Elgin dominant in home win as Owls move to 3-0

Owls go to 3-0 for the first time since 2009 after 41-10 win against Weatherford.

By Collin Wieder

Photo of Elgin's Matt Lund courtesy of his Twitter page

ELGIN - Big plays and a solid defensive effort led the way for Elgin, beating Weatherford in dominant fashion, 41-10, Friday night at home.

The Owls, who moved into Class 5A this year, improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2009 with the victory. 

Fourth-year Elgin head coach Chalmer Wyatt was a junior on Elgin’s team, which played in Class 3A at the time. The alum and head coach had a lot to be pleased with in the win, as the Owls scored three times on the ground, twice through the air and once on defense via a pick six.

“I told them I’m proud of them,” Wyatt answered on what he told his team in the locker room after the win. “I feel like we did what we were supposed to do in non-district and that’s important.

“I left them with this, ‘Good is the beginning of greatness;' jumping up a class, we’ve got to be tough. We’ve got things to fix and that’s a 41-10 ballgame, so we’ve got to keep building up steam to compete in our district.”

Elgin took a 7-0 lead on the opening drive and never relinquished it. Junior running back Matt Lund made one cut to the outside and outraced the remaining defenders to the end zone for a 63-yard touchdown just over a minute into the game.

Weatherford cut the lead back a couple drives later with a 36-yard field goal. The Eagles used the hard-running of sophomore Jackson Blackmon to key the scoring drive.

The Owls answered quickly. Weatherford bobbled a punt snap, and Elgin recovered it at the Eagles’ 35.

Freshman back Ritson Meyer took his turn as an explosive runner, gashing the Eagles up the middle for a 33-yard score to extend Elgin’s lead to 14-3.

Weatherford wouldn’t go away early on, though. Senior quarterback Reese Villines hit rising, sophomore receiver Nick Jett up the seam for a 57-yard score, trimming Elgin’s advantage to 14-10, with just over four minutes to play in the half.

The long pass was Jett’s fifth total touchdown of the year in just three games.

The back-and-forth stopped there, though. Elgin mounted a two-minute drill drive that was finished off by a great, out-route throw by sophomore quarterback Tres Lorah.

He rolled right, stared down oncoming pressure and found Michael Adesola for an 11-yard score. The 21-10 lead held until halftime, where Elgin cruised the rest of the way.

Lorah threw his second TD of the night to Adesola on a scramble drill, backyard toss from 11 yards out to make it 28-10.

Sophomore linebacker Colyn Donnelly then picked off a pass less than two minutes later and returned it 47 yards for the score and a 34-10 Elgin lead late in the third. Donnelly’s pick was the highlight moment in a second-half, shutout performance for the Owls’ defense.

Finally, Lund completed his big-play night with an 84-yard scoring run down the sidelines in the fourth, completing the scoring for the Owls.

The junior back has been building up to this breakout year since he was a freshman starter on the varsity. Wyatt said he’s made tremendous strides as a runner, and his extra work paid off Friday.

“He’s got so much experience, and he’s so much stronger this year,” he said. "I’ve watched him get that edge and not be able to finish it, and he finished it. It was good to see.

"He was bottled up a lot on the outside (Friday), but he looked good there - that’s his offseason work and commitment."

On the other side, the Eagles dropped to 1-2 on the year. Sixth-year Weatherford head coach Reagan Roof wasn’t pleased with multiple aspects in the loss.

“I was disappointed in our performance,” Roof said after the game. “Our lack of consistency and penalties are killing us. We have to get more consistent in our effort and execution.”

Weatherford struggled with drive-killing penalties throughout the game. Still, a youthful Weatherford squad had some bright spots for the future in the loss, including the aforementioned Jett.

Blackmon, freshman running back Victor Garcia and freshman fullback Ty Short all had quality reps out of the backfield. Sophomore tight end Blakley Rother gave Villines a safety blanket underneath for numerous 5 and 6-yard receptions. Junior defensive back Austin Shields logged an interception in the loss as well.

Roof said those glimpses of strong play need to persist for the entire game, though.

“There were some good things,” he said. “At times, we look like a good football team. We are going to have to learn to be one for four quarters, though.”

Weatherford moves onto district play, where it will meet Chickasha (2-1) at 7 p.m. next Friday on the road. Elgin hosts El Reno (0-3) at 7 p.m. next Friday for its first district contest.