A Solid Senior Day for OPSU

Goodwell, Okla.-On October 25, the Oklahoma Panhandle State football team
celebrated their last home game of the season with a significant victory
over the Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions 45-7. What started
out as an even match ended with a blowout as the Aggies found a groove and
ran with it.

The first half of the game consisted of solid defense play and offensive
struggle for both teams. Each side failed to create a successful drive until
OPSU kicker Gabriel Ortega broke the ice with a 35-yard field goal to take
the first lead of the game. After about nine minutes of game time, the
Aggies sent a jolt down the spines of the Lions with a fake punt pass from
punter Devin Rubino to defensive back Xazier Murry for a huge fourth down
conversion to set up a five-yard touchdown run by running back Chris
McClendon later in the drive.

The Aggies would hold onto a 10-0 lead for most of the first half, but
failed to convert on offense because of two fumbles. The Lions managed to
find the end zone before halftime with a 3-yard rush from Jeremy McDonald to
make the score 10-7.

In the second half, the Aggies came out "guns-a-blazing" with an 89-yard
touchdown pass from quarterback Caleb Holbrook to wide receiver Zacari
Lavender. After the Aggie defense continued to shut down the Lion offense,
they would find the end zone later with a six-yard pass from Holbrook to
wide receiver Rickey Backstrom.

Holbrook and the Aggie offense kept the fire burning as they reached the
promised land one more time before the end of the third quarter with a
three-yard pass from Holbrook to wide receiver Devyn Williams to make the
score 31-7. The pass to the strong hands of wide receiver Deandre Perry from
21 yards out, and later found his favorite target Lavender for his fifth
touchdown pass from 40 yards out. The Aggies finished strong with a 45-7
win.

The Aggies have been impressive at home this season, finishing with a record
of 4-1 at Carl Wooten Field. Their six-game winning streak is the first
since 1984. Milestones have been broken, and the Aggie nation continues to
grow.

Coach Gaskamp shared how pleased he was for his team on the season. "Your
first goal as a team is to have a winning season, and yesterday we
accomplished that. We played as good as a 2nd half as we have played in the
last three seasons. All three phases were lights out. I thought we played
well in the first half but the two turnovers kept the game close. We played
mistake-free the rest of the game and showed how good we can be when we
execute. I am very proud of our guys."

Offensively, the Aggies dominated with 365 passing yards and 342 rushing
yards for a total of 707 total yards. Caleb Holbrook threw for 337 yards and
5 touchdowns, both Rod Moore and Chris McClendon ran for over 100 yards;
Moore-150, McClendon-109, and Zacari Lavender brought in 136 yards receiving
on only three receptions. On the year the Aggie offense has been 80 percent
in the red zone and scored 361 total points; breaking the all-time school
scoring record from 1961 when the Aggies scored 343 points in eleven games.

Defensively, middle linebacker Tanner Hallford led with 13 tackles in the
game and has accumulated 70 total tackles and 5.5 sacks on the season.
Hallford is averaging about nine tackles per game and the Aggie defense has
caused 22 sacks, and 14 interceptions on the year.

The Aggies will travel to Langston, Okla. this week to play the Langston
University Lions at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1. The Aggie Nation is invited
to come support their team at this in-state rivalry and help keep the streak
alive and the records rolling. Whether cheering the Aggies on in the stand
or from home.WEAR RED, GET ROWDY, REV IT UP!!!

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Justine Gaskamp