Redskins’ Perfect Season Ends Against Stigler

Thanksgiving is a time for traditions. Big meals, family gatherings, and football are all features of this very American holiday. Equally American is the official commencement of the Christmas shopping season the day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday because of the typical overcrowding of stores and occasional ugliness as consumers fight (sometimes literally!) to get bargains.

A new tradition has sprung up in southern Oklahoma the last few years, as the Kingston Redskins played for the third straight year on Black Friday in the state quarterfinals, this time hosting the Stigler Panthers. The Redskins were seeking to extend an undefeated season into the state semifinals, while the Panthers, also playing in the quarterfinals their third straight year, were seeking to finally break through and advance to the state semis for the first time since 1971. On a beautiful evening in Kingston, it was Stigler that broke through, advancing to the semifinals with a 49-14 victory.

Stigler came out of the gate firing. Running out ofa spread, no-huddle attack, the Panthers marched 74 yards on eight plays, running and passing almost at will. Stigler capped off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Darren Manes to senior tight end Lakin Bass to take an early 7-0 lead.

Kingston’s first drive started out well, as junior receiver Hayden McKinney picked up 14 yards on Kingston’s first play. However, the offense bogged down immediately, and the Redskins only picked up four more yards before they were forced to punt.

Stigler took over at its own 20, and if the Panthers’ first drive was impressive, the second drive was even more so. Stigler covered the 80 yards in six plays, snapping the ball only once when it was not first down, and Manes did the honors with his legs this time, scoring from one yard out to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead.

Deep in a hole, Kingston needed something good to happen to get back into the game, and instead ran into more trouble. Senior AJ McKinney returned the ensuing kick to the Kingston 20 but a hit by Stigler senior Grayson Gilmore jarred the ball loose, and Stigler recovered the fumble at the Kingston 22. Three plays later, Gilmore hauled in a 22-yard pass from Manes to extend Stigler’s lead to 21-0, still in the first quarter.

With the season on the line, Kingston came out and put together a good drive. Mixing the run and the pass, the Redskins marched down the field, covering 78 yards on eight plays, and faced third-and-goal from the Stigler 2.

But disaster struck again, as senior quarterback Jase Hayes’ pass intended for senior tight end Matthew Hawkins was deflected by Stigler’s senior linebacker Gruce Engle, and was then picked off by Bass, and the drive ended with a turnover. Stigler wasted no time turning the turnover into points, as Manes aired it out deep to senior receiver Braden Drewry who took it to the house for an 80-yard touchdown reception, and a 28-0 Stigler lead.

Kingston’s next drive only went backwards, as Hayes was sacked on back-to-back plays by senior defensive lineman Vance Hamlin and senior linebacker Dylan Hodges, and Kingston was forced to punt from its own end zone on fourth-and-29 from its own one. Stigler took over at its own 49, and once again marched down the field, covering the ground in three plays, and Manes connected again with Drewry, this time from 28 yards out, and Stigler led 35-0 less than halfway through the second quarter.

While Kingston could get nothing going on offense the rest of the first half, punting twice and turning the ball over on another Hayes interception, the defense finally stiffened, forcing a turnover on downs on one drive, and then Hayes forced Gilmore to fumble to end Stigler’s last meaningful drive. Kingston went to the locker room at half looking for answers down 35-0.

The Redskins came out of the locker room for the third quarter and showed that their run to the state quarterfinals was not a fluke. Starting at Kingston’s 10-yard-line after the opening kick, Hayes hit senior receiver Connor Short for a 37-yard completion near midfield. Two plays later, Hayes found junior receiver Cole Morgan behind the Panthers’ defense and Morgan put Kingston on the board with a 51-yard touchdown reception, trimming the lead to 35-7.

Stigler responded with its longest drive of the night in terms of time of possession, moving 62 yards on 13 plays and eating up over six minutes on the clock. However, the drive did not end in points, as junior defensive lineman Brycen Ellisor sacked Manes to end the drive at the Redskins’ 19.

Kingston’s next drive was more like its previous drives, as initial success yielded to a disastrous sack by Stigler senior Ridge McClary at the Kingston 4. After the ensuing punt, Stigler took one play to score again, as Manes aired it out to Drewry for a 49-yard touchdown to make it 42-7 Stigler late in the third quarter.

After Kingston went three-and-out to end the third quarter, Stigler added another touchdown on their next drive, going for it on fourth-and-goal from the Kingston 11, as Manes hit Bass again to make it 49-7 Stigler. Kingston would add another touchdown against Stigler’s reserves, with sophomore backup quarterback Klete Finley hitting Connor Short for a 40-yard touchdown on fourth-and-five, but Kingston’s season would shortly end with a 49-14 loss.

Hayes led Kingston’s passers, and despite being under siege all night when he dropped back (he was sacked seven times by the Stigler defense, and under pressure all night) completed six of his nine attempts for 135 yards and a touchdown, but with his only two interceptions ofthe season. Junior running back Brandon Watson finished the game with 125 yards on 20 carries to lead all rushers. Short was Kingston’s leading receiver, with 82 yards on his two receptions and a touchdown.

Defensively, senior linebacker Bryant Watts and defensive lineman Jesse Rose each had six tackles to lead the Redskins, with Rose adding a sack. However, the defense had its worst game of the season, as Manes torched the Redskins, completing 14 of his 22 passes for 293 yards and six touchdowns. Kingston’s defense also surrendered 196 yards on the ground along with another touchdown by Manes, the second-highest total yielded on the season (behind the 244 rushing yards by Sulphur).

For the season, Hayes finished the year completing 64 of his 102 attempts for 1,401 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. Watson was the team’s leading rusher, picking up 1,444 yards on his 203 attempts and 19 touchdowns on the season. Hawkins led the Redskins in receptions with 16 for 388 yards and four scores. Watts led all defenders with 112 tackles, while Rose led the team with 14 sacks on the season. enior Colton Robinson led the team with four interceptions on the season.

As a team, Kingston more than doubled its opponents’ offensive production, gaining 4,520 yards on the season, while opponents gained only 2,114. Kingston scored an average of41 points per game, while opponents averaged only 14; the Kingston defense pitched four shutouts on the season.

Kingston Head Coach Tommy Bare talked about “what a great ride” his team had, with their “very successful debut in Class 3A” consisting of their undefeated regular season and district title. Coach Bare said his Redskins “came up short against a very good Stigler team, not because of a lack of effort,” but because “Stigler played about as perfect of a game as you can.” To Coach Bare, the results the Redskins achieved this season “shows what hard workwill do for you.”

Coach Bare felt that his team had “nothing to be ashamed ofas theyrepresented themselves, the coaching staff, the school and the community very well, [giving them] memories that will last a lifetime.” In particular, Coach Bare noted that his seniors “have many accomplishments to be proud of and will be greatly missed.” He also expressed his “thanks to all who have followed and supported the Redskin football team.”

EXTRA POINTS

Overall, while the ending was certainly not what the Kingston faithful had hoped for, the Kingston Redskins gave their fans a lot to be thankful for. A trip to the state quarterfinals in your first year as one of the smallest schools in a new, tougher class is nothing to sneeze at. Kingston’s seniors leave behind a record of42-7 over the past four years, advancing in the playoffs each year, and with three trips to the state quarterfinals and one appearance in the state semifinals last year. Many schools would kill for that kind of production, and it is a tribute to Kingston’s players and coaching staff that they have maintained such consistent excellence the last few years.

The key to the outcome in this game was the play of the lines. Stigler’s offensive line did a great job of clearing rushing lanes, and its pass protection gave Manes plenty of time in the pocket, and when given plenty of time, he was deadly. On the other hand, on the rare occasions he was pressured by the Redskins’ defense, Manes’ production fell off significantly.

Likewise, Stigler’s defense overwhelmed Kingston’s offensive line with blitzers, which the Redskins struggled to pick up. While the Kingston linemen dealt fairly well with pressure up the middle, unblocked rushers offthe edge repeatedly hit Hayes as he dropped back. With that kind of imbalance, Kingston had little chance in this game.

Kingston’s band was warned to stop playing after the teams lined up during the third quarter, apparently based on a complaint from Stigler Head Coach Chris Risenhoover. The rule, as set out in the 2020 05-SAA Football Manual, reads as follows: “The bands may play when the clock is running but the playing must not interfere with the team being able to call plays in the huddle or the team being able to hear the quarterback at the line of scrimmage. The referee will determine if the band is interfering with the playing of the game. A penalty should not be called against a band unless it is a continued violation of the rule.”

This rule is rarely enforced, and generally only on a complaint by the opposing coach. Apparently, Coach Risenhoover was concerned that Kingston’s band being too effective, and his lead, then 35-7 in the third quarter, was in some sort of danger. It should be noted that Stigler’s band continued to play unimpeded throughout the rest of the game, raising the ire of Kingston’s band parents.

Another eye-roll-inducing decision by Coach Risenhoover was when he went for it on fourth-and-goal from the Kingston 11 with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, up 42-7. The spot appeared to be well within field goal range of his senior kicker, Enrique Juarez, and there appeared to be no legitimate reason to go for it other than running up the score.

Obviously, while the clock is running and the teams are still playing (Kingston’s starters were still on the field), a team has a legitimate reason to continue to play to win the game. However, at that point in the game, it’s hard to see how that goal is served more by going up 49-7 (which Stigler did on that play) instead ofjust going up 45-7. It definitely felt like Risenhoover had a message to send to someone, and he did not hold back from the opportunity to deliver it.

The 3A state playoffs are down to four teams. Stigler (11-1) will face Holland Hall (10-0), while Heritage Hall (10-1) faces undefeated defending state champs Lincoln Christian (11-0), with the winners advancing to the state title game.