Although it was a Week 9 game when the local county rivals, the Central Tigers and the Gore Pirates, met for a District AII-3 game last Friday night at K.G. Horn Stadium, it essentially was a Week 11 playoff game as the winner would keep slim playoff hopes alive, while the loser in all likelihood would be eliminated from postseason contention.
The Tigers pretty much dominated the Pirates as they left town with a 38-7 victory.
The Tigers (4-5 overall, 3-3 in district play) are in a three-way tie for fifth place with Tulsa Regent Prep and Gore, each being a game back of Liberty for the fourth and final playoff spot.
It will be a battle of Tigers when Central visits Liberty at 7 p.m. this Friday. If Central wins, Gore loses at Allen and Regent Prep loses at Wewoka, both Central and Liberty will tie for fourth place, with Central getting the fourthplace nod due to its win over Liberty.
If Central wins, but either Gore and/or Regent Prep win, then it will force a three-way tie for fourth place with Central, Liberty and/ or Gore and/or Regent Prep. Then, it will come down to district points.
However, if Central loses, their playoff hopes will be dashed.
“We are not worried about anything but us,” Central coach Jeremy Thompson said. “We’re not looking at scores and nothing matters but the Central Tigers and our opponents week by week. The playoffs have already started for us. Week 10 (next Friday night), we’re going to Liberty. We have to go in there and play just like we did (last Friday night). If we do that, we ought to be OK (to make the playoffs).”
The Tigers drew first blood as Ryker Miller caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Kiefer Bailey. The two-point conversion pass failed to keep the Tigers up 6-0 with 6:32 left in the first quarter.
The Tigers began their next drive at Gore’s 45-yard line with 4:29 remaining in the period. The Tigers scored very quickly as Miller rambled 45 yards for the TD. Once again, the two-point conversion pass failed, but the Tigers had a 12-0 lead with 4:18 left in the period.
After the Pirates cut their deficit to 12-7 after a quarter, the only score of the second quarter was a 9-yard TD pass from Bailey to Gavin Randolph with 6:01 left before halftime. The two-point conversion pass failed, but Central took an 18-7 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.
Late in the third quarter, Miller scored his third touchdown, and second rushing TD on a 2-yard run. He also scored the two-point conversion to up Central’s advantage to 26-7 with 2:42 left in the third quarter.
The Tigers did an onside kick, with Aiden Cawhorn making the recovery at the Gore 32yard line.
The Tigers capped the drive with Miller completing his hat trick of rushing touchdowns, and scored his fourth TD of the night, as he took it in from 21 yards out with 2:07 remaining in the period. The twopoint conversion failed, but the Tigers took a 32-7 lead into the final period.
The Tigers all but sealed the deal in the fourth quarter as Miller scored his fourth rushing touchdown and fifth TD of the night as he took it in from four yards out. Randolph tried the PAT, but his attempt went wide left to keep Central on top 38-7 with 8:31 remaining to play in the game.
Any hope of a Gore comeback was dashed when Randolph intercepted a pass and returned the pick 28 yards to the Gore 31 with 4:45 remaining to play.“I’m very proud of how we played,” Thompson said. “We kept our kids throughout the game. There were a lot of penalties, but our kids stayed to the task. We saw a team that was very run heavy, and we rose up to the challenge (holding the Pirates to 65 yards of total offense, 55 yards rushing). We played a great football game on both sides of the ball. There are still things to improve on.”
For the game, Miller rushed for 112 yards and scored four touchdowns, while Bailey threw for 217 yards and two TDs. Randolph caught nine passes for 138 yards.
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To Get There — Take U.S. 64 west to Sallisaw. Take Interstate 40 west to the Muskogee Turnpike. Take the Muskogee Turnpike west to the Creek Turnpike. Take the Creek Turnpike west to U.S. 75. Take U.S. 75 south to West 201st Street South (sign saying Liberty Mounds is to the right) in Mounds. Turn right (east) on West 201st Street South to Liberty High School.
