WATTS, Okla. -- The Watts (Okla.) Engineers got a big win at home on Friday night as the Engineers shut out the Oaks Warriors (0-3) by a score of 36-0 in Watts.
The Engineers dominated on the defensive side of the ball, holding the Warriors to four plays or fewer in each of their possessions except for one drive in the third quarter.
Offensively, both teams got out to a rough start. Oaks' opening drive lasted four plays and spanned seven yards before a turnover on downs. Watts, in turn, turned the ball over with a fumble three plays into their own first drive.
After a four-down stand, Watts (2-1) got the ball back and began trekking down the field, thanks to power running by quarterback Danny Fernandez and a 15-yard pass from Fernandez to Blayn Harlin. Adversity rose against the Engineers as Fernandez went down after a dive on the goal line. Exhibiting concussion-like symptoms, Fernandez left the game, leaving Watts without a starting quarterback.
Two plays later, with under a minute remaining in the game's opening quarter, Harlin, now sharing snaps behind center, rammed his way into the end zone. An extra point later, and the Engineers led 8-0. The touchdown would be the first of three scores in four plays for Watts, who would take control of the game and never look back.
Watts got right back to scoring on the very next play, as the Oaks kick returner went into the end zone to retrieve a booming kickoff, left the end zone for a return, and was chased back in for a safety. Then, with a 10-0 lead, the Engineers kept their foot on the gas with a 22-yard touchdown run by Adarain Adams one play after receiving the punt after the safety.
"Tonight I'm proud of them," said Watts head coach Matt Stilwell. "We had some adversity hit early, lost our starting quarterback and probably one of our best players in Danny Fernandez. But we rose up, rotated quarterbacks and stepped up as a team, took care of business."
Stilwell said he was happy with the mental strength showed by the Engineers and how well their special teams continued to perform, forcing a safety and a fumble.
"Even in our loss against Welch, our special teams played well, forced a couple of fumbles."
Outside of the spurt of scoring over the course of four plays in the first half, Watts scored on a 21-yard pass from Harlin to Adams on fourth down in the second quarter, and a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes from Harlin to Kyle Woods, one from five yards out and the other from 20.
Oaks drops to 0-3 with the loss. The Warriors are scheduled to play at Cave Springs on Thursday.
Watts, meanwhile, returns to action on Friday against Life Christian.
Sports on 09/17/2017