Screams of delight came from the visitors stands Friday at Choctaw Central High School as the Newton Tigers won their first game of the season in overtime 28-25 against the Choctaw Warriors.
Tigers coach Zachary Grady said winning Friday’s game, his first career win at Newton, was “huge.” He said the amount of work his players put in deserved a win, and he was ecstatic to see them get it.
“I’m so happy and proud of these kids ‘cause they’ve been through this much and fought so hard,” he said. “They deserved to win a long time ago.”
As soon as the teams first took the field, it became clear to all neither side was going to go down without a fight. The opening plays of the game shook the stadium as both the Tigers and the Warriors put their full efforts into gaining each yard.
Halfway through the first quarter, the Tigers’ offense managed to slip through the Warriors’ defenses to put up the first points of the game. Not to be outdone, the Warriors returned the kickoff for a 50-yard touchdown to tie things up.
On it went for four quarters. Each time one team gained the lead, their opponent would come blazing back with more points on the board.
Tired and sore, the Tigers found themselves tied, 22-22, with the Warriors, with only 51 seconds left in the game. It was fourth down and only 5-yards lie between the Tigers’ and assured victory. However, rather than take the easy way out with a field goal, the Newton team decided to win big or not at all.
The ball was snapped, and the Tigers’ and Warriors’ lines collided. As the referee’s whistle blew and players began to rise, groans rose from the Tigers’ stands. They had fallen short.
However, Newton’s final play had eaten up the last precious seconds of the game, and the two teams moved into overtime.
After winning the coin toss, the Warriors’ offense assembled on the 20-yard line. A short pass later, the football was carried into the end zone by Choctaw. It looked like the game was over, but a flag on the play brought the ball back to re-do first down.
The Tigers, energized by the Warriors’ failed win, refused to yield another yard. First, second and third downs brought only frustration and grass stains for the Warriors’ players. On fourth down, they settled for a field goal, letting the defense take over to end the game.
The Warriors’ defense, however, was not prepared for the tenacity of Newton’s light-footed offense. After a quick rush to gain 15-yards, Tigers’ wide receiver Trevion Hillie was in the end zone on the second play, cementing his team’s first win this season.
Hillie, who shouted and cheered along with his teammates after the game, said he was honored to have played a part in Friday’s victory. He said God gave him the ability, and he sees it as his duty to use it.
“I’ve got the ability to do good stuff, so I just do my best to the best of my ability,” he said.
Next week, the Tigers will host the Magee Trojans, who currently sit at 2-2 overall for the season. The game will start at 7 p.m.
