SHS avalanche

By Fred Fehr
charles.fehr@news-star.com

Durant must have felt like a fledgling mountain climber Friday night at Jim Thorpe Stadium.
After climbing back to a 10-10 third-quarter tie, the visitors got hit by a five-touchdown avalanche and a 45-17 District 5A-2 loss to host Shawnee.
Shawnee, which scored on its final five possessions, moved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in district play. The Wolves accumulated 400 yards of total offense.
On its final five possessions, Shawnee recorded scoring drives of 50, 48, 62, 50 and 67 yards.
Multi-talented senior Brett Davis rushed for 149 yards on 10 carries, including TD dashes of 27 and 50 yards. He also had five pass receptions for 25 yards.
Sophomore quarterback Brayle Brown completed 9 of 12 passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
There were only two turnovers — one by each team.
“I was proud of our composure after they tied the game in the third quarter,” SHS head coach Billy Brown said. “The kids played hard and executed well in the third and fourth quarters.
“Brett Davis had a huge game and Brayle made some good reads at the line of scrimmage.”
The only first-half touchdown came on the game’s opening possession. Shawnee went 80 yards in a nine-play, 4:17 drive. Davis was involved in five of the plays, including a 21-yard scamper and the TD, a 27-yard gallop around left end at the 7:43 mark.
Durant retaliated by driving from its 32 to the SHS 8-yard line. After a 5-yard gain by quarterback Max White, the 175-pounder was stuffed for a 2-yard loss by Keldin Choat and Devin Leitka. Following an incomplete pass, White booted a 21-yard field goal.
The only other points of the first half came on Nick Carter’s 29-yard field goal for Shawnee 3:49 before intermission. That possession was set up by a Davis 52-yard punt to the Lion 4.
Durant threatened right before halftime, fueled by a 39-yard White sprint to the 21. On fourth-and-six from the 17, Leitka deflected a pass and the half ended at 10-3.
Durant struck first in the third quarter after a punt touched a Shawnee player and the Lions recovered at the 26. On first down, White hooked up with Brandon Brooks on a TD pass to tie the game at 10.
A short Durant kickoff allowed Shawnee to take over at midfield. On second down, Justin Parsons took a swing pass, juked one defender and sped 46 yards for a touchdown.
Four plays later, Jordan McClain blocked a Lions’ punt with SHS taking over at the Durant 48. Two plays later, Jordan Robbins caught a perfectly thrown pass over the middle for a scoring strike as the Wolves moved up 24-10 with 5:18 still left in the third quarter.
Shawnee’s third possession of the second half, a 62-yard drive, was capped by a 29-yard Robbins reception.
A fourth-down Durant gamble at midfield failed and Shawnee quickly took advantage. Davis took a lateral from Brown and sped 50 yards to paydirt.
Durant got on the scoreboard on a 15-yard Jon Garza scoring reception from White but Shawnee wasn’t fazed. The Wolves went 67 yards in 13 plays. Brown went the final three yards on a quarterback sneak with 1:04 remaining.
Durant fell to 1-2 in district play and 3-3 overall.
Shawnee will continue district play Thursday night at Ardmore. The kickoff is set for 7:30.