Black Diamonds open district play with home win over Hilldale Hornets

The Sallisaw Black Diamonds football team completed its first homestand of the season a perfect 3-0.

The Black Diamonds took the sting out of the visiting Hilldale Hornets and posted a 41-29 victory in Friday night’s District 4A-4 opener at Perry F. Lattimore Stadium.

“It’s always big to get that first district win,” Sallisaw coach Brandon Tyler said. “We gave up some big plays and had some crazy penalties at times, We’re battling a lot of sickness right now. We were sick all (last) week. We were limited up front a bit on the defensive line, but our kids battled through some adversity. I’m proud of their effort. I’m proud of the guys who stepped up and made big plays. It was a good win for us.”

With the game tied at 7-all after the first quarter, the Black Diamonds (3-1 overall, 1-0 in district play), winners of three straight, took the lead for good on senior running back Jackson Harris’ first of two touchdowns as he took it to the house on a 29-yard run. Ethan Girdner, who missed a 21-yard field goal just 42 seconds into the second quarter as his attempt hit the right upright and bounced back into the field of play, hit the extra point to put Sallisaw ahead 14-7 with 8:56 left before halftime.

On the next play for the Hornets (22, 0-1), Sallisaw senior defensive back Tae Muskrat-Flynn picked off Hilldale quarterback Dawson Fields. Muskrat-Flynn returned the pick 26 yards to the Hilldale 19-yard line with 8:24 remaining in the first half.

It was only fitting that Muskrat-Flynn be rewarded for his takeaway as he caught a 13-yard TD pass from quarterback Kase Adams on fourth down. Girdner’s PAT increased the Sallisaw advantage to 21-7 with 6:17 left in the first half.

The Hornets cut their deficit on their ensuing drive, and wasted little time in doing so, as running back Bryce Chartney rambled 52 yards for the score. However, Sallisaw special teams specialist Cade Tate blocked the PAT, his second in as many weeks, to keep Hilldale down 2113 with 6:01 remaining before halftime.

The Black Diamonds responded as Adams took it in from seven yards out. He tried to score the two-point conversion, but was stopped to keep Sallisaw ahead 27-13 with 1:24 left before halftime. The scoring drive was set up by two offside penalties on Hilldale and a 31-yard pass from Adams to freshman tight end Luke Warner.

However, it was the Hornets who stung the scoreboard last in the first half as with 46 seconds remaining in the first half, Fields hit wide receiver Brady Scott on a 69-yard TD pass play. The Hornets went for two points, and looked to be successful as Chartney caught the pass from Fields. However, the Hornets were penalized for holding, and they tried another two-point conversion pass play but failed. The teams went to the locker rooms with the Black Diamonds ahead 27-19.

The Hornets took the second-half kickoff and set up shop at their own 35-yard line. The drove as deep as the Sallisaw 13-yard line, but Sallisaw junior defensive back Brodi Nickell picked off Fields’ pass and returned it to the Sallisaw 19. However, the Black Diamonds were unable to cash in the takeaway.

The Hornets ended up cutting into their deficit as Hudson Tennent hit a 37yard field goal with 9:47 left in the third quarter to cut the Sallisaw lead to 27-22.

The Black Diamonds responded with a 77-yard drive, which was capped by Harris’ second TD run of the game, this one on a 20-yard touchdown run with 5:21 remaining in the period. Nickell ran in the two-point conversion to up the Sallisaw advantage to 3522 after three quarters.

Exactly four minutes later, the Black Diamonds got their third takeaway of the game as senior defensive lineman Hunter Smith recovered a fumble at the Sallisaw 14-yard line with 1:21 left in the third quarter.

The Black Diamonds essentially put away the game midway through the fourth quarter. Thanks to a personal foul penalty and an unsportsmanlike penalty called on the same play as well as a five-yard facemask penalty on Hilldale, the Black Diamonds moved downfield and punched it in on Nickell’s touchdown as he caught a 14-yard TD pass from Adams on fourth down. Although Girdner’s extra point was blocked by Chartney, the Black Diamonds were comfortably on top 41-22 with 7:29 left to play in the game.

The Hornets tried to mount a rally, but Fields threw his second interception of the game as Sallisaw senior defensive back Kenyan Hill picked off the pass in the end zone with 3:33 remaining to play.

The Hornets scored with 35 seconds left to play on Chartney’s 7-yard touchdown run. Tennent hit the PAT to cut the Sallisaw lead to 41-29.

“Offensively, I thought we really got it going,” Tyler said. “We scored 41 points on Hilldale. We knew we had to control the ball and the clock. I thought our offensive line did a great job. Kase Adams ran our offense tremendously. I’m proud of the kids and proud of their effort. We have to get back to work and get ready for Broken Bow.”

The Hornets recovered an onside kick the Sallisaw 44, but any hopes of a Hilldale comeback were put to bed by the fourth takeaway by the Sallisaw defense and 16th one that has happened during the three-game homestand to begin the home season for the Black Diamonds as Caden Blount picked off Fields’ pass and returned it 24 yards to the Hilldale 41-yard line with 21 seconds left. The Black Diamonds ended the night in victory formation.

“The defense keeps taking the ball away,” Tyler said. “We keep scoring off them. I’m proud of those guys. I think we gave up three big explosive plays to them, but our kids responded. I thought we played really well.”

The Black Diamonds broke the scoreless deadlock on Hill’s 9-yard touchdown run. Girdner’s extra point put Sallisaw ahead 7-0 with 8:53 left in the first quarter.

The Hornets tied the game at 7-all with 4:50 left in the period on Scott’s 7-yard TD run. Tennent hit the PAT.

The Black Diamonds will return to action as they meet another top-10 team in the Broken Bow Savages for a crucial District 4A-4 showdown at 7 p.m. Friday at Broken Bow’s Memorial Stadium.