SLOW START DOESN’T STOP CLAREMORE

Claremore’s 53-21 win over Tulsa Hale may have ended in a rout, but it didn’t start out that way. The Rangers, who won their first game in five seasons last week, showed their improvement early, and trailed just 10-6 late in the second quarter. But the Zebras got going right before halftime and rolled to a decisive district win Friday at East Side Sports Complex. The Rangers and Zebras both made their share of mistakes early. A botched punt by Hale gave the Zebras the ball at the 29, but Claremore had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Carson Highfill at the eight minute mark. Claremore’s Nate McDonald then jumped on a Ranger fumble at the 24, which resulted in a 7-yard touchdown pass in the flat from Noah Grimett to Dylan Kedzior. Claremore led 10-0 with 5:49 left in the first. But then it was the Zebras turn to start making mistakes. Hale cracked the scoreboard for the first time on a 25-yard pass from Douglass to Jaquavon Folks at the 1:17 mark of the first quarter. Folks leapt over two Claremore defenders to haul in the lob pass in the end zone.?The kick was blocked, however, and Claremore’s lead was cut to 10-6. On Hale’s next possession early in the second quarter, Claremore partially blocked the Ranger punt, but that drive stalled on downs. After a Jack Meisinger interception, one of two on the night for the linebacker, Coleman Parsons found daylight around the right end for a 19-yard touchdown run, but a holding penalty brought the score back. Claremore turned it over on downs. Finally, right before halftime, the Zebras turned the luck back to their side. Hale, punting from its own goal line, had the kick blocked by Josh Teague, who also tracked down the pigskin and hopped on it in the end zone for a touchdown. The point-after was no good and Claremore led 16-6 with 2:37 left in the half. On the first play of the Hale possession, Douglas air-mailed a pass over his receiver and into the hands of Quentin Skinner for the interception at the Claremore 35. The Zebras marched the field and turned that chance into a 33-yard field goal by Highfill and Claremore led 19-6 at the half. On the first play of the second half, Parsons ran it right up the middle for a 74-yard touchdown to make it 26-6, and the rout was now on. Montana Huffaker intercepted Douglas at the Hale 45, but Claremore couldn’t turn that into points. The next interception, Meisinger’s second pick, would be different. Meisinger returned the ball from midfield to the 5, where two plays later Parsons scored from the three for a 33-6 lead. It looked like the Rangers had finally put a drive together and moved the ball deep into Claremore territory. At the Claremore 4 yard line, Douglas threw into the end zone, but was picked off at the goal line by Claremore’s Ethan Morrow, who returned it to the 25 near the end of the third quarter. From there, the reserves brought home the win. Jace Hightower scooted around the right end for a 6-yard touchdown with 8:21 left. Hale still had some fight and scored after a long drive on a 6-yard run by Coleton Fields. Claremore responded with a long scoring drive of its own, capped by a 7-yard touchdown run by Conner Aaron for a 47-14 lead. Hale and Claremore would trade touchdowns late in the game. Rashawn Penny scored on a 17-yard run for the Rangers with 2:36 remaining in the game, and Aaron scored his second touchdown on a tackle-breaking 19-yard run. Claremore will now host Tulsa Memorial for Homecoming at 7 p.m. on?Friday, Sept. 29.

SLOW START DOESN’T STOP CLAREMORE

Photo Credit: Rick Heaton

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