LHS Upsets Top Ranked Muskogee To Move On To Championship Game

In 2014, Lawton High School dominated its opponents all season long on the way to a top-ranking and a visit to the state finals. That year they met a red-hot Bixby team in the championship game and fell 35-21.

Its been a different route to the state finals this year, and while the road has been different for the Wolverines, they are also hoping the outcome will be too, as Lawton upset top-ranked Muskogee Friday night, coming away with a 35-28 victory, and a spot in the state 6A-II championship, a rematch against Bixby.

Zack Hanna threw for 205 yards passing, on 11-25 attempts, throwing for two touchdowns and one interception. But the rushing game was the difference, Jayquan Lincoln tallied 73 yards on 4 rushes and Tre Curry scored twice on the ground, rushing for 43 yards on 24 carries on the night. Both backs scored twice on the night. Dia Vonta Michael led the Lawton defense with 15 tackles and an interception, which he returned 48 yards for the game's deciding score. Marcus Spencer also had an interception for Lawton, but the biggest play of the night belonged to senior Stephen Silas, who intercepted a Muskogee pass in the end zone on the final play of the game to secure the win.

Dominick Neal and Tre Curry scored two touchdowns a piece, while Dia Vonta Michael provided the game winning score on a defensive touchdown.

A Lawton comeback seemed unlikely after a first half dominated by No. 1 Muskogee (9-2), who led 21-7 at the midway point after picking up 13 first half first downs, compared to just four for Lawton. The Roughers managed to maintain their lead until early in the fourth quarter when Hanna hit Dominick Neal with a 29 yard touch down pass with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game. Neal caught the ball just inside the back pylon in the end zone, and after the extra point, the game was suddenly tied at 28.

After Muskogee took the ensuing kickoff back to midfield, a tipped pass from quarterback Jacob Medrano landed in the hands of Dia Vonta Michael, who raced the ball back 48 yards for the score, giving the Wolverines their first lead of the game with just 7:15 left to play. Muskogee would then take their final drive the length of the field, only to be thwarted by the senior Silas intercepting a pass in the end zone on the game final play.

After taking the Thanksgiving week off, the Wolverines, now 8-4 on the season will face Bixby for the state title, with the date, time and location yet to be announced by the OSSAA. Bixby (9-3) beat Sand Springs 35-21 in the other semifinal Friday. This will be a rematch of the 2014 6A-II championship game, in which Bixby beat the Wolverines 35-21.