Chargers Exterminate Yellowjackets for 7th Straight

Friday's game between the Heritage Hall Chargers and the Kingfisher Yellow Jackets was arguably the biggest game in 3A football all year, as it would essentially decide the District 3A-1 Champion. The Jackets, led by all-around athlete Jett Sternberger, boasted and 5-2 record, with both losses coming while their star was out of action. 4th-ranked Kingfisher wanted nothing more than to upset the top-ranked Chargers. The two teams have a long-standing, heated rivalry that spans many sports, evidenced most recently by last year's basketball state championship narrowly won by the Chargers. The biggest question Friday was, "Can Heritage Hall slow down the potent Kingfisher offense?"

Though one might have expected the home team to jump out to a fast start Friday night, the complete opposite ensued. After a first quarter stalemate, Heritage Hall scored the game's first 21 points. The Chargers scored on the first play of the second frame, as Conner Carey took a handoff and zipped through the Jackets' defense to find the end zone from 16 yards out. The defense was magnificent also, using constant pressure to slow down Sternberger. On the next Charger drive, Carey powered through the line and burst 35 yards down the sidelines to push the lead to two scores with 10 minutes to play before halftime.

Both defenses stepped up and harassed the opposing offenses. The scoring drought was finally broken when Jackson Jobe found Carey behind the Jackets' defense and heaved a 58 yard bomb to his senior receiver to extend the lead to 21-0. Carey, with three touchdowns already, was on track for a monster night.

Kingfisher was able to cut the lead to 21-6, with a long touchdown pass that seemed to regain some momentum heading into halftime. However, with under 15 seconds left, the Chargers were still not done. On the last play of the half the Jackets kicked deep to dangerous return man Billy Ross, Jr., and the senior speedster made them pay, fumbling the return initially before housing it from 89 yards out to shift the momentum back to the Chargers. At the break, the Hall lead by a score of 28-6.

To much surprise, the second half was for the most part controlled by the Yellow Jackets of Kingfisher. The Jackets were able to zap their way back into the game, courtesy of Jett Sternberger. The lone score of the third quarter came on a Sternberger passing touchdown, followed by a two-point conversion to cut the lead to 28-14.

Carey scored again to start the fourth, but it was the Jackets who stung the Charger defense for two more touchdowns to cut the lead to just eight with just under 4 minutes to play. The following drive, Kingfisher forced the Chargers to a fourth and 1, but NewsOK's 3A Mid-season Player of the Year slammed into a pile short of the mark and kept his legs churning to move the pile and pick up the clutch first down. The Chargers continued to feed Carey, as Kingfisher burned timeouts to stop the clock. Carey busted a 38 yard run down the sideline to cap off his prolific night. The Hall went to victory formation and sealed the 35-27 win in a wild affair.

Jobe had a very solid night for the Chargers, finishing 7 of 13 for 122 yards and one score. Carey led the way for the Chargers in rushing and receiving, taking 33 carries for 292 yards and three touchdowns while hauling in 2 passes for 62 yards and a score. Phillip Smitherman dominated on defense, finishing with 19 tackles, just ahead of Hardy Bowers at 17 and Preston Nelson at 12.

The Chargers travel to Blackwell next Thursday to take on the struggling Maroons in a 7:00pm kickoff, televised on ChargerVision. Onward!

Written by Rives Mitchell '19
Photos by Kirsten Griffin

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