The Metro Christian Patriots rolled into Chandler ranked No. 2 in the state last week, and showed why they deserve that ranking.
The Patriots took a 14-0 lead in the first period and controlled much of the game.They led, 42-0, in the third quarter before Chandler scored the first of its two touchdowns.
Afterward, Chandler coach Jack Gray said it was a good example of the level of play at the top of Class 2A.
“I think you get a good taste of what life looks like if you want to make it to the state semifinals,” he said.”They’re a semifinalist, state championship kind of team.
“Our thing is that ‘this is what you’re going to see. If you’re going to beat them, this is where you have to rise up to the occasion.”
Chandler got its first score in the third quarter when quarterback Chace Buchanan ran 14 yards for a touchdown with 4:49 left in the period.
Darius Wade ran 49 yards for the second score with 11:40 left in the game.
Levi Becktol toed through the extra point after both scores.
The loss left the Lions at 2-3 for the season and 0-2 in District 2A-1-4.
Metro and Sequoyah-Tahlequah have established themselves as the favorites in the district and they are the teams owning district wins over the Lions.
Chandler has an opportunity to get back into the district race the next two weeks, with a road game at 0-5 Tulsa Webster this week and a Thursday home game against 1-4 Westville the following week.
The top two teams in the district will get home games the first round of the playoffs, while the No. 3 and 4 teams will have to road trip.
“Our guys still have in their minds that we’re going deep into the playoffs,” Gray said. “So we want to better ourselves from here on out and be able to beat a team like that.”
“In the second half, we came out and executed.When they still had their 1s in, we came down and scored.
“A lot of it was execution. That’s the kind of team you’re going to run into when you get to the quarterfinals and semi-finals.You’re going to run into the Metros and Marlows and Washingtons of the world.
“I liked how we came out in the third quarter and I liked how we finished the game. We just have to get a better start.”