Kallie Waller and Maci Miller

Writers 

The Marlow High School football team traveled to Comanche to take on the Comanche Indians Friday, Sept. 9.

Coming out of last year’s State Championship season, the stands were packed, and the energy from fans and students including the cheerleaders, the bootleggers, the band and the Blue Crew were at an all time high. 

Senior Parker Hayes is part of the student section known as the “Blue Crew” that gets the Outlaw spirit turned up.

“I think winning state last year really showed everyone how much a student section can affect a game and how contagious the energy is,” explained Hayes. “Everyone wants to be loud because it is  more fun when everyone is yelling and participating.”

The Outlaws State Championship last year came in the 2A division, but this year’s MHS football has moved up to class 3A.

With moving up to a higher class, the MHS football team will have new teams with tougher competition to face.

Junior Cade Gilbert shared some thoughts on the class change.

 “Moving up to 3A is a big step,” expressed Gilbert. “We are going to have to be at our best every week in order to do what we are capable of doing.”

Players and coaches always look forward to Stephens County’s biggest rivalry game against the Comanche Indians.

Coach Freddy Crowson expressed his perception of the game.

“I think we played well and overall made good improvements from our first game of the season.”

The Outlaws came out of the first quarter with a 21-0 lead over the Indians, with touchdowns coming from seniors Avrey Payne and Brian Zhang, along with junior Barron Gage.

MHS continued their run coming up with 20 more points in the second quarter, while still holding the Indians from scoring.

Good defense came into play with many failed fourth down attempts from Comanche, along with some interceptions made by the Outlaws. 

Marlow scored the rest of their points for the night during the third quarter, leaving the fourth quarter scoreless on both sides.

That would bring the Outlaw’s overwhelming victory against the Comanche Indians to a final score of 62-0.

Zhang had a good night with some great plays for Marlow and expressed his opinion about the game. 

“It’s my senior season, and we were doubted as a team starting off this season. That itself motivates a team to want to win,” Zhang expressed. “I try to forget the mistakes that were made and come back the next play to do better”

Alongside Zhang with the great plays comes senior Lane Jones. 

Jones played for the Velma-Alma football team last year and has jumped right into Marlow’s winning tradition.

“The football teams are completely different, the practices are different, the games are different, but I’m enjoying my experience of being an Outlaw so far,” Jones stated. 

“It’s hard to not want to get better and be the best that I can be when everyone around me is busting it.”

The new season has also brought up a new starting quarterback for the Outlaws: Cade Gilbert.

Gilbert is filling the role of his older brother, Jace Gilbert, who is now a kicker at Iowa State University. 

“I will definitely be filling some big shoes as quarterback,” admitted Gilbert. “Jace taught me multiple lessons and showed me how to be a leader when things are both good and bad.”

Gilbert along with his teammates are stepping up this year and proving to the community that they can be just as good as last year’s team.

“People overlooked us since we lost the seniors from last year, and that is what is motivating us this season,” stated Gilbert.

The MHS football team currently has a new record of 2-0, continuing last year’s undefeated winning streak.