BREAKING: Pioneers win first state football title since 1967 | Sports

The Stillwater Pioneers are the Class 6A-II state champions. 

Stillwater (13-0) captured the gold ball with a 26-21 win over Choctaw (11-2).

The Pioneer protection used a flurry of second-half turnovers to disrupt Choctaw after stingy protection for each groups marked the first half.

Choctaw managed over 250 yards of offense, however solely discovered the tip zone as soon as within the first half. 

After a scoreless first quarter, Choctaw opened scoring with a 2-yard landing run by La’Trell Ray that capped an 80-yard drive.

Ray completed the first half with 102 yards speeding on 14 carries.

Stillwater tied the sport earlier than half with a cross from receiver Talon Kendrick to Julius Talley.

Choctaw missed a 52-yard discipline purpose try as time expired.

On Choctaw’s opening drive of the second half Julius Talley returned an interception to the Choctaw 10.

Stillwater took its first lead with simply over 7 minutes left within the third quarter on a 10-yard cross from Gage Gundy to Heston Thompson however the Pioneers missed the PAT.

The subsequent possession, the Pioneers managed to cease Choctaw on fourth down. On the following drive, Gundy known as his personal quantity and broke free on a 54-yard landing run for the first two-possession lead of the sport – 20-7 with simply over a minute left within the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, a Jacory Thomas interception ended Choctaw’s subsequent drive. Stillwater drove to the Choctaw 26 earlier than turning it over on downs. The Pioneers bought it proper again with an interception by Trey Gregory. Stillwater’s drive ended with a missed 32-yard discipline purpose try.

Choctaw’s first rating of the second half got here with 4:08 left within the fourth quarter. The lengthy drive ended with a 6-yard landing cross from Steele Wasel to Jax Smith. Choctaw reduce the result in 20-14.

A giant run from Noah Roberts helped seal the win on Stillwater’s subsequent drive. After a cross interference bought the Pioneers a brand new set of downs, Roberts introduced the Pioneers into the Choctaw crimson zone. The drive was capped with a Zac Tyson 9-yard landing run that put Stillwater up 26-14 with 1:12 left.

Choctaw needed to burn its remaining timeout on that Pioneer drive. Choctaw managed to attain with beneath 9 seconds left however did not have sufficient time for a remaining rally as Stillwater recovered the onside kick. 

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