OKMULGEE - The Henryetta Golden Knight junior high football team kicked off their 2018 season this past Tuesday evening against Okmulgee County foe, the Okmulgee Bulldogs, at historic Harmon Field. The Knights were unable to overcome an early deficit in the opener, dropping the county battle by a 34-14 margin. Despite the season-opening loss, Henryetta brought a little 'thunder' to Tuesday's county showdown in the form of running back Issac McNac. McNac proved to be tough to bring down by the Okmulgee defenders during the contest and accounted for both Henryetta touchdowns. At times during the contest, McNac appeared to be stopped for short yardage gains, but used his bulldozing abilities to run over several Okmulgee defenders on his way for lengthy gains. On defense, McNac used his blazing speed twice to bring down Okmulgee's speedy running back, Charles Ware, preventing a pair of long-distance touchdown runs. The host Bulldogs got the scoring started at the 1:10 mark of the opening quarter when Ware raced into the end zone from 12 yards out to give the Okmulgee squad the early 6-0 advantage. Asberry doubled the Okmulgee lead at 12-0 with 31 seconds remaining before halftime, scampering 43 yards to paydirt for the second Bulldog score of the evening. Ware outran the Henryetta defense into the end zone on the conversion try, pushing the Bulldogs' lead to 14-0 at the intermission. McNac got the Knights on the scoreboard at 6:28 of the third quarter, bulling his way across the goal line on a 6-yard TD run. The try for two was unsuccessful, making it a 14-6 Okmulgee lead. Asberry put the game out of reach with a pair of TD runs late in the third quarter. The Bullpup QB raced 13 yards for his first score at 3:04, then rocketed down the field on a 29-yard TD run with 54 seconds left in the third. Ware crossed the goal line on the second conversion attempt to put the host Bullpups in front by a 28-6 margin with eight minutes left in regulation. With exactly one minute remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, Asberry capped off his 4-touchdown night with a 45-yard TD run, extending the Okmulgee lead to 34-6. McNac answered with a TD run of 50 yards just 17 seconds later to cut the lead to 34-12. Zack Mullen found David Reid in the end zone for the successful conversion pass attempt to make it a 34-14 contest. Henryetta recovered the onside kick attempt, but was unable to reach the end zone before the time ran off the clock, giving the host Okmulgee Bullpups the 34-14, season-opening, victory. Henryetta will be at home Monday, playing host to Warner in a 5:30 p.m. start time.

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Okmulgee 34, Henryetta 14

Henryetta - 0 - 0 - 6 - 8 (14) Okmulgee - 6 - 8 - 14 - 6 (34)

First Quarter

Okmulgee - Charles Ware, 12-yard run (Run Failed); 1:10

Second Quarter

Okmulgee - Daveon Asberry, 43-yard run (Ware run); 0:31

Third Quarter

Henryetta - Issac McNac, 6-yard run (Run Failed); 6:28 Okmulgee - Asberry, 13-yard run (Run Failed); 3:04 Okmulgee - Asberry, 29-yard run (Ware run); 0:54

Fourth Quarter

Okmulgee - Asberry, 45-yard run (Run Failed); 1:00 Henryetta - McNac, 50-yard run (David Reid pass from Zack Mullen); 0:43