Wayne players learn from last year's growing pains
It took some growing pains, but Wayne football coach Brandon Sharp likes a team that has gone through the fire together.
Last season, Sharp said Wayne was breaking in several young players and learning on the fly. The culminated in some bad losses, but none worse than the 60-8 beatdown his team took at the hands of fellow Class A rival Wynnewood.
"They absolutely embarrassed us," Sharp said. "We had graduated a lot of seniors from the year before so we were throwing some kids to the wolves. It was ugly.
"But our kids didn't forget about it."
Flash forward to this past Friday night as Wayne traveled to Wynnewood with revenge in mind.
Behind the work of quarterback Rodney Gray, who rushed for more than 150 yards and two touchdowns, Wayne pushed past Wynnewood 41-32 to improve to 5-2 on the year and 3-1 in district play.
Sharp said Gray, who also forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown, was one of the players that learned from early playing time last year.
"Stepping into that role last year benefited him a lot," Sharp said. "It helped everybody grow up quick, and we are better for it this year."
Norman’s Horton returns, sparks win
Coming off an ankle injury, Norman quarterback Cade Horton needed a big night.
He got one Friday night in his best game of the year, a wild 43-35 victory over Enid to keep the Tigers’ postseason hopes alive.
Horton accounted for two fourth-quarter touchdowns — a 31-yard rush and a 31-yard pass — and totaled five touchdowns on the night. He threw for three and 255 yards, while rushing for two more and 64 yards.
“I thought he threw the ball well, he managed the game great and he ran well,” Norman coach Rocky Martin said.
“I think overall that’s probably his best game of the year so far. You could tell Cade was feeling pretty good.”
Horton's long TD run in the fourth set up another 31-yard TD pass in the final minutes for what appeared to be a 15-point victory, but Enid scored late on a pass from Titan Stephens to star Will Phillips.
Phillips finished with 234 total yards of offense.
Norman (4-3 overall, 2-2 District 6A-I-1) remains in the playoff hunt with three tough opponents remaining in Jenks, Westmoore and Edmond Santa Fe.
Top performers
Outside of the Oklahoma City area, a few players last week had huge nights. •Coalgate running back Blade Horton was nearly unstoppable in a 50-27 win over Lindsay as he rushed for all seven touchdowns and 321 yards on 40 carries. •Sulphur star running back Trey Kiser has been huge carrying the ball. Friday night, he did that and more in a 26-7 victory over Plainview. He rushed for 262 yards and two TDs, while also finishing with 16 tackles and three sacks on defense. •Haskell senior quarterback Tayden Lucero had a night to remember in a 76-36 rout of Caney Valley. He threw for 188 yards and a TD. He rushed for 254 yards and six TDs. He also had a 61-yard pick-six on defense.