Just like several years ago, it was another absolute classic season-opener at Washington on Friday night.
Sulphur fought tooth and nail and was right there at the end, but came up just short in double overtime, losing to Washington 27-24.
The Warriors scored in double overtime on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Creed Barrett to tight end Nate Roberts to end the game, after Sulphur’s Colten Cole had put Sulphur up 24-21 with a 47yard field goal.
Cole missed a 38-yard field goal at the end of regulation that looked good to most in attendance. The kick would have won the game for Sulphur but it went to OT tied at 21-21.
“I’m really proud of our kids and it was just a great game between two really good football teams,” said Sulphur head coach Corey Cole. “We had several chances to win the game and the standard for us is that we are not ok with playing well and losing - we are supposed to play good every week and find ways to win games, so this will help us down the road but we are disappointed we came up on the short end.”
Sulphur tied the game at 21-21 late in the 4th, when quarterback Luke Linville found Briar Davenport for a 13-yard touchdown on 4th and 8 with 3:18 to go in the game.
“He made a great throw there and we kept battling and competing,” said Cole.
Washington had taken a 21-14 lead when Barrett found Roberts for a 72-yard touchdown with 8:28 to go in the game.
“Their quarterback played great and is just really good for a freshman and the tight end there is a reason he is going to Ohio State. He is an NFL guy,” Cole said.
Sulphur had 202 total yards, as Linville was 11-of-19 for 114 yard passing and a score in his first start.
Davenport had three catches for 37 yards and the score.
Maddax Mobly had 11 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown, while Austin Garrett carried 12 times for 25 yards and Cash Matlack had eight attempts for 17 yards.
Sulphur was just 4-of-15 on 3rd down.
“We were just not good enough on 3rd down,” said Cole. “We had some big 4th down conversions but it’s a game of inches and you just cannot be that inefficient on 3rd down and expect to beat really good teams like that.”
Right before the long touchdown for Washington in the early 4th, Sulphur had a huge play on defense to tie the game.
Safety Maddax Boyd picked up a fumble and raced 72 yards for the score, tying the game at 14-14 with 8:42 left in the game.
“It was a huge play by Maddax and our defense,” Cole said. “We practice causing turnovers and taking advantage of them and it was great to see - it gave us a lot of momentum.”
“We could have been in trouble as they were driving to possibly go up two scores but we stepped up and made a big play.”
The Dogs hung around despite only snapping the ball on offense five times in the 3rd to Washington’s 20.
“There is a reason you play these types of teams early in the year - you know exactly where you are and what you need to work on,” Cole said. “We feel that there are some things we can clean up but the mistakes compared to last year aren’t near as bad and I think we have a chance to be a really good team.”
Barrett was sensational, completing 26-of-37 passes for 426 yards and three touchdowns. Rob-
Sulphur senior running back Cash Matlack races downfield in last Friday night’s epic clash against Washington.
erts, an Ohio State commit, had seven catches for 198 yards and two scores, while senior receiver Mason Singletary also had seven receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown.
In the first overtime, Washington got down to the one on first down, but the Sulphur defense held on three straight plays and got the ball back to Sulphur with a chance to win.
But the Dogs were held out of the end zone and Cole missed a 27yard field goal to win it, sending the game into double overtime.
A penalty pushed Sulphur back in double OT, forcing the long field goal from Cole to go up 24-21.
Barrett found Roberts in the corner on the opening play of Washington’s drive in double OT. “We kept giving ourselves a chance to win and that’s all you can ask for,” said Cole. “They are a team that will be at UCO again in December and we hope we are there as well.”
Sulphur led early on the touchdown run by Mobly, going up 6-0 with 7:40 to go in the 1st.
Washington took the lead shortly after when Barrett found Singletary to go up 7-6 with 6:10 left in the 1st.
Washington has won backto- back state titles and 32 games in a row.
Cole praised the following players as the team’s internal players of the week.
They are:
•Justus Gillam, Offensive Player of Week - graded out almost 90%, “phenomenal game for us and defense, said Cole,
•Maddax Boyd, Defensive Player of the Week - 7 tackles, fumble recovery for 70 yard TD, INT,
•Colten Cole, Special Teams Player of the Week- 1 touchback, 40 yard average on punt, 2-4 on field goals, missed 2 FG, penalty from 42 and then drills it from 47, “great game for us,” said Cole,
•Baer Webb, Big Dog Player of the Week (lineman) - 9 tackles, “flew around, best football game in a sulphur uniform, heck of a game for us,” he said,
•Eli Vinson, Hitter of the Week - “big time hit on Roberts kid,” and
•Garren Watson, Scout team Player of the Week - “great week of practice,” he said.
