Kingston miscues to open each half coupled with Marlow big plays proved pivotal as the Redskins dropped a 35-21 verdict to the Outlaws in the Class 2A football quarterfinals last Friday at Bulldog Henry Stadium.
It was the second straight year the Redskin campaign came to a 10-2 finish with a playoff loss to Marlow, but it was early miscues that dug a hole from which Kingston could not recover.
The Redskins looked like they had forced a three-andout on the game’s opening series but a muffed punt was recovered by Marlow and the visitors took advantage by marching just 28 yards to paydirt and the first touchdown of the game.
Coach Brad Hill’s squad managed one first down before having to put it back and the Outlaws put together a run-heavy 61-yard, 12-play drive led by standout quarterback Hudson Morgan that gave the visitors a 14-0 edge with 25 seconds remaining in the first stanza.
Marlow dominated time of possession in the first frame and outgained the Redskins 105-17 before the Redskins finally found their offensive footing en route to 316 yards for the game.
In desperate need of an answer, Kingston engineered a 64-yard scoring march that was fueled by the running of seniorParksRatzlaff.Backup quarterback Ethan Mowles came off the bench for possibly the biggest play of the possession, converting on a fourth down with a nine-yard scamper to the Marlow 21.
Three straight Ratzlaff caries found the end zone to narrow the gap to 14-7, but that was a short-lived reprieve as the Outlaws tossed an 89-yard touchdown pass on the very next play from scrimmage.
Another methodical Redskin possession followed as they milked nearly all six and a half minutes off the second quarter clock with a Reid Patterson spurred 65-yard drive. Patterson had carries of 10, 8 and 9 yards to ignite the charge and then completed 14- and eventually 12-yard passes to Hudson Everhart in culminating things to cut the margin to 21-14 at halftime.
With their first opportunity to get even, Kingston took the second half kickoff and worked the length of the field again before stalling at the Marlow 10. Jaime Lewis’ 27-yard field goal attempt was wide however.
Two plays later Morgan bolted65yardstotheRedskin 13 and the Outlaws punched in another touchdown two plays later.
The Redskins responded with another methodical march with the one-two rushing punch of Patterson and Ratzlaff with Patterson rumbling in from three yards on the second play of the final period. Lewis’ point after narrowed the gap to 27-21.
They could not find an answer for the Marlow ground attack however as the Outlaws covered 70 yards on 11 straight rushing plays that just about put it on ice as the visitors improved to 10-1 on the season.
Patterson finished with 111 yards rushing on 21 carries with Ratzlaff pitching in 10 totes for 62 yards. Patterson was also 10 for 17 through the air for 105 yards with Everhart snagging five of the passes for 72 yards. Ratzlaff caught five for 38 yards.
Marlow tallied 363 total yards with 239 of those coming on the ground.