It was a case of “oh so close, but yet so far” for the Muldrow Bulldogs last Friday night at Marty Rogers Field.

The ’Dogs were four yards away from keeping their playoff hopes alive with 40 seconds left to play, but an interception by Stigler thwarted the drive and the playoff hopes for the Bulldogs as the Panthers left town with a 14-9 victory.

The ’Dogs (4-5 overall, 1-5 in District 3A-3 play) will close out their season with a Senior Night game at 7 p.m. this Friday against Locust Grove at Marty Rogers Field.

The Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead on Wyatt Prewett’s 26-yard field goal, but a first-quarter and a third-quarter touchdown by the Panthers (3-6, 2-4) put them ahead 14-3 entering the final period.

The Bulldogs got an 80-yard TD pass from Teaguen Collins to De-Shawn Willson in the early stages of the fourth quarter to cut the Stigler lead to 14-9.

However, with 40 seconds left, the ’Dogs were at the Stigler 4-yard line, ready to go take the lead — and snatch away a win from the jaws of defeat. However, Collins’ pass was picked off in the end zone to end the night — as well as Muldrow’s playoff hopes. It was the sixth of six turnovers committed on the night by the Bulldogs.

“We moved the ball just fine,” Muldrow coach Logan Coatney said. “We had over 320 yards of offense. We forced them to turn the ball over. We did things that we needed to do in order for us to have success, but when you turn the ball over six times, you’re limiting yourself and putting the odds against you.”