At 6-foot-3, 276-pounds, Mason Myers strikes an imposing figure. With his squared jaw and unflinching gaze, he resembled the prototypical tough offensive lineman.
However, when Southmoore lost 44-26 to Jenks Saturday, a defeat that knocked the SaberCats out of the postseason, Myers couldn't hold back the emotion. Like his teammates, the senior had poured everything he had into this season only to come up short. And that was enough to bring a tear to Myers' eyes.
"It's hard because I grew up with these guys and the coaches," Myers said after the semifinal loss. "I have been around them. It's really hard. Our team has a lot of character. All that hard work we did in the offseason and summer, we just came together. I just love those guys."
Southmoore came into the season with one goal. Though the program was only in its second year, the SaberCats set their sights on a state championship. Considering they were coming off a 2-8 season, it seemed ambitious at best.
However, as they knocked off opponents week after week, the SaberCats showed they were for real.
"They showed a tremendous amount of heart and fought all the way till the end," Southmoore coach Chris Jensen said. "I'm very proud of the whole group."
In only their second year, several SaberCats set records that will be difficult to surpass.
Quarterback Kendal Thompson passed for 2,800 yards and 30 touchdowns. He collected another 10 scores on the ground and even nabbed a receiving touchdown. After his 134-yard receiving day against Jenks, Nyko Symonds ended his senior year with 37 receptions for 864 yards and seven touchdowns.
With Thompson, Symonds, Andrew Long, Austin Haywood, Jordan Newby and Derek Serowski, Southmoore became one of the most prolific offenses in the state. But even the SaberCats were unable to put up the numbers they needed to stay alive in the postseason.
"We never gave up," Julian Wilson said. "Coming back into the second half we said it was 0-0;. We scored points and we came out there and competed with them. All I can say is they came out with the W and I wish them the best of luck going farther in the playoffs."
The Cats didn't have an easy ride this year. They had to deal with controversies to start the season because of offseason transfers and eligibility concerns. They also had their share of tight games that went down to the wire.
But they were able to overcome all obstacles and come within one game of reaching their goal.
"We had a lot of adversity," Jensen said. "But this group stayed together, stayed focused on the task at hand. In the end, I'm very proud of them. I'm proud of the way they battled all the way through."
Michael Kinney
366-3537
mkinney@normantranscript.com
Sports
NEW: What a season · In just their second year, SaberCats come within one win of state championship game
- Sports
-
-
Another ranked opponent slips out of Tigers’ grasp
Faced with its last opportunity of the regular season to pull off an upset, Norman High came up just short against Class 6A’s second-ranked Edmond Memorial on Friday. The Bulldogs used a second-half Tiger scoring drought to pull away and ...
-
Sooners will test their mettle against country’s best at National Duals
Dual State is today....
-
Winning is only option
Every locker room in college basketball has the same topic floating around. It’s February. All are thinking about March Madness. Of course, some are thinking about their immediate future. Others are simply dreaming....
-
Mizzou back on deck after another blowout loss to Baylor
Not again? Yes, again. For the second time this season, the Oklahoma women will have to put aside a disheartening and embarrassing loss to Baylor and get on with the rest of their season....
-
Bulldogs win easily
Edmond Memorial, the fourth-ranked team in Class 6A, jumped out on Norman High early and cruised to a 59-21 victory over the Tigers. The Tigers were unable to knock down shots throughout the game, and Memorial’s Alie Decker and Sydney ...
-
Sooners cruise past competition at Perfect 10
OKLAHOMA CITY — Compared to the rest of its schedule, Oklahoma was supposed to have a relatively easy night. Both Iowa State and Southeast Missouri are in the midst of down seasons. With little chance of losing, the fifth-ranked Sooners ...
-
Ricketts breaks record in season debut
LAS VEGAS — Well, it was going to happen. And still, it didn’t take long....
-
No. 1 Lady Bears have eagerly awaited Aggies
WACO, Texas — Brittney Griner and her teammates didn’t like what they saw on film this week....
-
Tigers’ Dixon a top contributor
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Everybody wants to start, Michael Dixon included. Being one of the nation’s top sixth men on one of the nation’s top teams is a pretty good feeling, too....
-
Schedule easing up for Sooners
For some time, the Oklahoma women have been done no favors by their schedule. That may still be the case, but not for much longer....
- More Sports Headlines
-
