FOOTBALL: Balanced attack lifts Inola over Sperry for first win of season

Inola’s offense was firing on all cylinders Friday night, and Sperry had no answers.

The Longhorns piled up 416 yards of total offense behind a balanced rushing and passing attack to roll past the Pirates 39-19 on the road, handing Sperry its second-straight loss to a Rogers County team after having fallen to Verdigris 27-15 just a week earlier.

Quarterback Easton Hallman directed the offense with efficiency, completing 11 of 14 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown while also adding a rushing score. His favorite targets were Caleb Helling [67 yards] and Huston Wilhite [60 yards, 1 TD], who both came up with explosive plays downfield.

On the ground, the one-two punch of Brennan Lawley and Jayce Kent wore down the Pirates.

Lawley carried 14 times for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Kent chipped in 66 yards and a 20-yard score on 9 attempts.

Inola [1-1] also got a boost from kicker Eddie Yang, who drilled a 41-yard field goal and went a perfect 4-for-4 on extra points.

The Longhorns struck first when Hallman connected with Wilhite for a 10-yard touchdown before Kent converted the 2-point run.

Sperry [0-3] answered quickly with a 12-yard touchdown from Landen Brooks, but Hallman’s 10-yard scoring run made it 15-6 by the end of the first quarter.

The Pirates inched closer with another Brooks run early in the second, but Inola responded with authority. Lawley barreled in from 12 yards out, and Yang’s 41-yard field goal before halftime gave the Longhorns a 25-12 cushion.

Inola’s ground game then took over in the third quarter.

Kent ripped off a 20-yard scoring run before Lawley added his second touchdown from 14 yards, extending the lead to 39-12. Sperry managed one final Brooks plunge late in the fourth, but the outcome was long decided.

Inola hosts Catoosa [0-2] in the Battle of the Ports at 7 p.m. Friday to close out nondistrict play.