Roland (1-3, 0-1) opened up a 21-7 lead in the early moments of the third quarter before the visitors came back to grab the win in the District 3A-4 opener for both teams.
Hamilton ran for two touchdowns in the third period to pull Idabel even at 21-21 before breaking the tie with a 7-yard run with 4:44 left in the contest.
Idabel improved to 1-3 overall and 1-0 in the league, but it was Roland that jumped on top early in the game.
Shawn Giles sparked the Rangers with 59-yard return of the opening kickoff to set Roland up at the Idabel 20. Two plays later, Brooks Robertson completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Daniel. Jeff Roberts kicked the extra point and Roland led 7-0 less than a minute into the contest.
Idabel made it 7-7 with 1:13 left in the first quarter on a 59-yard run by T.J. Broades. His run capped an 85-yard drive by the Warriors, who made a defensive stand at their own 15.
That stand was one of three by Idabel in the first half as Roland came away empty-handed on three occasions from inside the Warriors’ 20-yard line.
However, Roland punched in one scoring opportunity in the second period to grab a 14-7 halftime lead. Michael Kightlinger—who totaled 204 all-purpose yards on just six touches—went 47 yards on a reverse to set up the score. On second-and-goal from the Idabel 1, quarterback Blake Brunk crossed the goal line. Roberts added the extra point with 7:45 to go in the second quarter.
The Ranger defense forced an Idabel punt on its opening offensive series of the third quarter. Kightlinger fielded the kick at the Roland 18 and returned it 82 yards for the final Ranger touchdown. Roberts’ kick pushed the lead to 21-7 with 10:13 left in the third period.
Idabel wasted little time in getting back in the game. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Hamilton connected with Terry Lewis for a 68-yard pass. Hamilton scored from two yards on the next play and the Warriors were within 21-14.
Idabel had the game tied up by the end of third quarter, thanks to a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by Hamilton’s 1-yard TD run.
Roland put together a drive from its own 34 into Warrior territory and appeared to score the go-ahead touchdown. Teven Thompson took a handoff near midfield and raced to the end zone, but was judged to to have stepped out of bounds at the Idabel 30. Roland was unable to score from there and a miscue and a special teams miscue gave Idabel the ball near midfield.
Idabel responded with an 11-play drive that covered 52 yards and culminated in Hamilton’s 7-yard touchdown run with 4:44 remaining in the game.
Thompson was Roland’s top rusher with 84 yards on 24 carries. Kightlinger ran twice for 53 yards.
Robertson completed 5 of 12 passes for 43 yards while Brunk completed a 69-yarder for the Rangers. Kightlinger caught two balls for 69 yards, Daniel two for 28 and Dallas Williams two for 15.
Kyle Ulmer came up with an interception for the Roland defense and Roberts averaged 40 yards on five punts.
Hamilton led the visitors in rushing with 14 carries for 81 yards and he also completed 6 of 10 passes for 111 yards. Broades picked up another 71 yards rushing on nine attempts for Idabel.
