OT heartbreak: Marlow downs KHS

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OT heartbreak: Marlow downs KHS

Outlaws survive momentum yo-yo as 3A-1 suddenly becomes four-team race
KHS LINEBACKER Brody Boeckman (1) brings down Marlow quarterback Brendan Weber during action Thursday night. Boeckman led KHS with seven tackles. He also had 72 receiving yards and recovered an onside kick on special teams. Pictured left is freshman Steel Snodgrass after catching a pass. Snodgrass ignited the Jackets with a 99-yard kickoff return for a TD in the fi rst half. [Photos by Chris Simon/ www.simon-sports-photos. smugmug.com]

In each of the last two seasons, Kingfisher’s playoff fate - in one form or another - has come down to the last seconds of Week 10.

This year may be headed in that direction again.

Marlow left Kingfisher on Thursday night with a 34-28 overtime victory in a game that featured numerous momentum swings.

Its outcome also made the waters of District 3A-1 muddier than those that flooded part of the city in the previous two days.

Marlow’s win over the previously unbeaten Jackets put both teams at 3-1 in the district.

Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, North Rock Creek knocked off Mount St. Mary.

That, too, put both of those teams at 3-1 in the district.

The Jackets have beaten North Rock Creek and play Mount St. Mary in two weeks.

Marlow lost to Mount St. Mary and hosts North Rock Creek in Week 9.

In other words, numerous scenarios can still play out.

A clearer picture for KHS would have been to win and the Jackets were a yard away from that possibility.

Marlow scored on the first play of its overtime possession when Noah Torrez scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the game.

However, the Outlaws’ Jett Gilbert dribbled his attempted point-after kick, leaving the margin at just six points.

A touchdown and extra- point for KHS meant a win.

And the Jackets were literally knocking on the doorstep.

They gained nine yards in their first three plays, giving them 4th-and-goal at the 1.

On the play, Brett Calamateo rolled to his right and attempted to float a pass over Marlow’s Ryder Blanton and into the arms of Collin Farrar.

That pass made it over Blanton but fell to the turf before it got to Farrar, securing the win for the visitors.

The play capped a game that started wild and stayed wild.

Clint Ladon nearly returned the opening kick for a score for Marlow, but was ushered out at the 20.

The Outlaws took advantage and needed just two snaps to see Torrez score on an 18-yard run.

Each of the next three possessions - two by Kingfi sher - ended with turnovers.

The Jackets popped a big play on their first possession when Farrar took a pitch and then found Carter Stephenson for a 38-yard gain, but Calamateo fumbled before he could make a toss on the next snap.

Marlow tried its own trick play and a double pass resulted in a big gain, but Stephenson knocked the ball out of Blanton’s hands after the catch and Calamateo jumped on that fumble.

However, the junior QB was picked off moments later and Marlow had the ball at the KHS 15.

Torrez scored on an 8-yard run and the Outlaws led 14-0.

All that happened before even half of the first quarter was gone.

The Jackets fought back. River Roof’s turn at quarterback saw him connect with Brody Boeckman for a 57-yard gain.

That helped set up an eventual 8-yard touchdown pass from Roof to Farrar.

Before the end of the quarter, Farrar picked off Brendan Weber and returned it to the Marlow 29.

That short drive ended with a Calamateo sneak into the end zone and the game was tied at 10:08 of the second quarter.

The Outlaws got another solid return and started their next possession 8 yards into Kingfisher’s side of the 50.

Torrez scored on a 9-yard run to cap the drive and give his team a 21-14 advantage at 6:35 of the quarter.

It lasted 15 seconds. Freshman Steel Snodgrass took the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.

He caught the kickoff running toward his own end zone, reversed his direction and caught several blocks near his home sideline before breaking multiple tackles en route to the opposite end.

The Jackets appeared to be in good position after they forced a punt on Marlow’s next possession.

The Jackets drove deep into Marlow territory and had a chance to score with the knowledge they’d also get the ball to start the second half.

But on 3rd and 4 at the Marlow 9, the snap sailed past Calamateo and the Jackets took a huge loss, effectively ending their opportunity to score.

Kingfisher then marched down to start the second half and were inside the red zone.

The five-minute drive, however, ended with a turnover on downs.

Toward the end of the third quarter, Marlow attempted its third double pass of the game and this one proved the most effective.

After multiple penalties, Marlow was facing a 2ndand- 26 play.

Torrez took the snap and quickly threw it to Weber, who was lined up at receiver.

Meanwhile, tight end Austen Harris, on the other side of the field, made a quick block then slipped out into a wide open space.

Weber lofted a pass across the field to Harris, who hauled it in and scored on a 55-yard play.

It was Kingfisher’s turn to match and it took a while - as in more than 8:30 of game clock.

Kingfisher took possession with 1:05 left in the third quarter, then tied the game on Calamateo’s sneak on a fourth-down play from less than a yard out.

His score came with 4:31 to play and - just like the start of the first quarter - there was a lot that happened at the end of the fourth.

Intentional or not, the Jackets attempted an onside kick of the ensuing kickoff and Boeckman was there to pounce on it just after it traveled 10 yards.

Kingfisher’s full-fledged momentum was quickly snatched away when another snap flew past Calamateo, resulting in a 14-yard loss.

Calamateo was eventually picked off on that drive and Marlow had good field position with just under 3 minutes to play.

The Jacket defense was game, though, and forced a quick punt.

A short punt and a solid Kingfisher bounce set up the Jackets near midfield with exactly 2:00 left.

That’s when another snap sailed over Calamateo, this time for a 12-yard loss on first down and the Jackets eventually had to punt it away on the drive.

A short punt gave Marlow the ball near midfield and the Outlaws had 1:05 with which to work.

But Stephenson intercepted a Weber offering to end that threat.

The Jackets were unable to move the ball and regulation eventually ran out.

KHS won the toss for overtime and elected to go to defense first.

Torrez lined up at QB and just got behind a heavy load of blockers on the left side and they pushed their way into the end zone.

Torrez became a Class C phenom last year when he led Ryan to a state championship. His season included 397 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in the state championship game.

He managed 138 yards on 22 carries against the Jackets.

As a team, Marlow rushed for 133 net yards and Weber threw for 167.

The Jackets netted just 104 on the ground, which was affected by minus-50 yards on three plays.

The Jackets passed for 158.

Snider picked up 75 yards on his 25 carries while Calamateo had 20 rushes for 82 yards.

Boeckman had 72 receiving yards and also led the team with seven tackles, including four solo.

Snider, Eduardo De La Torre and Camden Weinmeister had six stops apiece.

Kingfisher takes its 6-1 overall mark to Purcell this week.

The Dragons are 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the district.