Chandler stepped up two classes in competition Friday night and put a 32-7 wood-shedding on Clinton, one of Oklahoma’s tradition-rich programs.
It was an impressive showing against a blueblood. The Class 4A Red Tornadoes have won 17 state championships in football - second in Oklahoma only to Ada’s 18 - and have been in the state finals 10 other times..
But Friday night, the Lions were the class of the field, dominating from start to finish. It was a total about-face from the previous week,whenLoneGrove handed the Lions their lunch with a 42-13 beating that just as one-sided as the one Chandler administered to Clinton.
ForheadcoachJackGray, the difference came down to one word: intensity.
“That was the difference,” he said. “We came out with a lot of intensity and a lot of will that we didn’t have last week.
“We still messed up a lot of stuff tonight, but made up for it with our effort. We came in here willing to fight them the whole game. Last week, it felt like we were done with the fight after the first drive.
“Tonight, the fight was there and it made up for mistakes we made.”
The victory gives the Lions a 2-1 record going into next week’s district opener atSequoyah-Tahlequah.Sequoyah comesintothegame with a three-game streak of lop-sided wins after beating Prairie Grove Ark., 42-20; Eufaula, 62-26; and Keys, 56-7. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Chandler scored first against Clinton, getting a five-yard touchdown run from Javarious Wade, who broke tackles to cross the stripe with 7:22 left in the first quarter.
16 passes for 136 yards.
Trystan Baker led the rushing game with 61 yards on 12 carries, and Aiden Collins added 49 yards rushing and 113 yards on six pass receptions.
On defense, Baker had 19 tackles, Beck had 13 and Kaleb Aylor had 11, one of which was a sack.
“Chalin Morris stepped in at inside linebacker and played well,” Presley said. “Kaleb Aylor played really well up front and freshman Gideon Smalley started at corner.
“Evan Hinman at weak safety had a good game and made a lot of tackles.”
Now the Tigers are off to district, where they’ve dominated for the last three seasons, going undefeated since a 24-8 setback to Okemah on Nov. 5, 2021.
“Our kids expect to win and compete and win district championships,” Presley said. “When you’re a 1-seed playing a 4-seed, that sets up the rest of the way.”