One never knows just what will be a key play(s) in a game to help a team end up with a win over its opponent. Those two plays happened at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half as the Central Tigers made it a happy homecoming with a 5641 District AI-3 victory over the Tulsa Regent Prep Rams last Friday night at Tiger Stadium.
Down 22-18 late in the second quarter, Central quarterback Braxin Goodson hit Nathan Vann on a 36-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first half. Ryker Miller’s two-point conversion run put the Tigers (3-2 overall, 2-0 in district play) on top for good at 26-22.
The Tigers got the second-half kickoff and moved downfield with the drive capped by Ryker Miller’s second of three TD runs, an 11yard carry to increase Central’s advantage to 32-22, and it stayed pretty much a two-score game from there.
“Right before half, being able to punch that in was definitely big for us,” Central coach Jeremy Thompson said. “It was a big momentum swing going into the second half. We got the football (first) in the second half. (The Ryker Miller 11yard TD run) put us at that (two-score) margin. We went back and forth, trading off touchdowns. Right before half going up, being able to get the ball coming out (and scoring on that opening drive) gave us a 10-point lead. That allowed us to keep that point margin (up by two scores) in the second half.”
All total, Central had 447 yards off offense, which included a pair of Tigers who rushed for three touchdowns each.
Goodson rushed for 178 yards and scored on TD runs of 45, 55 and 9 yards, while Ryker Miller rushed for 197 yards and hit paydirt from 29, 11 and 10 yards.
Vann caught two touchdown passes from Goodson, who was 5-of-6 passing for 100 yards, as the Central receiver hauled in TD passes for 36 and 45 yards. All total, Vann caught all five of Goodson’s completed passes for 100 yards.
Also key was the Rams (4-1, 1-1) attempted seven onside kicks, and the Tigers recovered all of them.
“We made plays when we needed to,” Thompson said. “(Recovering all seven onside kicks) was huge. We played very well on defense. Our defensive front did a good job putting pressure on their quarterback. Aidan Sainer did a great job on their top receiver No. 30 (Isaac Coffin).”
The Tigers will return to action with another crucial District AI-3 game as they will travel to meet the only other undefeated team in the district, the Talihina Golden Tigers, at 7 p.m. next Friday at Talihina’s Doc Robinson Stadium. “We’re in control of our own destiny when it comes to district play,” Thompson said. “This week is a big week with the only two unbeaten teams in the district. It’s still early in district play, so there’s a lot of football to be played. With us two this week, it’s definitely another big district game. There’s no doubt about it.”
••• To Get There — Take U.S. 64 west to Interstate 40. Take Interstate 40 west to Warner. Take Oklahoma State Highway 2 south to Kinta. Take Oklahoma State Highway 31 east to Require. Take Oklahoma State Highway 82 south to Talihina, where it becomes Dallas Street. Continue south on Dallas Street to Second Street (signal light), which is Oklahoma State Highway 1-U.S. 271. Turn left to Doc Robinson Stadium.
