Trojans doomed by early deficit
BY MATT BAKER World Sports Writer
Saturday, December 05, 2009
12/05/09 at 6:53 AM
Union started with a lateral on the opening kickoff and a 76-yard touchdown.
Jenks didn't panic. It was just another hurdle to overcome in a season filled with obstacles.
"Hey, we've been here before," Jenks wide receiver Steven Carpenter said. "Adversity, we've been through it all year."
But not like what the Trojans saw Friday night at Chapman Stadium in a 52-19 loss in the Class 6A state championship game.
Union piled on with three more touchdowns, a safety and a field goal in the first half. Before the teams entered the locker room, Jenks had given up 32 points — its largest deficit since a 44-0 loss to a Gus Malzahn-led team from Springdale, Ark., in 2005.
"They were able to jump on us early, and we had the deer-in-the-headlights look," Jenks interim head coach Loren Montgomery said. "We got beat on all phases of the game."
Some of Jenks' problems were self-inflicted.
Quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen fumbled a low snap on the second play from scrimmage. Steven Stadler — who spent two years at Jenks before returning to Union this season — recovered. The Redskins scored three plays later to take a 14-0 lead three minutes into the game.
"After that, it seemed like they kept hammering at us," Kollmorgen said. "And it went south from there for us."
Montgomery credited Union's coaching staff for a great game plan and the Redskins for pulling it off. Jenks hadn't faced an early two-touchdown deficit before, let alone a 32-point hole. Jenks had allowed that many points in a full game only once this season, when it gave up 40 to Bartlesville in October.
And the Redskins didn't give Jenks a chance to come back.
"We didn't respond at all in the first half," Montgomery said. "We came back in the second half and got a few things going. But every time we got something going, we'd shoot ourselves in the foot again."
Some costly mistakes came on special teams. After Jenks tailback Zack Langer rushed for a 19-yard touchdown two minutes into the second half, Union answered with a 90-yard kickoff return by Kale Pearson.
A shanked 19-yard punt in the second quarter led to a short field for Union, ultimately ending in a safety — the third Union recorded against Jenks in their two meetings this year.
"We didn't stop them, and we put our defense in a bad position," Montgomery said. "Anytime a team has to go a short field, they're going to be pretty successful — especially that team over there."
Matt Baker 581-8358
matt.baker@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Thomas Roberson's touchdown on the opening kickoff put Jenks in an early hole, and the Trojans never recovered Friday. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
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