Jenks Outlasts Norman For Home Playoff Game

With a first-round home game on the line, the Jenks Trojans held off a third quarter push from the Norman Tigers to claim a 31-20 win and second place in District 6A-3.

Trey'Vonne Barr'e capped off a long drive for the Trojans, but a fumbled snap on the PAT turned into a two-point conversion for Jenks to take an 8-0 lead with four minutes left to play in the first.

Norman immediately responded with a 74-yard touchdown run from Rico Hogan on an end-around to close the gap to one point just 18 seconds later.

On the ensuing drive, another long Jenks drive was finished by a five-yard run from Barr'e to put the Trojans ahead 15-7, a lead that would hold until the second half.

In the second half, Jenks was forced to punt and junior Trey Michalczewski dove to keep it out of end zone and downed it on the one-yard line. A'erion Hines was brought down in the end zone for a safety, putting Jenks up 17-7 with 7:17 left in the third.

After a fake field goal from the Trojans was called back due to an ineligible receiver, Hogan took a handoff and was brought down at the 11-yard line thanks to a diving tackle by a Jenks defender. On the next play, George Kittle was on the receiving end of a Zach Long touchdown pass to cut the lead to a field goal with 1:25 left in the third quarter.

In the closing seconds of the third quarter, Hunter Collins hooked up with Sam Laptad for a 38-yard touchdown pass to take a 24-14 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

After trading interceptions, Jenks drove the ball down to the eight-yard line and Barr'e punched it in to move ahead 17 points with less than five minutes to play.

With time winding down, Norman relied on its pass game to move into scoring position and Hines punched it in from one yard out, but the Tigers missed the extra point to trail 31-20 with just two minutes left to play.

The Trojans ran out the next two minutes and locked up the second spot in district behind the Broken Arrow Tigers.

With the win, Jenks moves to 8-2 on the season and will host Stillwater in the opening round, while Norman visits the hot Owasso Rams, winners of three straight.