On paper, the Beggs Golden Demons should be getting ready to prepare for the upcoming basketball season this week.

In reality, the Demons’ cage campaign will have to wait at least one more week, as the Beggs varsity football program is preparing for a second-round home playoff game against the Idabel Warriors.

The reason for the delay in the start of the 2022-2023 basketball season preparations is the fact that the Demon gridiron squad came out of their first-round meeting last Friday with the second-ranked - and undefeated Rejoice Christian Eagles with a shocking 48-28 victory.

The 20-point stunning win is the seventh-straight opening-round win for the Beggs squad.

Beggs entered last Friday’s firstround matchup with the Rejoice Christian Eagles as a huge underdog, as the Demons were the No. 4 seed out of District 2A-7, while Rejoice Christian was the top seed out of District 2A-8.

The Demons and Eagles had already met once in 2022 with Beggs traveling to Owasso on September 9 and a Week 2 showdown with Rejoice Christian. The host Eagles left the Week 2 meeting on the winning end of a 70-16 outcome and entered the opening-round contest winning 9 of their 10 regular-season games by double digits, while Beggs came in having lost 2 of its last 3 regular-season contests.

The opening-round stunner puts the Demons into the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs this Friday night at Tate Field at Golden Demon Stadium in Beggs, hosting the Idabel Warriors, who began postseason play last Friday with a 42-7 win over Warner.

Kickoff for Friday’s playoff showdown in Beggs is set for 7 p.m.

In last Friday’s opening-round battle in Owasso, the host Eagles got the scoring started with a 27-yard TD pass from Chance Wilson to Solomon Morton. Maverick Price’s successful PAT kick made it a 7-0 advantage for Rejoice Christian.

The Demons answered with a 17yard TD run by Red Martel and successful conversion run by Michael Cudney for an 8-7 Beggs lead.

Martel added a 44-yard run later in the frame with Cudney crossing the goal line on the conversion attempt to push the Demons’ margin to nine, 16-7.

A 12-yard run by Darieon Johnson and an 80-yard scamper by Martel extended the Beggs lead to 28-7, while Rejoice Christian closed out the first-quarter scoring with a 3-yard run by Drevin Reed and successful PAT kick by Price to send the opening- round contest to the second quarter with the Demons doubling up on the host Eagles, 28-14, after the first 12 minutes of action.

Rejoice Christian opened the second- quarter scoring with a 1-yard run by Wilson. Price added the extra- point kick to cut the Beggs lead to seven, 28-21.

Martel’s fourth score of the contest came through the air, as the Beggs tailback hauled in a pass from Knox Dyson and rocketed 55 yards to paydirt, giving the Demons a 34-21 halftime advantage.

A defensive battle in the third stanza kept the score at 34-21 in favor of the visitors, then Rejoice Christian made it a 34-28 contest early in the fourth quarter with a 6-yard TD run and successful PAT kick by Price.

The Demons reacquired their double- digit margin (40-28) on a 44-yard TD run by Ryan Grayson, while Martel capped off his 5-TD night with a 25-yard run later in the final frame. Dyson connected with Grayson on the conversion attempt to put the finishing touches on Beggs’ 48-28, opening-round, win. ---

Class 2A Playoffs • First Round

Beggs 48, Rejoice Christian 28

Beggs: 28 - 6 - 0 - 14 (48) Rejoice Christian: 14 - 7 - 0 - 7 (28)

First Quarter

Rejoice Christian - Solomon Morton, 27-yard pass from Chance Wilson (Maverick Price kick) Beggs - Red Martel, 17-yard run (Michael Cudney run) Beggs - Martel, 44-yard run (Cudney run). Beggs - Darieon Johnson, 12-yard run (Run Failed) Beggs - Martel, 80-yard run (Pass Failed) Rejoice Christian - Drevin Reed, 3-yard run (Price kick)

Second Quarter

Rejoice Christian - Wilson, 1-yard run (Price kick) Beggs - Martel, 55-yard pass from Knox Dyson (Run Failed)

Third Quarter

No Score

Fourth Quarter

Rejoice Christian - Cale Marley, 6-yard run (Price kick) Beggs - Ryan Grayson, 44-yard run (Run Failed) Beggs - Martel, 25-yard run (Grayson pass from Dyson)