Midwest City finishes strong
Resilient Bombers take down Stillwater in regular season finale, 26-17:
STILLWATER — Midwest City’s football team has had trouble with Stillwater in recent years.
They made sure this wasn’t one of those years.
Jacob Reed ran for two touchdowns and the Bombers defense shut down the Pioneers in the second half to earn a 26-17 win in the regular season finale at Pioneer Stadium.
“I knew we would have to get our ducks down and really come together to win this one,” Reed said. “We weren’t ready for what they were doing (offensively) but at halftime we schemed it out and shut it down.”
Stillwater took the lead twice in the game, but Midwest City responded with go-ahead touchdowns each time. T’Aces Vick returned a short kickoff with 9 seconds left in the first half, helping the Bombers reclaim the lead at 13-10.
The Pioneers surged ahead again on their first possession of the second half. Quarterback Jace Brownlee broke a 51-yard run and later scored from three yards out to put Stillwater in front 17-13.
Midwest City grabbed the lead for good following a seven-play scoring drive in the third. Preston Colbert completed passes to four different receivers, with the final throw going to DeClaudio Irvin for a 14-yard score.
The Bombers defense didn’t allow the Pioneers to cross midfield the rest of the game. Reed provided some insurance with his second touchdown of the night. Reece Blasingame added the extra point to make it a 26-17 final score.
“Stillwater gives us fits and we need to bring our ‘A’ game or we get beat like we did last year,” said Midwest City coach Darrell Hall.
Midwest held Stillwater to 156 yards of total offense. Vick led the way with 13 tackles. Jalen Redmond and Tommyon Scott had two sack apiece. Evan Fields recorded 11 tackles and one sack.
The Bombers finish the regular season with a 7-3 record and District 6A-II-I championship with a 6-1 district mark. They will host Sand Springs Friday in the first round off the playoffs. The
Sandites (6-4) upset the Bombers in the first round in 2014 and were state runners-up last year.
Stillwater also clinched a playoff spot after Choctaw lost in overtime to Putnam City West. The Pioneers travel to Muskogee.
Colbert threw for 237 yards with one touchdown and completed passes to 10 different receivers. Juwan Walker led the team with five catches for 71 yards. Arlenza Whittenberg had two catches for 44 yards and Irvin had a touchdown grab. RJ Walker, Kyle Lindsay, Reed, Astin Anderson, Dajon Sealy, Vick and Shelby Washington also had receptions in the game.
Reed led the Bombers on the ground with 52 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. His first score came on a two-yard run with 3:47 left in the first, which gave Midwest City a 7-0 lead.
Stillwater put together its first scoring drive midway through the second. The Pioneers hammered away with running game led by Josiah Castleberry, Tyler Disidore and quarterback Jace Brownlee. The Bombers stopped three straight runs inside their own 10 and the Pioneers had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Nick Camacho.
Gunnar Gundy, the son of Midwest City native and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, put the home team on top 10-7 with a touchdown pass to Garrett Leming with 20 seconds left in the half.
The lead vanished when Vick took a short kickoff 67 yards for a touchdown, giving Midwest City a 13-10 halftime lead.
Stillwater reclaimed the lead on their first possession of the second half, but Midwest City against wrestled it back for good.
