Football: Conroe falls to Oak Ridge

CONROE, Texas - Sophomore quarterback Braden Letney and the undefeated Oak Ridge High School football team took care of business at Moorhead Stadium toppling the Conroe Tigers 41-18 in a lightning delayed game that did not conclude until 11:35 p.m.

Letney scored on long runs of 57 and 64 yards and threw two scoring strikes of 58 and 25 yards to Demarcus Durst and Jamarcus Durst respectively in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.

Conroe (4-4, 1-3) QB Stedman Bell put Conroe on the board first with a 37-yard scamper but the failed kick made it 6-0 at 9:41 of the first quarter. Oak Ridge (7-0, 3-0) didn't flinch as 1:52 seconds later Letney hit Durst with his first TD pass and with Patrick Coale's successful extra point kick, the War Eagles led 7-6.

The talented Bell then connected with wideout Bryce Harrison on a 48-yard scoring pass 58 seconds later and Conroe was back out in front. Conroe went for two but Oak Ridge made the stop and the Tigers were up 12-7.

Early in the second quarter, Oak Ridge took the lead again as Kwame Etwi carved a path through the Conroe secondary and 23 yards later he was in the end zone. Oak Ridge went for two but the run failed and it was 13-12 War Eagles at 9:50 of the second quarter.

The Oak Ridge defense made two more stops as they were starting to solve Bell. The War Eagle offense then rewarded their counterparts as with 2:04 remaining in the half, Letney, on a keeper knifed through the Conroe defense on a 57-yard journey to paydirt. Coale's kick made it 20-12.

At halftime the lightning started making its appearance and with constant delays the second half did not get started until 10:25 p.m. after a 10-minute warm up.

On Oak Ridge's first possession of the second half on a third-and-four, Letney called his own number again on an option read that everyone in the stadium thought would go to fullback Justin Edwards. The sophomore QB had everyone fooled as he kept the pigskin and raced 64 yards for his second rushing TD of the evening. Coale's extra point made it 27-12 with just 48 seconds gone in the third quarter.

Conroe was not backing down as Bell led his charges right down the field on a drive that concluded with the QB running the ball in from 23 yards. The two-point conversion pass failed and the score was 27-18 at 8:19 of the third quarter.

Oak Ridge outside linebacker, Clayton Grett took matters into his own hands on Conroe's next possession after the Tigers defensive unit made a stop. On a second-and-long play, Bell aired a pass out in the flat that Harrison caught but then was immediately popped by Grett jarring the ball loose. On third down, Bell went back to pass and Grett was in the backfield before the Conroe QB could react and was sacked inside their own 20-yard line.

Oak Ridge's next possession resulted in a 25-yard scoring strike from Letney to Jamarcus Durst at the end of the third quarter. With Coale's extra point, Oak Ridge led 34-18.

The War Eagles concluded the game's scoring as Etwi ran one in from four yards out. Coale's kick was good and at a little before midnight, the game was finally over.

Letney was 4-5 passing for 118 yards and two TD's. He also led the team in rushing to the tune of six rushes for 144 yards and two TD's.

Etwi ran the ball 11 times for 45 yards and two TD's.

Jamarcus Durst caught three aerials for 53 yards and a TD as Demarcus Durst caught one for 58 yards and a TD.

Conroe's Bell had a monster night going 16-for-22 through the air for 227 yards and a TD and ran for 186 yards on 29 carries and two TD's.

Bryce Harrison caught five balls for 88 yards and a TD.

Conroe has a bye week next week.