Jenks survives strong offensive performance from Moore, 49-41
By Michael Kinney
MOORE - Jenks is used to winning. For the past three decades, that is all the Trojans have done.
However, winning ugly is something they haven’t gotten used to just yet.
In a game that saw them give up 634 total yards, the Trojans were able to pull out a nail-biting 49-41 victory against Moore Friday at Moore Stadium. But it didn’t leave the team with a good taste in their mouths as they were walking off the field.
“Personally, it was a little upsetting defensive-wise,” said Jenks senior Crissup Cooper. “It was very upsetting to us.
"We have a lot of holes to fill. We have a lot of improvement to do. But we will overcome it and make a good recovery and come back and dominate.”
Several times during the night, it looked like Jenks was ready to run away with the contest. But each time, the Lions found a way to scratch their way back into it.
That includes with 6:22 left in the fourth quarter when Ike Owens scored on a quarterback sneak to put the Trojans ahead, 49-28.
However, Moore quarterback Denver Wolfe led the Lions down the field in less than two minutes and threw a touchdown pass to Makai Crenshaw.
Moore attempted an onside kick, but Jenks' Jalyn Stanford recovered the attempt and set the Trojans up near midfield. However, they were unable to pick up the first down and were forced to punt.
The Lions took over at their own 6-yard line with three minutes left on the clock. Once again ,Wolfe drove the offense down the field by spreading the ball around.
Then once they got inside the 5-yard line, Keandre Pittman finished the drive with a short TD run.
However, Jenks blocked the extra point and kept their lead at eight points with 45 seconds left.
Moore’s only shot was to recover an onside kick. However, the ball sailed out of bounds and Jenks took possession.
They were able to take the victory knee and end the game.
Despite the win, the Trojans were not happy with their overall performance. Especially those on the defensive side of the ball.
“We kind of let the opposing offense get a little momentum and let them come alive again,” Cooper said. “We need to start stomping on people’s throats and shutting everything out. We haven’t been doing that right now. That’s what we need to do.”
What had Cooper so upset is that the Trojans allowed the Lions to rack up 634 yards on the night. That was almost double the Trojans' output of 359.
After a slow start, Wolfe threw for 521 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions on the night. Brayden Clark had nine receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns, while C.J. Simon added 11 catches for 176 yards.
As a team, Jenks ran the rock for 318 yards. Stanford led the Trojans with 192 yards and four touchdowns.
Stanford also had an interception on the defensive side of the ball.
“I think I played really well,” said Stanford, who is committed to the University of Houston. “It’s one of the best games of my career.
"Setting the tone early with the interception and setting my team’s offense up to punch it in, I feel like I provided for the team and it was good enough for the win.”
While Owens threw for only 59 yards, he did have two rushing touchdowns.
On the first play of the game, Wolfe was picked off by Stanford. The Trojans turned that into an Owens touchdown run.
Jenks wasn’t done. Leading 14-0, Stanford broke loose for a 40-yard scamper down the sideline and into the end zone, which he said was his favorite.
With a 21-0 first-quarter advantage, it looked like the Trojans were going to run the Lions out of their own house.
However, Moore finally got its offense going late in the first quarter and throughout the second. Wolfe began hitting Clark and Simon downfield for big chunks of yardage.
Simon and Clark both reached the end zone and closed the gap to 21-14 with 9:47 left in the second quarter. It was a brand-new ball game.
But Jenks answered right back when Stanford ran 71 yards for a touchdown.
“My boy Jordan Schelling went down and I had to step in and play that big role for them,” Stanford said. “Usually we are a three-headed monster. I got more carries than I expected, but it paid off.
"I would do anything for the team.”
Wolfe was picked off two more times in the quarter by Ty Walls and Ashton Cunninghan. That led to another Stanford touchdown.
Moore had an opportunity to cut into the deficit when the Lions had a first-and-goal with less than a minute on the clock. But they were unable to get the ball in the end zone on three straight plays and went into halftime trailing, 35-14.
Even though Moore made it a game in the second half, the Trojans (5-2, 3-1 District 6AI-1) still picked up the key district win. They will look to get things back on track when they host Southmoore next week.
Moore (4-3, 1-3) takes on a surging Norman North next week.
