Surprise, Ariz. – The Spirit had a dominant showing on Saturday night, shutting out the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies, 40-0, at Spirit Field. The victory improves the Spirit to 3-1 overall and 3-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference play as they head into their bye week.
OUAZ controlled the game from the opening possession, scoring on three of its first four drives while the defense repeatedly forced the Aggies into difficult situations. The Spirit built a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, recording their first shutout of the season.
The ground game set the tone early. Quarterback Luke Giron opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown before Isaiah Dickerson added a pair of first-quarter touchdown runs to help OUAZ race in front 21-0. The Spirit continued to add points in the second quarter when Eric Cline connected on a field goal to send OUAZ into halftime with a 24-0 advantage.
The dominance continued after the break. The Spirit defense recorded a safety midway through the third quarter after bringing down an Aggie ball carrier in the end zone, extending the lead to 26-0. Later in the quarter, Giron capped another scoring drive with his second rushing touchdown of the night. Rocco Koch added the final score in the fourth quarter with a touchdown run to complete the 40-point performance.
Defensively, OUAZ turned in one of its best efforts of the season. The Spirit registered an interception by Jaden McCray in the first quarter and consistently pressured OPSU's quarterbacks throughout the evening. Corey Floyd Jr. recorded an early sack, while Kenny White, Labarron Kennedy Jr., Alex Cordova, Gustavo De Los Reyes, and others contributed to a relentless pass rush.
The defensive unit also came up with key special teams plays. Shamar Adams blocked a fourth-quarter field goal attempt, and the Spirit prevented the Aggies from capitalizing on several drives deep in OUAZ territory to preserve the shutout.
Offensively, the Spirit leaned heavily on their rushing attack. Dickerson and Giron each scored twice on the ground, while Tay Wheat, Dyontae Navarrate, and Rocco Koch provided additional production behind a strong performance from the offensive line. The balanced effort helped OUAZ control possession and keep the Aggies' defense on the field throughout the night.
Scoring Summary
Up Next
The Spirit will take next week off before returning to action on Saturday, Oct. 3, when they host SAC foe Langston at Spirit Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. as OUAZ looks to remain unbeaten in conference play.
