Redskins fall to Davis for district play

Last Friday, a familiar foe - the Davis Wolves came back to Kingston for a district game. Kingston had not played Davis for the past two years while the Redskins were in Class 3A, but the return to 2A brings theWolvesbacktoKingston’s district.

Kingston (2-0 district, 2-3 season) had struggled in nonconference games, but two wins to open district play had the Redskins in position to challenge Davis (2-0, 4-1) for the district lead. However, key mistakes kept the Redskins from really challenging the Wolves, and Davis left with a 34-28 victory.

Kingstonopenedthegame on offense, but the Redskins looked like a team that was not ready for the game to start. Finley was sacked for a short loss on first down.

On second down, Tipton was in motion across the formation and the snap hit him and fell to the ground, with Finley able to recover for a four-yard loss. Third down was nearly a disaster, as Finley aired it out deep for sophomore Eli Oliger in double coverage, and Davis juniorSethKnappdroppedan easy interception. Kingston junior Delton O’Steen’s punt into the brisk north wind was short, and the Wolves took over with great field position at their own 44.

The Wolves wasted little time capitalizing. On Davis’ third play from scrimmage, senior quarterback Jake Parker took an option left and pitched to sophomore Luke Linville, who shot down the sideline 49 yards to the Kingston 3. Two plays later, Parker pushed it in on a quarterback keeper to score the game’s first points, and Davis led 7-0 four minutes into the game.

Kingston’s next drive was no better than their first. After burning a timeout to open the drive as the offense apparently wasn’t lined up properly, the Redskins once again had Tipton collide with a snap as he crossed the formation on first down, with Tipton recovering the fumble for a 7-yard loss. Two runs could only gain back 12 of the 17 yards Kingston needed for a first down, and Kingston once again punted into the wind, this time setting up the Wolves on their own 49.

Kingston’s defense stiffened this time. Three runs by senior Lane Rawls into the middle of the Redskins’ defensive line gained only 8 yards, and Parker’sfourth-downrunran into Kingston junior Aiden Donnell a yard short of the sticks, and Davis turned the ball over on downs.

Kingston’s celebration would be short-lived, however, as the Redskins opened their third drive with a third fumble, this time a botched handoff to sophomore Cash Walker on a jet sweep. This time, the Wolves recovered at the Kingston 37, looking to open a big lead in the first quarter.

However, Davis’s offense came out to prove that their offense could make mistakes, too. After the Wolves were stopped for no gain on first down, Parker was swallowed up on a quarterback keeper, and his panicked pitch back to senior Malaki White lost Davis 5 yards. Parker’s pass on third-and-fifteen fell incomplete, and Davis was forced to punt.

Kingston’s offense, on its fourth drive, finally managed to move the football. Starting at their own 20, the Redskins methodically marched down the field to a first down at the Davis 33. From there, a holding penalty backed them up, and despite Cash Walker hauling in a 14-yard completion from Finley to set up fourth-and-five, Finley’s pass to McNiel was picked off by Davis’s White in the end zone, for Kingston’s second turnover.

Davis initially picked up a first down on the ensuing drive, but then mistakes derailed the Wolves again. A false start penalty on first down started the damage, and then on second down Knapp mishandled Parker’s pitch, which he was able to recover only after a 14-yard loss. A delay of game penalty backed up Davis further, to a point where Kingston was able to decline an illegal-shift penalty when Davis gained only 8 yards on third-and-28 and was forced to punt.

Taking over at the Davis 47 after the punt, Kingston had a real chance to tie the game. However, the offense could not move forward, losing a yard on three plays. On the punt, things went from bad to worse as the snapwasoverO’Steen’shead, and he could only recover and scramble for a 13-yard loss, turning the ball over on downs at the Kingston 39.

Presented with yet another great opportunity, Davis finally took advantage. Parker kept the ball himself for three straight runs, highlighted by a 30-yard carry to the Kingston 4. His carry from there hit paydirt, and Davis led 14-0 just with just under 5 minutes left in the half.

After the kickoff, however, Kingston’s offense finally showed signs of life. While Finley could not connect on either of his pass attempts on the drive, the Redskins methodically ran the ball right at the Wolves and chewed up the clock. Yet, 11 plays, 59 yards and 4:07 later, Finley punched in a quarterback keeper for Kingston’s first score of the game,andtheRedskinswent into the half down only 14-7.

Davis came out for the second half ready to go. The Wolves took over at their own 38, but after an initial first down found themselves in a hole after a holding call. However, on second-and-18 Parker found sophomore Trey Melton wide open on a play-action pass that he took 58 yards into the end zone to put the Wolves up 21-7.

Down two scores again, Kingston came up with a big play on special teams to draw closer. On the ensuing kick, Tipton initially mishandled the kick, but then secured the football and found a hole up the middle that he shot through untouched for a 75-yard kick return for a score, narrowing the Davis lead again to 21-14.

The Wolves struck right back. Starting at their own 42, Davis needed only three runs from Lane Rawls to score again. The third run, Rawls broke several tackles and then shot 45 yards to the end zone for Davis’s fourth score of the night, giving the Wolves a 28-14 lead, with 8:27 still left in the third quarter.

Kingston’s offense once again stalled, and the Redskins punted the ball back after going three-andout. Davis’s offense came back with a methodical drive, pounding the ball on the ground from the Davis 40 to the Kingston 26. However, on fourth-and-3 from there, Parker mishandled the snap and White had to recover for a three-yard loss, turning the ball over on downs to the Redskins.

Kingston’s mistakeprone offense made another appearance, however, and the Redskins wasted no time in handing the ball back. Cash Walker took a jet sweep for an 8-yard gain, but then lost the football as he was hit there. Davis’ Linville recovered the loose ball at the Kingston 39 to give the Wolves great field position once again.

This time, Davis managed to avoid the mistakes that had kept the Wolves from taking control of the game. The Davis offense ran the ball eight straight times, and on the eighth run, Lane Rawls plowed through the middle for a four-yard touchdown. After a missed extra point, Davis led 34-14 with only 10 minutes left.

With the game seemingly out of reach, Kingston’s offense went back to work. While a holding penalty on Kingston’s first play backed theRedskinsup,theyrefused to quit. Freshman Parks Ratzlaff made a great catch on second-and-20 to keep the drive alive, and the Redskins drove down the field, with Ratzlaff8 finishing off the drive with a 14-yard reception for a touchdown, and Kingston narrowed the lead to 34-21 with 8:15 left.

Needing a good drive to close out the game, Davis’s offense instead made more mistakestokeeptheRedskins in the game. Good gains were wiped out by a holding penalty on second down, and a block in the back on third down. Facing third-and-14, Parker pitched back to White for a halfback pass, and White demonstrated why he isn’t a quarterback, throwing a wounded duck to no one in particular that Kingston’s Tipton nearly intercepted, forcing a Davis punt.

After the punt, Kingston took over at the Redskin 49, and the Redskins made things exciting. After Tipton picked up 7 yards on a jet sweep, Finley corralled a high snap, but then took off, eluding multiple would-be tacklers and scoring a 43yard touchdown to bring the Redskins back within one score, 34-28, with 5:26 left.

However, the Redskins would get no closer. After Davis sophomore Dakota Carter had a big kick return to the Davis 48, the Wolves’ offensewentbacktopounding the ball. This time, avoiding mistakes, the Wolves ran out the last 5:18 on the clock, driving to the Kingston 6 before they went into the victory formation and kneeled to run out the clock and escape with the 34-28 victory.

Finley led all passers, completing6ofhis15attempts for 82 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Davis’s Lane Rawls led all rushers, picking up 168 yards on 30 carries with two scores. Finley led the Redskins in rushing, with 90 yards on 16 carries and a score. While Davis only completed one of the Wolves’ three pass attempts for the game, Melton led all receivers with 58 yards and a score on his lone reception. Ratzlaff led the Redskins with 36 yards and a score on his two fourthquarter receptions.

The win gave the Wolves an undefeated 3-0 record in district play, and a 5-1 record overall, and sole possession of first place in the district. The Redskins (2-1, 2-3) drop to second place, tied with Holdenville (2-1, 5-1) and Tishomingo (2-1, 4-2). This week is Fall Break, and the Redskins will go on the road Thursday night to Tishomingo to face the Indians. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

EXTRA POINTS

The Davis offense looked familiar to anyone who has watched their games the last 30 years. The Wolves’ full-house backfield endlessly pounded away at the Redskins’ front, dominating time of possession, especially in the second half. You could see how tired the Kingston defense was on the final drive, as Davis ran out the last 5:18 of the game with the Redskins desperate to make a stop.

That being said, this is not your father’s or even your older brother’s Davis Wolves. The Wolves used to just beat on their opponents until they wilted, and then blow them out. These Wolves were one mistake from losing this game, when they should have dominated. We’ll see how the rest of the season playsout,butthisDavisteam can be had.

This makes the Redskins’ performance Friday night much more disappointing. Time and again, Kingston’s offense shot itself in the foot and put the defense in bad positions. The Redskins’ defense wasn’t perfect, but they played well enough to win the game. Kingston’s offense cannot turn the ball over three times - and have atleasttwomoreplayswhere they put the ball on the ground - and expect to win. While the Redskins made huge plays late, they waited way too late to start making plays to win this game.

Around the district, Holdenville squeaked by Atoka (1-2, 2-4) 2220. Tishomingo defeated Marietta (1-2, 2-3) 28-21. Coalgate (1-2, 1-5) picked up its first win of the season over winless Lexington (03, 0-6) 28-0. There’s a lot of season to go, but if the season ended today, Davis, Kingston, Holdenville and Tishomingo would all go to the playoffs.