The championship drought for the Beggs varsity football team extended to 46 seasons this past Friday night.
The championship drought for the Beggs varsity football team extended to 46 seasons this past Friday night.
The Demons’ championship drought continued following their heartbreaking 14-8 loss to the topranked Washington Warriors in the semifinals of the Class 2A state playoffs at Langston University’s W.E. Anderson Stadium.
Both teams entered last Friday’s semifinal showdown averaging nearly 50 points this season - Beggs (48.2 ppg); Washington (49.8) - and combined for just 22 points in 48 minutes of gameplay.
In last Friday’s semifinal contest, the Demons were held under double digits for the first time since a 14-6 loss to Metro Christian last year, while Washington was held to under 50 points for the first time since defeating Community Christian by a 13- 10 margin in Week 6.
The low-scoring contest saw the top-ranked Warriors do all of their scoring in the first eight minutes of action.
Beggs broke onto the scoreboard in the early portion of the third quarter and were closing in on a possible game-winning drive before the clock ran out, putting the Demons one score short of reaching the state title game for the third time in the last five seasons.
The Beggs gridiron squad closes out the 2021 campaign with an 11-3 record (third-straight 3-loss season) and a fifth-straight semifinal appearance.
In last Friday’s semifinal battle, Washington started the scoring at the 8:03 mark of the opening quarter with a 10-yard run by Lane Steele. Sam Hageman’s successful PAT kick gave the top-ranked Warriors the early 7-0 advantage.
Less than four minutes later, Washington doubled its point total when Major Cantrell connected with Luke Hendrix on a 15-yard TD pass. Hageman once again toed the extra-point kick to make it a 14-0 margin with 4:10 remaining in the first stanza.
The score remained at 14-0 into the halftime break, as the final 16:10 of the first half became a defensive battle with neither team reaching the end zone.
The scoreless first half was the first time this season that the Demons did not tally any points in the first 24 minutes of action.
With 8:42 left in the third quarter, the Beggs offense snapped their scoreless streak when quarterback Ayden Hamilton crossed the goal line on a QB keeper. The try for two was unsuccessful, making it a 14-6 contest.
The Beggs defense continued to keep the Washington offense out of the end zone in the second half and made it a 14-8 margin by tackling the Warrior running back in the end zone for a 2-point safety with 17 seconds remaining in regulation.
Following the free kick by the Warriors, the Demon offense was unable to get into the end zone before the final 12 seconds ran off the clock to put the Beggs squad on the losing end of a 14-8 defeat.
Class 2A Playoffs
Semifinals
Washington 14, Beggs 8
Beggs: 0 - 0 - 6 - 2 (8)
Washington: 14 - 0 - 0 - 0 (14)
First Quarter
Washington - Lane Steele, 10-yard run (Sam Hageman kick); 8:03
Washington - Luke Hendrix, 15-yard pass from Major Cantrell (Hageman kick); 4:10
Second Quarter
No Score
Third Quarter
Beggs - Ayden Hamilton, 1-yard run (Run Failed); 8:42
Fourth Quarter
Beggs - Safety; 0:17