Friday was a big night for the Meeker Bulldogs.
They beat ancient rival Prague for the second year in a row, clinched a home game for the first round of the playoffs and got to take home the newly minted trophy that will go each year to the winner of the Meeker-Prague game.
The 37-22 final followed last year’s 52-6 Meeker victory, but was a far different kind of game.
Meeker was in control for the entire game again, but couldn’t shake the Red Devils, coached this year by former Meeker coach Mike Hedge, until late in the third quarter when Jacob Martin hit Zach Cook for a 54-yard throw-and-run touchdown.
That made it 37-14 with 1:46 to go in the quarter and gave Meeker a three-touchdown advantage, which proved more than enough.
Then it was on to the presentation of the new trophy provided by Anthony’s Foods, which has stores in Meeker and Prague.
Anthony Buoy presented the trophy to Meeker coach D.J. Powell and handed out medallions to the Bulldog players and coaches.
“I’d like to thank the Buoy family,” Howell said. “It’s very special what they did. This game is already a special game and this just makes it even better.
“We’re very thankful and humbled about winning it.”
The win clinched a second-place district finish for Meeker, which means the Bulldogs will be at home for the first round of the playoffs.
As the No.2 in District 2A-2, they will host the No. 3 team in District 2A-1.
That will be decided Friday, when Oklahoma Christian School travels to Luther.
Both teams are 4-1 in the district.
Luther beat Meeker 39-36 in the Bulldogs’ opener on Aug. 30.
Howell, who is now 2-1 against Prague, gave props to the Meeker coaches and players for their effort and execution against the Red Devils.
“There were some things we worked on this week and I think the guys did a great job on the film, great job in practice and then they transferred it out here tonight,” he said. “There were some things we thought might work and the guys came out and executed.
“It’s a tip of the hat to Coach Colvin, Coach Potts and Coach Norman and to the players. I’m very proud of them.”
One of the most impressive plays of the night came with the Bulldogs up 19-6 and starting a possession in their own territory.
When they went to the line of scrimmage, they broke lineman Connor Donaho wide right with the receivers.
The result was a thinned crowd in the middle of the field and a 74-yard sprint to the end zone by Caden Wolford “We thought if we got a big play and a momentum thing, that we could line up in a different formation and they might not quite get aligned to it,” Howell said. “We thought we’d take a shot at it, and if it didn’t work we’d snap the ball on the next play. We thought there might be a lot of open grass.”
Wolford finished with 280 yards on 18 carries and had a 79-yard touchdown run called back because of a penalty. He has run for 1,433 through nine games and has found the end zone on 17 carries.
Quarterback Jacob Martin had a good night throwing the ball, tossing touchdowns to Xavier Masquas in the first quarter, Dakota Gabbert in the first and second quarters and Cook in the third.
“Coach Hedge and Prague, they did a good job,” he said. “They played really hard and I’m very respectful of their staff and what they do.
“I’m just very grateful, proud and humble about it and glad to be bringing the trophy home.”
Prague dropped to 3-3 in district play and is unlikely to make the playoffs. The Red Devils would need to beat Jones and hope that Kellyville could beat Okemah.