Outlaws Fall to Demons, 34-21

by Elizabeth Pitts-Hibbard
The Outlaws’ Brian Zhang (#29) chases down the Demons’ Cutter Greene (#5) in the second quarter of Friday’s matchup between Marlow and Perkins-Tryon. Photo by Elizabeth Pitts-Hibbard/The Marlow Review
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The Marlow Outlaws’ 17-game winning streak was broken on Friday with their loss to Perkins-Tryon, 34-21. This was the first-ever meeting between the Outlaws and Demons.

“We simply were beaten by the better team,” said head coach Matt Weber after the loss, which also marked his 100th game with the program. “Perkins won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and that is where football games are won.”

Indeed, the Demons dominated on offense, with 30 first downs to Marlow’s 10 in the game, and 517 total yards to the Outlaws’ 268.

Perkins-Tryon came out strong, scoring on an 80-yard kickoff return and again on a 5-yard run later in the first quarter. Marlow was unable to answer until the second quarter, when Avrey Payne scored the first of his two touchdowns on passes from Cade Gilbert, this time for 27 yards.

Perkins edged the score up again by six when Braxton Lightfoot took a 14-yard run; the point-after kick failed, keeping the score to 20-7.

The Outlaws came out of the locker room ready to go after halftime, scoring again when Gilbert made a 54-yard run to the end zone just two minutes into the third quarter. With seven minutes left to go in the third, Marlow took the lead, 21-20 after Gilbert’s 42-yard pass to Payne connected again.

Marlow kept the lead for four minutes until Lightfoot found the end zone on a seven-yard run; the two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving Perkins only up by five going into the final quarter.

The Demons scored again early in the fourth and this time the conversion attempt – a pass from quarterback Tanner Dawes to Luke Cazelle, was successful. With 10:58 remaining, the Outlaws would need two touchdowns to win, but the clock was not on their side.

“I’m proud that our kids never gave up and overcame a two-touchdown deficit in the second half,” Weber said. “We have watched the film and our guys are committed to correcting those mistakes.”

The Outlaws look next to Pauls Valley as district play begins this Friday. The Panthers are also 2-1 this season after wins at Lindsay (2A), 21-12, and at Purcell (2A) 45-27. Pauls Valley’s one loss was to 2A Davis, 14-28.

“Pauls Valley is easily one of the top teams in our district, and they return so many kids with Friday night experience,” Weber said. “No doubt we will have to be better on the line of scrimmage and be at our very best.”

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Passing

Marlow: Cade Gilbert 14/25 for 166 yards, 2 INT, 2 TDs

Perkins-Tryon: Tanner Dawes 11/16 for 170 yards

Rushing

Marlow: Cade Gilbert 13 for 66 yards, 1 TD; Brian Zhang 2 for 9 yards; Lane Jones 4 for 7 yards; Avrey Payne 1 for -4 yards

Perkins-Tryon: Tre Stephenson 28 for 163 yards; Braiton Applegate 13 for 85 yards; Beck Smith 7 for 44 yards, 1 TD; Tanner Dawes 9 for 12 yards; Quincy Mouton 1 for 7 yards; Braxton Lightfoot 4 for 36 yards, 3 TDs

Receiving

Marlow: Avrey Payne 10 for 132 yards, 2 TD; Barron Gage 3 for 32 yards; Keller Kizarr 1 for 2 yards

Perkins-Tryon: Quincy Mouton 5 for 69 yards; Cutter Greene 2 for 40 yards; Braxton Lightfoot 2 for 34 yards; Hagan Cundiff 1 for 6 yards; Beck Smith 1 for 21 yards