Finding a way after giving it away

It was happening… again.

History was repeating itself in the worst kind of way for the Kingfisher Yellowjackets.

With just under three minutes left in regulation Friday night in their home opener, the Jackets led visiting Clinton by two touchdowns.

Less than two minutes later, the game was tied and the Jackets were once again staring at a potential loss when a victory was within reach.

It happened multiple times in 2024 and against in Week 1 in an overtime loss at Weatherford.

But this time, finally, fortune favored the Jackets.

They rebounded in overtime to knock off the Red Tornadoes 35-28 for just their third win in the series.

“Here we go again,” said KHS head coach Reagan Roof of his thought process as he watched the Red Tornadoes score two touchdowns and recover an onside kick in the span of 1:41.

“And this one’s going to be the most egregious one of them all.”

Certainly it would have been.

The Jackets were staring at a two-score victory despite already having lost one 14-point lead in the game.

After notching two touchdowns in the game’s first five minutes, the Jackets let Clinton creep back into it.

The Reds tied it up 14-14 at 9:15 of the third quarter.

Special teams gave KHS its first good news since the first quarter when Kasen Blair pinned a punt at the Clinton 2 early in the fourth.

That led to a short Red Tornado punt, giving Kingfisher possession at the visitors’ 27.

That drive culminated with Brett Calamateo’s 6-yard touchdown run with 8:13 to go in the game.

Moments later, the momentum stayed on Kingfi sher’s side.

Freshman Collin Farrar leapt high to pick off an Easten Powell pass, giving the Jackets the ball at the Clinton 38.

With 3:03 to play, Jhett Birdwell’s 5-yard touchdown run put Kingfisher up 28-14.

“And we should have won by two scores,” Roof said.

But the Jackets didn’t. Clinton set up at its own 18 with 2:58 to play in the game.

Two chunk pass plays and a pass interference call later and Powell was charging into the end zone from a yard out to pull his team within one score with 1:28 remaining.

“We were in position,” said Roof of the big pass plays to set up the TD. “We were there. They just made the plays and we didn’t.”

Momentum stayed on Clinton’s side as the Reds recovered an onside kick.

“It was well executed,” Roof said. “It was a great kick, but we had our hands on it and we have to recover it.”

What happened next was what Roof called “inexplicable.”

Drawing his ire was a 44yard touchdown pass from Powell to D.J. Lister on the very next play.

“We can’t just let them throw it right over our head like that, especially in that situation,” Roof said.

Kingfisher’s elation with 3:00 to play had turn to near despair at the 1:17 mark.

Eventually the game made its way into overtime.

Not only was it Kingfisher’s second straight week to play extra football, but also the second year in a row for the Jackets and Clinton to go to extra periods.

Last year, Kingfisher got possession first and settled for a field goal. Clinton scored on its first play from the 10 and won 30-27.

It was the first of three one-score losses last season, then tack on the Weatherford overtime defeat the week before.

“My message to them Friday was ‘you put yourself in this position again; it’s time to grow up and win a game like this,’” said Roof.

Once again the Jackets got the ball first.

They seemingly were going to have to settle for a field goal attempt, but a Clinton penalty - one of 15 by the Reds in the game - kept the miniature drive going.

With the ball at the 2, the Jackets called for their short yardage package.

That saw Calamateo, the team’s starting running back, step behind center with Cale Reagan checking in as a fullback.

Calamateo took the snap, ran to his right and tried to weave his way into the end zone.

It didn’t work as he was not only stuffed, but also lost the football.

But Reagan, making his first offensive appearance of the season, was in the right place at the right time.

He scooped up the ball at the 1 and marched into the end zone.

Rhett Schlegel’s extra point gave the Jackets a seven- point lead.

Then the defense, which Clinton had easily burned for two straight scoring drives to end regulation, did its part.

The Reds were unable to match Kingfisher’s TD and the game ended with a Powell incompletion.

Kingfisher’s sideline erupted in celebration.

Roof was much more reserved.

“It was tough to feel good about it the way regulation ended,” he said. “It should have never gotten to the point it did.”

There were other issues as well.

Kingfisher produced just 173 yards of offense and went scoreless for a three-quarter stretch.

Its longest scoring drive was 38 yards, the one set up by Farrar’s interception.

Kingfisher’s first touchdown came on the first play of the game.

Clinton attempted a bubble screen, but the backwards pass fell incomplete.

Jackson Willbanks wasted no time in gobbling it up and returning it 14 yards for a touchdown.

After the KHS defense forced a three-and-out, a high Clinton punt into the wind gave the Jackets possession at the plus-36.

That short drive saw Birdwell connect with Blair for a 14-0 lead at the 7:20 mark.

Kingfisher didn’t score again until the fourth quarter.

There were also 10 penalties for 75 yards.

“It’s rare that you can play bad and still find a way to win the game,” Roof said. “So I guess it’s a positive that we can play as poorly as we did in some areas and still find a way to win the game.”

Helping the Jackets was Clinton being penalized 15 times for 121 yards.

The KHS defense limited the Reds to 120 yards on 38 rushing attempts.

Powell did throw for 171 yards, though a big chunk came on the final two drives.

Willbanks led the team with eight tackles.

Reagan, who played both defensive end and tackle at different times, had seven stops, as did Brody Boeckman.

Birdwell was 14 of 27 for 115 yards with one TD and one pick.

He completed his passes to eight different receivers.

Blair had four, though they only covered 14 yards.

Boeckman caught three for 27 yards.

Roof said the film session over the weekend revealed a lot of areas for improvement as the team prepares for Bridge Creek this Friday, its final non-district game.

“There was a lot to talk about and there’s a lot to work on,” Roof said. “We have a long, long way to go. But the good thing is, we’re doing it with a 1-1 record. It would be a lot harder to stomach if we were 0-2 right now.”