Published: October 12, 2008 10:00 am      

Dilbeck, Deer Creek sprint past Duncan

Duncan falters against Deer creek despite keeping score close

DUNCAN — Dax Dilbeck is a pretty good football player.

The Deer Creek senior quarterback gave Demon fans a glimpse of yesteryear as he ran through the Duncan defense for 279 yards in a 21-14 loss Friday night. The Demons pulled within seven points late in the fourth quarter but didn’t get the ball back as they fell to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in District 5A-1.

“We couldn’t tackle him,” Duncan coach Jim Holloway said. “He is a great player and it isn’t any surprise. We had someone like that last year and they have good schemes for him. He was the best player on the field.”

Dilbeck staked his claim to that title on Deer Creek’s first drive. The Oregon State recruit scored on a 44-yard run less than three minutes into the game to stake the Antlers to a 7-0 lead.

The Duncan offense came right back at Deer Creek (5-1, 3-0), driving the ball to the 18. The big play of the drive coming on a 38-yard pass from Houston Johnson to Axel Rauh. The drive stalled out and ended on a missed field goal attempt from 35-yards. The Antlers then put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a 19-yard run by Colten Sander. On Deer Creek’s first two drives, it only faced one third down conversion.

“We didn’t come out with enough intensity in the first quarter,” Duncan defensive coordinator Kim Longest said. “And we did not get enough hats on the ball carrier.”

Down 14-0, the Demons came up with a big play to pull back into the game. Johnson kept the ball around the end and turned it upfield, outrunning the defense 64-yards for the score. A Levi Huff extra point made the score 14-7, going into the second quarter.

The Demons gained 85 yards rushing in the quarter, which would be a high-water mark. Duncan finished the game with 111 on the ground, 22 of that coming on a fake punt in the fourth quarter.

After getting gashed in the first 12 minutes of the game, the Duncan defense rose to the challenge, dominating Deer Creek in short yardage situations.

The first Antler drive of the second quarter got as far as the Demon 24-yard line where Alex Trujillo was stuffed for a five-yard loss on a tight end reverse. An unsportsmanlike penalty forced Deer Creek back even further. Cole Mount came out for a 61-yard field goal attempt which predictably failed.

The Demons best defensive stand of the night came their next time of the field, when they stuffed the Antlers on three straight plays to give the offense the ball at its own 46. A sack on the first play ruined any chance Duncan would have of capitalizing on the field possession and the score would be 14-7 at the half.

“I thought we battled hard,” Holloway said. “Our staff did a great job of getting us ready to play. We had a great week of practice, maybe the best we have had all year. No telling what might have happened if it would have been a bad week.”

The Duncan defense continued its strong effort against the running game to start the third quarter, only to give up a big play through the air. On 3rd and 14, Dilbeck hit Trujillo over the middle and the tight end rambled to the four. Two plays later, Sander took it in from three yards out for a 21-7 lead.

Down 14, Duncan’s offense put together a 60-yard drive that was highlighted by a 22-yard run on a fake punt by Casy Rowell. The drive ended with a 38-yard field goal attempt that came up short against the win.

Duncan did cash in late in the fourth quarter, when a couple of high snaps short-circuited a Deer Creek drive and ended up giving the Demons possession of the ball at the Deer Creek 49. Going to a no-huddle offense, Duncan drove the ball behind the arm of Johnson, who found Tyler Gay in the end zone from 20-yards out for the score.

That would be the last time the Demons had the ball as Deer Creek drove the ball down the field and ran out the clock.

Duncan will be on the road next week when it takes on Lawton MacArthur. The Highlanders lost to El Reno on Friday night, their first loss of the season.