With severe weather taking its toll on Southeast Oklahoma this past Friday, here are my thoughts on these tough matchups.

Durant Lions vs. Will Rogers College Ropers

The Lions emerged victorious this week against Will Rogers, with a score of 41-23.

The Lions looked electric on the field, flying to the ball on defense and making smart decisions on offense. I was impressed with Durant as a whole, the team felt cohesive and in-sync on Friday, and it paid off in the outcome of the ballgame.

“It was a much needed win going into our bye week,” Head Coach Vargas said. “Rogers was a tough nosed team that played hard.”

Offensively, Durant started to produce in the second half of the game. That, along with two punt returns for touchdowns, pushed the Lions to a victory. On the defensive side of the ball, two crucial 4th down stops were also made in the second half.

“We are not satisfied but it’s nice having two wins in a row,” Vargas said. “We will take the bye week to clean things up and start to prepare for our first district opponent: Sapulpa.”

After taking some time off to iron out the details of their game, Durant is poised to travel to Sapulpa on Sept. 22.

–

Idabel Warriors vs. Broken Bow Savages

This past Friday, Idabel and Broken Bow were not spared from Mother Nature’s mischief, which hit many areas of Southeast Oklahoma.

One of the biggest rivalries in the southeast region of the state, fans anticipate this exciting matchup every year, even going so far as to say this game has a “college-level” type of atmosphere.

The game, though set to kick off at 7 p.m, was backed up multiple times due to lightning and severe weather in the area. Thinking the storms would move out, the game was rescheduled for 9:15 p.m. However, the entire stadium lost power around 9:30 p.m, and the game was called off.

Broken Bow and Idabel have played every year in the Little River War dating to 1944, save for 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic, but the cancellation will end the streak at 75 straight seasons the schools have faced off.

The game has not yet been rescheduled, but we are hopeful to watch these teams on the field together soon.

Broken Bow is off this week for their scheduled bye week, and the Idabel Warriors head to Ashdown, Arkansas to take on the Panthers in a non-district contest.

–

Antlers Bearcats vs. Coalgate Wildcats

The Bearcats were a force to be reckoned with this week against the Coalgate Wildcats. Coming out strong and controlling the game with fervor, Antlers bested Coalgate, 44-16.

I was impressed with Antlers, as the team communicated well, and played with effort, attitude and toughness. Micah Parkins and Reece Crowsey led the defense and Zane Rinehart showed some great promise on both sides of the ball.

“We must to improve in every facet of the game in order to reach our goals,” Antlers Head Coach Beasley said. “I am proud of our team and the growth of their love for each other.”

Antlers will head to Atoka to take on the Wampus Cats in a district matchup and Coalgate will host the Allen Mustangs this Friday.

–

Valliant Bulldogs vs. Lone Grove Longhorns

This is a small school vs. big school battle if I’ve ever seen one. The Valliant Bulldogs were defeated by Lone Grove, 42-6, in a non-conference away game.

Valliant, though they played well in my opinion, could not topple the force of the Longhorns. They had many more kids on the roster, and had the ability to rotate in players and keep others fresh. This is an aspect that smaller school simply cannot compete with.

“We moved the ball well had 232 yards on the ground, we had 15 first downs, seven in the first half,” Valliant Head Coach Nix said. “Just gave up too many big plays. We had 32 kids suited up and they had 80.”

There’s only so many aspects you can control in a football game. At the end of the day, these game factors are out of everyone’s control and you must approach each game in the same manor.

I do not think this game is a good indicator of Valliant’s team talent, as they were outnumbered on the field in more ways than one.

“We may have lost on the score board but we all got mentally and physically better from the game,” Senior Dakota McDonald said.

Valliant is off this coming Friday, as they have their bye week.

–

I am so excited to be covering SE Oklahoma, my home! If you have any information to share on your team or you would like to recommend specific school coverage in the Southeast Area, please email me at payton.moody@vype.com.

We would like to thank everyone who has subscribed to VypePlus! It is a great way to get involved and keep up with your favorite local and statewide sports in Oklahoma. If you are interested in subscribing, please visit VypePlusOK.com.

If you’re interested in reading more content about high school sports in Southeast Oklahoma, check out “In their own words” – What did these players think after Week 3 of play? – Durant Area!