Big night for Chandler

It was late in the second quarter when Chandler junior Casmen Hill took off to the left and out-ran the Stroud defense 69 yards for a touchdown.

That run and the Konnor Almand point-after that followed put the Lions ahead, 21-0, and it was then - at the 3:08 mark - that Chandler head coach Jack Gray said he began feeling it.

Chandler hadn’t beaten Stroud since 2013, when this year’s seniors were fifth-graders. But the streak was about to snap.

“There were some penalties that set us back, and that was worrying me a little bit, but after that third score I started feeling confident,” said Gray.

“But those guys over there, they’re used to winning and they know how to come back so they do scare you.”

Hill scored two more touchdowns, one on a 95- yard kickoff return down the Chandler sideline to open the second half, and the Lions were impressive on both sides of the ball.

They generated 343 yards in total offense and allowed the Tigers but 94 yards on 46 snaps.

“They’ve been putting it on us for a while now,” Gray said. “I think the last time we turned it around, we went on a run against them for a while.

“I’m hoping this is the turning of the tide for our program. I’m feeling good about it.”

Stroud leads the all-time series, 54-46-5.

“I was worried about us coming out flat, but we came out really well and came out focused.,” Gray said. “I was worried about our focus with it being a rivalry game, but we settled our nerves quicker than I thought we would,

“I thought we played well. We faced some adversity and when we got some penalties, we overcome those.”

For Stroud, it was the second loss in a row to a county rival and follows a 46-7 loss to Meeker in the opener

The Tigers host Prague Friday night in their home opener.

It will be the third straight game for the Class A Tigers against a Class 2A opponent, and coach Josh Presley said that’s part of the message for his team as they enter their final non-district game.

“It’s always super disappointing to lose to your rival, but the season isn’t over,” he said. “It doesn’t affect our long-term goals.

“We can still get to where we can to be. We have to put that last game behind us, find our mojo and get to work.

“We can’t dwell on it. We have to get to work - it’s the only thing we can do.”

Chandler started the scoring midway through the first quarter.

Spencer Clagg rolled 44 yards for a touchdown on the Lions’ second snap of the game, but it was called back due to penalty.

Quarterback Kaden Jones came back to Clagg moments later with a 10- yard scoring throw and Chandler was off and running.

Jones hit Jarin Greenfield on a 20-yard touchdown later in the period and then Hill followed with his 69-yard scoring run in the second period.

“It was a good game, but things got away from us in the second half,” Presley said. “ Chandler has a good, well-coached team. Coach Gray has done a good job with those guys”

While the Tigers will be at home Friday, the Lions will be just up Route 66 in Bristow to face class 4A Pirates.