Millers close with Memorial

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Landon Donoho attempts to leap over the tackle attempt of Jadon Dimarucut in the Millers’ 61-7 win. See story page 7B. (Photo by Chuck Reherman)

By Chuck Reherman
Sports Editor
It’s that week that non playoff teams don’t look forward to.
The final game of the season.
Yukon will be looking forward to one thing, finishing the season on a winning note.
The Millers will host Edmond Memorial in the final Friday at Miller Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. for Senior Night with introduction of the players set for 6:30 p.m.
The Millers, 3-6 will be aiming at finishing the season with a two-game win streak. YHS rolled to a 61-7 win over Enid last week. Memorial enters the game with a 1-8 record after falling to Broken Arrow 45-8 last week.

Dylan Hawkins celebrates one of his two fumble recoveries. (Photo by Chuck Reherman)

The Bulldogs, though, will be more of a test for the Millers as Memorial will also be looking to end the season with a win.
“This is a big week as far as finishing the season on a positive note,” Miller head coach Jeremy Reed said. “There was one word I told the players during a meeting to start this week and that was finish.
“I ask the seniors how they wanted to finish this and then told the underclassmen that it is their job this week to be at 100 percent in meetings and practice and give these guys a proper farewell. These seniors are always going to remember their final game.
“To me it is a huge week in wanting to play well and finish with a win,” he said. “Only one team in class 6A is going to finish with a win at the end of the year and that is the state champion. We need to take our opportunity to end our season with a win and get ready for 2020.”
The Bulldogs do have some weapons on offense, led by quarterback Trace Evans and runningback Mason Williams and Evan Williams are breakaway type runners.
“Memorial is a dangerous team, they have played some people very close and almost beat Westmoore,” Reed said. “They had a touchdown scored on them really late in the game or that was going to be an overtime game.
“Their defense is very physical, they are a better defensive team as an offensive team as a whole,” he said. “Offensively, from the games we have seen, they are 51 percent run and 49 percent throw, so they are very balanced. They have different type backs, one is a very shifty guy and they all do their job well.

Colton DeKinder hauls in a touchdown pass late in the first half. (Photo by Chuck Reherman)

“This is not going to be one of those game that we can roll out and put the ball on the tee and except to win. we are going to have to come out and play well.
“Memorial will want to end their season well also. So we will see which team has the most fight in them, knowing that at the end of the fourth quarter that is will be 2019 wrapped up for both teams.”
The Memorial defense will have to contend with a Miller running attack that has been dominant through most of the year and has averaged 450 yards a game in the last three weeks.
The Millers are just 400 plus yards away from rushing for 4,000 yards on the season.
B-backs Landon Donoho and Camron Farmer are leading the team in rushing and A-back Caden Hernandez as run for over 350 yards in the last three games.
The Miller defense has their best showing last week, holding Enid to 150 yards.
“It was good to see the defense have a game like that after that stretch of five games we went through,” Reed said. “It was good to see them have success and I would like to see that propel them this week.”