Perry wins "Battle of the Maroons" 69-9 over Blackwell

 The Perry Maroons showcased their dominance on both sides of the ball, delivering a decisive 69-9 victory over the Blackwell Maroons in front of a raucous home crowd in Perry, Oklahoma. 

From the opening drive, Perry took control and never looked back, capitalizing on big plays and defensive stops to maintain a firm grip on the game. 

First Quarter: 

Early Struggles for Blackwell Perry wasted no time establishing their presence, driving down to the Blackwell 6-yard line on their opening drive. 

A direct snap to their lineman-turned-ballcarrier punched it in for the first score, setting the tone for the night. 

The Blackwell defense struggled to contain Perry’s passing game early, allowing a long completion on third down that led to the first touchdown. 

Blackwell’s offense faltered in response. After Gage Richardson fielded the ensuing kickoff at the Blackwell 29-yard line, quarterback Zaden Root faced relentless pressure. Root’s first two runs resulted in losses, pushing Blackwell into a third-and-18 situation. 

The drive ended in a punt, which Perry returned to the Blackwell 31-yard line. Just two plays later, Perry found the end zone again, extending their lead to 14-0 with 6:09 left in the first quarter. 

Perry’s defense continued to stifle Blackwell’s offense, forcing another quick three-and-out. Even when Blackwell’s defense had a chance to reset, Perry’s explosive offense was too much to contain, scoring another touchdown on a 1-yard run. 

After the first quarter, Perry held a commanding 28-3 lead, with Blackwell’s only points coming from a 41-yard field goal by Root in the final seconds. 

Second Quarter: Perry Dominates, Blackwell Struggles The second quarter mirrored the first, with Perry asserting their dominance. 

Blackwell’s offensive woes continued as they fumbled on the kickoff return, setting up poor field position. Despite a promising 10-yard run by Root for a first down, the Blackwell offense failed to capitalize, turning the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass from Root to Ryder Short. 

Perry took advantage of Blackwell’s missteps, scoring another touchdown on a 15-yard pass, extending their lead to 35-3. Blackwell’s defense had little answer for Perry’s speed and versatility, and another quick touchdown followed after a partially blocked punt put Perry in prime field position. 

By halftime, the score was 49-3 in Perry’s favor, as Blackwell’s offense struggled to gain momentum. 

Third Quarter: Blackwell’s Bright Spot Despite the lopsided score, Blackwell found a rare moment of success in the third quarter. After Perry added another touchdown to make it 56-3, Root connected with Dade Lovell on a 66-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline. 

The explosive play was a bright spot in an otherwise challenging game for Blackwell, though a penalty forced a difficult conversion, which fell incomplete. Perry responded immediately, once again marching down the field for another score to extend their lead to 62-9. 

Fourth Quarter: Perry Closes It Out The fourth quarter was largely a formality, with Perry adding another touchdown early to make it 69-9. Blackwell’s defense showed some resilience late in the game, with standout tackles for loss by Timothy Mitchell, Rhett Tripp, Dorian Palma, and Zaden Root, forcing Perry into difficult field positions. 

Despite a late turnover giving Blackwell the ball at the Perry 45-yard line, their offense could not find the end zone again. Elliott Rolles managed a 5-yard run on the final play of the game, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome. Key Performers Zaden Root was at the center of Blackwell’s few offensive successes, connecting on a long 66- yard touchdown pass to Lovell and adding a field goal. 

Timothy Mitchell and Rhett Tripp had notable defensive stops, including tackles for loss in the second half that forced Perry to punt late. 

Elliott Rolles contributed on special teams, returning kickoffs and handling some tough carries on offense despite Perry’s constant defensive pressure. 

With this defeat, Blackwell will look to regroup and find some rhythm on both sides of the ball as they prepare for next week’s matchup when they play host to the Chisholm Longhorns on Thursday, October 10th at 7 p.m.