Staff Report
CHOCTAW, Okla. —
No scores were kept in Stillwater’s football scrimmages against Choctaw and Norman, so Pioneers coach Rusty Atkins was looking for “the little things” in his team’s performance Friday night.
He left Choctaw more than pleased with his team.
“Our kids did really well,” Atkins said. “We were physical. We lined up well. Kids hustled off the ball when they needed to. Jerame (Littell, the quarterback) spread the wealth around. And the backs ran well.”
It was the first time the Pioneers got to scrimmage someone other than themselves. Atkins said that could have been the reason the team was more fired up Friday night.
Asked which player improved the most since last Saturday’s “Meet the Pioneers” scrimmage, Atkins said the whole defensive unit. The offense had an outstanding night as well, scoring four or five times combined in both scrimmages by Atkins’ count.
The coach cited Davion Carter and Andrew Menter with strong running performances. Jesse Vester hauled in a pair of pass plays for 40-plus yards each and Corey Hassell totaled about 67 yards catching, while Hayden Killam came up with first-down catches.
Atkins said the Pioneers, who went 5-5 and missed the Class 6A playoffs, have matured over the summer.
Stillwater will scrimmage Thursday night at Norman before starting the season Sept. 3 at Pioneer Stadium against Springdale (Ark.) Har-Ber.
Player suffered
heat-related illness
A Stillwater player who was taken to Stillwater Medical Center from Thursday’s practice was released and traveled with the team to Choctaw.
The athlete, whom Atkins declined to identify, did not play Friday. The player suffered a heat-related illness and he was taken to the hospital as a precaution, Atkins said.
“He wanted to play, but we sat him out,” Atkins said.
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In other scrimmages Friday, Perry hosted Sperry, Yale went to Pioneer-Pleasant Vale and Cushing traveled to Ponca City.
