DURANT - The Okolona Chieftains made the long trip to Durant for round two of playoffs and saw their dreams of a State Championship bid come to a halt in the second half of a hard fought game. A solid first half put the Chiefs in the locker rooms in a 12-12 tie with the Tigers, but their troubles came in twos in the second half - two Durant TDs to take the lead, two interceptions that stopped Chieftain drives and RB Cortez Frizzell carrying number two on his back.

The Chiefs battled down the field, but couldn't reach the goal line in the second half, taking the 28-12 loss. In a game that some had predicted to be a Durant blowout, the Chiefs held tough until the final buzzer.

amp"It wasn't no spanking, now was it?amp" said Coach Calvin Aldridge as he took his team off the field following a 9-4 year that ended, where else, two deep in playoffs.

By the quarters

Durant got the first points on the board as Frizzell completed a drive with a four-yard run, followed by a failed PAT. The first quarter closed with the Tigers up 6-0, but the Chiefs weren't intimidated and began a drive to Tigerland.

Ryan Isbell was the go-to man on the drive gaining three consecutive first downs before the Durant defense managed to put the brakes on the running game. Okolona QB, Zack Brooks, went to the air for a 12-yard pass to Kentray Ware to set up Martavious Ford who pushed across for another first down putting the Chiefs on the 16-yard line of Durant. Ford and Isbell combined for another first down to put the Chiefs inside the ten, but the Tigers stopped Isbell twice on the run. Brooks faked a pass to Isbell, reversed and hit Ordarrion McCoy in the numbers in the opposite corner of the end zone to tie the game 6-all. Ford was stopped short of the goal line on the conversion.

Durant took the kick gained a first down on a QB keeper by J. Hogsett and put the ball in Frizell's hands for ground yardage. A penalty put the Tigers at first and 20 and Ford, Everett Brooks and Pierre Knox pushed Frizzell back for a five-yard loss. An Okolona penalty helped the Tigers to a five-yard gain and a pass interference call gave the Tigers their first down.

Frizzell and Hogsett combined on the ground for three first downs to put the Tigers at the Okolona five-yard line. The Chiefs built their maroon wall and held firm on two downs, but Hogsett got to the outside on third down for the TD. Hogsett tried for the conversion run, but was knocked out of bounds by Isbell short of the goal.

The score put the Tigers up 12-6, but it didn't last long. On the kickoff, senior Ware received and chewed up 20 yards crossing the field to his favorite sideline, then kicked in the afterburners and simply outran everyone on the field for a 90-yard return for TD. The Chiefs faked a PAT and passed to Brenzo Gillard who broke one tackle and was within inches of the goal before being knocked out of bounds, ending the half with the 12-12 tie.

Okolona kicked off the second half and Frizzell gained two first downs to put the Tigers on the Okolona ten yard-line. The d-line held on first down and McCoy broke up a pass on second down, but Frizzell found a seam and slipped through it up the middle for the TD on the third try. Frizzell's conversion run was good and the Tigers went up 20-12.

The Chiefs went to the air to gain some ground with a bomb to Ware slipping off his fingers, but the second attempt was hauled in by McCoy to move the Chiefs to their own 40. The Tigers defense stopped Ware and Isbell and broke up the third down pass, forcing the punt and Frizzell took over again, moving the ball consistently through three first downs to set the Tigers up on the two-yard line. Hogsett punched it over for a TD.

Two pass interference calls on the conversion put the Tigers on the one-yard line and the Okolona d-line held Frizzell on the leap, refusing to allow him to break the plane - or so they, the Okolona fans and one sideline judge thought. After calling the play dead, the referees conferred and reversed the call, giving Frizzell the conversion and the Tigers the 28-12 lead.

The Chiefs went back on the drive with Ware gaining a first down as the third quarter ended.

The Chiefs continued to push, but a pass to Nathan Bailey was intercepted and the Tigers regained possession. They didn't hold it long as the Chiefs defense forced the punt. McCoy gained a first down on a Brooks pass, and another on third and ten, putting the Chiefs on the Tigers 32 yard-line. Nathan Bailey gained an eight-yard run and Ford pushed across for the first down. Arirus Jenkins moved the Chiefs inside the twenty but a pass to Ware was intercepted. Ware pivoted and ran down the Durant player for the tackle, but the possession was lost.

The Tigers held the ball and the Chiefs stopped the run to regain possession with 1:26 left to play and began another drive with a Brooks pass to Jenkins getting the first down. Ford, Isbell and Ware kept the ball moving but time was not on the Chiefs side as the buzzer sounded on a 28-12 loss.

Last words

Aldridge, in his first year of coaching the Chieftains, brought the team one round further than their last playoff trip and credited his team for a solid season of earned success.

amp"They worked hard and played hard all year,amp" Aldridge said. amp"They played hard tonight, stepped up and hung right in there. We got in a little trouble in the third quarter with those two touchdowns, but they stayed with it all the way through. I have to give credit to Durant. They've got a great running back and it was just a little too much in the end.amp"

Round three

Durant will be coming very close to Chieftain territory this Friday as they take on the Vardaman Rams for round three. The Rams took a 14-6 win over Coffeeville in overtime to secure their opportunity to continue. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.