Jeff Harrison
Edmond North was much in need of some momentum, after last week�s deflating loss to Midwest City. While things didn�t go as smoothly as head coach Jeremy Dombek would have liked, the Huskies still picked up some steam with a 36-6 win over Putnam City West Thursday night at Wantland Stadium.
�I was not really pleased with the way we played tonight,� Dombek said. �I hate to say that with a 30-point victory, obviously we did some good things, but there were just too many mistakes. And mistakes like that next week are going to get us beat.�
The No. 11-ranked Huskies (7-1, 4-1) have a week to retool for a huge Edlam matchup with No. 12 Memorial (4-3, 3-1). Both teams will be vying for the city title and the chance to host a first round playoff game.
�We�ll start getting our minds ready tonight for Memorial, we�re going for city champs and we�ll start that first thing in the morning,� senior defensive back Xavier Smith said.
The Huskies moved the ball on the ground effectively all night, rushing for 220 yards on 47 carries. Joe Aska led the way with 100 yards on 20 touches, while Qua�Don Henderson, who was injured late in the game, and Jared Benway combined for 107 yards and a touchdown. Benway also added two scores in the passing game.
Danny Rossi passed for three touchdowns in his first start of the season, despite completing just 6-of-16 passes for 64 yards.
Henderson helped the Huskies find the end zone first. The senior carried the ball three time for 28 yards on their fourth possession of the game, setting up a second-and-four on the Patriot 10-yard line. Benway then put North on top 6-0 when he grabbed Rossi�s pass just in front of the pylon with 2:07 in the first.
After forcing a three and out, the Huskies took over on the Patriot 35-yard line. Then on the third play of the second quarter Henderson pranced in for a one-yard score. Camden Bohnert added the kick to put the Huskies on top 13-0.
That lead soon grew to 20 points with the help of a big special teams play. Smith blocked a punt on the Patriot 10-yard line, and Ragan Land was there to scoop it up for a touchdown with just over two minutes left in the half.
�It was good seeing the little sophomore score, special teams is a game changer,� Smith said.
The Patriots avoided the shutout when they took the opening series of the second half 80 yards for a touchdown. Johnny Smith broke a 24-yard run, before taking it in from one-yard out with 9:29 in the third.
But the Huskies quickly bounced back as Rossi guided to their third touchdown of the night on the next series. Rossi hit three consecutive passes with the final one a short swing pass that Benway turned into a 23-yard touchdown play. Bohnert added the kick pushing the lead to 27-6 with 4:56 in the third.
PC West�s punting woes continued in the fourth quarter. With the Patriots punting from their end zone, their punter stepped out of bounces for a safety on the first play of the fourth.
North also got sloppy in the final 12 minutes of play, as they turned the ball over twice inside PC West territory. Benway coughed the ball up on the 15-yard line and Rossi later had a pass picked off on the Pats 16.
Rossi later made up for the interception with a late touchdown pass to Blake Gatewood that made it a 36-6 final score.
Smith finished the game with 139 yards and one touchdown for PC West.
