Defensive stop, special teams’ touchdown seal big win for Choctaws

 

Spencer Noel

Staff Reporter, JP Productions Sports

After getting their third win of the season in Newbern last week, the Choctaws went back on the road; this time to face Region 7-4A rival Crockett County. In a game that saw both teams trade blows throughout the game, the Choctaws held on to move to 4-0 on the year with a final score of 28-20 in Alamo.

The Cavaliers got the ball and started on their own 40-yard line. The Choctaws defense stood tall on short on a fourth and 1, giving the ball to their offense at the Crockett County 49-yard line.

A Landon Daniels pass to Devin Hayward gained four to start the drive. After picking up a first on the next play with a Daniels pass to KeAnthony Barbee, the Choctaws' offense got into third and inches, but a Daniels run picked up just enough for the first down. On fourth-and-9 from the 25, A Daniels' pass to Grant West in the back of the endzone scored for the Choctaws' touchdown. The extra point by Jotham Powell was good, making the score 7-0 Choctaws.

Dyer County recovered an onside kick at the Cavalier 48-yard line, but a Daniels pass was intercepted by Gabe Dupree gave Crockett County the ball at their own 37-yard line. The Cavaliers got down to the Choctaws 1-yard line in seven plays and were assisted via penalties. On second and goal from the 1, a handoff to Dakylan Woods went in for the Crockett County touchdown. The extra point by Noah Mayfield was no good, making the score 7-6 in favor of the Choctaws.

Hayward took the ensuing kick to the Choctaws 31-yard line, but Dyer County got into a fourth and 11 and were forced to punt. The Cavaliers got the ball at their own 31-yard line. On the first play, a fumble by Crockett County is recovered by Ezra Powell at the Cavalier 27-yard line. On second and 4, a toss to Barbee went 21 yards for the touchdown. The extra point was good, which made the score 14-6 Choctaws.

Crockett County got the ball at their own 40 to start the next drive, but lost 19 yards and were forced to punt back to the Choctaws. Dyer County got the ball at its own 18-yard line. A Daniels pass to West on 3rd down picked up enough for the Choctaw first down, but they would be forced to punt four plays later. Dyer County would then recover a fumble on the return to get the ball on the Cavalier 35-yard line, but would go three and out. Crockett County got the ball at its own 41-yard line. On second-and-6, a Ben Burgess pass to Chris Phillips got down to the Choctaws' 8-yard line, but would turn over on downs after a penalty with 2:15 left in the 2nd quarter. Dyer County went three-and-out and was forced to punt. Crockett County got the ball at the Choctaws' 39-yard line. On third-and-17, a Burgess pass was dropped by Demarruis Pickens, forcing a Cavalier punt. Dyer County got the ball at their own 19-yard line with 21 seconds left, but the Choctaws ran out the clock to end the half up 14-6.

The Choctaws got the ball to start the 2nd half at their own 40-yard line. On third-and-1, a Daniels run picked up three yards for a first down. Five plays later on third-and-4 from the Crockett County 20-yard line, a Daniels pass was intercepted by Dupree, giving Crockett County the ball at their own 10-yard line. On the second play of the drive, a handoff to Woods went 85 yards for the Cavalier touchdown. The two-point attempt was successful, making the score 14-14.

Crockett County recovered the ensuing kick to get possession at the Choctaws' 40-yard line. They would pick up a first down before getting into a third-and-12 after a Ryan DeSpain sack, and an incomplete pass made it fourth-and-12, which saw a Burgess pass fall incomplete, resulting in a turnover on downs. A run-heavy drive saw Dyer County get into a fourth-and-12 from the Crockett County 37, but a Daniels pass was intercepted at the Crockett County 13-yard line.

A run-heavy Cavalier drive leaked into the fourth quarter, and on third-and-10 to start the frame, a Ben Burgess pass to Karsen Burgess fell incomplete and led to a Cavalier punt. Dyer County got the ball at its own 33-yard line. After picking up a first, the Choctaws were forced into a fourth-and-6, but a pass from Daniels to West picked up a first down. Three plays later on third-and-9, a Daniels sack puts Dyer County into fourth-and-17, resulting in a punt. Crockett County got the ball at its own 17-yard line.

On third-and-7, a Burgess pass was nearly intercepted by Hayward, forcing a Crockett County punt. Dyer County got the ball at the Cavalier 47-yard line. On third and 2, a Daniels run was stopped at the line of scrimmage. On the next play, a pass to West picked up enough for a first down. On second down, a handoff to Bryce Fulton got down to the Cavalier 12-yard line. On third and goal, a Daniels pass to Hayward covered yards for the Dyer County touchdown. The extra point was good, which made the score 21-14 Choctaws.

Crockett County got the ball to start the next drive at the Choctaws 48 48-yard line with 2 minutes remaining. The Cavaliers picked up a pair of first downs and had the ball at the Dyer County 20-yard line with a first down and 1:30 to play. The next play saw Burgess avoid a sack to pass to Pickens down to the 5-yard line and another first down. Two plays later, a Burgess run got into the end zone for a Cavalier touchdown to cut the Dyer County lead to one. But the Choctaws' defense stood tall and stuffed Woods in the backfield on the two-point attempt, making the score 21-20 Choctaws.

On the onside kick attempt, Nick Epperson fielded the kick and returned it for a Choctaws touchdown. The extra point was good, making the score 28-20 Dyer County.

Crockett County got the ensuing kick at their own 45-yard line with 25 seconds to play, but time ran out for the Cavaliers, sealing the eight-point Dyer County victory.

The Choctaws will return home next week to face the Jackson North Side Indians in another Region 7-4A battle on Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

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