It was a good opening week for the Magnolia football teams. The SAU Muleriders were winners Thursday night at Southwestern Oklahoma State, and the Magnolia Panthers won 21 to 7 Friday night at Crossett.
The Magnolia game was scoreless at the half, but the Panthers got on the scoreboard first in the second half. Sophomore fullback Kaden Roach scored on a 14-yard run early in the third quarter. Crossett tied the game later in the quarter, but Magnolia put the game away with two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Semaj Harper scored on a 7-yard run, and Roach added an 11-yard rushing touchdown. Kicker Cruz Guzman was perfect in three extra-point kicks. Nike Jones ran the ball three times for 74 yards, including one 50 yard dash. Magnolia totaled over 300 yards of total offense and they limited the Eagles to about 100 yards. The Panthers travel to Monticello next Friday.
SAU was a 21 to 17 winner in their first football game of the season Thursday night in Weatherford, Oklahoma. SAU turned the ball over 4 times in the first quarter and Southwestern Oklahoma State scored the first 17 points of the game. But the SAU defense stiffened from there, and they shut out the Bulldogs the rest of the way. The Muleriders scored touchdowns in the second, third and fourth quarters to come from behind for the win. Michael Nunnery scored first on a 12-yard run in the second quarter. In the third, Barrett Renner hit Garrett Turnbull for a 12-yard touchdown pass. And, in the fourth quarter, SAU took the lead with a 26-yard pass play from Renner to Karonce Higgins. The player of the game, though, came from the defense. The Bulldogs challenged Stacy Lawrence in the SAU secondary all night; Lawrence came away with five tackles, a pass-breakup, and an interception. The Muleriders’ first home game of the season is next Saturday against Northwestern Oklahoma State.
The Magnolia Junior High football teams opened their seasons at home Thursday against El Dorado. El Dorado won the eighth grade game 22 to 21, and El Dorado won 29 to 6 in the ninth grade game.
