November 19, 2022 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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4 - The Elk City News November 19, 2022 Elk City Football Playoffs Austin Jones. Staff photo by Rose Cummings. Sanders’ unexpected return fuels Cowboys to comeback win over Iowa State Jon Walker, Stillwater helmet on the third-down play. “It was good to get the engine behind win, he deflected any But it was OSU's defense iels, who had 10 tackles, an NewsPress But the sell-out crowd in atten- started, I guess you could say.” rumblings of his comeback he- that showed out with the game interception and a forced fum- dance figured that was the last “He knows what he’s do- roics. He wanted to give credit on the line. ble. “We just try to give him It didn’t seem likely that they'd see from him against ing,” Nixon said. “There’s no where credit was due. The Cowboys punted the the ball back and not put him Spencer Sanders would be Towa State (4-6, 1-6 Big 12 doubt, no question in your “Defense played lights out. ball back to the Cyclones with in bad situations, especially if the hero that Oklahoma State Conference). mind that he’s gonna go out You can’t ask for a better de- alittle more than two minutes he’s hurt. That just fuels us.” needed to nab a 20-14 win ‘They were wrong, though. and play well. He’s prepared, fense,” he said. “I didn’t win left, pinning Iowa State on its over Iowa State on Saturday ‘And they're probably happy always” this game. The defense won own 28-yard line with no time- On the heels of their grit- afternoon at Boone Pickens they were. It wasn't a well-kept secret this game.” outs. A touchdown, with a suc- tiest grind-it-out win of the Stadium. Following the second inter- that Sanders hadn't practiced And he was right. cessful extra point, would’ve season, the Cowboys will turn It seemed impossible, actu- ception of the day from Gundy, much throughout the last five ‘The Cowboys couldn’t have sent the Cyclones back to their attention to their biggest ally. who started over true fresh- weeks. He’s been nursing the asked for the defense to per- Ames, Iowa, with an upset win game of the year: Bedlam. The senior quarterback man Garret Rangel, Sanders nagging injury, and Cowboy form any better than it did in hand. The Pokes will make the sustained a shoulder injury went over and let the coaches coach Mike Gundy has re- against the Cyclones. And they got down to the two-hour trek to Norman for against Texas Tech on Oct. 8, know that he was ready to go. peatedly said a player of his ‘That unit was abysmal the Oklahoma State 23-yard line a meeting with rival Oklahoma and it has lingered ever since. His first drive was a dud. caliber with 50-plus games past two weeks, allowing a to- before Dekkers was forced into next Saturday, but it won't be He re-aggravated it during the ‘The Cowboys (7-3, 4-3 Big 12) of experience doesn’t need to tal of 1,049 yards of offense three-straight incompletions. the coveted matchup of usual. fourth quarter of the Cow- mustered 7 yards in three plays learn much about an offense while generating only five But on fourth-and-10, with ‘The Sooners will be coming off boys’ road loss to Kansas State during his first possession back he knows like the back of his tackles for loss and six quar- the game on the line, Cowboys at the helm of the offense. But hand. their second-straight loss, and on Halloween weekend, and terback hits. The Cowboys en- defensive end Collin Oliver it kept him out for all of the the second possession is where OSU will be trying to regain its This week was different, tered Week 10 without a sack wrapped up Dekkers from be- footing following its second Week 9 loss at Kansas. he officially made his trium- though. Sanders lost his grand- in the previous three games. hind and took him to the turf Yet there he was, exchang- phant return, and it played a father earlier in the week. Still, The defense was stifling — Oliver's second sack in the win in over a month. ing his beanie for his helmet large part in OSU snapping its he was at practice every day. against Iowa State, forcing the fourth quarter. ‘The Cowboys won't have to and trotting onto the field first losing streak since 2019. But he was ready when Cyclones into five turnovers “Today, our defense was worry about who’s starting at with the Cowboys trailing the Sanders went to work after needed the most, and the Cow- and sacking quarterback Hunt- better,” Cowboys coach Mike quarterback next week. Sand- Cyclones 14-10 in the waning the defense forced a punt, go- boys were on the ropes when er Dekkers four times. Gundy said. “That’s not tak- ers made that clear following moments of the third quarter. ing 6 of 7 for 61 yards to lead he was called upon. “We couldn’t just come out ing anything away from (Iowa the win over Iowa State. “It was surprising. It threw the Cowboys on an eight-play, The offense hadn't sus- here and have a normal day State). Obviously, their de- “fm playing next week. me off,” Cowboys running back 63-yard scoring drive with tained much until Sanders’ re- and get a win,” Cowboys safety fense is really good, but today ‘That ain’t even no question,” Jaden Nixon said. “I was like, nine minutes to go. He put the turn. The Cowboys only man- Kendal Daniels said. “We need- our defense forced turnovers, Sanders said. “You can count ‘Oh, snap, Spencer's going back punctuation on the possession aged to put up 152 yards of ed to take a step forward — a stops, put the game away in in” with a 14-yard touchdown pass offense without Sanders, and me in” couple steps forward from the the end.” When most players would Sanders made an appear- overa pair of defenders to Nix- 83 of those came on a touch- last two weeks.” While Sanders has never ance in the second quarter, on, who was wide open in the down from Gundy to sopho- take the time to heal, he Towa State traveled to Still- taken a defensive snap, his doesn't want to. If this is his coming in on a fourth-and-1 in end zone. more wideout John Paul Rich- water with the 10th-best de- presence was felt on that side hopes of keeping the Cowboys’ “Sitting on the sideline ardson in the second quarter. fense in the country. And yes, of the ball. His return was the last edition in the longstand- drive alive — with redshirt last week was, you know, it But he wouldn't take any of freshman quarterback Gunnar was kind of killing to me,” said the credit for resuscitating life the Cyclones forced Gundy very thing that allowed the ing series, he wants to go out Gundy, making his first col- Sanders, who finished 9 of 13 back into OSU’s offense. In the duringa the into pair of interceptions Cowboys to record all of their with a bang. first start of his sacks in the fourth quarter. And he wouldn’t miss it for legiate start, having lost his for 84 yards and a touchdown. aftermath of the come-from- young career. And yes, they “He's a tough dude, so we anything. limited the Cowboys to 244 just tried to give him the ball “[m too competitive for yards of offense. Jackson County Memorial Hospital is proud to welcome as much as we can,” said Dan- that s**t,” he added. end WEESE, M.D. adult and pediatric urology. His specialties include Please Join Us For Our kidney stone disease, all Annual Memorial Celebration types of urologic cancers Guest speaker, Mark Haney (prostate, bladder, kidney, ELK CITY OLD TOWN MUSEUM OPERA HOUSE testicular and penile), 2717 WEST 3RD STREET, ELK CITY, OK prostate disorders, urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. COME & GO After the memorial on December 2, our memorial NOW TAKING tree will be on display at Ackley Park the month of December so all who visit the park will be able to remember their loved ones this holiday season. APPOINTMENTS! This holiday season, please join us in remembering all who we have lost, but have not forgotten. Together with the Elk City Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Elk City, we invite you to come place your loved one's name on our memorial tree. All Are Invited! RSVP Julie Western 580-225-1738 _ JACKSON COUNTY Light Refreshments Will Be Served! + Memorial Hospital