The game within the game

The simple conclusion is Kingfisher is in the playoffs for a remarkable 25th straight year.

How the Jackets got there - and where they ended up - on Friday night is much more complicated, convoluted and even heartbreaking.

The heartbreak came on the game’s final play as Plainview’s Taylor Bederka booted a 28-yard field goal to lift the visiting fifth-ranked Indians to a 15-13 victory over the Jackets.

The game-winning drive started at Plainview’s own 20 with 3:31 to play after KHS had stunningly erased a 12-point deficit to stake a 13-12 lead.

The defeat yanked the Jackets from second place in District 3A-1 into a threeway tie for the third and fourth spots.

That pulled Pauls Valley and North Rock into the equation for Kingfisher as well as the teams’ district points as neither of the three beat both of the other two in head-to-head games.

Pauls Valley had third place locked up with its 33 district points by virtue of its win over Purcell the previous night.

That was a number neither KHS nor North Rock Creek, which was visiting Anadarko, could catch.

The Jackets started their night with 29 points and North Rock Creek 11.

That meant if the Cougars earned their maximum 15 points, then KHS could lose by no more than three against Plainview for the final playoff spot.

And so the eyes of the KHS coaching staff were 99 percent on the game in front of them, but they were also forced to be aware of what was happening down in Caddo County.

And - for a stretch - it didn’t look like it was going to turn out well for the Jackets.

Kingfisher managed just 63 yards of offense in the first half, which included minus-11 yards rushing.

The Indians, whose only loss coming in came in overtime to Heritage Hall, broke open a scoreless game in the second quarter when Bo Brewster capped a 63-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run at 8:51.

The Jackets not only couldn’t answer, but produced more points for Plainview.

Forced to punt, Kasen Blair couldn’t get his hands on a snap that went well over his head and eventually out of the back of the end zone.

That gave Plainview a 9-0 lead, one the Indians pushed to 12-0 on their ensuing drive when Bederka kicked a 33-yard field goal.

With Kingfisher trailing by 12, North Rock Creek’s chances of getting into the playoffs were promising.

The Cougars led Anadarko 21-6 at the break, which gave them a nine-point cushion.

The good news for Kingfi sher is that Anadarko kept cutting into North Rock Creek’s lead, giving KHS intermittent hope if only the Jackets could find a way to put points on the board.

The bad news is…the Jackets couldn’t.

At least not for the longest time.

Kingfisher’s only drives of the third quarter ended with a turnover on downs and a punt.

Plainview drove deep into Kingfisher territory early in the fourth, but the Jacket defense again stepped up and turned away the Indians.

Finally Kingfisher’s offense showed some life.

Brett Calamateo and quarterback Jhett Birdwell started to find some running lanes that had begun to open up to start the third quarter.

Birdwell put KHS in position to score with a 22-yard run inside the 10.

A couple plays later, Santiago Ortego took a forward pitch from Birdwell and found the end zone from 3 yards out.

KHS was within 12-7 with 6:41 to play.

Meantime, Anadarko and North Rock Creek were trading touchdowns. Kingfisher’s playoff chances soared and dipped with each one.

Then the Jackets began to take matters into their own hands.

On Plainview’s first offensive snap after the KHS score, Jacket defenders smashed Indian running back Matthew Chapa, who coughed up the ball.

Ryker Long was there to capitalize, jumping on it at the Plainview 21.

The Jackets methodically worked their way inside the 10, but ultimately faced a 4th and goal from the 5.

It was decision time. The Jackets could try to kick a 22-yard field goal with the sure-footed Jake Sisk, which would pull them into the “safe zone” of a two-point deficit provided they didn’t let Plainview score again.

Or they could go for a touchdown - much less of a sure thing - which would put them on top, give them a chance to win and host a first-round playoff game by virtue of placing second.

“That was probably my toughest decision of the season,” said head coach Reagan Roof.

After a timeout, Roof opted for the latter.

The result of the decision was Birdwell connecting with Blair in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown.

The Jackets had their first lead of the game with just 3:31 to play.

Then came another key decision.

KHS could kick the extra- point and its success (either a one-point or twopoint lead) wouldn’t matter if the Indians were able to go down and kick their own field goal.

Or the Jackets could go for two. If the Jackets were successful, Plainview may be more inclined to score a touchdown to try to win it.

That result - an eventual four-point lead - could mean Kingfisher wouldn’t make the playoffs.

Roof this time opted for the extra-point attempt, which was actually blocked. After Sisk’s kickoff went into the end zone, the Indians ultimately drove for the game-winning kick and cemented their own status as the No. 2 seed in the district.

But not before some drama. The snap was high, but Plainview’s holder was able to grab it out of the air and get it down in time for Bederka.

Just before that happened, the North Rock Creek game went final. The Cougars won 41-26, therefore earning their full allotment of 15 points.

When the dust settled, Kingfisher had 27 district points. North Rock Creek owned 26.

The Jackets, though devastated by letting a potential win slip away on Senior Night, had punched their ticket.

The Jackets ended the night with only 162 total yards.

They had 54 on the ground, but found success there in the second half.

“I really thought we could run it in the first half, too, but we kept doing things to get us behind the chains,” Roof said. “That made it tough to run.”

Of Kingfisher’s nine rushing attempts in the first half, five went for negative yards.

While there were still some negative plays in the second half, KHS did have more than 100 positive yards on the ground.

Calamateo led the team with 59 yards on 12 carries.

Birdwell was 12 of 18 for 108 yards and the two scores.

Blair and Ortega had four catches apiece.

Kingfisher’s defense which only gave up one touchdown drive to an offense that averaged over 36 points a game - was led by Mauricio Valles’ eight tackles.

Jairo Velarde recorded six.

The Jackets finished their regular season at 5-5. They were 4-3 in district games. All five losses - Weatherford and Clinton in 4A and then Pauls Valley, Heritage Hall and Plainview - came to teams that reached the playoffs.

For the second straight year, Kingfisher travels to Sulphur for the first round.

The third-ranked Bulldogs are 9-1 and won District 3A-2 with a 7-0 mark.

Their lone loss was 2724 in overtime to Class 2A’s top-ranked Washington in Week 1.

Since then, Sulphur has given up more than one score just one time, a 57-14 blowout win over McLoud in Week 5.

Sulphur defeated KHS 42-7 in last year’s playoffs before losing to eventual state champ Lincoln Christian in the second round.