Kingston Outlasts Idabel for Homecoming in Madill

The more things change, the more they stay the same. After a year of on-and-off school because of the first round of COVID-19, and then dealing with the Delta variant this fall, southern Oklahoma has seen a lot of changes in the last eighteen months. One thing that hasn’t changed is that, when the calendar turns to September, high school football ramps up in small towns across the state, even with adaptations to COVID.

One adaptation we’ve seen the last couple of years is Homecoming moving up earlier in the year, so that those festivities aren’t disrupted by an ill-timed outbreak. This year, Kingston held Homecoming in Week 1, versus Idabel. With the early Homecoming, however, the new Friday Night Lights being installed at Harold “Bulldog” Henry Stadium (as well as the rest of Kingston’s athletic fields) weren’t ready, so Redskins fans were treated to the truly unique sight of Homecoming festivities and the Homecoming game being played in Madill.

The Idabel Warriors came to Madill ready to play. Coming off a 6-3 campaign in 2020, with a second-round playoff loss, the Warriors looked to avenge their 34-12 loss to the Redskins in their 2020 home opener.

The Redskins, on the other hand, came into the game with a preseason #7 ranking by both The Oklahoman and The Tulsa World, after an undefeated 2020 regular season ended in a bitter loss in the state quarterfinals. A lot of expectations ride on these Kingston players, and while they outlasted the Warriors for a 16-7 victory, fans were left with a lot of questions about just how good these Redskins are.

Kingston started off the season showing that, if nothing else, their rugged defense is still intact. Idabel’s senior running back Champion Smith returned the opening kick to his own 49, but Idabel went three-and-out, as senior defensive lineman Brycen Ellisor sacked sophomore quarterback Waylon Phillips to end the Warriors’ first drive, forcing a punt.

Kingston’s offense could not capitalize on their opportunities early. On their third play from scrimmage, with junior quarterback Klete Finley briefly out with a minor injury (he would return the next drive), backup quarterback freshman Brayden Ellisor was unable to handle his first snap of his varsity career. Ellisor barely managed to regain control before blitzing junior linebacker Case Pratt combined with junior defensive lineman Raydon McCullough to put him on the turf, ending the first Kingston drive.

Idabel’s junior Radale Larry returned the ensuing punt to the Idabel 49, but once again, Idabel proved unable to move the ball on the Kingston defense. Two five-yard penalties hurt the Warriors, and they went three-and-out again, punting the ball back to the Redskins.

Kingston’s offense continued to sputter. Junior running back Devin Tipton picked up five yards on the first two downs, but Finley’s third-down pass to senior wideout Hayden McKinney was high and incomplete, so Kingston was once again forced to punt. This time, senior Brandon Watson’s punt was returned by Idabel’s Larry to the Kingston 41, with Watson himself making the tackle.

Idabel’s offense started off poorly, allowing a firstdown sack to Kingston junior Damon Rowe that backed the Warriors up to midfield. However, the Warriors then moved the ball and picked up the game’s first conversion on fourth-and-one at the Kingston 32 with 2:30 left in the first quarter. However, another false start penalty backed up the Warriors, and they wound up punting three plays later to end the first quarter as another drive stalled.

Kingston’s ensuing drive, starting at the Redskins’ 20-yard-line, could not have started off worse. Sophomore fullback Rafe Patterson was thrown for a 6-yard loss on first down, and Finley was sacked by senior Jakobi Neal back at Kingston’s 10. After Watson’s third-down run could only get Kingston to 4th-and-11, Kingston punted again, with the ball being downed at the Warriors’ 44.

Starting with their worst field position of the night so far, the Warriors lost four yards in three plays and punted again. Starting from their own 30, the Redskins offense only made things worse. Senior tailback Brandon Watson was unable to secure a first-down handoff from Finley, and the ball pinballed around until Idabel freshman Braxton Hickman collected it at the Kingston 35.

Idabel was once again unable to capitalize on the great field position. A holding penalty backed the Warriors up to their own 44, and an incomplete pass and two runs for short losses ended the drive at the Idabel 47, forcing yet another punt.

Kingston responded with its best offensive drive of the first half, as Watson opened the drive with a quick 13- yard run to give the Redskins their first offensive first down of the game at the 6:07 mark of the second quarter. Watson followed that

Watson followed that up with a 37-yard scamper to the Idabel 30. Runs by Tipton and Patterson gave the Redskins another first down at the Idabel 20, and the Redskins moved into the red zone looking to score. However, on third-and-four, Finley rolled right and threw a terrible pass off his back foot to Idabel’s junior Payden Jefferson at the goal line, ending Kingston’s scoring threat.

Idabel went three-and-out again, but Kingston handed the Warriors a golden opportunity on the next drive. Idabel sophomore Alton Bagsby sacked Finley and forced a fumble that sophomore Lamarian Carter recovered for the Warriors at the Kingston 15.

Two plays later, as time expired, the Warriors attempted a field goal, but Kingston’s rush blocked it, and senior Braden Matchen returned it for an apparent touchdown. An illegal block penalty brought the score back, however, and a hook and ladder play on an untimed down could only get McKinney to the Warriors 18, and the half ended in a scoreless tie.

Kingston’s first drive of the second half was more of the same. Kingston went three-and-out, as Idabel’s Pratt came through the middle of the line unblocked to sack Finley on third down, forcing yet another Kingston punt.

Idabel’s first drive of the half started off looking like more of the same. Idabel’s Phillips was sacked again by Kingston’s Rowe on first down, giving the Warriors second-and-eleven at their own 25. However, Champion Smith took the handoff on the following play and burst through the middle for a 75- yard score, which put the Warriors up 7-0 early in the third quarter.

Kingston’s offensive futility continued, as the Redskins once again went three-and-out and punted. Idabel’s ensuing drive picked up two first downs on Kingston offsides penalties, but when the Redskins quit helping them out, the Warriors’ offense ground to a halt and punted the ball back.

Kingston’s next drive started off at its own 7, but Watson seemed to finally get his running on track, picking up 36 yards on the Redskins’ first two plays. Two plays later, however, Watson was hit in the backfield and fumbled, and freshman Matrial Lopez recovered the ball for Idabel at the Kingston 38, putting the Warriors back in business again.

The Warriors’ offense, however, continued to sputter. Three plays and a penalty resulted in a loss of nine yards on the drive, and Idabel punted again at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

After three quarters of offensive futility, the Kingston offense finally went to work. A heavy dose of Watson runs, combined with an Idabel pass-interference penalty and a fourth-down reverse to senior wideout Hayden McKinney for 21 yards brought the Redskins back into the Warriors’ red zone. Watson pounded the ball in for Kingston’s first touchdown from the Idabel 6, and Finley found Brycen Ellisor with a nice touch pass for the two-point conversion, giving the Redskins their first lead of the season, 8-7, with 6:30 left in the game.

Despite Smith’s great return of the ensuing kick to the Kingston 49, Idabel’s offense sputtered, and Phillips’ third-down pass over the middle was tipped by Finley and intercepted by Patterson at the Kingston 34.

Kingston came back out and put together another powerful drive. Another series of Watson runs pounded the ball to the Idabel 3, and two Finley quarterback keepers finally punched it in from the Idabel 1. Watson added two more points on a pitch for the conversion, and Kingston’s lead was 16-7 with only 1:26 left.

Desperate to produce something with a game that had gotten away from them, the Warriors found only more trouble. Smith fielded the kick at the goal line, but Kingston’s coverage was excellent, and he could only bring the ball out to the Idabel 4, which a holding penalty moved back to the Idabel 2. Four plays later, Idabel turned the ball over on downs at their own 4, and Kingston’s victory formation wrapped up a Homecoming victory.

Finley led all passers, completing 3 of his 9 attempts for 43 yards and an interception, but also completed a pass for a two-point conversion. Watson led all rushers with 209 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown, as well as a conversion of his own. McKinney led all receivers with two catches for 38 receiving yards (including 29 on the hook and ladder play).

Rowe, Tipton, and sophomore Sammy McNiel led the Redskins with 7 tackles each. Brycen Ellisor and Rowe also had two sacks each, and Patterson had the Redskins’ lone interception. Overall, Kingston outgained the Warriors 275 yards to 111 in total offense.

Commenting on the game, Kingston Head Coach Tommy Bare noted how his team “overcame adversity and finished” resulting in a Agreat team win.”

Next week, Kingston (1-0) goes on the road to Hugo to face the 2-0 Buffaloes, coming off a 32-26 overtime win against Checotah. Kickoff will be at 7:00 PM in Hugo.

EXTRA POINTS

It’s hard to draw conclusions from one game, especially the first game of the season, where many of the players are seeing their first varsity start. However, if there is one big difference between this year’s Redskins (so far) and last year’s team, it must be the offensive line play the first three quarters.

Kingston struggled mightily to open holes for its runners, and even more to protect its quarterback when he dropped back to pass. However, the Redskins did find some cohesion in the fourth quarter, and that completely changed the tenor of the game. That may work against Idabel, but if Kingston is going to emulate its success from the last few years, the Redskins will need to make things happen much earlier.

Among the players that simply must improve is quarterback Klete Finley. Finley was under constant pressure in his first start, and did not respond as well as one might hope, throwing an interception that killed Kingston’s first real chance to score, and coughing up a fumble that nearly gave Idabel a lead at half.

Finley did seem to steady down the stretch, and his pass to Ellisor for the twopoint conversion after Kingston’s first touchdown was perfect. Hopefully, he will continue to improve as the season progresses, especially as Kingston gets into District play.

Kingston’s defense, meanwhile, was on top of their game all night, except for Smith’s 75-yard scamper for Idabel’s sole score. Idabel started 6 of the Warriors’ 12 drives at midfield or in Kingston territory, including one drive that started at the Kingston 5, for an average starting field position of their own 46, and came away with only a single score.

Meanwhile, excluding an untimed down at the end of the first half and the final play of the game, Kingston’s 11 drives all started in Kingston territory, with an average starting field position of the Redskins’ 26. Kingston stifled any attempt by Idabel to make any consistent progress and gave the offense time to find its legs. With 9 starters from last years’ defense lost to graduation, it must be gratifying to Coach Bare and his staff to see such excellent play early in the season.