Springdale High coach Shane Patrick didn’t have many positives to say about his offense following Friday’s 22-7 loss to Bixby, Okla., at Lee Snider Field.
He admitted the Bulldogs (2-1) didn’t do a good job blocking, reading the defense, running the football or running crisp passing routes.
“We just didn’t do the things to win,” Patrick said.
Springdale’s offense had looked explosive while not committing a turnover in the first two games of the season. But things were uncharacteristically sloppy as the Bulldogs gained only 158 yards of total offense against Bixby.
That Figures
2 — Number of points scored by Springdale and Bixby in the first half
20 — Number of points scored in the final nine minutes of the game
Springdale had only two first downs and zero points in the first half, and quarterback Will Whatley was repeatedly sacked. The team committed three turnovers, including Whatley’s first two interceptions of the season.
“We didn’t play well enough to win,” Patrick said. “Bixby did, and we’re going to learn from it, come back and be better.”
Play of the Night: Springdale’s defense was solid for much of the night, and its biggest highlight came when Bixby went for it on a fourth-and-1 from the 25-yard line right before halftime. Bixby running back Chase Qualls took a handoff and attempted to get the first down, but he was met immediately at the line of scrimmage and stopped for no gain.
Injury Update: Patrick didn’t report any major injuries following the game.
Player of the Game: Springdale defensive end Jay Patrick was seemingly all over the field against Bixby, making sacks and racking up tackles. But running back Deandre Murray gets the nod after providing the bulk of the offense and scoring the team’s only touchdown. The junior was held to only 28 yards rushing in the first half, but he broke out after halftime to finish with 17 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown. He gained 70 yards on one run late in the game.
Notable: Springdale and Bixby combined to punt 10 times as both offenses stalled at times early on. ... The Bulldogs continue to struggle to score points after halftime. They have yet to score in the third quarter this season. ... With the loss to Bixby, Springdale went 1-1 against teams from the Tulsa, Okla., area during its nonconference schedule.
The Lingo: “Obviously, it wasn’t the cleanest game in the world, but we’re proud and we’ll take the victory and run with it. We enjoy those.”
— Loren Montgomery
Bixby coach
Up Next: Springdale opens its 7A/6A-West Conference schedule this week when it travels to Rogers High, which improved to 3-0 with Friday’s 64-28 win against Fort Smith Northside.