LARRY OWEN

SPORTS EDITOR

This Friday, the Morris Eagles and Henryetta Golden Knights will square off against one another in their annual regular-season high school football game.

This year’s county showdown will take place at historic Cameron Field in Henryetta and is being dubbed the ‘Walker Bowl’ in honor of John Walker, who passed away July 19. Walker played high school football at Henryetta, was the head football coach at Morris in 2014, and also served as an administrator at both county schools.

Both the Eagles and Knights enter the Week 2 contest in search of their first win in 2022 after opening the season last Friday with double-digit defeats. Morris fell in its season opener to Kellyville by a 22-12 margin at the newly named Larry Bookout Field in Morris, while Henryetta was on the short end of a 42-6 outcome to Victory Christian in Tulsa.

Since 2000, the two Okmulgee County gridiron squads have met a total of 19 times with Morris holding a 12-7 advantage.

Last year’s meeting came in Week 6 (October 8) with both teams entering the annual meeting winless on the season. Henryetta escaped the county battle with a 28-9 decision for its first win of 2021.

The only three times the two county squads did not meet on the football field were 2001, 2004, and 2005. Morris and Henryetta were scheduled to go to battle September 14, 2001, but that contest was canceled due to the 9-11 attacks.

Nine of the last 19 meetings have come in either the season opener or second non-district game, while the other 10 contests have featured both teams competing in the same district.

Morris took the 2000 meeting by a 31-22 margin, then the next four battles (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007) went to Henryetta.

Morris came away victorious in the next six meetings (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) to go ahead in the series 7-4.

Henryetta narrowed the Eagles’ series lead to 7-6 by winning the 2014 and 2015 showdowns, while Morris took the next five battles - 2016-2020.

The Knights ended the Eagles’ winning streak last year with a 28-9 victory.

During the last 19 games, Morris has scored a total of 395 points, while Henryetta has scored a total of 341 points.

The closest game in the last 19 contests came in 2003 when Henryetta escaped with a narrow 13-12 decision.

Both teams have come away with shutout wins in the 21st Century with Morris blanking the Knights 6-0 in 2010 and Henryetta blanking the Eagles 29-0 in 2006.

During the previous 19 meetings, one game stands out above all the others.

November 2, 2007 In the 2007 clash, the annual rivalry football game was for more than just bragging rights.

A perfect regular-season record and the Class 2A-5 district championship were also up for grabs between the two Okmulgee County gridiron squads.

The 2007 regular-season finale matchup in Morris was named the ‘Game of the Century’ and had the atmosphere of a state championship game, as the entire stadium was filled with fans from various regions, including lots of Okmulgee County fans. The rivalry game was also covered by all four Tulsa-area news stations (KOTV6, KTUL-8, KOKI-23, KJRH-2), as well as the Okmulgee Times, Henryetta Free-Lance, Morris News, Tulsa World, and Oklahoman newspapers.

Morris entered with a spotless 9-0 regular-season record with wins over Checotah (25-6), Berryhill (28-13), Stigler (30-0), Haskell (42-13), Beggs (22-8), Chandler (34-14), Prague (4214), Okemah (28-6), and Holdenville (41-7).

Henryetta came in also with an unblemished 9-0 regular-season record, scoring wins over Coalgate (30-20), Okmulgee (14-0), Checotah (27-7), Beggs (24-7), Haskell (26-6), Prague (19-14), Chandler (14-7), Holdenville (48-0), and Okemah (21-0).

The Knights, behind a pair of long-distance touchdown runs by tailback Coy ‘Lightning’ Blake and a second- quarter ‘Pick 6’ by Robby Bear, took a 21-0 lead into the halftime break.

The Eagles answered in the second half with a 2-yard scamper by tailback Jerad Regan in the third quarter and a 61-yard TD run by halfback Mark Hodge in the fourth quarter to cut the Henryetta lead to eight, 21-13.

The Morris offense never saw the football again in the contest following Hodge’s long-distance run, as the Knights ran out the final five minutes off the game clock to seal the 21-13 victory, their first perfect regular-season record since 1942, and their first district championship since 1951.

Kickoff for this Friday’s 20th meeting of the 21st Century between the Morris Eagles and Henryetta Golden Knights is set for 7 p.m. at Henryetta’s historic Cameron Field.

--- Morris-Henryetta Rivalry Game Results (Since 2000) 2000

Sept. 15 - Morris 31, Henryetta 22

2001

Sept. 14 - @ Henryetta (not played due to 9-11 attacks)

2002

Sept. 27 - Henryetta 20, Morris 14

2003

Sept. 26 - Henryetta 13, Morris 12

2004

Did Not Play

2005

Did Not Play

2006

Nov. 3 - Henryetta 29, Morris 0

2007

Nov. 2 - Henryetta 21, Morris 13 (District 2A-5 title game) 2008

Oct. 16 - Morris 27, Henryetta 16

2009

Oct. 15 - Morris 26, Henryetta 6

2010

Sept. 10 - Morris 6, Henryetta 0

2011

Sept. 9 - Morris 38, Henryetta 30

2012

Sept. 28 - Morris 19, Henryetta 12

2013

Oct. 4 - Morris 31, Henryetta 22

2014

Sept. 5 - Henryetta 13, Morris 6

2015

Sept. 4 - Henryetta 26, Morris 12

2016

Sept. 2 - Morris 22, Henryetta 18

2017

Sept. 1 - Morris 21, Henryetta 12

2018

Aug. 31 - Morris 40, Henryetta 8

2019

Sept. 6 - Morris 54, Henryetta 38

2020

Oct. 9 - Morris 14, Henryetta 7 (Played on Oct. 26)

2021

Oct. 8 - Henryetta 28, Morris 9