Defense stops Gore, shuts down the run game
Next week: Rematch with Fairvew
Stroud’s offense hung half a hundred for the sixth straight game and the defense stymied Gore except for one play Friday.
The result was a 54-6 victory in the second round of the playoffs that send the Tigers into a state quarterfinals rematch against defending state champion Fairview.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday at Moore High School.
A year, Fairview prevailed, 27-20, en route to the Class A state championship.
Just like last year, the Tigers have won 10 in a year after falling to Chandler and Colcord in their first two games.
This year, though, they haven’t just won. They’ve dominated, winning their last 10 games by an averaging score of 52-10.
They continued that domination Friday night, racking up an easy win against the Pirates, who came in with a 10-2 record of their own and ranked No. 13 in the state by MaxPreps.
“I thought we had a good chance to win if we played well,” said coach Josh Presley. “I didn’t know if would go as well as it did, but eventually our physicality took over and the kids played pretty well.
“We didn’t quite pick some things up in the run game starting out, but our defense settled down.
“I was really happy. Dylan played well in the passing game and Aiden Collins had a heck of a game, catching two balls for touchdowns and played lights out on defense.
“We asked him to go cover their best kid. He had a great game and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Fairview is unbeaten going into Friday’s game and has dominated in much the same way the Tigers have.
The Yellowjackets advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Crescent, 19-7, last week.
This year, they will face a Stroud team with a palpably different vibe on the sideline. The Tigers returned almost all their starters from a year ago and the difference is one of increased maturity and leadership, Presley said.
“Our juniors have stepped up and matured.,” he said. “We had a few seniors last year and a couple of juniors, but we were mostly sophomores out there.
“We have a more mature football team than last year, and that’s to be expected. I’m really proud of those guys. They’re stepped up in leadership role and I couldn’t be happier with the juniors, talking about that class specifically.”
The winner of the Stroud-Fairview game will advance to the state semifinals to meet the winner of the Dibble-Woodland game at a site to be announced later.
On Friday, the Tigers scored first when Jacob Beck ran in from four yards out with 9:54 left in the opening quarter.
Their next score came in the second quarter on a 49-yard pass from Dylan Baker to No. 31 Gore connected on a 38-yard scoring pass to Journey Shell, cutting the lead to 13-6, but that was the Pirates’ high-water mark.
Beck ran for another score, this one from 21 yards out, and Dylan Baker hit brother Trystan for a 64-yard scoring catchand- run with 1:24 before half.
That made it 29-6, but Stroud was far from finished.
After the second-half kickoff, Dylan intercepted a pass at the Gore 36, Bryce Collins ran it the 20 and Kason Presley rumbled into the end zone three plays later.
On the next possession, Aiden Collins out-muscled a Gore defender for a pass in front of the Stroud bench and sprinted for the touchdown.
Brady Nichols blocked a punt on Gore’s next possession and Presley paid it off with a 12-yard touchdown run.
That made it 48-6 with 5:11 left in the third quarter and removed any lingering doubts the outcome.
No. 28 closed out the scoring with a 53-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Gore 060 0-6 Stroud 7 22 19 6 - 54 Stroud Gore
First Downs 20 12 Rushing (Att-Yds) 41-321 30-28 Passing (Comp-Att-Yds) 5-7-223 14-32-204 Total Offense (Plays-Yds) 48-544 62-232 Interceptions by 1 0 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0 Penalties-Yards 5-30 4-20 Punts-Average 1-43.0 5-25.8
Scoring Qtr Time Team Play
1st 9:54 Stroud Beck 2 yd run (Wright kick) 2nd 10:59 Stroud A.Collins 49 yd pass from D.Baker (kick blocked) 2nd 9:09 Gore Shells 38 yd pass from Brooksher (pass failed) 2nd 6:50 Stroud Beck 21 yd run (D.Baker run) 2nd 1:24 Stroud T.Baker 64 yd pass from D.Baker (Presley run) 3rd 8:50 Stroud Presley 12 yd run (kick failed) 3rd 6:53 Stroud A.Collins 60 yd pass from D.Baker (Wright kick) 3rd 3:41 Stroud Presley 18 yd run (kick failed) 4th 11:51 Stroud Harrison 47 yd run (no attempt) Rushing (Att-Yds-TD) Stroud Beck 8-99-2, Presley 7-57-2, D.Baker 2-8, B.Collins 6-75, T.Baker 2-3, Harrison 4-59-1, Rozell 4-10, Murfin 1-(1), Stanger 2-11, Morris 3-2, team 2-(2) Passing (Comp-Att-Yds-TD-Int) Stroud D.Baker 5-7-223-3-0 Receiving (Rec-Yds-TD) Stroud A.Collins 2-109-2, Nichols 1-20, T.Baker, 1-64-1, Beck 1-30