Dove Science Forfeit Costs Jackets Playoff Spot

The game meant nothing to the two teams set to play.

It meant everything to Kingfisher.

Nothing won out and because of it, Kingfisher will miss out on the soccer playoffs due in large part to a technicality.

The Yellowjackets ended their regular season Monday night with more than a glimmer of hope after they defeated Alva 10-0 on the road.

The victory wrapped up an 8-6 overall record as well as a 4-4 mark in District 3A-2.

The bit of hope hinged on Dove Science of Oklahoma City defeating Corn Bible Academy in the final game of the season for those two teams.

Originally set to be played earlier this season, the game was postponed. It was going to be played Tuesday, but it was again called off.

Officially it goes in the books as a forfeit by Dove Science, which was one of two worst-case scenarios for Kingfisher.

But before moving forward, the story must move back…

Coach Isaac Waltman was very much looking forward to the 2025 campaign for the boys program.

“Coming into this season, I had extremely high hopes for this group,” Waltman said. “With 11 seniors – guys I’ve had the privilege of coaching all four years of their high school careers – I really believed we had the pieces to make a solid run.”

And the Jackets did.

The 8-6 record is solid by any measure, but especially considering some of the circumstances Kingfisher faced.

“We dealt with a bit of adversity, especially with injuries throughout the team,” Waltman said.

The most notable was to starting goalkeeper Elijah Click, who missed nearly every district game with a shoulder injury.

Freshman Dustin Ortega stepped into what Waltman called “a tough role.”

“Dustin rose to the challenge, showing impressive growth and potential for the future of our program,” Waltman said.

The Jackets lost back-to-back district games to Crossings Christian and Mount St. Mary, the latter by a 2-1 margin.

Those two, along with Crooked Oak, all sat atop the district standings.

Kingfisher’s playoff hopes (only the top four teams in each district advance to the playoffs) seemingly hinged on the April 15 home date with ASTEC Charter.

The Jackets fell 6-4 and their playoff hopes were seemingly crushed.

Although KHS would likely - and ultimately did - win its final three district games, it was highly unlikely ASTEC Charter would lose more than one of its final four district game…

Until it did.

Dove Science knocked off ASTEC Charter 4-3 on April 22.

That meant if Dove Science could win all of its final district games and if ASTEC Charter didn’t upset Crossings Christian and if KHS also won all of its final games, then there would be a three-way tie for fourth place.

All of that was working out.

KHS finished the season with wins of 10-0 over McLoud, 6-1 over Corn Bible and then Monday’s 10-goal victory at Alva.

ASTEC Charter did not upset Crossings Christian, but lost 8-3. Like Kingfisher, it was 4-4 in the district.

That left it in the hands of Dove Science. It beat Alva 4-2 and McLoud 10-0.

All it needed was a win against Corn Bible, whose only district win to date was against winless McLoud.

But the game never happened.

Per OSSAA rules, all district games must be completed by April 25. The OSSAA will relax the rule if games are postponed due to situations such as inclement weather, but a team must first get approval to do so.

Dove Science never sought that official approval from the OSSAA, therefore was forced to forfeit the game.

Had Dove Science won, it would also have been 4-4 in the district.

Since KHS beat Dove Science (meaning neither KHS, Dove Science nor ASTEC beat each of the other two), then it was a three-way tie.

That tie is broken by goal differential. Kingfisher would have won the tie-breaker in that situation.

But with Dove Science’s forfeit of a district game, it means all of its other district games are also removed from consideration.

That gave KHS a 3-4 district record and ASTEC Charter a 4-3 district mark, giving ASTEC Charter the final playoff spot in the district.

“Unfortunately, the shake-up in the standings pushed us out of playoff contention,” said Waltman. “It’s a tough way to end the season, especially for this senior class that has meant so much to our program.”

Waltman knows he and his squad can’t lay all blame elsewhere in its lost playoff bid.

“We let two close games slip away – matches that were well within our reach – and that ultimately cost us a top-four spot,” he said.

Despite the roller coaster of emotions to end the season and the disappointing ending, Waltman said his team can hold its head high.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the effort, character and leadership these boys showed all year and during their careers here at Kingfisher,” said Waltman.

“They’ve set a great example for the younger players and they’ve left a legacy that will last far beyond their time on the field.”