Father and son finally get to share a touchdown

The Oklahoma Army National Guard soldier continued staring at the east end zone, even after his son Dakota secured a catch and fell into the red paint.

An official's hands went up to signal touchdown, and this time a good throw and secure catch weren't accompanied by yellow flags.

Given that he'd finally seen his senior son catch a varsity touchdown, one might expect Todd Warrington was overcome with emotion; he missed Dakota's first eight career scores when duty called.

But after the emotional roller coaster he's ridden through Mustang's first four games in 2012, Todd Warrington's reaction Friday was subdued. He clapped and let out a cheer, but then sat back down and refocused on the game.

“It was more just a matter of relief at that point,” said Todd Warrington, who spent last season in Afghanistan and missed Dakota's only sophomore-year touchdown while at his monthly National Guard drill.

“I've been emotionally drained over the last four weeks; I didn't have much left.”

Dakota Warrington added a second touchdown later Friday, but Mustang lost in overtime to Edmond Santa Fe, 41-35.

“That's kinda the first thing that runs through my mind when I get close, and especially when I actually got it in there,” Dakota Warrington said of scoring for his dad. “It makes that first one extra special.”

The first touchdown meant an end to a pretty frustrating stretch for the father and son; in addition to Dakota Warrington struggling through a painful ankle injury, he'd come so close to scoring in almost every 2012 game.

Early in Mustang's season-opening win at Yukon, Todd Warrington wept uncontrollably as his son hauled in a long touchdown, but then noticed the yellow flag several yards behind Dakota.

A second touchdown catch by Dakota was also called back that night because of a penalty. The next week against Putnam City North, Dakota was tackled with his head and shoulders in the end zone, but the ball outside it.

In Week 3's win over Stillwater, Mustang quarterback Frankie Edwards was under heavy pressure when he missed an open Dakota Warrington in the end zone across the middle.