Jeff Harrison
While things haven’t gone quite the way the Edmond Santa Fe football would have liked, they’re making the best of it. Last week the Wolves (2-7, 1-5) proved a five-game losing streak wasn’t enough to keep them down, as they knocked Norman North out of playoff contention with a 24-7 win. And they will look to keep that momentum up as they host Moore in their season finale.
“We were playing all week thinking we’re the spoilers and we got rid of (Norman North’s) chances,” senior center Alex Land said. “We can’t go to the playoffs, so this is our last game. I’d be nice to get a win and be able to feel good about the season.”
Senior Tyler Shaw admits the losing has taken a toll on the Wolves, but said he has been impressed with the way his team kept things together.
“It’s nice that everyone kept fighting and playing together, having a good time,” Shaw said. “It sucks knowing you’re not going to playoffs, but it’s still nice to win. It gets you fired up.”
The Lions (0-9, 0-6) enter tonight’s game amidst a nine-game losing streak. Their most recent setback came a week ago when they were dumped by rival Southmoore 58-14.
Offensively, the Lions have struggled to put points on the board. They’re averaging just nine points and 181 yards of total offense per game.
Junior Vova Razryvin leads the Moore offense. The dual threat quarterback has passed for 524 yards and three touchdowns, but has been picked off 13 times. Razryvin also leads the team in rushing with 289 yards and one touchdown on 109 carries.
The Lions also rely on Chris Clark and Ethan Glidden to move the ball on the ground. Clark has 282 yards rushing and three touchdowns, while Glidden has racked up 188 yards and a score.
Moore’s leading receiver is Dalton Hilliard, who has 13 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. Clark is also a reliable option out of the backfield with 15 receptions for 95 yards.
Santa Fe shouldn’t have any difficulty moving the ball tonight against the Moore defense that has surrendered 39 points per game, which is fourth worst in Class 6A.
The Wolves will look for another strong outing from quarterback Will Long, who had an impressive two-touchdown game against Norman North. The senior, who has taken his lumps this season, completed 10-of-15 passes for 170 yards in the 24-7 road win.
Brian Mills should also be primed for a big outing. The senior needs just 108 yards rushing to top the 1,000 mark for the season.
Clark leads the Lions in tackles with 105, while David Cowan is next with 77 stops and one interception.
Santa Fe trounced Moore in their last meet, winning 57-21 in last year’s regular season finale.
Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
