It was not a happy homecoming for the Webbers Falls Warriors as they lost 14-8 to the visiting Savanna Bulldogs last Friday night at Smokey Cox Stadium.
The lone touchdown for the Warriors (3-2) came on a 1-yard touchdown run by Brutus Robinson on the team’s first drive of the game, then Aiden Turley’s two-point conversion put them ahead 8-0.
However, the Dawgs (1-3) scored two touchdowns before the first half ended for a 14-8 halftime lead. The second half was scoreless.
The game boiled down to the Warriors making miscues at inopportune times, which included the potential game-winning TD pass going through the receiver’s hands on the final play of the game.
“We had trouble moving the ball,” Webbers Falls coach Trent Holt said. “We threw a pass (in the second half) and dropped it that would have put us on about the (Savanna) 3 (yard line). We got the ball back with about two minutes to go. We got down there to about the (Savanna) 12 (yard line), and we throw the ball in the end zone and it squirts through our hands on the last play of the game — and that was it.”
The loss was costly as both Turley (shoulder) and Dawson Littlefield (thigh) left the game due to injuries, and join Zane Nolan and Dakota Moore, who both were out in last Friday’s game, as four players who may not get to play in the District BII-4 opener Thursday night at Wilson (Henryetta).
“We knew when the season started, this was going to be a really big game,” Holt said. “If we had everybody, we thought we had a good shot to win the district, and then this first (district) game against Wilson (Henryetta), who is the favorite (to win the district). Zane is out for I don’t know how long, and I don’t know about Turley. Dakota Moore was out (of the Savanna game), so we’re hurting. It’s just one of those years. The injury bug just keeps biting us. We’re looking at moving some more kids to tailback, and see if they can get some of the carries.”
The Tigers will enter district play at 3-1. They lost their last game played, a 64-26 setback to Weleetka on Sept. 27. The Tigers, who had a bye last week, opened the season with three wins — 42-24 over Strother, 52-12 over Savanna and 54-0 over Watts.
“They’re very athletic,” Holt said about the Tigers. “They have the quarterback and his three (Shelburn) brothers (Za’Brien, Ke’Shon, Charle4s and Zion). They throw it pretty well. They don’t run it a whole lot, but the quarterback can scramble. Those kids (receivers) can go catch it. They’re pretty talented athletically. It’s going to be a tough one for us.”
The Warriors will need to play a near-perfect game to pull off the upset.
“We have to control the football,” Holt said. “We’re going to try to keep them from getting it, and score every time we have it — and make (defensive) stops when they have it. We have to control the line of scrimmage and get two or three (defensive) stops. We need to score every time we get it. If we don’t score, we have to stop them from scoring. It’s going to be a chore. It’s going to be an uphill battle for us.”
••• To Get There — Take Oklahoma State Highway 100 south to Interstate 40. Take I-40 west to Henryetta. Take U.S. 62-75 north through Henryetta to Wilson High School Road. Turn left to Wilson High School.
