a 48-12 rout, he could tell there was some extra motivation with each carry.
“Our seniors hadn’t really ever beat CHA, and we won’t play them for the next two years because of class changes,” Turner said. “Each time he touched the ball it felt special.”