Warriors advance

Washington Head Coach Brad Beller characterized Friday’s 26-22 victory over Jones as one of the greatest playoff games in the history of Warrior football.

“I’m not going to say it was the greatest playoff game but it was definitely one of the greatest playoff games Washington has ever been in,” Beller said.

Thanks to a 25 yard Emitt Wilk touchdown run and a 35 yard field goal by Kaden DuBois, the Warriors took a 10-8 lead into the halftime locker room.

Washington eventually padded its lead to 20-8 at the 8:30 mark in the fourth quarter when lightning struck for Jones.

Not once, but twice.

Jones, led by Division I prospect Carson May, scored on a short-field drive. 

That was followed by a Warrior fumble. Jones scored on a 54-yard pass play on the ensuing play to take a 22-20 lead.

“They scored twice in a minute and a half,” Beller said.

With momentum squarely on the side of the Longhorns, Washington was backed up to its own 25 yard line facing a third and 20 situation.

That’s when Wilk hit Lane Steele for a 75 yard bomb to give the lead back to the Warriors.

“There was still 5:30 left in the game,” Beller said. “They had driven inside our 25 yard line and were going in for the winning score when they hit an out route.

“The receiver caught the ball but Jamison Holland spun the receiver around and he fumbled.

Hayden Milner pounced on the loose pigskin, preserving the victory.

“Throughout the game our defense was so amazing,” Beller said. “We were in control but couldn’t put them away.

“They have a very potent offense and for them to score twice in a minute and a half proved that. But our defensive line had a complete game. They anchored down Jones, who had the biggest linemen we’ve faced all year.

“Our smaller guys were able to hold their own and put pressure on May. He’s 6’5” and 210 pounds. He runs like a fullback and can throw. On one play he got through some trash and then threw a 25-yard pass into good coverage. The ball got there fast,” Beller said.

Beller said one of the keys to the Washington victory was holding their fantastic running back and slot receiver Elijah Reed out of the end zone.

“He’s their go-to guy. They move him around everywhere. We did not stop him but we contained him. He’s one of the top running backs/receivers in the state. He made a lot of yards on us but he did not score and that was a big difference in the game,” the coach said.

Another big difference in the game was two field goals by DuBois of 35 and 43 yards.

“They were not easy field goals and he was able to knock them both through and that proved to be the difference in the game,” Beller said.

Offensively, the coach said his club made plays when they needed to.

“We did not have our best night offensively. Give credit to Jones,” Beller said. “We were able to make enough plays on the ground and through the air but we did not play great. We squandered some chances.”

The Warriors scrapped and clawed enough to put up 26 points on a top five team and advance to the state quarterfinals against Adair Friday night.

Washington lost a coin flip for the home field advantage and will make their way to Adair, which is located northeast of Tulsa just off I-44.

Beller said the team bus will make a couple of stops along the way, one to eat and one to stretch. The 2hr 43min trip to Adair County will pit the Warriors against the Adair Warriors, who are also 10-1 on the year.

“Their only loss was to Stigler, who is in the state Class 3A semifinals,” Beller said.

The Warriors are very multiple on offense and operate out of a 3-4 on defense.

“The key for us is to contain their running back and quarterback. We need to  play good, fundamental defense and be balanced on offense and control the front line,” Beller said.

“They are the very spitting image of us,” Beller continued. “They play extremely hard and are very balanced. They are seldom penalized, not like us,” he laughed.

“We lost the coin flip but hopefully we can win the game,” he concluded.