Morrison 13, Okeene 9 - Class A final

By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com

Now that was a hard-hitting game. Because I can, I elect to give the game’s MVP to Okeene LB Matt Benham. Watching the game with Ryan Aber and Jason Kersey, we agreed Benham was absolutely dominating. The program lists him at 190, say wha? There is no way Benham is that small.

Anyway, Okeene had a 9-0 lead before Morrison fought back. And fought back is the right term. Down 3-0, Morrison had a first-and-goal at the 4, followed by third and fourth down at the 1. The Whippets were up to the challenge. I was joking with Jason “Okeene defended its goalline and then defended its title.”

A 48-yard punt return by Brock Wardlaw gave Okeene a 9-0 lead, and then Morrison came alive. Sophomore Latelle Graves had a day he will never forget. He scored on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Shawn Walls with less than two minutes left in the first half. If that wasn’t enough, it was Graves’ first TD reception of the season.

Morrison’s Cale James punched it in during the third, and then that would be it. With Okeene driving late to tie it up, it was Graves again coming alive. Graves deflected a fourth down attempt by the Whippets and guaranteed Morrison’s fourth straight state championship while denying Okeene its third in a row in the process.

I don’t know what to say about Morrison. I was among the doubters that it would have a reality check this season in Class A. But week in, week out, the Wildcats were up to the challenge. So then I became a believer, too.