Matlock, a senior quarterback/free safety, picked off four Checotah passes, returned a punt for a touchdown and threw for 134 yards and another touchdown as the Rangers dealt the Wildcats their fourth-straight loss.
Checotah slipped to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the district. Roland bounced back from a loss to Eufaula last week to improve its record to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in 3A-4.
Matlock got his first interception on the first play of the game, but Roland was unable to cash in the turnover and had to punt. The Ranger defense forced Checotah to punt the ball back and Matlock returned the kick 61 yards for the opening score. Ricky Acevado's point-after kick was good and Roland led 7-0 with 7:50 to go in the first period.
Checotah struck back three minutes into the second quarter. Roland had marched into Wildcat territory, but Adrian Harton picked up a Ranger fumble and returned it 78 yards to knot the score at 7-7.
Matlock's second interception of the night set the Rangers up at the Checotah 25 late in the half. Three plays later, he passed to younger brother Heath Matlock, who made a one-handed grab at the 10-yard line and went the rest of the way for a touchdown. Acevado's kick gave Roland a 14-7 advantage at the break.
Roland put together an eight play drive in the second half to build on to its lead. Kyp Matlock had a 13-yard run to get the chains moving and Matt Goodson had gains of 10 and 16 yards to move the ball to the Checotah 15. Roland was backed up from there and had to settle for a 38-yard Acevado field goal with 11:04 left in the fourth quarter.
Justin Dowdy added a pair of touchdown runs in the closing minutes to seal the win. His first came on a five-yard run at the 1:28 mark. It was set up by a Roland defensive stand that saw the Rangers hold Checotah on downs at the Wildcat 15.
Kyp Matlock's fourth interception of the night set up a late touchdown. He returned it 31 yards down to the Wildcats 13-yard line. With less than a minute to play, Dowdy scored on a 13-yard run up the middle.
Goodson was Roland's top rusher on Friday with 45 yards on 12 carries. Dowdy ran seven times for 31 yards and Kyp Matlock picked up another 21 yards. Matlock also completed 12-of-22 passes for 134 yards without an interception.
Heath Matlock caught four balls for 72 yards, Tony Brown three for 16, Dowdy two for 20, Logan Beakley one for 12, Jeremy Newton one for 12 and Goodson one for two yards.
Checotah was held to 72 total yards and did not have a first down after halftime. Galen Warrior was the Wildcats' leading rusher with 61 yards on 13 carries.
Roland will return to action on Friday with a trip to Tulsa to face Victory Christian. The Conquerors knocked off No. 2-ranked Eufaula 31-21 Friday night.
