Late score seals Knights’ 20-8 victory

The 2nd Annual Walker Bowl took place this past Friday night at Larry Bookout Field in Morris.

The host Morris Eagles entered the Week 2 contest against their arch rivals, the Henryetta Golden Knights, looking to keep the prestigious Walker Cup in their trophy case for another 12 months, but the Knights had other ideas, bringing the traveling trophy that honors the late John Walker back to HHS following a thrilling 20-8 decision.

The Knights preserved their first win in the Walker Bowl with a late touchdown in the final 90 seconds of regulation in the annual Okmulgee County rivalry contest. Last Friday’s county battle in Morris was the non-district finale for Henryetta in 2023, while Morris was taking part in its second non-district contest of the season following a road win the previous Friday (Sept. 1) in Kellyville.

While the Knights will enjoy a Bye Week in Week 3, using the off week to get better prepared for next Friday’s 2A-5 opener at home against Prague, the Eagles will close out their non-district schedule this Friday on the road, traveling to Haskell for a meeting with the Haskell Haymakers.

Morris’ non-district finale in Haskell is scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m. at Haskell High School.

This past Friday’s rivalry game at Morris went scoreless after the first 12 minutes of action, as well as more than halfway through the second stanza.

The Knights broke the scoreless tie at the 4:21 mark of the second quarter on an 11-yard TD run by tailback Nick Hudson. The extra-point try was off the mark, giving the visitors from Henryetta the 6-0 advantage.

Neither team found the end zone the remainder of the second stanza to send the county battle with the Knights clinging to the narrow 6-point lead.

The Henryetta special teams unit accounted for the second score for the Knights in the third quarter, as Blaze Hill blocked a Morris punt deep in Morris territory to set up the Henryetta offense in great field position.

David Reid capped off the short offensive drive at the 6:23 mark in the third quarter, crossing the goal line from three yards out to double the Henryetta lead to 12-0.

The Eagles found their way onto the scoreboard with 8:51 left in regulation, as Koen Burgess connected with Jaylen Zackery on a 26-yard TD pass. Burgess then found Bobby Baker in the end zone for the successful conversion attempt to make it a 12-8 contest.

Both teams had promising drives in the fourth quarter end with turnovers, while Henryetta turned away a Morris comeback attempt late in the final frame on a 13-yard TD pass from Brady Norman to Will Perez in the right corner of the end zone for the game-sealing score. The Knights pulled off a fake kick attempt on the PAT try with Hudson completing a pass to Jason Powders in the end zone to make it a 20-8 contest.

The Eagles were unable to overcome the 12-point deficit in the final 85 seconds of regulation to award the visiting Henryetta Golden Knights with the 20-8 victory and Henryetta’s first possession of the prestigious Walker Cup.

— Henryetta 20, Morris 8

Henryetta: 0 – 6 – 6 – 8 (20) Morris: 0 – 0 – 0 – 8 (8) — First Quarter No Score — Second Quarter

Henryetta – Nick Hudson, 11-yard run (Kick Failed); 4:21 — Third Quarter

Henryetta – David Reid, 3-yard run (Run Failed); 6:23 — Fourth Quarter

Morris – Jaylen Zackery, 26-yard pass from Koen Burgess (Bobby Baker pass from Burgess); 8:51 Henryetta – Will Perez, 13-yard pass from Brady Norman (Jason Powders pass from Hudson); 1:25