Defending champion Talihina handles Gore, 55-14

By DAVID SEELEY

The Sequoyah County Times

GORE–So far this season, no one has stopped the Class A, Division II defending state champion Talihina Golden Tigers.

The Gore Pirates were next on the list to see if they could do something the other teams so far haven’t — derail the Golden Tigers.

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See the LeFlore County sports today report.

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Unfortunately for the Pirates, it did not happen as the Golden Tigers remained undefeated with a 55-14 road District AII-3 victory over the Pirates.

The Golden Tigers (5-0 overall, 2-0 in district play) took the opening kickoff at their own 27-yard line. Thanks to a pair of long runs by senior quarterback Landen Griffith of 21 and 25 yards, coupled with a 13-yard pass from Griffith to Cy Ammons, the Golden Tigers went 73 yards in six plays as Gavin Brown caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Griffith. Kaden Cossey’s extra point put Talihina ahead 7-0 with 10:16 left in the first quarter.

On Gore’s first possession of the game, Gore quarterback Trenton Cunningham’s pass was intercepted by Talihina linebacker Noah Lloyd, who returned the pick 11 yards to the Gore 27-yard line with 8:58 remaining in the period.

Three plays later, the Golden Tigers cashed in the takeaway as Brown caught his second TD pass of the night from Griffith, a 19-yarder. Cossey’s PAT doubled the Talihina advantage to 14-0 with 8:38 left in the period.

After forcing a Gore punt, the Golden Tigers needed only one play to increase their lead as Lloyd caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Griffith with 3:51 remaining in the quarter. The bright spot in the quarter for Gore was that senior Devon Mannon blocked Cossey’s extra point to keep Talihina ahead 20-0 after a quarter.

On Talihina’s next possession, the Golden Tigers went 62 yards in eight plays, and were aided by Gore jumping offside which gave Talihina a first down, to score once again as Ammons caught a 13-yard TD pass from Griffith. Cossey’s PAT upped Talihina’s advantage to 27-0 with 11:33 left before halftime.

The Pirates (2-3, 0-2) went on a 19-play 85-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown run by Weston Cunningham. Eli Munson kicked the extra point to cut Gore’s deficit to 27-7 with 1:24 remaining in the first half.

Unfortunately for Gore, that was still enough time for Talihina to find the end zone for the fifth time in the first half.

Gore tried an onside kick that Talihina’s Nakaiah King recovered at the Talihina 44-yard line.

The Golden Tigers needed only three plays to go 56 yards as Brown capped his first half TD hat trick with his third score of the night, a 19-yard run with 41 seconds remaining before halftime. Cossey’s PAT increased Talihina’s lead to 34-7 at halftime.

The Pirates came out on all cylinders to begin the second half. The Pirates got the ball at their own 35-yard line after the second-half kickoff went out of bounds.

Gore needed just one play as Weston Cunningham went 65 yards down the Talihina sideline for a touchdown. Munson’s extra point cut Talihina’s advantage to 34-14 to give the Pirates some spark.

Unfortunately, that spark was defused quickly as the Golden Tigers also needed one play to score as Ammons caught a 56-yard TD pass from Griffith. Cossey’s PAT made it 41-14.

The Pirates looked like they were going to respond as they started their ensuing drive at their own 37-yard line and drove as deep as the Talihina 25 only to fumble the football with Nakaiah King making the recovery at the Talihina 34.

Before the Golden Tigers began their drive, the running clock was instituted.

Still, the Golden Tigers ended the drive as they did all their previous ones — in the end zone. Thanks to a 40-yard pass from Griffith to Ammons, the Golden Tigers marched 66 yards in six plays and scored as the horn sounded to end the third quarter. Ammons got his TD hat trick as he caught his third touchdown pass from Griffith, a 10-yarder Cossey’s extra point put Talihina on top 48-14 entering the fourth quarter.

The lone score of the final period was produced by Talihina’s reserves.

After forcing a Gore punt, the Talihina reserves marched the Golden Tigers 50 yards in eight plays as back-up QB Samuel Austin went up the middle seven yards for the TD. Cossey added the PAT.

The Golden Tigers will return to action with a home game against Porter Consolidated at 7 p.m. next Friday at Doc Robinson Stadium.

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