It was the kind of game people will talk about for years.
There were big plays, comebacks, individual heroics, long returns, blocked kicks, goal-line stands - everything you could ask for in a playoff game except a better outcome for the Stroud Tigers.
In the end, Adair prevailed, 42-40, in overtime, ending the Tigers’ season in the state semifinals.
For the Stroud seniors, it was the end of a fouryear stretch that saw them go 43-9 with four undefeated district championships. As juniors and seniors, they lost only three games.
“I’m exremely proud of our kids,” said Stroud coach Josh Presley. “Adair is a really good football team and they’re ranked No. 1 by most people.
“Our kids played their tails off - they have nothing to hang their heads about.
“We fought them to the very end and just came up a little short.”
“The farther you go in the playoffs, the tougher it is to lose. It stings even more when you’re that close.
“These kids had a great season and something really to be proud of and all the memories that they made this year.
“This group of seniors did a great job leading us the entire season. Watching those dudes grow and seeing how they’ve become good young men - that’s something I’m very proud of. They did a fantastic job on and off the field.
“Obviously, they’re really good football players, but they also lead by example when it comes to how things have been on the practice field and how we take care of ourselves in the community, and that’s something that doesn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated.”
The game started out with a bang as Ethan Stephens ran 40 yards for a touchdown on Adair’s first possession.
A two-point conversion made it 8-0, but Stroud senior Jacob Beck ran for a nine-yard touchdown two plays later to cut it to 8-7 after Jessen Leather’s extrapoint kick with less than two minutes expired.
Adair blocked a Stroud punt and recovered it on the Tigers’ 8-yard line, but Stroud stoned the Warriors on fourth-andgoal from the two and took over possession.
A couple of plays later, Beck ran 74 yards for what would have been a touchdown, but it was called back for holding.
The Tigers got into the end zone when Jeremiah Cropp connected with Leathers for a 15yard touchdown throw. Leathers’ kick made it 14-8.
The Tigers had a chance to take a twoscore lead in the second quarter after Leathers intercepted a pass and returned it to the Adair 48 with three minutes left in the first half.
The Tigers moved to the Warriors’ nine-yard line, but Adair’s Cole Moody picked off a third-down pass in the end zone and returned it 102 yards for a touchdown.
Quarterback Cooper McCord ran for the conversion and, suddenly, the Warriors were up 1614 at the break.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as Beck ran 57 yards for a score with less than three minutes gone in the third quarter. He added a run for the conversion, putting Stroud up 22-16.
Aiden Collins set the Tigers up later in the period, when he intercepted a pass and returned it to the Adair 27, but Adair picked off another pass in the end zone to quell the threat.
Stroud took a twoscore lead a few minutes later when Trystan Baker went 31 yards to make it 28-16.
Adair opened the fourth quarter with a touchdown to make it 28-22 and recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.
The Warriors moved quickly and McCord hit Stephens with an 11yard touchdown pass, tying the game at 28-28.
They went ahead on their next possession on a fourth down touchdown pass to Zack Wilson with 4:18 left in the game.
Trailing by six, the Tigers scored quickly when Collins thew a perfect pass on the back end of a jet sweep to hit Beck in stride for a 45yard touchdown with just over two minutes to play.
The extra-point kick missed, leaving the score at 34-34 and setting up the overtime.
Adair had the ball first in the extra period and took a 42-34 lead when McCord ran for a twoyard touchdown and followed with a run for the conversion.
The Tigers faced a second-and-goal from the 15 on their possession, but Cropp hit Leathers over the middle for a touchdown to make it 42-40 and set up the final conversion try.