Gore Pirates lost their Class A state championship game against the Fairview Yellowjackets on Edmond Saturday in a heartbreaking 28-32 defeat at Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond.
The Pirates, who were expecting a win, were defeated by the Yellowjackets, even after playing with great heart and determination throughout the game.
Even with their loss, Gore Pirates head coach Brandon Tyler had to appreciate the great effort and teamwork his players showed throughout this season. He said he was proud of their accomplishments, of playing in the championship game, and he was proud of the way that they represented themselves and their community.
Yellowjackets started the game with strong offensive play and it was a wake-up call for the Gore Pirates. This showed that the title game would be a tough fight for both teams. At the end of the opening kick, the Pirates had successfully scored a three-to-zero lead.
The Yellowjackets came roaring back with Bernard scoring the initial goal for the Fairview team and with only 6:40 remaining until the end of the first quarter the standing score was 7-0.
Despite being down 7-0, Gore did not give up and they tried their best to score goals. Luckily, Gore’s Gunner Dozer managed to get a goal for his team with 5:32 left before the end of the first quarter which meant that Gore had now equalized the score at 7-7.
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With a draw for both teams, the game heated up with the Gore’s defending multiple tackles from the Yellowjackets. At 2:16 left the Pirates were able to rally around their team for one final score from Cooper’s touchdown ending the first quarter with the Pirates owning a 14-7 lead.
Talking to Tyler of Pirates about the first quarter of the championship game, he expressed his frustration after his team failed to capitalize on several opportunities to take a 21-7 lead and a possibility of a 17-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter of the game was nothing short of amazing. The Yellowjackets came out strong, with a touchdown tying the score at 14 with 11:34 left.
After equalizing the score, the Yellowjackets changed their game plan to defense mode. This was after the Pirate’s workhorse Dozier sustained a wrist injury and was forced to the sidelines.
In his post-championship interview, Tyler was proud of his team, who was able to fill the gap left by Dozier after getting hurt. He expressed his appreciation for how Jackson and Noah conducted themselves on the field, both in defense and offense.
The Yellowjackets expanded their lead to three points with about three and a half minutes left, making it 17-14.
The third quarter of the game started with an early touchdown for the Pirates, who made it 17-21 on the scoreboard. As the game continued, however, coaches and fans were upset by some questionable calls from the referee. But as the third quarter ended, the Pirates’ defense seemed tired and gave up enough ground for the Yellowjackets to play.
Fairview converted on fourth down plays, making the difference in their 28-32 win against Pirate. They were able to move the ball just enough by getting that yard plus a couple of inches by crossing the Pirate’s defense line.
At the end of the game, and after conceding a heartbreaking defeat, the Pirates were still able to celebrate the fact that they had put up a good fight. They did not go down without a fight, and everyone in attendance was able to witness some amazing plays that made it seem as though they had a chance.
The Pirates played an amazing game and showed us all what they are capable of. We are all very proud of them and their effort!
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