JuniorJaimeLewisbooted an extra point in overtime to break a deadlock and lifted Kingston to a huge 29-28 district victory over Kiefer in the league opener last week.
The Redskins overcame a few moments of adversity along the way but came up with the big plays when they matteredthemosttoimprove to 3-1 on the season. They’ll be on the road for their next outing Friday at Okmulgee, who is 0-4 on the year.
“This was definitely a big win for us since they have been to the state semifinals the last two years,” Kingston head coach Brad Hill commented. “They are a really good football team, and it was an exciting football game all the way down to the end. It was back and forth the whole way but our kids did a good jobkeepingemotionsincheck and played well.”
Kingston looked as if it might take command early on as the Redskins took the game’s opening possession and marched 74 yards to paydirt in 14 plays. One of those was a key fourth down conversion run by Parks Ratzlaff near midfield.
Reid Patterson hit Sam Walker with an eight-yard scoring strike to cap the drive, one of four completions by the senior quarterback on the march.
The Redskins missed the extra point to leave the score at 6-0 but that did not last long as Kiefer returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown and added a twopoint conversion for an 8-6 advantage.
Patterson was intercepted on the following series and the Trojans drove all the way to the Kingston 19 before the Redskin defense stiffened and turned the visitors over on downs.
A Kingston fumble recovery thwarted another lengthy Kiefer possession midway through the second stanza and the Redskin offense cashed in for points, marching 44 yards in 11 plays. Patterson once again went to the air and hooked up with Eli Oliger for a three-yard connection with only eight seconds left before intermission.
The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving it a 12-8 Kingston lead at the break.
Hill’s club added to the edge on its first drive of the third frame, mixing the running of Patterson and Logan Stephens all the way down the field before a one-yard touchdown plunge from Ratzlaff.
Kiefer capitalized on another Kingston special teams miscue late in the third, covering just 33 yards to hit paydirt on a four-yard run that trimmed the Redskin lead to 19-14.
The Redskins answered by marching all the way to the Kiefer 6-yard line before settling for a Lewis 25-yard field goal with 8:04 left.
Kiefer would not fold however, pushing the ball downfield for a touchdown and tying two-point run with 4:36 remaining in the game.
The teams then traded possessions with Kingston getting one final chance for the win in regulation but Lewis’ 47-yard field goal try as time expired came up just short.
Aided by a pivotal targeting call on fourth down of the opening drive of overtime, Kiefer punched through for a touchdown but missed the point after to leave the door open.
Kingston needed just one play to respond as Patterson connected with Oliger on a 10-yard slant pass into the end zone. Lewis then booted through the extra point for the walk off victory.
Patterson completed 13 of 18 passes for 95 yards and the three touchdowns while also chipping in 80 yards on 22 rushing attempts. Ratzlaff tossed in 16 carries for 72 yards. Oliger ended with four receptions with Walker and Ty Jones chipping in three apiece.
“I was very proud of our defensive staff and defensive coordinator Ray Richards,” Hill said. “The kids tackled well and fought hard. We have things we definitely need to clean up in special teams. Even though we had some rough spots there, that ended up winning us the game at the end.”