Beggs wins in OT

Chandler put up two touchdowns in the last five minutes of regulation and led in overtime, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Beggs Demons Friday.

The Lions led the battle of Top 10 teams 27- 20 following a touchdown on the first play of overtime, but Beggs scored on its possession and got a two-point conversion pass to Kendal Daniels to get the win, 28-27.

“It was a tough one and I wish we had come out on top,” Chandler coach Jack Gray said. “We had a lot of opportunities to win. Just some little things, and there could have been a different outcome.”

The loss puts the Lions at 2-1 going into their district opener at Crossings Christian Friday, but Gray said it could become a positive as the season progresses.

“We talked about it after the game,” he said. “Beggs could be your state champion at the end of the year. When they watch film and see the opportunities we had, they’ll realize they we can go beat them if we play again..

“I think could ignite the fire for them to get better every day. We told them what they can do, and now they realize it.”

Beggs took a 14-0 lead in the first half, but Ashton Yates picked off a pass and took it the distance to get the Lions on the board.

Beggs returned the ensusing kickoff for a touchdown to make the score 20-7, and that’s how it stayed until the fourth quarter.

“I felt like most of the game, we had a lot of effort,” Gray said. “The effort never stopped, but we finally started executing.

“We struggled in the first half, not executing a blocking assignment or something else hindering us.

“Everyone got together in the fourth quarter. We thinned them a little, went to a four-wide receiver set and changed our blocking.

The adjustments worked, with fullback Spencer Clagg running for a pair of short touchdowns, the second tying the score at 20-20.

Chandler had a chance to go ahead, but the extra-point attempt went awry, sending the game into overtime.

Now it’s on to district play, with the Lions competing in powerful District 2A-2, which has five teams in the Top 20.

Perennial power and reigning district champ Jones is ranked No. 4 by MaxPreps, the Lions are No. 8, Meeker is 13, Millwood is 18 and Prague No. 20.

The Lions will be back home on Oct. 2 to host Jones.