Desmond Pettit wasn’t about to let this one slip away.
With MacArthur trailing by four with 20 seconds remaining, quarterback Racer Felter rolled to his right and lobbed a pass to Ryan Andrews.
However, it hung in the air just long enough for Pettit to step in front of a stationary Andrews and intercept the errant throw, returning it 40 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six was the coup de gras for the Duncan defense, which forced two turnovers in the fourth quarter en route to a 24-13 win over the Highlanders at Cameron Stadium on Friday night. The victory was the Demons’ first over Mac since 2009 — a 35-34 decision. “I thought (Andrews) was going to catch me because I’m a little slow,” Pettit said. “But when the ball was coming, I was like, ‘Man, please don’t drop this — it’s right in my hands. If I drop it, I’m going to get flamed’ — that’s what I was thinking. I caught it, kept running and he gave up and I scored."
Roderick Standokes, who caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Jaxon Gregston late in the second quarter, tallied the other takeaway with an interception of his own.
Duncan will battle No. 4 Altus next week at home on Senior Night for a chance to finish second in District 5A-1 and host a playoff game for the first time in nine years.
Meanwhile, Mac (4-5, 3-3) faces a must-win situation on the road against El Reno, for the winner will secure the fourth and final playoff spot. Despite the loss, MacArthur coach Brett Manning said he was proud of the effort given by his team in the face of adversity. The Highlanders were missing two two-way starters — Michelle Artzberger and Ronnie Johnson — because of some untimely injuries. “We had so many people playing that haven’t played much,” Manning said. “We had three freshmen get a significant amount of playing time. One of them started and played all night, and another played both sides all night. With a lot of things working against them, they stood in there and gave them a good game.” One freshman who made an immediate impact, though late, was Isaiah Gray. Gray took over for Felter, who was dealing with a pulled muscle, midway through the fourth quarter, and he didn’t waste any time. A well-placed punt had the Highlanders pinned at their own 9-yard line, but the freshman made up for it with his speed, outrunning every Duncan defender down the north sideline for a 91-yard touchdown scamper to bring Mac within a score at 17-13 with 6:14 remaining. Gray finished with 110 yards rushing on six carries, accounting for about 60 percent of the Highlanders’ production on the ground. Gray made a similar play against Western Heights earlier this season, tying the school record for longest rushing touchdown with a 99-yard score. The run solidified a 55-13 win for the Highlanders on that night, but it wasn’t enough this time. Aside from Gray’s run, Mac couldn’t find an answer for Duncan’s defensive tenacity, having to punt nine times. In fact, the Highlanders finished with nine more punting yards (334) than total offensive yards (325). If not for a facemask penalty on a fourth-down stop in the first quarter, the Highlanders would’ve managed only six points. Felter scored the game's first points on a 2-yard run shortly after the infraction. “This team’s perseverance and character is what, in my opinion, won the game tonight,” Duncan coach JT Cobble said. “That’s what has made us 8-1, and it makes the game next week even bigger. This team has strong leadership, and it’s not just the seniors. It’s all these kids who have bought in since spring ball and summer pride, and it’s showing out here on the field. “The kids know the defense, and they’re bought in. They play hard, and they want to win for each other and for (the coaching staff).” Mac wasn’t the only team forced to punt, though. Rafael Carrasco was kept busy with his kicking duties, punting 10 times for an average of 39 yards per boot. However, his most important kick came in the fourth quarter with Duncan leading 14-7. The junior nailed a 24-yard field goal with 8:19 remaining, giving the Demons a 10-point cushion. He also went a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points. “I had a lot of heart and came out there with confidence,” Carrasco said of the field goal. “I knew my team had my back, and we were successful with it.” Another key to the Demons’ victory was running back JJ Harris. In his second start since Johnathan Babineaux’s ACL injury, Harris rushed for 98 yards on 16 carries, including a 58-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second half that gave the Demons a 14-7 lead. “JJ and Babs are the heart of this team,” Cobble said. “JJ has stepped up now with Babs being gone, and he knows that he’s got more on his shoulders. Him as a senior and a captain, I expect him to take that and do a good job, which he has.” Duncan has finally tallied its marquee win, and with Duncan playing the way it is, respect and recognition from the rest of the state are surely on the way. In other words, the Demons made a statement to Class 5A — it’s time to take notice of Duncan. “Hopefully we woke up 5A, man,” Pettit said. “We just gotta get ready for the next game, that’s all we can do. We still have a job to do, but we’re going to enjoy this victory and be ready for next week.”