The Sayre Eagle football team traveled to Watonga last Thursday evening where they outscored their opponent 36 to 13 in a second half surge. The win gives the Eagles a 5 win 2 loss record overall for the season and a 3 win 1 loss in district A1 play.
Penalties were a hindrance that took away several opportunities to sustain offensive drives for both teams. Sayre was assessed 132 yards on 14 penalties and Watonga 156 yards on 15 penalties by the end of the game.
The game was even in the first half where Sayre led by the score of 14 to 13 before shutting out Watonga in the second half 22 to 0 with a stubborn defense led by Aiden Ball with 8 tackles and Hunter Hanrahan and Brayden Mosburg with 7 stops each.
Sayre took charge of the game early by receiving the opening kickoff with a 15 yard return by Jaden Mosser out to the Sayre 30 yard line. On the first play of the game Zane Allen found a big hole in the line and stormed through it on his way to a 55 yard gain to the Watonga 15 yard line. Three plays later Dustin McSorley fired the final one yard into the end zone for the first TD in the game. Hanrahan ran across the line for the 2 point conversion giving Sayre an early 8 to 0 lead with 10:23 left on the clock in the first quarter.
Watonga took the ensuing kickoff to their own 30 but after 3 plays lost 9 yards was forced to punt. The punt was a 40 yarder to the Sayre 39. Sayre commenced to go on their second touchdown of the night by marching 61 yards in 8 plays to the Watonga end zone. QB Camden Plummer finished the drive by connecting a 44 yard TD pass to Jaden Mosser. The PAT failed and Sayre led 14 - 0 with 4:21 left in the first quarter. Watonga failed to let the game get out of hand when they took the ensuing kickoff and drove from their own 35 to the Eagle end zone in only 3 plays. The big play of the drive was a 63 yard pass from QB Kelan Estep to Ayden Perez to the Sayre 2 yard line. Estep then stepped into the end zone from 2 yards out. Cooper House toed through the PAT and the score read 14 to 7 with 3:56 left in the first quarter.
Watonga later scored a second touchdown midway through the second quarter on a 29 yard pass from Estep to Perez. The PAT kick failed and with 5:41 left in the first half Watonga had closed the gap to 14 to 13. The half ended with the score remaining the same. Watonga received the second half kickoff but after 2 plays netted 4 yards the third play was fumbled and Cam Plummer recovered for Sayre at the Eagle 46. Sayre took advantage of the Watonga miscue by driving 54 yards in eleven plays to put their third TD on the scoreboard. Jaden Mosser slipped into the end zone from 2 yards away. McSorley ran across the 2 point conversion and the score was 22 to 13 in favor of Sayre with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
After the ensuing kickoff Watonga managed to march 39 yards to the Sayre 18 but a bad center snap on fourth down sailed over QB Estep’s head and rolled 28 yards back to the Sayre 46 where the Eagles next possession began. Sayre drove 54 yards for another TD assisted by 4 penalties against Watonga. The touchdown was a 3 yard run by Mosser. McSorley ran across the 2 extra points to give Sayre a 30 to 13 lead with 11:20 left in the fourth quarter.
Following the ensuing kickoff Watonga gained one first down but three plays later on the fourth down play Mosburg sacked QB Estep for a ten yard lose to give Sayre possession at the Watonga 21 yard line. Three plays later Zane Allen scrambled 9 yards for the fourth Eagle touchdown of the night. The PAT run attempt failed and the final score was in at 36 to 13 with 7:56 left in the game. Sayre will entertain Cashion for their next district game on Eagle Field this Friday evening. Cashion and Sayre are tied for third in the district with each sporting a 5 - 2 season record and a 3 win 1 loss district standing. Dustin McSorley led Sayre in rushing yards with 126 on 21 carries while Zane Allen notched 125 yards on 14 carries.
