The second ranked Guthrie BlueJays did not play their best football in wet, sloppy conditions in their first round playoff game with Durant, but was good enough for a 35-6 win, Friday night, on a wet and slippery Jelsma Stadium.
The win will set-up a second round game with the Coweta Tigers, inside Jelsma Stadium, who held off a tough Bishop Kelley team, 13-7, late in the fourth quarter with two defensive stands, including stopping the Comets at the 1-yard line.
Guthrie will enter the second round winners of eight games in a row and a 10-1 overall record and Coweta has won six games in a row and boast an 9-2 record.
To hear the post game thoughts from head coach Rafe Watkins about the win and Coweta click here.
Guthrie started quickly by scoring on their third offensive play of the game with a 13-yard run by senior Derrik Kelly, but to only see Durant move the ball surprisingly against a stingy Guthrie defense to score on their third possession with a 27-yard reception from quarterback Keaton Webb to Steven McMichael.
The Lions moved the ball as well as anyone, against the Guthrie defense on their second and third drives. However, Durant was able to manage just six points with a failed 27-yard field goal and a failed two-point conversion before turning the ball over on their last two possessions of the first half.
Guthrie did not do themselves any favors by committing 13 penalties and resulting in 105-yards.
Meanwhile, Guthrie found a groove in the second quarter with 21 points, including two touchdown receptions by Missouri Tiger to be Kentrell Brothers. Brothers finished with 7-receptions for 115 yards and one of the best catches you will ever see.
Brothers was sent on a fade route, in the Northwest corner of the end zone, and made a diving one-handed catch to give his Jays a 21-6 lead with 2:49 to play til the half. The Touchdown was Brothers’ 17th of the season.
The Guthrie defense, who finished the night with eight sacks, set-up the next points when junior lineman Marc Allison stripped Webb and causing the turnover. Three plays later Bryan Dutton found Seth Viccho on a 9-yard dump off pass that resulted in not only six points, but resulted in Viccho’s first reception and touchdown on the season.
Guthrie led at the half, 28-6, and out gained the Lions 183 to 106 in total offense. Durant had minus-2 rushing and finished with minus-37 yards rushing in the game against the state’s best run defense.
Overall, the Jays finished with 329-yards of offense and held Durant to 111-yards of offense. Durant managed just seven total yards of offense in the second half.
The lone second half score came on a 9-yard pass from Dutton to Luke Davis midway through the final quarter.
Dutton, who was ill with a 102 degree temperature, on Thursday, finished the night by completing 17 of 22 passes for 188 yards and four passing scores. Dutton passed the 2,000 passing yards mark early in the first half and currently stands at 2,162 yards. A season ago, he passed for 2,101 yards and is the career passing leader in GHS history.
Congrats, GHS! Told you CA and Duncan would be a good one. Also McAlestar was somewhat tested in their game. Lawton Mac may be pretty good. They blasted Ada! The east looks tough as well.