By Blake Colston
Sports Writer
Senior nights are not supposed to go like Yukon’s did Friday evening.
With a pair of the Millers’ top offensive players hobbled by leg injuries, Norman built a 28-14 lead by half and coasted home to a 63-21 victory inside Miller Stadium, sending YHS to its seventh straight defeat.
Norman High quarterback Phoenix Murphy ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns and threw another to University of Oklahoma preferred walk-on commit Dax Noles as the Tigers improved to 4-5 overall and 4-2 in 6A-1 District 2 play.
Normally, Yukon’s offense would’ve been able to counter Murphy’s big night with quarterback Holden Kee and running back Logan Day, but both senior standouts went down with injuries in the first half, leaving the YHS offense without 6A’s leading passer and its top rushing threat.
Backup quarterback Carter Creach, who also entered Friday night well short of 100%, came on in relief of Kee and completed 4 of his first 5 passes. He wasn’t able to finish the game, though, so the Millers turned to freshman Wyatt Jones, who tossed his first career touchdown pass on a 24-yard jump ball to Kenison Rogers in the fourth quarter.
Despite Yukon’s attrition at quarterback, Rogers still turned in a productive night, hauling in 11 passes for a team-high 135 yards.
6A’s leading receiver Lucas Jones had a quiet night by his standards, but Jones still made a pair of highlight reel, one-handed catches that put points on the board. The junior wideout snagged a 24-yard touchdown pass that gave YHS a 6-0 lead at the 7:20 mark of the opening quarter.
Later, Jones used one hand to corral a fade pass from Kee on a two-point conversion attempt that followed Day’s 1-yard touchdown run 29 seconds into the second quarter. At that point, the Millers led Norman 14-8, but it was all downhill from there. The Tigers scored 48 unanswered points following Kee’s exit.
He connected on 15 of 18 passes before being helped off the field late in the first half. Day totaled 47 yards rushing on 13 carries before suffering his injury.
YHS defensive end Blaise Harris, who is also playing at less than full strength, recorded a sack to add a positive memory on his senior night.
With injuries mounting and now eliminated from playoff contention, Yukon (1-8, 0-6) will close out its regular season next Friday at Edmond Santa Fe.
