Shawnee 41
McAlester 21
Oct. 30, 1987

On paper, McAlester looked almost unbeatable entering the District 4A-3 conflict at Jim Thorpe Stadium.

The Buffs were 8-0 overall and 5-0 in district play. Four of the five district triumphs were shutouts with the exception of a 28-6 decision over Tulsa Webster.
Ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, McAlester had outscored its previous eight opponents 197-32.

“This is like Rocky fighting Mr. T and Apollo Creed at the same time,” Shawnee coach Mike Sperry said prior to the game. “We could play the game without any turnovers or mistakes and McAlester could still win because of the quality of their players.”

As it turned out, McAlester committed four turnovers — three fumbles and one interception — while Shawnee didn’t commit any turnovers.

It marked the first time during the 1987 season that Shawnee didn’t register a turnover.

One of those Buff fumbles came with Shawnee up 13-6. Darrien Gordon stripped the ball from Rosey Jones — who had been hit hard by Jeff Chamblin — and romped 25 yards untouched for a touchdown.

With Shawnee up 34-21 at the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter, Gordon returned an intercepted pass 18 yards to the McAlester 2-yard line. Two plays later, fullback James Woods went 1 yard for the touchdown.

Gordon also teamed up with quarterback Dennis Schimmel on a 61-yard third-quarter scoring pass after McAlester cut the deficit to 27-13.

“On the fumble, Jones was kind of carrying the ball loose and I took it,” Gordon said after the game. “On the pass play, I just take three steps and look for the ball. We’ve run that all year long. I figured they would adjust to it.”

McAlester held an early 6-0 lead on a 19-yard Brian Brown carry.

Shawnee responded with a 77-yard, 12-play drive. Schimmel hit Campbell on a 23-yard pass to the Buff 8 on fourth down to keep the drive alive, and Woods scored from the 4.

Gordon then returned the fumble for a touchdown and Vernon Woodward’s point-after kick made it 20-7.

Shawnee regained the ball at the Buff 43 with 6:37 left before halftime and scored in six plays. Charles Campbell took an end-around pitch from Gordon and scored from 9 yards out. On the previous play, Gordon reversed his field and went 25 yards after first trying to locate a pass receiver.

McAlester cut it to 27-13 at the half as Les Keith scored on a 78-yard pass play.

Gordon’s 61-yard touchdown reception at the 5:36 mark of the third quarter came on a hitch route in which he juked one defender.

McAlester, after returning the ensuing kickoff into Shawnee territory, traveled 44 yards in nine plays, capped by Jones’ 4-yard run. Woodward’s extra point made it 34-21 with 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

All that was remaining was Gordon’s interception return for the game’s final TD.

Shawnee improved its overall record to 6-3 and its district mark to 5-1. It was Shawnee’s fourth straight district conquest.

Gordon latched on to four receptions for 144 yards. Woods recorded 70 yards on nine carries out of the Wolves’ Wing-T offense.

Woods entered the game with 464 yards on 100 carries.

Sperry, who still resides in Shawnee, vividly remembered the almost quarter-century old game.

“We had become better as the season went along,” Sperry said. “We played an outstanding game. They scored quickly to go ahead but we came back and went 80 yards. We dominated the game from then on.

“You could tell all week about our intensity. I remember sitting in the office after the game and thinking what our players and coaches accomplished that night. I thought that team was almost unbeatable but we didn’t make any turnovers and we had a good kicking game. That was one of the high points.”

Shawnee defeated McAlester seven of the eight years in which Sperry served as the head coach.

“They always had great athletes,” Sperry said.

Following the win over McAlester, Shawnee dropped a 12-0 decision to Tulsa Webster in the final game of the regular season. Shawnee traveled to Claremore for the first round of the playoffs but dropped a double-overtime decision.

Gordon went on to have an outstanding collegiate career at Stanford and was a first-round NFL draft selection. He played nine seasons (1993-2002) and in four Super Bowls.