Historic night for North Rock Creek

North Rock Creek’s first-ever home high school football was a feel-good event in every aspect.

Except one.

The crowd packed the bleachers and spilled along the fence on both sides all the way to the goal line.

People sat in lawn chairs, sometimes two and three deep, and cheered when the field was dedicated and named in honor of long-time North Rock Creek teacher, coach and icon Stan Beesley.

The fans stayed until after the final buzzer, singing the fight song and cheering the team.

It was the culmination of a process that began five years ago, when North Rock Creek’s school board voted to add a high school to the historically k-8 school and the district’s voters approved a $21 million bond issue for the building.

The night of the school’s first home game was as much a community celebration as it was about football.

Which was a good thing, since the Cougars got thumped, 40-0, on the field.

“It was a fantastic crowd out here, a great atmosphere for these guys to play in,” NRC coach Jason Murray said.

“It kind of snowballed midway through the second quarter.”

Holdenvile had an 8-0 lead and the ball in the second period and elected to for it on fourth down.

The Cougars jumped off sides, giving Holdenville a first down. The Wolverines turned the possession into a touchdown and a 14-0 lead, and the outcome was never seriously in doubt afterward.

“We made too many mistakes, too many penalties to give ourselves an opportunity but they come out and competed,” Murray said of the Cougars. “That’s one thing about this group - they have always come out and competed for four quarters.

“And we’re getting better. We’re just not getting better in all the areas at the same time. Once we shore up one problem, another one shows up.

“It’s just maturity and consistency.”

Now 0-4, the Cougars are back on the road Friday, visiting Tulsa NOAH, which is 2-2 on the season.

They are back home Oct. 2, hosting the OKC Patriots.