Despite loss Cantrell proud of team’s effort

ROLAND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

ROLAND–Roland’s high school football season ended Thursday night inside Ranger Stadium with a 32-14 District 2A-5 loss to Warner.

The Rangers (2-5 in the district and 2-8 overall) finished sixth in the district standings and Warner (5-2, 8-2) placed third and will play at Idabel in a Class 2A first-round playoff game Friday. Fourthranked Vian and No. 7 Prague were the top two 2A-5 finishers and Henryetta was fourth in the standings.

Thursday’s game was originally scheduled for Friday night but the contest was moved because of the threat of inclement weather.

Roland head coach Austin Cantrell was proud of his team’s effort Thursday night.

“It didn’t go the way we wanted it to obviously but I think that we put together a decent game for what our guys are capable of, and that’s not saying that they’re bad ballplayers, they’re just young kids,” Cantrell said. “We fight hard. That’s one thing that you can’t take away from these kids is that they are going to fight.

“As frustrating as this year’s been for us they make it easy on us as far as just having the will that they have. I think going forward and looking into next year no matter what the score looked like I think that this is something positive we can build off of because we didn’t give up, we never give up. We hadn’t done it all year and I’m very proud of my team for that.”

Almost midway through the opening period Warner running back Easton Girty rushed for a 21-yard touchdown before Keden Moseley’s point-after kick gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead. Runs of 22 and 13 yards by wide receiver Brayden Terrell helped set up the TD.

Following Ashton Peters’ second punt of the period the Eagles started their second offensive series from their 49 and five plays later quarterback Jace Jackson rushed for an 8-yard touchdown to make the score 130. A key play in the scoring drive was a 35-yard carry to the Roland 10 by Girty.

Moments later Roland quarterback Michael Taylor completed a 37-yard pass to receiver Alex Bower but the Eagles recovered a fumble on the play. On Warner’s next snap Peters fell on a fumble at the Eagles’ 39.

With 9:03 to go in the second stanza Taylor crossed the goal line following a 6-yard run before Logan Lorenz’ extrapoint kick made the score 13-7. Three key plays in the sevenplay, 58-yard scoring drive were runs of 13 and 7 yards by Peters and Taylor, respectively, and a 15-yard facemask penalty against the Eagles.

Adam Thompson of the Eagles returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to the Roland 35 and four plays later Terrell’s 21-yard touchdown run put the Eagles in front 19-7.

Warner’s Colton Swimmer recovered a Roland fumble later in the opening quarter and with 42.4 seconds left before the intermission Jackson’s 1-yard touchdown run gave the Eagles a 25-7 advantage. A 12-yard carry by Girty was a key play in the scoring drive.

Terrell returned the second-half kickoff 18 yards and the Eagles’ offense moved from its 45 to the Roland 29 before the Rangers’ defense forced Warner to turn the ball over on downs.

Later in the third stanza Girty returned a tipped pass 17 yards to the Roland 13 and two plays later the junior rushed for a 13-yard touchdown. Warner led 32-7 at the 4:39 mark following Moseley’s PAT.

Following Lateevis Jones’ 19-yard kickoff return a 26-yard completion from Taylor to Dolton Crossono took the Rangers to midfield but two plays later Caden Thompson intercepted a pass in Warner territory. Roland’s defense stiffened and on the first play of the final frame the Eagles punted on fourth down.

A 10-yard throw to wide receiver Dakota Price from Taylor and a defensive pass interference penalty helped the Rangers move to the Warner 29 and three plays later Peters caught a short pass from Taylor before rambling 19 yards down the Roland sideline to the Warner 9. After a 5-yard loss wide receiver Dom Collins’ 12-yard reception moved the Rangers to the 2 throw and on fourth down Taylor crossed the goal line in the west end zone for a touchdown. Lorenz’ point-after kick with 6:06 left in the contest ended the scoring.

Peters was Roland’s leading rusher in the game with 37 yards on 15 carries and Taylor totaled 29 yards and two touchdowns on 15 attempts.

Taylor completed 6-of-15 passes for 98 yards with two interceptions and the Rangers’ pass catchers were Bower (1 reception for 37 yards), Crossono (1 for 26), Peters (2 for 14), Collins (1 for 12) and Price (1 for 9).

Girty led all runners with 23 carries for 129 yards and two touchdowns, Terrell had 75 yards and a TD on 12 attempts and Jackson added 28 yards and two touchdowns on six runs.

Jackson completed 2-of-5 passes for 11 yards and Jaxson Cash was 1-of-2 for seven yards. Julian Hensley (2 catches for 16 yards) and Caden Thompson (1 for 2) had Warner’s receptions.

Roland netted 164 yards (98 passing and 66 rushing) of total offense in the contest and Warner registered 245 (18 and 227).