CHANDLER— The turnover bug bit the Chandler Lions hard Friday night and the visiting Verdigris Cardinals took full advantage, earning a ticket to the Class 2A quarterfinals with a 14-13 win.
Leading 13-7 with just under two minutes left in the third quarter, Chandler’s Brandon Cummings tried to ignite a sputtering Chandler offense on a 3rd-and-13 pass from his own 24-yard line, but the Cardinals had no part of it. Senior Brandon Melton picked off the Cummings offering and traveled 37 yards to tie the game at 13 with 1:42 remaining. Tyler Hansloven then converted the extra point to give the Cardinals a 14-13 lead. its first of the contest.
“We knew coming into the game that we couldn’t lose the turnover battle, “ said Chandler head coach Neal Bacon.
His Lions did just that, giving up three interceptions and a fumble after a very promising start.
In the first quarter, Chandler had a stronghold on the turnover war. On Verdigris’ first play from scrimmage, running back Daniel Burke fumbled and Chandler’s Casey Barrier recovered at the Cardinal 20-yard line. From there, Chandler needed just one play to take an early 7-0 lead. Cummings hit an open Barrier for a 20-yard pitch-and-catch with 6:45 left in the first quarter.
Chandler increased its advantage to 13-0 with 1:01 left in the first half, once again, on the arm of Cummings. This time, the senior quarterback found Tyler Milam in the end zone from 34-yards out, but it wasn’t easy. Verdigris’ Kyle Parnell was in perfect position to intercept the pass but the ball popped out of his hands into the awaiting arms of Milam for the score.
What didn’t seem big at the time was Chandler’s thwarted 2-point run attempt, but in the end, loomed very large. Cummings was stopped behind the line of scrimmage on the attempt by the dominant Verdigris defensive front.
The Cardinals held Chandler to just 55 yards rushing on 41 carries.
Both defenses controlled the clash. The potent Verdigris running attack was shut down by the Lions as they gained 69 yards on 27 carries. Verdigris added just 47 yards through the air for a total of 116 yards of total offense. Along with the defense was plenty of laundry. Both teams combined for 190 yards in penalties.
Verdigris’ only offensive score came just before the Melton pick six in the third quarter. Verdigris began the drive on the Chandler 31-yard line, benefitting from a personal foul call against the Lions. The Cardinals needed just three plays to cut the Chandler lead to 13-7 with 3:13 left in the third quarter.
Quarterback Kevin Stout found a seem in the Lions defense and scored from 25 yards out. That was the Cardinals’ longest gain from scrimmage in the contest.
After the 14-point outburst, Chandler was turned back three times in Verdigris territory to end the 2009 campaign at 7-5.
“I’m real proud of this team,” said Bacon. “After starting 0-3 on the year, we could have folded the tents. They didn’t give up.”
Chandler won the yardage battle with a 177 to 116 advantage, but lost the 2A playoff war with the turnovers.
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CHANDLER— The turnover bug bit the Chandler Lions hard Friday night and the visiting Verdigris Cardinals took full advantage, earning a ticket to the Class 2A quarterfinals with a 14-13 win.
Leading 13-7 with just under two minutes left in the third quarter, Chandler’s Brandon Cummings tried to ignite a sputtering Chandler offense on a 3rd-and-13 pass from his own 24-yard line, but the Cardinals had no part of it. Senior Brandon Melton picked off the Cummings offering and traveled 37 yards to tie the game at 13 with 1:42 remaining. Tyler Hansloven then converted the extra point to give the Cardinals a 14-13 lead. its first of the contest.
“We knew coming into the game that we couldn’t lose the turnover battle, “ said Chandler head coach Neal Bacon.
His Lions did just that, giving up three interceptions and a fumble after a very promising start.
In the first quarter, Chandler had a stronghold on the turnover war. On Verdigris’ first play from scrimmage, running back Daniel Burke fumbled and Chandler’s Casey Barrier recovered at the Cardinal 20-yard line. From there, Chandler needed just one play to take an early 7-0 lead. Cummings hit an open Barrier for a 20-yard pitch-and-catch with 6:45 left in the first quarter.
Chandler increased its advantage to 13-0 with 1:01 left in the first half, once again, on the arm of Cummings. This time, the senior quarterback found Tyler Milam in the end zone from 34-yards out, but it wasn’t easy. Verdigris’ Kyle Parnell was in perfect position to intercept the pass but the ball popped out of his hands into the awaiting arms of Milam for the score.
What didn’t seem big at the time was Chandler’s thwarted 2-point run attempt, but in the end, loomed very large. Cummings was stopped behind the line of scrimmage on the attempt by the dominant Verdigris defensive front.
The Cardinals held Chandler to just 55 yards rushing on 41 carries.
Both defenses controlled the clash. The potent Verdigris running attack was shut down by the Lions as they gained 69 yards on 27 carries. Verdigris added just 47 yards through the air for a total of 116 yards of total offense. Along with the defense was plenty of laundry. Both teams combined for 190 yards in penalties.
Verdigris’ only offensive score came just before the Melton pick six in the third quarter. Verdigris began the drive on the Chandler 31-yard line, benefitting from a personal foul call against the Lions. The Cardinals needed just three plays to cut the Chandler lead to 13-7 with 3:13 left in the third quarter.
Quarterback Kevin Stout found a seem in the Lions defense and scored from 25 yards out. That was the Cardinals’ longest gain from scrimmage in the contest.
After the 14-point outburst, Chandler was turned back three times in Verdigris territory to end the 2009 campaign at 7-5.
“I’m real proud of this team,” said Bacon. “After starting 0-3 on the year, we could have folded the tents. They didn’t give up.”
Chandler won the yardage battle with a 177 to 116 advantage, but lost the 2A playoff war with the turnovers.
