Mayfield the key to Sooners’ success
OU FOOTBALL
Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield will need to have an exceptional game if the Sooners are to beat Ohio State in Columbus.
MUSTANG — Brayden Garrett watched film all week of Norman’s gutty Week 1 performance. It was hard to forget.
Garrett, Mustang’s quarterback, thought of the Tigers’ near upset of Norman North at halftime. Mustang held just a two-touchdown advantage. It was crucial to put away the Tigers.
No. 7 Mustang, behind its senior quarterback and a few opportunistic turnovers, did just that.
The Broncos used a huge second half to pull away from No. 10 Norman for a 48-14 victory Friday night at Broncos Stadium.
“You didn’t want to leave them any room to make any comebacks,” Garrett said. “That’s what was on our mind. We just knew we had to come out and score to put them away. We just had to play Bronco football and do what we can do.”
Garrett went to work in the second half through the air.
He opened the half with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Dawson McKinney to make it 34-14. That ignited the rout, too.
Norman sophomore quarterback Cade Horton fumbled the ball away on the next drive. Mustang’s Carlos Thomas scored two plays later.
Garrett later capped the scoring with an impressive 25-yard touchdown pass to Mason Lowe late in the third. By then, it was 48-14.
Garrett finished the night 10 of 18 for 171 yards. He also scored once on the ground, a 45-yard run on the Broncos’ opening drive.
“I just thought he played
great,” Mustang coach Jeremy Dombek said. “It seems to happen with a senior that’s played a lot of football, played meaningful games and led us to the semifinals last year. I think the game has slowed down for him. You hear that cliche term all of time, but you can see it.”
Mustang (2-0) forced three turnovers and held Norman to 311 total yards a week after it scored 43 in a loss to Norman North.
Horton struggled at times, despite leading a rally in the second quarter with two straight scoring drives after falling behind 20-0. He completed just 12 of 30 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted twice along with his fumble.
“I can’t say enough about our defense,” Dombek said. “The last two games have been tremendous.”
Those turnovers made it easier to make sure a comeback was avoided.
“That was huge, especially trying to put them away quick,” Garrett said.