Pirates end losing streak, blank Haskell to clinch playoff berth

The Gore Pirates celebrated Senior Night in style as they blanked the Haskell Haymakers 32-0 in a District A-8 contest Friday night at K.G. Horn Stadium.

The win for the Pirates (7-2 overall, 4-2 in district play) ended a two-game losing streak, and the win put them currently in a three-way tie for second place with Panama — which beat them the week before — and Pocola, which they defeated three weeks prior. The win did clinch a playoff berth.

After Friday’s games, Gore had 35 district points, followed by Panama (33 points) and Pocola (30). As long as Gore wins its regular-season finale this Friday night at Porter Consolidated by at least 13 points or more, the Pirates will lock up the second seed and a home playoff game.

A Gore loss to Porter Consolidated and wins by both Panama over Haskell and Pocola over Talihina on Friday will drop the Pirates to fourth place and a road playoff game. If Gore and Panama win and Pocola loses, Gore will drop to third place as the Razorbacks have the tiebreaker with their win over the Pirates.

The Pirates broke a scoreless tie in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Devon Mannon and a 56-yard TD pass from Tate Brooksher to Journey Shells, which was capped by Layne Ward’s twopoint conversion run, put Gore ahead 14-0 at halftime.

The Pirates put away the game in the third quarter, which started with Mannon’s 71-yard second-half kickoff return for a touchdown. Brooksher had the other two TDs, one on a 2-yard run and the other on an 11-yard pass to Shells.

For the game, Mannon led the team in rushing with 85 yards, while Brooksher passed for 89 yards and two touchdowns to Shells — who caught all three of Brooksher’s passes for a total of 89 yards.

Defensively, Ayden Cox led the way with nine tackles, followed by Mannon with six tackles, two tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. Hunter McGee had an interceptions, while Bladin McCartney recovered a fumble.