The retreat provided class members with an opportunity to strengthen relationships, develop leadership skills, build teamwork and learn more about the importance of working together to serve the Murray County community.

For Class XXII member Brandon Naifeh, the community-focused aspect of Leadership Murray County is what makes the program stand out.

“Being involved in other Leadership classes prior to LMC, what I see has set LMC apart from all the others is the community involvement and having each class give back to the community that we serve,” Naifeh said.

Naifeh added that leadership extends beyond the workplace and includes making a lasting difference in the community.

“Being a leader not only means leading your employees and staff but leaving a meaningful impact on the community,” he said. “LMC has really shown me that we serve such an amazing community and have so many strong and heartfelt leaders in our community.”

The retreat is one of many experiences designed to bring Leadership Murray County Class XXII members together while preparing them to become engaged leaders and advocates for the communities they serve.

The council made the designation Monday, continuing the annual Halloween tradition that brings costumed youngsters and families into neighborhoods throughout the city in search of treats and holiday fun.

Trick-or-treating is traditionally conducted from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., giving children an opportunity to visit participating homes during the early evening hours.

As Halloween approaches, parents and children are encouraged to make safety a priority while enjoying the festivities. With youngsters walking through neighborhoods after dark, motorists should slow down, watch carefully for children crossing streets and driveways, and remain especially alert in residential areas.

Parents are encouraged to accompany younger children and ensure older children trick-ortreat in groups. Families should plan a route in familiar neighborhoods, establish a return time, and make sure children know how to contact a parent or trusted adult if they become separated.

Children should use sidewalks whenever possible, cross streets at corners or designated crosswalks, and look both ways before crossing. Carrying flashlights or glow sticks and wearing reflective clothing can help children remain visible to drivers. Costumes should fit properly to prevent trips and falls, and masks should not obstruct vision. Face paint can be a safer alternative to masks that make it difficult to see.

Parents should also inspect Halloween candy and other treats before allowing children to eat them. Homemade or unwrapped items should be accepted only from people the family knows and trusts, and any suspicious or damaged packaging should be discarded.

Homeowners welcoming trick-or-treaters can help by keeping walkways and porches well-lit, clearing steps and paths of obstacles, and keeping pets secured.

With a little planning and attention to safety, Sulphur families can enjoy a fun and memorable Halloween while helping keep the community’s youngest trickor-treaters safe.

Idabel had speed all over the field, but it was Sulphur’s linemen and playmakers who stole the show Friday night as the Bulldogs continued their impressive run with a third consecutive rout since their loss to Gunter, Texas.

The Bulldogs scored on every possession but one in the first half and wrapped up a 48-7 victory over the Warriors on the road. Sulphur scored on its first six possessions, taking advantage of outstanding defensive play, individual efforts and special teams to secure its third consecutive District 3A-2 victory.

The win improved Sulphur’s season record to 5-1 and its district mark to 3-0, keeping the Bulldogs firmly in the hunt for a district championship.

Head coach Corey Cole was pleased with the way his team handled the long road trip and established control early in the contest.

“Another solid start for the Bulldogs last Friday night at Idabel,” Cole said. “The offense was clicking early, and the Bulldog defense played outstanding, limiting the big-play capability of the Idabel Warriors.”

Cole said the team’s focus and execution were especially encouraging following a threehour trip to Idabel.

“I thought we were really good in all three phases of the game, offensively, defensively, and special teams,” he said. “We are continuing to improve weekend and week-out, fixing little mistakes and getting more and more comfortable each week.”

Defense Sets the Tone The Bulldogs’ defensive performance was a major factor in the lopsided victory, holding Idabel to just 100 yards of total offense despite the Warriors’ speed and athleticism.

“Idabel has speed all over the field, but we were great tacklers,” Cole said. “I thought we gave them a bunch of different looks, and I thought our kids played extremely fast and very physical.”

Senior Madden Duck led the defensive effort while continuing to work his way back from a couple of injuries. Cole said Duck led the team in tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered another.

The defensive front also turned in a strong performance. Cole praised the play of Acer Dixon, George Martinez, Jesse Peters, Garin Watson, Kaleb Walker and Makhi Gray for their work up front.

The Bulldogs’ secondary did its part by limiting Idabel’s ability to produce big plays, while Drake Wood came up with an interception. Cole said Wood continues to be one of the team’s biggest playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.

Offense Features Multiple Weapons

Sulphur’s offense continued to show its versatility, with quarterback Traber Sartors directing the attack and making plays with both his arm and legs.

“Traber Sartors threw the ball well and ran the offense well and continues to get better each and every week,” Cole said.

Carter Cole turned in one of the night’s biggest performances, finishing with more than 150 receiving yards and a touchdown while also scoring twice on the ground. After working through an injury earlier in the season, Cole is returning to full speed and becoming an increasingly important part of the Bulldogs’ offensive attack.

Cole said the coaching staff plans to continue finding ways to get Carter involved as both a receiver and a wildcat quarterback.

The offensive line also earned praise for opening holes for the running game, particularly against an Idabel defense that committed extra players to stopping the run.

“Our offensive line did a great job,” Cole said. “We ran the ball very efficiently against a loaded box.”

Running backs Jojo Gray, Jackson Haggard, Chase Warden, Lucas Mitchell and Madden Duck all ran hard, according to Cole, who emphasized the depth and versatility of the Bulldogs’ offensive personnel.

Mavric Lowrance added another highlight with an acrobatic touchdown reception, demonstrating the big-play ability that has become a trademark of Sulphur’s offense.

Cole said the Bulldogs have several players capable of producing game-changing plays, including Drake Wood, Garin Watson, Carter Cole, Lowrance, Rush Pitman and the team’s group of running backs.

“We are blessed with a lot of playmakers right now at running back and at receiver,” Cole said. “Plus, we have a quarterback who has proven that he can make plays with both his feet and his arm.”

With the offense producing consistently and the defense growing more comfortable each week, Sulphur appears to be building momentum at an important point in the season.

“I’m really proud of our effort,” Cole said. “It was a great team win, and I thought our kids were focused on their business and went out and played good Bulldog football against a good football team.”

Lone Grove Next on the Schedule The Bulldogs will return home Thursday night to face the Lone Grove Longhorns in a key District 3A-2 matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Lone Grove enters the contest with a 2-4 overall record and a 2-1 district mark, but Cole cautioned that the Longhorns should not be judged by their record. The team has several returning players from last season, along with good speed and a reputation for physical play.

“Coach Curtis Cole (no relation to Corey Cole) always has a really good football team, and his team is always physical, plays very disciplined, and have been very, very good the last several years,” Sulphur’s coach said.

Cole expects the line of scrimmage to be a major factor Thursday, particularly if weather conditions affect the game.

“We will need to be very physical this Thursday night,” he said. “The weather could be in play, so we need to make sure that we control the line of scrimmage and win in the trenches and then find ways to get the ball to our playmakers.”

The Sulphur coach said he has been encouraged by the defense’s continued improvement, noting that players are becoming more comfortable in their roles and playing with greater speed and physicality.

Thursday’s game represents another important step toward the Bulldogs’ primary season objective: winning the district championship.

“This is a huge opportunity at home as we continue to climb to get to goal number one, and that’s to be the district champion,” Cole said. “To do that, we’re going to have to be very good against a good Lone Grove team this Thursday.”

Cole said the Bulldogs must maintain their focus, execute the little things and continue playing with maximum effort to meet the challenge.

With three consecutive district victories behind them, the Bulldogs will look to keep their momentum going Thursday night as they pursue their district title goal.

PHOTO BY BLAKE SEALE Game Recap

Sulphur wasted little time in lighting up the scoreboard after recovering Idabel’s opening- game, on-side kickoff at midfi led and scored in only five plays.

A 28-yard Traber Sartors to Carter Cole pass play and two strong runs by running back JoJo Gray moved the Bulldogs down to the three-yard-line where Gray plunged in for the TD.

Although Angel Rios was just wide on his extra-point kick, the Dogs made it look easy, taking an early 6-0 lead and scoring in just over one and one-half minutes of clock time.

Idabel took possession on the kickoff at their own 25, but went nowhere on their first three attempts, throwing an incomplete pass and losing 14 yards on two fumbled quarterback snaps.

On the ensuing punt, the Warriors were called for a 15-yard penalty, giving the Dogs good field position at Idabel’s 23, mere chip-shot range for Sulphur’s surging offense.

Sartors and Cole then teamed up for a 23-yard pass and catch touchdown, but the Dogs were called for holding and the big play nullified.

Now at Idabel’s 32, the Dogs went to a mixture of running and passing and scored in only nine plays. Gray got 11 of the 20 yards needed for a first down in just two plays, but the Dogs were called for a 5-yard false start penalty on the following play, and faced a third and long for first down. Cole ran for four yards on the next play, then caught a 13-yard strike from Sartors on fourth down to move his team to the four where Gray plunged in for his second score of the night.

Rios’ PAT kick gave the Dogs a 13-0 lead with 6:03 left in the first quarter.

The Warriors took over at their own 24 after the kickoff, and found a spark with a 7-yard run and 15-yard pass for a first down, their first of the game. But, on the next play, the Dog’s Mavric Lowrance made a leaping pass interception to give the Dogs possession at Idabel’s 49, and Sulphur would make quick work of the opportunity, scoring in only three plays.

After Gray was held for no gain on first down, Sartors rolled out, found a seam and raced 24 yards inside the 20 of Idabel. The Warriors were hit with major penalty on the play, moving the ball to the 13. Cole negotiated the final 13 yards on two rushes, going in from the four to score Sulphur’s third touchdown of the night. Rios’ PAT gave Sulphur a 20-0 lead, still in the first quarter, and the rout was now on.

On their ensuing possession, the Warriors dug themselves a deeper hole, fumbling on their third rushing attempt from just inside mid-field. The Dog’s Ethan Sales came up with the ball.

Sulphur went for a knock-out blow on the next play and pulled it off as Lowrance made a leaping catch between two defenders, and scored on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Sartors. The catch was a highlight reel for Lowrance as the Dogs took a 27-0 lead with 2:11 still remaining in the first quarter.

Sulphur’s defense continued their stellar play on the next possession, forcing the Warriors into two bad snaps to the quarterback and losses of 10 yards, and an incomplete pass. They punted out to the Dog’s 35, a team still hungry for more points.

On second and 10, Sulphur running back Jackson Haggard blew through a big hole for 20 yards, followed by Carter Cole’s 32-yard pass from Sartors. Haggered then plunged through from four yards out for the score. A Rios’ PAT kick gave the Dogs a 34-0 lead with nearly three quarters still remaining.

The Warriors were unable to mount much of an offense on the next drive, but did manage to complete a 15-yard pass. But that was it for the home team as Sulphur’s defense stiffened and forced them into another punt.

The Dogs took over at their own 46 and wasted little time in scoring their seventh TD of the night near the end of the second quarter.

Big plays of the drive included a 19-yard run by Madden Duck and 31-yard pass from Sartors to Garin Watson. Lucas Mitchell negotiated the final five yards on a run as the Dogs took a 41-0 lead into half.

Idabel was unable to move on their opening second half possession and punted to the Sulphur 38.

For a Sulphur offense that had scored on every possession but one to this point, it was more of the same.

With good protection from his line, Sators dropped back into the pocket and fired off a long, over the middle pass to Carter Cole. He made a leaping catch and shed a defender for a 62-yard touchdown strike. Rios added the PAT kick to give the Dogs a 48-0 lead.

Idabel kept from getting shut out, scoring on an11-yard pass on their ensuing drive, which spanned 63 yards.

The Dogs then rode out the clock to clinch their fifth win in six starts, and will be at home this Thursday in a 7:00 p.m. kick against Lone Grove.

Hospital officials said the recognition is a meaningful accomplishment for Arbuckle Memorial Hospital because patient satisfaction is an important reflection of the care patients receive—not only in the treatment they are provided, but also in how they are treated, heard and supported throughout their healthcare experience.

MBQIP is a quality-improvement initiative designed specifically to help Critical Access Hospitals use quality data to identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen the care they provide to rural communities. The program includes measures related to patient perceptions and engagement, along with patient safety, outpatient care and care transitions. Hospitals use this information to evaluate their performance and identify ways to continually improve the quality of care and patient experience.

ForArbuckle Memorial Hospital, the Patient Satisfaction Award represents the dedication of an entire team committed to putting patients first. Every interaction— from registration and nursing care to diagnostic services, therapy, dietary services, housekeeping and discharge—contributes to the overall experience of a patient.

As a rural hospital serving Murray County and the surrounding communities, Arbuckle Memorial Hospital understands the importance of providing quality healthcare close to home. Rural hospitals play a vital role in their communities, providing essential healthcare services to patients who might otherwise have to travel significant distances to receive care. Programs such as MBQIP help rural hospitals measure their performance and identify opportunities to continually improve the care they provide.

Hospital

The award also reflects Arbuckle Memorial Hospital’s ongoing commitment to its mission of meeting the healthcare needs of Murray County with compassion and care. Patient experience remains an important part of that mission, with the hospital continually working to ensure patients feel respected, heard and cared for during every visit.

The 2026 recognition comes as rural healthcare organizations from across Oklahoma gather for the Oklahoma Rural Health Conference, hosted by the Rural Health Association of Oklahoma. The conference brings together rural healthcare professionals and organizations to share knowledge, address challenges facing rural healthcare and recognize achievements throughout the state.

Arbuckle Memorial Hospital is honored to receive the 2026 MBQIP Patient Satisfaction Award and is grateful to the patients and families who place their trust in the hospital and its team. The recognition belongs to the entire AMH staff whose dedication and compassion help make a

Seniors Harley Peters and PeydenYoung,at right, were crowned king and queen at last Friday night’s Sulphur homecoming coronation ceremonies,held during the Sulphur-Seminole game. Pictured above are the, newly crowned king and queen, queen candidates, princesses and their escorts, the crown bearer and flower girl. They are, from left, Drake Wood, escorting freshman princess Jules Jessop; Rush Pittman, escorting sophomore princess Emma Freehill; Traber Sartors, escorting junior princess Tayten Digby, the newly crowned king and queen, Harley Peters and Peyden Young; George Martinez escorting senior queen candidate Jayden Lee; and JoJo Gray escorting senior queen candidate Bintlee Birch. In foreground are the ring bearer and flower girl, Nick Lee and Maddux Steele White. The ceremonies took place in pre-game festivities before the game.

Sulphur used a lockdown defense and an array of offensive weapons to dismantle Seminole last Friday in one of the Bulldogs’ biggest shows of firepower this season.

The Bulldogs’ Garin Watson took the opening kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown, and it was all downhill from there as Sulphur swamped the Chieftains, 62-0.

Seminole entered the contest with a 3-1 record and appeared poised to give the Bulldogs, also 3-1, an early district test. Instead, the game was essentially decided within minutes.

Sulphur exploded for six touchdowns in the opening quarter and added two more scores in the second period to take a commanding 55-0 lead into halftime.

While the offensive production was impressive, the real story of the night was a suffocating Sulphur defense that held Seminole to **minus-three yards of total offense**.

The Chieftains never crossed midfield in the first half and never seriously threatened to score. Even after Sulphur was flagged for consecutive 15-yard penalties, the Bulldogs’defense quickly shut down any hopes of a Seminole comeback.

Head Sulphur coach Corey Cole said he was particularly proud of the Bulldogs’ focus during a week filled with the distractions that come with homecoming.

“This was a great homecoming win,” Cole said. “I thought our kids were laser-focused considering it being a homecoming week and all the distractions that come with it — the float building, the homecoming ceremony and everything that goes into it.”

Cole said the Bulldogs’ defensive performance was outstanding from start to finish.

“Defensively, I thought we were outstanding all night,” he said. “We were flying to the football, very aggressive, physical and fast.”

Sulphur recorded 12 tackles for loss and a sack while consistently keeping Seminole behind the line of scrimmage.

Michael Morris led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss. Cole also praised the play of defensive linemen Acer Dixon, AJ Gordon, Kaleb Walker and George Martinez, along with defensive ends Watson and Jesse Peters and a secondary that avoided major mistakes.

“We had no busts,” Cole said. “We were really good tackling and were where we were supposed to be most of the night.”

The Bulldogs also dominated in the kicking game. Watson’s opening kickoff return provided an immediate spark, while Sulphur’s coverage units were strong throughout the night.

Sulphur did not punt and forced Seminole to punt eight times. Angel Rios converted seven of eight extra-point attempts, while Harley Peters was perfect on his lone attempt.

Offensively, the Bulldogs rolled up 313 yards rushing and 130 yards passing while running just 34 offensive plays with the clock running throughout the second half.

Quarterback Traber Sartors completed 5-of-7 passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Cole said Sartors continues to grow more comfortable directing the Bulldogs’ RPO offense.

“I think he is getting more and more comfortable every week with what we want from our quarterback,” Cole said. “I feel like he’s progressing really well right now.”

Jojo Gray continued his strong season with another 100-yard performance, rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

Carter Cole led the Bulldogs through the air with two receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns.

Cole also credited Sulphur’s offensive line for continuing to improve each week.

The Bulldogs’younger players also saw significant playing time late in the contest, giving the coaching staff an opportunity to see the next wave of Sulphur players in action.

“I just love watching how they play the game like we teach it,” Cole said. “They fly around, they’re very aggressive, and play the style of football that we want to see our kids play.”

The victory marked a significant step forward for Sulphur following its loss to Gunter, Texas, earlier in the season. The Bulldogs have now opened district play with two victories and remain focused on their ultimate goal.

“The biggest thing was we improved greatly from the last couple of weeks since the loss at Gunter,” Cole said. “Obviously, there’s still lots of things that we gotta get better at, and lots of things that we need to improve if we want to win a district championship.”

Idabel Preview

The Bulldogs now turn their attention to a long road trip to Idabel (2-3) this Friday for a matchup against a team Cole says presents an entirely different challenge.

“This is a trip that we haven’t made in a long, long time,” Cole said. “We will face a very, very fast football team, definitely the fastest team that we have seen so far.”

Cole said Idabel has athletes throughout its lineup and presents challenges on both sides of the football.

“They have athletes all over the field,” he said. “They’re very aggressive defensively and offensively. They like to run it and throw, so it’s gonna be a great challenge for us to contain their speed and for us to be able to combat that with our physical toughness and relentless effort.”

Keys To The Game

For the Bulldogs, the keys to the game are straightforward: play physical, protect the football and continue to improve.

“We must be physical, we must take care of the ball, not turn it over, and make sure that we continue to improve daily this week,” Cole said.

“We look forward to the challenge of the long road trip ahead of us,” he added. “Coach Kincaide has a very talented group of athletes and a really good football team. We must be ready for the challenge.”

Game Recap

Garin Watson’s 72-yard kick-off return for a touchdown to start the game kick-stated one of the biggest shows of firepower this season for the Dogs, both offensively and defensively.

In only 10 seconds, the Dogs defined the trajectory of this decades-long rivalry, and were never challenged at any point in the game. WithAngel Rios’extra point, the Dogs led 7-0, but there would be plenty more scores to follow in a fast and furious first quarter.

The Chieftains fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but managed to keep possession, and began their first offensive series at their own 24. The Dogs made a good play on a long sideline throw, then tackled a runner in the backfield for -2 yards. Another incomplete pass on third down forced them to punt.

Sulphur took over at their own 40, and scored in only seven plays as running back JoJo Gray walked into the end-zone from the three. Big plays in the drive were a 13-yard pass from quarterback Traber Sartors to Drake Wood, and a 16-yard run by Gray. Rios added the PAT kick to give the Dogs a quick 14-0 lead.

On their next possession, the Chieftains found no where to run or throw. In fact, they lost four yards on first down, were stopped for no gain on second down, and threw and incomplete pass on third down. Their fourth down punt didn’t go anywhere either, as Sulphur took over on the Chieftains’ 43.

The Dogs wasted little time in scoring their third TD of the night. Rush Pittman got Sulphur on the march with an 8-yard pass from Sartors, then Gray reeled off a 21-yard gain, and Carter Cole completed the drive with a 25-yard scoring strike from Sartors. Rios’ PAT kick gave the Dogs a 21-0 lead with 6:33 still left in the first quarter.

Seminole gained zero yardage on their next possession, and could only get off a 17-yard punt to their own 27.

From there, it was easy pickins’ as Sartors found Watson on a 27-yard scoring strike, and now the rout was on. With 4:38 still left in the first quarter, the Dogs scored their fourth TD and took a 28-0 lead with Rios’ PAT kick.

On their next possession, the Chieftains were stopped cold on their first two rushing attempts, but did managed to get their first positive yardage in the game, a four-yard pass. Despite their little sliver of offensive success, they tried to punt again but the ball traveled only 11 yards, setting the Dogs up at Seminole’s 36.

Sulphur was flagged for holding on first down, moving them back to the 46, but Gray blasted through a big hole opened up by his offensive line on the next play and raced 46 yards for the score. That give Sulphur a five-touchdown cushion as Rios add the PAT with 2:38 still remaining in the first quarter.

Seminole benefited from 30 yards in Sulphur penalties on two consecutive plays on their next possession, moving them out to their own 49, their deepest point of the game. However, 18 yards in losses forced them into their fifth consecutive punt. Again, the ball didn’t go far as Sulphur took over at their own 41.

With just seconds left in the first quarter, Gray blasted through a hole for 11 yards, then Sartors found Carter Cole on a 48-yard touchdown strike and the Dogs had this one put away after only one quarter of play. Rios booted the PAT to give Sulphur a 42-0 lead.

The Chieftains were able to get about nine yards on their next series, but came up a yard short of a first down, then punted to the Dog’s 34.

With some new faces in the lineup, the Dogs continued their relentless offensive onslaught.

After a 10-yard holding penalty, Dog running back Jackson Haggard blew through the line on a 50-yard gallop, then plunged over from the one two plays later for the score. That gave the Dogs a 48-0 lead with 9:06 still left in the second period.

On their next possession, Seminole took over at their own 28, but lost 13 yards on a bad center snap to the quarterback and eventually were forced to punt.

The Dogs took over at their own 40 as more new faces entered in the lineup.

Sophomore running back Lucas Mitchell peeled off 10 yards on first down, then freshman Blaze Burch ran for 15, followed by sophomore Harrison Taylor’s 9-yard pass from quarterback Ayler Dixon.

A motion penalty set the Dogs back five yards, but Mitchell powered for 24 yards to the seven on the next play. Dixon then negotiated the final four yards on a quarterback run for the score. With 3:05 still remaining in the second quarter, the Dogs held a commanding, 55-0 lead at the half.

Sulphur added a final score early in the third quarter, going 46 yards in nine plays.

Burch started the drive, picking up 11 yards on Sulphur’s first two plays, then freshman Kyler Wallace blasted for runs of 10 yards and 28-yards to the Seminole 13. Burch then ended the drive on a 13-yard scoring run to give the Dog’s their final TD of the night.

The Bulldogs scored on every possession in the game except their next to last after Seminole went on a fourth down.

Coronation ceremonies will be held in pre-game activities during the Sulphur- Seminole football game on Friday, Oct. 2.

This year’s queen will be selected among three senior candidates, Bintlee Birch, Jayden Lee, and Peyden Young.

Serving as princesses for this year’s event are Tayten Digby (junior), Emma Freehill (sophomore), and Jules Jessop (freshman).

The senior escorts include Rush Pittman, Traber Sartors, JoJo Gray, George Martinez, Harley Peters, and Drake Wood.

Activities will get underway on Friday, with a noon pep rally atAgee Field, a parade beginning at 2:00 p.m., and ending with the coronation ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Parade Route

The homecoming parade will form at West 12th & Broadway. Line-up will begin at 1:00 p.m. on West 12th Street, north of Broadway. A Student Council rep will at that time give parade entrants their entry number. The route, shown in the graphic at right, is east on Broadway to West 10th Street, then north by Pick of the Day, north to Muskogee Ave., east on Muskogee to West 9th, north on 9th to Wynnewood St., east on Wynnewood past the football field and elementary and end at the Armory.

These are some of the photos that defined this year’s fair which included Lego contest winners (on top), and a couple of grand champion winners.

Complete results of the fair are published on pages 7A and 8A of this edition.

In Friday night’s district showdown at Madill, the numbers told the story perfectly as the Sulphur Bulldogs exploded for 10 touchdowns on just 33 offensive plays, piled up more than 500 yards of offense and dismantled the young Wildcats, 68-0.

Sulphur wasted little time putting the game away.

The Bulldogs scored three touchdowns on just one play each, another touchdown in three plays, one in four plays and another in five plays — all in the opening quarter. Sulphur raced to a 41-0 lead after one quarter and carried a commanding 55-0 advantage into halftime.

For the Bulldogs, now 3-1, the dominant victory provided exactly the response head coach Corey Cole wanted following the previous week’s loss to Gunter, Texas.

“I was very proud of the way our kids bounced back from the Gunter loss a week before,” Cole said. “I thought we had a really great week of practice in preparation and Friday night, we went out and took care of business.”

Cole said the Bulldogs corrected mistakes from the Gunter game, made adjustments and played with the speed, physicality and relentless effort he expects from his team.

“I thought we were on the attack from the first whistle and never slowed down,” he said. “I loved our intensity, loved our effort and loved how we were focused on the main thing, and that was to get better and improve.”

Offense Finds Its Rhythm Sulphur was efficient through the air, completing 5 of 6 passes for more than 180 yards, while the running game produced more than 300 yards.

The Bulldogs also protected the football, committing no turnovers.

“Our offensive linemen played very, very well,” Cole said. “We’ve got to get some guys in and some situations that they hadn’t been in with our lineup.”

Quarterback Trevor Sartors turned in a strong performance in limited action, throwing a touchdown pass and running for two touchdowns in only a few series.

Cole said Sartors appeared more confident and precise in his execution.

“In the offense we run, it puts a lot on our quarterback and we expect a lot out of them,” Cole said. “I thought after these first few weeks, he played really well, but I thought things were starting to slow down for him and he’s starting to get comfortable.”

Maverick Lowrance caught a pair of touchdown passes, while Carter Cole, Garin Watson and Rush Pitman also contributed in the receiving game and on the perimeter.

The Bulldogs also received production from a deep group of running backs.

Jaxson Haggard ran for two touchdowns, while Lucas Mitchell and Chase Warden each had productive nights. Freshmen Blaze Burch and Kyler Wallace also broke off big runs.

Cole said Sulphur intentionally limited the workload of Jojo Gray, who had carried the ball extensively during the first three games.

Acer Dixon also saw his first snaps of the season at quarterback and impressed Cole with his efficiency.

“I thought he did a great job running the offense and took what the defense gave us with quick throws,” Cole said. “In the quarterback run game, I thought he did a really nice job in his reads. It was very efficient.”

Defense Swarms Madill While the offense was putting up eye-popping numbers, the Sulphur defense was equally dominant.

Madill was held to just 38 yards of offense despite running more than 50 plays in the game.

Cole said the Bulldogs simplifi ed their defensive approach and concentrated on attacking, playing assignment football and swarming to the ball.

“You’re gonna see seven to 10 Bulldogs in every picture around the ball carrier,” Cole said. “That’s a trait that we gotta have. We gotta be flying around and get into the football and be physical.”

Jesse Peters turned in perhaps his best defensive performance of the season, recording seven tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Linebacker Brody Scott led the Bulldogs with 11 tackles, continuing a steady progression that has earned him an increasingly prominent role.

“He’s a guy that just keeps getting better each and every week and finding his way on the field more and more every week,” Cole said.

Cole also praised the play of Sulphur’s linebackers and defensive line, while noting that the Bulldogs were able to get several players back healthy and give a large number of defensive players valuable playing time.

“I feel like we’ve had a really, really fast defensive unit, and I thought our speed really was a big difference last Friday night,” he said.

Special Teams Also Makes Its Mark

The Bulldogs received strong contributions from their special teams units as well.

Carter Cole and Nate Wood had big returns, while Sulphur’s kickoff team continued to perform at a high level.

Angel Rios provided another steady performance in extra point kics, and Cole was particularly pleased to see Harley Peters convert an extra point late in the game.

“He works really hard in the kicking game and to see him make one was fantastic,” Cole said.

Bulldogs Turn Attention To Seminole With the opening district victory secured, Sulphur now turns its attention to a major homecoming matchup with Seminole on Friday.

The Chieftains enter the game at 3-1 after a victory over Pauls Valley last week, and Cole expects a physical challenge from a talented roster.

“Seminole brings in a very talented roster,” Cole said. “They are huge up front and fast in the back end, so we definitely will have our hands full this Friday.”

Cole emphasized that the Bulldogs’ preparation throughout the week will be critical.

“The main goal is to get better every Friday night,” he said. “That means we have to have a great week of preparation to win on Friday. We’ve gotta be great Monday through Thursday, we gotta have attention to detail, focus on the little things that could be a big difference in these ball games.”

The matchup also renews a rivalry with plenty of history between Sulphur and Seminole.

“What a history Sulphur and Seminole had through the years,” Cole said. “Both teams were the standard for a long, long time and this rivalry goes way back.”

Cole also expressed tremendous respect for Seminole head coach Mike Snyder, noting Snyder recently recorded his 400th career victory, all at Seminole.

“Coach Mike Snyder, in my opinion, is one of the greatest coaches in the history of Oklahoma high school football,” Cole said. “What a great legacy and living legend, and I appreciate his friendship and his guidance being a mentor to me and so many other coaches.”

Cole said the Bulldogs will need to bring the same intensity they displayed against Madill while taking care of the football and maintaining their physical style.

“We must take care of the football, play fast, physical, relentless Sulphur football if we want to have an opportunity to win this Friday night,” he said.

After the disappointment of the Gunter loss, the Bulldogs got exactly the kind of response their coach was looking for at Madill.

Now, with district play underway and Seminole coming to town for homecoming, Sulphur will look to build on that momentum.

Madill Game Recap

Sulphur took the game’s opening kickoff at their own 39, and scored in only three plays. Carter Cole raced 43 yards on a pass from quarterback Traber Sartors on first down, then Garin Watson hauled in a 17-yard pass to the two-yard-line. JoJo Gray then added the final two yards for the score. Angel Rios’ PAT kick was good.

The Dog’s Harley Peters got into the action by recovering a Madill fumble at the Wildcats’ 27 on the ensuing possession, and from there it was an easy score as Sartors sped around end for the six-pointer. Rios’ kick was wide, but the Dogs were in total command early, 13-0.

The Wildcats were stopped cold on their next possession, and were forced to punt.

The Dogs took over at the Madill 40, where Sartors used his legs to score from there to give Sulphur a three-score lead. Rios’ PAT kick was good, and Sulphur was now off to the races with a 20-0 lead.

The powerful Sulphur defense forced Madill to punt once again on their next series, and speedy Bulldog return specialist Mavric Lowrance was waiting. He gathered in the punt, then raced 62 yards for the Dogs fourth touchdown. Rios added the PAT kick and Sulphur now took full control of game, 27-0.

The Dog’s Nate Wood gave his team more fuel for the fire after intercepting a Madill pass, and returning it about 60 yards to the 10. The Dogs then overcame a holding penalty and scored in only four plays as Jackson Haggard had runs of 13 and one yard for the TD.

With 2:28 left in the first quarter, Sulphur increased their lead to 34-0.

Bulldog backup quarterback Ayler Dixon made his debut on the next series and began with a 46-yard TD strike to Lowrance as the Dogs took a 41-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

They would end the half with two more scores as Lucas Mitchell and Chase Warden combined on several good runs with Mitchell plunging over from the two to give the Dogs their seventh score in seven possessions.

Sulphur then scored on their eighth consecutive possession after once again forcing a Madill punt. Taking over a the Wildcat’s 44, Dixon sped 23 yards on first down, then Haggard blew through the middle on a 29-yard score as the Dogs took a overwhelming, 55-0 lead at the half.

Rios added both PAT kicks on the last two Sulphur TDs.

Withe more reserves seeing action in the second half, the Bulldog scoring machine continued to roll. Sulphur’s defense held Madill on their opening possession of the second half after the Wildcats had three consecutive first downs.

Freshman Blaze Burch then made the most of his time in the game by taking the opening handoff and running 36 yards to the 24-yard-line. He added another 15-yard run, followed by Dixon’s 3-yard TD run to give the Dogs a 61-0 lead, still in the third quarter.

Madill simply could not mount any sustained offense despite two Sulphur 15-yard penalties and were forced to punt for the seventh time in the game.

The Dogs took over at their own 22.

Another freshman running back then made his presence known on the ensuing Bulldog possession as Kyler Wallace picked up 16 yards on his first carry.

He then took it to the house on the next play, a 72-yard scoring run to give the Dogs their 10th consecutive touchdown of the night. Reserve kicker Harley Peters added the PAT to give the Dogs their final point of the night as Sulphur went home with a 68-0 win.

The meet featured schools from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Arkansas and provided both Bulldog squads with an opportunity to compete in a major-meet atmosphere in preparation for the upcoming state championships.

Sulphur has made a point in recent years of competing in large, multi-state meets to expose its runners to the atmosphere and competition they will encounter at the state meet.

That experience proved especially valuable Saturday, as severe weather created delays and forced athletes to adjust to a constantly changing schedule.

Lady Bulldogs Dominate Girls Race

The Lady Bulldogs turned in a championship performance, scoring just 42 points to win the team title.

Sulphur placed five runners among the medalists, led by Jayden Lee, who captured the individual championship, and freshman Hensley Jarman, who finished second.

The Lady Bulldogs’ top seven finishers included:

•Jayden Lee — 1st

•Hensley Jarman — 2nd

•Hannah Hail — 10th

•Jozi Gilliam — 16th

•Hoda Garner — 18th

•Huntley Hatfield — 22nd

•Giada Chioccola — 70th Coach Kari Seitz said the meet provided an excellent opportunity for the runners to compete on a challenging college course while also experiencing the atmosphere surrounding a major meet.

The athletes also had the opportunity to watch several nationally prominent college programs, including Oregon, BYU, Oklahoma State and New Mexico, compete before taking to the same course themselves.

Multiple rain delays pushed the girls’ race several hours beyond its original starting time. The runners also faced a longer race than they were accustomed to and strong competition from several states.

None of those circumstances appeared to affect the Lady Bulldogs.

Lee moved into the lead approximately a quarter of the way through the race and never relinquished it, holding on for the individual championship.

Seitz praised Lee for running a smart, strong race and said it has been rewarding to see her hard work and dedication produce results.

Jarman turned in what Seitz called one of her best races of the season. The freshman remained patient throughout the race before making a strong push at the finish.

After trailing another runner for much of the race, Jarman dug deep in the final stretch and passed her at the finish line to secure second place.

“Hensley is an incredibly talented and competitive runner,” Seitz said. “As a freshman, she continues to show just how much she is capable of.”

Hail continued her recent improvement with a 10th-place finish, while Gilliam and Garner battled their way into the top 20 with 16th- and 18th-place finishes, respectively.

Hatfield finished close behind in 22nd.

Garner’s performance was particularly notable, as she recorded a personal record despite the difficult course. Seitz said she did not expect many runners to set PRs under the conditions.

Seitz said she was pleased with the way the girls handled every challenge Saturday.

“Overall, I couldn’t be happier with how the girls competed Saturday,” Seitz said. “They faced delays, a difficult course, a longer race and strong competition, and they still came out and put together an incredible performance.”

Bulldogs Finish Third The Sulphur boys also put together a strong team performance, finishing third overall in a talented field.

Senior Morgan Brown led the Bulldogs, placing fourth overall in 17:06 and earning a medal. Freshman Jake Mann also medaled, finishing 15th in 17:42. Mann’s time was the fastest recorded by a freshman in the race.

Sulphur’s remaining runners included:

•Calvin Downey — 30th, 18:50

•Banks Tucker — 35th, 19:14

•Jagger Jennings — 46th, 19:34

•Andrew Hail — 55th, 20:04

•Dautry Smith — 61st, 20:06 The boys’ race was originally scheduled for 11 a.m., but severe weather delayed the start until 1:15 p.m.

The Bulldogs had already completed their warm-up and were preparing to head to the starting line when another lightning delay forced the team back to the bus for shelter. Once the storm passed, the athletes had to warm up again before finally competing.

Head coach Emile Heitland said the delays also created challenges with nutrition. The team had eaten a substantial breakfast in preparation for an 11 a.m. race, but with the start pushed back more than two hours, the runners had to adjust and eat a light lunch before competing.

Heitland said the experience was valuable because championship meets don’t always go according to plan.

“We had weather delays, changes to our race schedule and challenges with nutrition, but our guys did a good job of not letting those distractions affect their performance,” Heitland said. “I thought we ran really well as a team, and I was proud of how they competed.”

Brown’s fourth-place finish was particularly impressive given the pace of the race.

The field went out extremely fast, but Brown stayed with his race plan rather than getting caught up in the early pace. On the hilly course, several runners who started quickly faded late, while Brown continued to run strong and finished fourth.

Mann also showed poise in his first experience at one of the season’s largest meets, said Heitland. Rather than getting caught up in the atmosphere or fast early pace, the freshman remained composed and executed his race plan.

Tucker, another freshman, continues to improve with each race, according to Heitland.

Jennings also bounced back strongly after struggling at the previous week’s Pre-State meet while battling an illness.

“I was really impressed with Jagger,” Heitland said. “He had a tough race last week, but he didn’t let that affect him. He came back and ran a really strong race at one of the biggest meets we’ve competed in all season.”

Valuable Preparation For State

One of the more difficult decisions of the day involved one of Sulphur’s top runners, Keaton Seitz, who is dealing with a nagging injury.

Heitland said the plan was for Seitz to warm up and determine how he felt before the race. He initially believed he could compete, but after running a couple hundred meters, he pulled out.

Although the decision was frustrating for Seitz, Heitland said the bigger picture — with the state meet approaching — made it the appropriate choice.

Both Sulphur coaches emphasized that the Cowboy Jamboree was about more than Saturday’s results. The meet provided the runners with experience handling weather delays, changing schedules, difficult courses, large fields and championship-level competition.

For the Lady Bulldogs, the day produced a team championship and additional confidence. For the boys, it provided a third-place finish and another opportunity to test themselves against strong competition.

Most importantly, both teams gained experience that could prove valuable when they return to the starting line for the state championships.

As Seitz put it, the meet gave the girls another reminder of “how much they can accomplish when they come together and compete as one team.”

This year’s queen will be selected among three senior candidates, Bintlee Birch, Jayden Lee, and Peyden Young.

Serving as princesses for this year’s event are Tayten Digby (junior), Emma Freehill (sophomore), and Jules Jessop (freshman).

The senior escorts include Rush Pittman, Traber Sartors, JoJo Gray, George Martinez, Harley Peters, and Drake Wood.

Activities will get underway on Friday, Oct. 2 with a noon pep rally at Agee Field, a parade beginning at 2:00 p.m., and ending with the coronation ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Following is a brief synopsis of this year’s senior candidates, princesses, and senior escorts:

Senior Candidates and Escorts

Following are the three senior queen candidates and their escorts: The first senior candidate is Bintlee Burch, daughter of Brooke and Cody Burch. Bintlee is a member of First FreeWill Baptist Church. Her activities, awards and accomplishments are: BPA, varsity cheer, varsity softball, and varsity wrestling. She is on the superintendent’s honor roll, is a member of Oklahoma and National Honor Societies and is senior class president.

Her escort is JoJo Gray, son of Robin Thomas. JoJo attends Crossway Church. His activities, awards and accomplishments include: varsity football and he is a member of the 2024 and 2025 state runner-up football teams.

The next senior candidate is Jayden Lee, daughter of Jerad and Tamara Lee. Jayden attends Crossway Church. Her activities, awards and accomplishments are: varsity basketball, varsity track, varsity cross country and FCA. She is a member of Oklahoma Honor Society and is on the Principal’s Honor Roll.

Her escort is George Martinez, son of Saul Martinez and Rosa Gaitan. George is a part of Iglesia de Cristo Berea. His activities, awards and accomplishments are: 2-year starter for varsity football, a member of varsity wrestling and varsity track. He is also a member of the 2024 and 2025 runner-up state champion football teams.

The next senior candidate is Peyden Young, daughter of Casey and Mendy Young. Peyden is a member of First Free Will Baptist Church. Her activities, awards and accomplishments are: varsity cheer, student council, Key Club, FCA Lead team, Youth Leadership Murray County Class 9, a member of On Pointe Dance Center, and is a representative for Supplies All In Line. She is also a member of Oklahoma Honor Society and is on the Principal’s Honor Roll.

Her escort is Harley Peters, son of Ryan and Mariah Peters. Harley attends Crossway Church. His activities,awards and accomplishments are: varsity football, varsity wrestling, FCA and is the manager for varsity baseball.

Princesses and Escorts

Following are the three princesses and their escorts: The junior princess is Taytem Digby, daughter of Colt and Sarah Digby. Taytem attends Crossway Church. Her activities, accomplishments and awards include: varsity softball, FCA, BPA and Crossway youth group. She is a member of Oklahoma and National Honor Societies and is on the Principal’s Honor Roll.

Her escort is Traber Sartors, son of Benji and Lacee Sartors, and Shannon Sartors and Erik Smith. Traber is a member of Crossway Church and serves on the Crossway Lead team. His activities, accomplishments and awards include: varsity football, varsity baseball, student council and Youth Leadership Murray County. He was Rotary Student of the Month, is on the Chickasaw Honor Roll and the Principal’s Honor Roll.

The Sophomore Princess is Emma Freehill, daughter of Jason and Sarah Freehill. Emma is a member of Crossway Church. Her activities, accomplishments and awards include: BPA where she serves as treasurer. She is a member of Oklahoma Honor Society and is on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll.

Her escort is Rush Pittman, son of Geary and Christie Pittman. His activities, awards and accomplishments include: a member of the 2023 and 2025 Class 3A academic state champion football team, the 2024 and 2025 state runner-up football team.

The Freshman Princess is Jules Jessop, daughter of Lerhonda and Theron Jessop. She attends Crossway Church. Her activities, accomplishments and awards include: varsity cheer.

Her escort is Drake Wood, son of Landon and Brooke Wood. Drake is a member of Crossway Church. His activities, accomplishments and awards include: varsity football and varsity baseball. He is a member of FCA, the 2023 and 2024 Class 3A academic state champion football team, and the 2024 and 2025 3A state runner-up football team.

Flower Girl, Crown Bearer

Servings as the flower girl and crown bearer are Maddux Steele White, and Nick Lee.

Maddux is the daughter of Hunter and Molly White. She is in kindergarten and enjoys ballet and jazz dance, gymnastics, and playing with her dog Winston. When she grows up she wants to be a teacher.

Nick is the son of Jared and Tamara Lee. He is in second grade and enjoys fishing, riding his bike and playing football with his friends. When he grows up he wants to be an NFL football player.

Homecoming Parade, Pep Rally Information

The Sulphur Homecoming pep rally will take place on Friday, October 2, at 12:00 noon at the football field. The Homecoming parade will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Those wishing to take part in the parade will need to pick up a parade entry form at the high school office. The form needs to be submitted by Tuesday, Sept. 29 at noon to guarantee entrance in the parade. The homecoming theme this year is “Feelin Groovy.”

For information please contact Janet Carter at 580-622-3174.

Parade Route

The homecoming parade will form at West 12th & Broadway. Lineup will begin at 1:00 p.m. on West 12th Street, north of Broadway. A Student Council rep will at that time give parade entrants their entry number. The route is east on Broadway to West 10th Street, then north by Pick of the Day, north to Muskogee Ave., east on Muskogee to West 9th, north on 9th to Wynnewood St., east on Wynnewood past the football field and elementary and end at the Armory.

At Carl Albert last Saturday, the Sulphur boys faced important competition at Pre-State, a meet that provides teams with an opportunity to race on the same course and follow the same schedule they will encounter at the Class 4Astate championship, said Sulphur coach Emile Heiland.

Because Class 4Awas the final class to compete, the Bulldogs raced in the afternoon, facing extremely hot temperatures and difficult running conditions. With the heat expected to play a major factor, Heitland emphasized hydration throughout the week, beginning Wednesday.

Despite the challenging conditions and the absence of one of its top runners, Calvin Downey, Sulphur turned in a strong performance, finishing second overall in the team standings. The Bulldogs also finished ahead of Cache, the No. 3-ranked team in Class 4A.

“I was really proud of how we ran,” coach Heitland said. “We were down one of our top runners in Calvin Downey, so placing second at Pre-State and beating the third-ranked team in Class 4A, Cache, was a testament to this team having a next-man-up mentality.”

Morgan Brown led the way for the Bulldogs, finishing third overall in 16:46 and earning a medal. Jake Mann also earned a medal, placing 10th overall in 17:21.

Freshman Banks Tucker continued to make significant strides in just his first season of cross country. Tucker finished 22nd overall with a personal-best time of 18:26, moving up to become Sulphur’s third runner.

“Banks really stepped up at this meet and PR’d with an 18:26,” Heitland said. “He is a freshman and this is his first year running cross country. He works extremely hard and is just starting to figure out race strategy for the 5K. Banks got out much faster at the start, and it really paid off.”

Keaton Seitz finished 25th in 18:41, followed by Andrew Hail in 31st at 19:05. Hail’s time was a season best. Dautry Smith placed 33rd in 19:17, while Ayden Espitia finished 44th in a season-best 20:04.

The Bulldogs received strong performances throughout the lineup. Brown and Mann both recorded top-10 finishes in a competitive field, while Hail and Espitia each posted season-best times.

Heitland said Hail is beginning to round into form after a slower start to the season.

“Andrew is just starting to work himself into race shape,” Heitland said. “He didn’t get the mileage in this summer that he normally does, and it has caused him to start the season a little slow. But he is a very talented runner and is working hard to get where he needs to be. It will be a big boost to this team when he gets his times down to where he is capable of running.”

Espitia also continued his steady improvement, recording his fastest time of the season and breaking into Sulphur’s top seven for the first time this year.

“I felt like we had strong performances throughout the lineup,” Heitland said. “The second-place finish at Pre-State was another positive step as we prepare for the state championship.”

With the girls holding the No. 1 spot and the boys ranked No. 2 in the current Class 4A rankings, both Sulphur teams are heading into the final stretch of the season with plenty of momentum. For the boys, the Pre-State performance provided another opportunity to test themselves against strong competition, compete in statelike conditions and continue building toward the state championship.

Lady Bulldogs Capture Prestate Meet Championship The Sulphur Lady Bulldogs turned in an impressive performance Saturday, capturing the team championship at the Prestate Meet while defeating Byng, the No. 1-ranked team in Class 4A.

The victory provided a significant boost of confidence for the Lady Bulldogs as they competed on the state course against many of the teams they could see again later in the season.

“The Prestate Meet is always an important race for our runners because it gives them the opportunity to compete on the state course against many of the teams they will see again later in the season,” Sulphur head coach Kari Seitz said. “We were scheduled to run at noon, the heat was miserable and definitely not ideal for running PRs. However, the girls didn’t let the conditions slow them down too much, battling through the heat and finishing as meet champions.”

Jayden Lee led the way for Sulphur, finishing second individually with a time of 12:14. Hannah Hail followed with a fifth-place finish in 13:00, while Hensley Jarman was sixth at 13:06.

Jozi Gilliam finished eighth in 13:13, and Hoda Garner rounded out Sulphur’s top five with a 10thplace finish in 13:17. Huntley Hatfield placed 17th in 13:47, while Kamree Quinten finished 43rd in 15:46.

The top five Lady Bulldogs all earned individual medals, adding to an already memorable team performance.

“The top five girls walked away with medals, which is a huge accomplishment at a meet like Prestate,” Seitz said. “With so many talented teams competing, earning those individual finishes while helping the team secure the championship made it an exciting day.”

For the Lady Bulldogs, defeating Byng made the championship even more meaningful.

“We have competed closely with them at previous meets but hadn’t been able to come out on top,” Seitz said. “The girls have been very motivated to beat them, and that motivation showed on Saturday.”

Seitz said the team’s performance was a reflection of the work the runners have been putting in during practices and throughout the week.

“I felt really good about their workouts and runs throughout the week,” she said. “You can see how much they are pushing each other at practice and how determined they are to keep improving.”

Lee and Hail provided strong leadership at the front of the pack, while Jarman, Gilliam, Garner and Hatfield each delivered important finishes that helped secure the team championship.

“Jayden and Hannah led the way for us, both running great races and looking strong throughout,” Seitz said. “They have been tremendous leaders this season, and having their leadership and experience has been a huge boost for our team.”

The Lady Bulldogs also entered the race with a clear understanding of what they needed to accomplish against the competition, and Seitz said they executed their plan.

“Going into this race, the girls knew where they needed to finish among the competition to give us a chance to win, and they executed that plan very well,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how they competed as a team.”

Despite the difficult heat, Sulphur showed determination and composure throughout the race. The championship marked another step forward for a team that continues to build momentum as the season progresses.

“Saturday was a great step forward for this group,” Seitz said. “We still have plenty of work ahead of us, but the girls are motivated, working together, and they are now seeing what they are capable of.”

After trailing the Gunter Tigers, 16-0, after the first quarter, the Dogs rallied throughout the next three quarters and were only one drive away from taking the lead late in the game on two separate attempts, but were stopped twice on game-changing defensive plays by the Tigers.

Gunter’s speed and size, reminiscent of the Lincoln Christian teams the Dogs faced in the Class 3A state finals the past two years, proved to be the difference in the 29-17 loss.

Despite the setback, Sulphur head coach Corey Cole said there were plenty of positives to take from the Bulldogs’ battle against one of the top programs in Texas.

“No excuses from last Friday night,” Cole said. “Gunter has a great team and they made more plays than we did. To win bigtime games like last Friday, we have to minimize the mistakes that we made. But thankfully, it’s all fixable because our kids are always going to play hard and give everything they have to the Sulphur Bulldogs.”

Cole was particularly proud of the Bulldogs’ response after falling behind early.

“I’m really proud of our kids’ effort, their resilience and their will to fight back after falling behind 16-0 early in the first quarter against an incredibly talented high school football team,” he said. “We had a lot of grit and toughness battling back and giving ourselves an opportunity.”

That opportunity came late in the game when Sulphur had possession with less than four minutes remaining and a first down at the Gunter 40-yard line.

“We had the ball with less than four minutes left and first down on Gunter’s 40-yard line with a chance to try to go win,” Cole said. “It just shows a lot about the heart, the belief and the will to win that these guys have.”

The Bulldogs’ effort was particularly impressive considering the physical nature of the contest.

“It was an extremely physical football game,” Cole said. “Gunter plays extremely physical, very fast, and I thought our kids matched it for most of the game. Besides that slow start, it was pretty much blow-for-blow after that.”

One of the biggest areas of concern was penalties. Sulphur was repeatedly forced to operate behind the chains, including five occasions when the Bulldogs faced first-and-15 following falsestart penalties.

“We had way too many penalties in a game like that on such a big stage,” Cole said. “Those are the things that we cannot have happen if we want to be successful in big games. We started first-and-15 five different times because of false starts, and those are things that are hard to overcome when

PHOTO BY BLAKE SEALE you’re playing somebody as talented and as good as Gunter.”

Dogs

Bulldogs Run The Ball Well Sulphur continued to demonstrate its strength in the running game against Gunter.

JoJo Gray again eclipsed the 100-yard mark, while quarterback Traber Sartors contributed nearly 70 yards on the ground.

“I thought we ran the ball pretty well against a great defensive front,” Cole said. “JoJo went over 100 yards again, and Traber had almost 70 yards on the ground.”

The passing game, however, struggled against Gunter’s speed and pass rush. The Bulldogs completed just four of 18 attempts for 91 yards.

“We struggled in the passing game,” Cole said. “That’s something that we’ve got to get better at, and we’ve got to get that number closer to 60% completion.”

Cole acknowledged that Gunter’s defense played a major role in the passing struggles.

“Gunter had a lot to do with that,” he said. “They played great, they’re fast, they’ve got a great pass rush.”

Moving forward, Cole said improving the passing attack will be a major point of emphasis.

“We’re running the ball very, very well, and we just have to be a little bit more efficient in the passing department in those big games if we’re going to have opportunities,” he said.

Defense Forces Six Turnovers

While the offense struggled to capitalize on opportunities, Sulphur’s defense turned in a strong performance against one of the most productive teams the Bulldogs have faced.

Michael Morris and Ayler Dixon led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles each, and both recorded interceptions. Drake Wood added eight tackles, while George Martinez finished with seven, Jesse Peters had six, and Titus Vinson and Chase Warden each recorded five.

“I was proud of our defense,” Cole said. “We kept them right around the 300-yard mark, which is way down compared to what they usually do on Friday nights.”

The Bulldogs also forced six turnovers.

“We forced six turnovers, which is really, really good, and when you get that defensively, you know you should win a football game,” Cole said. “We just didn’t find a way on our offense, and we just weren’t able to capitalize on the turnovers.”

Cole said turning takeaways into points will be another area the Bulldogs must improve.

“That’s something we’ve got to do,” he said. “We have to capitalize on turnovers, and we didn’t do that like we should have.”

Special Teams Strong

Sulphur’s special teams also turned in a solid performance.

The Bulldogs forced several punts, handled kickoff coverage effectively and converted all of their extra-point attempts. Angel Rios added a 30-yard field goal, while Sulphur averaged 37.5 yards per punt.

“I thought we played really well in special teams,” Cole said. “We did a good job on kickoff coverage, and we made all our extra points. Angel Rios made a 30-yard field goal and we averaged 37.5 yards per punt.”

Cole said the biggest offensive issue was simply too many mistakes and too many situations in which the Bulldogs found themselves playing behind the chains.

“Offensively, we just had a few mistakes,” he said. “We played behind the chains way too much last Friday night.”

Three No. 1 Teams In Three Weeks

Although the loss dropped Sulphur to 2-1, Cole said the Bulldogs’ brutal non-district schedule should pay dividends as the season progresses.

Sulphur opened the season against three consecutive No. 1-ranked opponents, winning two of those contests.

“We played three number one teams the first three weeks and we’re 2-1,” Cole said. “But more than anything, we’ve got to get better.”

Cole compared Gunter to the Lincoln Christian teams Sulphur faced in the Class 3A state championship games the past two seasons.

“Gunter reminds me of the teams that we played in the finals the last two years in Lincoln Christian, very physical and very fast,” he said. “They just do things right and put pressure on you all the time.”

The Bulldogs withstood that pressure for much of the second half and still had an opportunity to take control late.

“We were able to withstand that for the middle of the third and fourth quarter, and again we had a chance there at the end, we just didn’t capitalize,” Cole said.

Cole believes the experience will ultimately benefit the Bulldogs.

“Playing games like this are going to make us better,” he said. “We’re starting to get a little bit more confidence, and we’re starting to play really well together. I’m hoping that these first three games will really push us forward in district play.”

District Play Begins At Madill

With the difficult non-district portion of the schedule complete, Sulphur now turns its attention to district play and Friday night’s trip to Madill.

“Now the real season begins for us,” Cole said. “We know our goals will be to win the district championship. We’ve got to take it one day at a time and one game at a time, but I really feel our non-district schedule is really going to give us an opportunity moving forward to be successful.”

Madill enters Friday’s game at 0-3 following a loss to Ardmore last week.

“Friday night, we travel to Madill,” Cole said. “They are a young team and they’re 0-3. They just lost toArdmore this past week, and Ardmore is one of the best teams in 4A.”

For Sulphur, the objective this week is straightforward.

“The focus this week is very simple,” Cole said. “We need to be way more efficient offensively and take care of the football, working on our defensive, getting aligned quicker to certain formations, getting our reads quicker and attacking this week.”

Cole’s message to his team is clear following the Gunter loss.

“Our goal is to get better,” he said. “We’ve got to take it one day at a time and one game at a time.”

Game Recap

Gunter erupted for touchdowns on their first two possessions, and converted both extra-point runs for additional points to take a 16-0 lead with 5:25 left in the first quarter.

Shocked, the Dogs went four consecutive possessions without a first down and were almost down and out when a big defensive play put them right back into the game.

The Tigers got possession at their own 34 and were poised to make another run at a score when Sulphur strong safety Traber Sartors scooped up a fumble and raced 40 yards untouched into the end-zone. The score and Angel Rios’ PAT kick cut into Gunter’s lead and gave the Dogs new life.

Sulphur’s Acer Dixon recov- ered a Gunter fumble on their ensuing drive to give the Dogs a chance to cut deeper into the Tiger’s lead Starting at their own 42, the Dogs began with a 9-yard blast from running back JoJo Gray, but they could not overcome three five-yard false start penalties in the following plays and turned the ball over on downs at the Gunter 36.

The Sulphur defense held strong, however, forcing Gunter to punt after a short run and two incomplete passes.

Sulphur’s Carter Cole fielded the long punt, returning it 20 yards, but he was close to going the distance after a touchdown saving tackle by a Gunter defender.

The Dogs ran two plays, but stalled out as the first half ended.

Sulphur took the second half kickoff at their own 21, but could not move the chains after another five-yard false start penalty, and punted to midfield.

With good field position, the Tigers scored in only six plays, taking a 23-7 lead after the PAT kick.

The ensuing kickoff put the Dogs deep on their own end of the field, Sulphur taking possession at the 13.

On first down, Sartors fired off a 35-yard strike to Carter Cole, and now the Dogs had something going. Sartors then gained about 10 yards on the next play on a quarterback run, then Gray caught a seam and blasted 19 yards to the 12. Gray then completed the drive on the next play, going 12 yards for the score, giving Sulphur new life and trailing by only nine, 23-14.

Gunter began at their own 36 after the kickoff, but lost possession when the Dog’s Chase Warden recovered a fumble on the third play of the drive.

The Dogs could not convert the turnover into points and were forced to punt after being flagged for a 15-yard penalty.

Neither team could mount much of an offense the next three possessions, but Sulphur found a little spark early in the fourth period after Mavric Lowrance pounced on a lose Gunter ball, just 20 yards out from a possible score.

Gunter’s defense held, though, and Sulphur settled for a 30-yard Rios’ field goal, trimming the Tiger’s lead to six, 23-17.

Gunter returned the kickoff to their own 25, but were forced to punt three plays later after Ayler Dixon batted down a pass on what was described as a great individual effort.

Sulphur now had a chance to take their first lead in the game. They moved to the Tiger’s 43-yard-line, but stalled out as Gunter’s defense held strong on their home turf.

The Dog’s had one more final run at taking the lead on the next series when Michael Morris intercepted a Tiger pass at Gunter’s 43. The Dogs, showing what Coach Corey Cole called grit and determination through the final three quarters, were unable to convert the turnover into points after Gunter intercepted a second down pass play to pretty much ended the game The Tigers then scored, taking only three plays to negotiate the final 20 yards on a one-yard plunge. Their PAT run failed, but the Tigers now held a 12-point lead with just two minutes left, and that sealed their third consecutive win of the season.

Admission is free, and the entire event is open to the public— membership with People’s Electric Cooperative (PEC) is not required to attend.

Known for their signature blend of bluegrass, country and Gospel music, HighRoad has earned national recognition for their heartfelt harmonies, inspiring lyrics and exceptional musicianship. Since forming in 2011, the group has received a Grammy nomination, multiple Dove Award nominations and numerous Singing News honors, including Band of the Year.

Led by acclaimed singer, songwriter and pianist Sarah Davison, HighRoad brings together powerful vocals, bluegrass instrumentation and meaningful messages that have connected with audiences across the country. Davison has performed regularly on the Grand Ole Opry alongside artists including Mark Wills, Emily Ann Roberts and The Isaacs. She has also toured with the legendary George Jones’ band on his final tour of Canada and performed as part of Blake Shelton’s 2023 tour.

HighRoad will perform two free concerts on the Main Stage inside the Big Red Barn at the Pontotoc CountyAgri-Plex. Their performances are scheduled for 10:15 a.m. and 11:40 a.m.

But HighRoad won’t be the only music featured at PEC Day. The morning’s entertainment lineup includes three additional Oklahoma-area performers, giving attendees plenty of reason to Park & Stay after registering.

Cara Belt will open the morning’s live entertainment at 9:05 a.m. Originally from California and now residing near Allen, Oklahoma, Belt has performed across the country in theaters, oprys and music venues. Raised in a musical family, she has been singing since childhood and continues to share her passion for music while serving as the Worship Minister at her church.

At 9:35 a.m., Southern SONlight will take the stage. The regional Gospel group represents The Gospel Station Network and features Randall Christy, Randi Hall, and Sharla and David Frederick. The group shares Southern Gospel favorites with audiences throughout the region and has recorded several CDs featuring beloved Gospel songs.

Rounding out the morning’s entertainment, Tanner Young will perform at 11:05 a.m. A native of Colbert, Oklahoma,Young brings authentic traditional country music to life with rich vocals and impressive multi-instrumental talent. Inspired by legends such as Merle Haggard, George Jones and Johnny Cash, Young delivers a classic country sound enjoyed by audiences throughout Oklahoma and North Texas.

With four talented acts taking the Main Stage throughout the morning, PEC Day offers something for fans of Gospel, bluegrass and traditional country music alike.

PEC Day festivities begin when gates open at 8:30 a.m., with registration taking place from vehicles as attendees arrive. PEC encourages members and guests to “Park & Stay” after registering to enjoy the live entertainment, Craft Fair, Food Court, family activities and more.

For more information about PEC Day, call (580) 332-3031 during regular business hours: Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.– 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

PEC Day is Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Pontotoc CountyAgri-Plex inAda.Admission and parking are free, and the event is open to the public.

The Sulphur High School cheerleaders are off to state competition next Saturday at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany after winning fourth place in the regional qualifier at Westmore High School on September 19.

Sulphur scored 244.2 points in their performance at Westmore, and now will be going for the gold next weekend in Oklahoma City. The team will perform at 10:30 a.m.

Bethany won the Westmore qualifier with 258 points, followed by Heritage Hall 253.4, and Washington 246.0. Other qualifiers included Mt. St. Mary 242.6, Kingfisher 230.8, Pauls Valley 225.2, Cache 232.2, and Marlow 208.4.

“These girls have worked incredibly hard on this routine since June and have proved themselves to be state worthy,” said Summer Priest, a cheerleading sponsor. “We have worked well together as a team and have the talent to be a top contender at state. This team makes me proud - they have fought hard and deserve their moment to shine.”

Said coach LeAnn Loftis, “Countless hours of hard work, dedication, sweat, and determination have led to this moment. Every practice, every challenge, and every sacrifice was worth it. Watching all that hard work pay off and earning a spot at the State Championship Competition is something to be incredibly proud of. These girls have given it their all and it shows. I couldn’t be more proud to be their coach.”

Team member and senior Peyden Young said, “I’m super proud of all the girls and so thankful for the hard work they’ve put in these past four months and I think we have a good shot at making a name for ourselves and showing people how much time and work we put into not only our routine, but also for game days at the same time. I love this team with my whole heart and I know we’re going to go and do great things this year.”

The fall festival will be held seven miles north of Sulphur on S.H. 7, then three-fourths of a mile east on Tractor Road. Gates will open at 7:30 a.m. each day.

The annual event celebrates Oklahoma’s agricultural heritage with antique tractors and farm implements, working demonstrations, tractor games, family activities, vendors and plenty of opportunities to see equipment from a bygone era in action.

Friday’s activities will begin with student activities and demonstrations from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Throughout the day, visitors can watch demonstrations featuring a brace and bit, water pumps, duck racing, a sawmill, quilting and rope making.

Other Friday activities will include hayrides, a tractor toy exhibit, sandbox, cornhole, photo opportunities, arts and crafts vendors and food vendors.

Friday evening will feature a consignment auction at 5:00 p.m., followed by a tractor pull at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday’s activities will begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue through 7:00 p.m., with exhibits and demonstrations throughout the day. Tractor games will provide additional entertainment, while the popular Parade of Power is scheduled for noon.

The Saturday schedule also includes kiddie tractor pulls featuring tuci and gas engines, giving younger visitors an opportunity to take part in the festivities.

An exhibitor dinner is planned for 5:00 p.m., followed by the tractor rodeo at 7:00 p.m. to conclude the day’s activities.

Admission is $5 per person, with children under 16 and adults over 60 admitted free. There is also a $5 registration fee forATVs and golf carts.

Organizers invite area residents and visitors to attend the two-day celebration and enjoy antique machinery, demonstrations, entertainment and family activities while helping preserve the agricultural history and traditions of the area.

The Sulphur boys competed on one of the more difficult courses of the season, said head coach, Emile Heitland.

“East Central University’s course features numerous hills and tight turns, making it difficult for runners to post personal-best times,” said Heitland. “Despite the challenging conditions, the Bulldogs turned in a strong performance, finishing just eight points behind Byng.

“I thought we ran well on a really difficult course. We knew going in that this is not a course that produces a lot of personal-best times, so I was really pleased with the way we competed.

Morgan Brown led the way for Sulphur, finishing second overall in 16:41 and earning a medal. Brown’s performance was particularly impressive, Heitland said, as he now sits at No. 2 on the East Central Tiger Chase all-time leaderboard for the 28 years the meet has been hosted.

“Morgan ran an outstanding race,” said Heitland. “He is as focused as I’ve ever seen him. At practice, he’s making sure he hits all of his splits and continues to put in extra work. His focus and dedication are really starting to show in his performances.”

Jake Mann also earned a medal with a fifth-place finish with a time of 17:07. Mann tied his personal best, which was especially impressive given the difficulty of the course.

“Jake and I have been talking about really working hard during the second mile of the race, and I thought he did a great job executing that plan,” said Heitland. “I really believe that effort in the second mile paid off in his time. I told Jake that on this course tying your PR is actually like PR’ing.” Keaton Seitz finished 14th overall in 18:01 to earn a medal, while Calvin Downey was 15th in 18:10, also earning a medal.

Heitland said Keaton and Calvin have been battling back and forth all year for that third and fourth spot. “It’s been fun watching them compete as teammates and push each other to get better. Their competition has made both of them stronger runners and has been a big benefit to our team.”

Rounding out Sulphur’s top seven were Banks Tucker, who finished 24th in 19:15; Dautry Smith, who placed 26th in 19:18; and Jagger Jennings, who finished 27th in 19:24 and set a new personal record by 10 seconds.

Jennings’ performance was another bright spot for the Bulldogs, as he posted a PR on a course where personal-best times are difficult to achieve, according to Heitland.

The youth of the Sulphur team has also been a major strength this season. Four of the Bulldogs’ top seven finishers at East Central were freshmen.

“I’ve been really impressed with a lot of these freshmen and the way they have competed at such a high level this year,” the coach said. “They continue to step up and compete.”

Smith and Tucker both finished in the team’s top seven and turned in strong races. Another freshman, Skyler Sloan, continued his recent improvement by running a personal-best 20:00. Sloan has lowered his time each of the past two weeks and is making a push to break into Sulphur’s top seven, said Heitland.

Senior Dacen Danford also recorded a personal best, finishing in 22:13.

The Bulldogs’ second-place finish came just one week after defeating Byng. This time, Byng edged Sulphur by only eight points.

“It will be interesting to see how we respond to this in the following weeks. We have to stay focused and keep putting in the work.”

Lady Bulldogs 2nd In ECU Run

The Sulphur High School girls won second as a team in last Saturday’s ECU Tiger Chase cross country run in Ada.

The Lady Bulldogs were led by Jayden Lee, a fourth place winner, with a time of 13:04.

Hensley Jarman was right behind her, also running 13:04 to finish 5th.

Jozi Gilliam placed 15th in 13:52, followed by Hannah Hail in 17th with a time of 14:01. Huntley Hatfield finished 21st in 14:23, just behind her was Hoda Garner, placing 22nd in 14:24. Mady Hatfield finished 26th with a time of 14:54.

“I can easily say that we faced the toughest course of the season so far at the ECU Tiger Chase in Ada on Saturday,” said head coach, Kari Seitz. “While the times weren’t quite as fast as what we have seen from the girls in recent weeks, the difficult course provided a great challenge, and more importantly, an opportunity for our runners to get a little tougher.

Seitz was pleased her team’s effort on a challenging track.

“Overall, I was pleased with the girls’performance Saturday as they battled through a challenging course from start to finish,” she said. “I was especially encouraged by Jozi and Huntley’s performances. They both showed a lot of determination and toughness, especially on such a challenging course.”

She said Saturday was a good reminder that not every race is going to be about running a personal best. “Sometimes, the toughest races are the ones that help make you a stronger runner.”

Playing what head coach Corey Cole described as fast and relentless football, the Sulphur Bulldogs overcame their mistakes to shut down another number one-ranked team last Friday, beating Davis in the county bedlam game, 28-6.

Another standing-room only crowed turned out in Sulphur and watched as the Bulldogs dismantled Davis’ wishbone offense to win their 21st consecutive home game.

“What an electric night for a football game at Calvin Agee Field,” said Cole. “Two highly regarded football teams that put everything on the line last Friday night. We were very fortunate to overcome four costly turnovers in the first half, finding a way to move forward. That was huge in the final outcome of the game.”

The Dogs definitely left some meat on the bone with the turnovers, but countered by shutting down the Wolves’ high octane wishbone offense, and some big plays offensively, including the school’s second longest pass play ever, a 96-yard Traber Sartors to Carter Cole touchdown gem.

That gave the Dogs a two-touchdown lead nearing the end of the first quarter and the momentum they needed to win their second consecutive game.

“Obviously, we made tons of mistakes and lots of things we have to get corrected and fixed, but one thing’s for sure, our kids played physical, they played fast, they played relentless, and they played together like brothers, and that’s all we ask of them every Friday night,” said Cole.

The two teams came into the game as number one in their class, depending on the poll, but the Dogs won in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

“I thought our defense was outstanding all night long, limiting Davis’s high-powered run game,” said Cole. “I thought we were very physical, swarmed the football, and played really disciplined. Our defensive line (Garin Watson, Jesse Peters, Kaleb Walker, Jackson Haggard, George Martinez, Acer Dixon and Thomas Jackson) played outstanding, controlling the line scrimmage.”

Davis did not score until midway through the final quarter after the deal had already been sealed. It was a game of big plays on both sides of the ball as Sulphur stopped Davis on a pair of goal-line stands after the turnovers.

“Our linebackers pressed all night long, and made big play after big play,” said Cole. “Chase Warden had his biggest game as a Sulphur Bulldog, Michael Morris continued his great play, and Lucas Mitchell

THE STATISTICS

Sulphur 28, Davis 6 Scoring Summary

Sulphur (7-0)--Jackson Haggard 20 yard TD run (Angel Rios kick), 1st Q, 7:15 Sulphur (14-0)--Carter Cole 96-yard TD pass from Traber Sartors (Rios kick), 1st Q, 1:27 Sulphur (21-0)--JoJo Gray 47-yard TD run (Rios kick), 3rd Q, 10:32 Sulphur (28-0)--JoJo Gray 63-yard TD run (Rios kick), 3rd Q, 8:23 Davis (28-6)--Isaac Lewis 9-yard TD pass from Dax Owens (run failed).

Score By Quarters 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Sulphur .......... 14 0 14 0--28 Davis .............. 0 0 0 6--6

Game Statistics

Sul. Davis First Downs......... 15 7 Rushing Yards. ... 30-300 45-174 Passing Yards. .... 11-146 2-22 Total Net Yards. .. 41-446 49-196 Passes ................ 7-11 2-4 Interceptions by .. 1 0 Turnovers............ 4 2 Punts .................. 1 5

Sulphur Individual Statistics

Passing: Traber Sartors, 7-11, 146 yds., 1 TD.

Receiving: Carter Cole, 2-101 yds., 1 TD; Drake Wood, 4-37 yds; Rush Pittman, 1-8 yds.

Rushing: JoJo Gray, 17-221 yds., 2 TDs; Jackson Haggard, 12-66 yds., 1 TD; Carter Cole, 1-13 yds.

Sulphur Team Statistics

Rushing Yards-- 300; Passing Yards-- 146; Total-- 41 plays, 446 yards. Turnovers: 4

Sacks Given Up: 0

Punts: 1 (Lucas Mitchell, 51 yds.) Extra Points: Angel Rios, 4-4.

Sulphur Tackles

Michael Morris, 10; Aylor Dixon, 9; Chase Warden, 10, Garin Watson, 8; Drake Wood, 1; Lucas Mitchell, 7; Kaleb Walker, 2; Acer Dixon, 4; Thomas Jackson, 4; Jackson Haggard, 2; George Martinez, 6; Traber Sartors, 2; Jesse Peters, 7; Harrison Taylor 2; Ethan Sales, 1; Jace Davis, 1; Makhi Gray, 3.

played outstanding in his first big action of the year. Ayler Dixon had a big game at his strong safety position making several key stops.”

Cole cited Michael Morris and Dixon for their defensive effort in helping halt the Wolves, each with a team-leading 10 tackles. Morris also had a sack and a fumble recovery. Cole said Ayler Dixon and Garin Watson each excelled defensively with nine and eight tackles respectively. He said Watson had the play of the game, after he chased down a Davis ball carrier on an option from the backside, and that TD-saving tackle led to a huge goal-line stand in the first half.

Cole also praised Jesse Peters and Lucas Mitchell, who finished with seven tackles each and George Martinez with six tackles and two for a loss.

“Except for the turnovers, we played really good offensively, the offensive line was dominant all night as we rushed for 300 yards on 30 attempts,” said Cole. “Jojo Gray had a big game with 221 yards and 17 carries and Jackson Haggard added 66 yards on 12 carries. We moved some people around on the offensive line and it really paid dividends as those guys did a great job of handling Davis slant defense.”

Cole praised quarterback Traber Sartors, in only his second start at the position, as he connected on seven of 11 passes for 146 yards and a score.

Receivers Carter Cole and Drake Wood also got a nod from the coach. Carter Cole had the big game, 96-yard TD toss from Sartors, and Wood reeled in 37 yards in passes and an interception defensively.

“This was just a great win for our program, and two weeks in a row we played number one ranked teams and came out on top and the big thing as we’ve gotten better each week,” said Cole. “We’re playing really good defense and offensively, we’re able to establish the run game and we’re getting better and better in the pass game each week. The things that we want to improve from the week before are we just gotta hang onto the ball, we cannot turn the football over. We were just very fortunate the defense played so outstanding last Friday night, just a great win and I’m proud of our team. I thought our coaches did a great job getting our kids ready and it’s always fun when you can beat Davis.”

Game Recap

The Bulldogs turned the ball over on a fumble right out of the gate on their first possession, but got it right back when they recovered a Davis fumble on their first play, setting up good field position at the Wolves’ 36.

Wood caught a 12-yard Sartors’ pass on first down, Gray went for four on second down, then Jackson Haggard raced 20 yards for the Dog’s first score. Angel Rios’kick was good, giving Sulphur an early, 7-0 lead.

Davis began at their own 33, then burned the Dogs on an option play as Jaxon Wright sped 47 yards to the Dog’s 12.

After moving to the four, Davis was stopped cold by a swarming Bulldog defense, including an excellent stop by Warden for no gain, as the Dogs took over deep in their own end of the field.

On first down, Sartors took the snap in the end-zone and fired off a long pass over the middle to a streaking Carter Cole, who caught it in stride, and raced in for the score, completing the school’s second longest touchdown pass in history of 96 yards. Rios’ PAT gave the Dogs a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.

The remainder of the first half was highlighted by several outstanding defensive plays, but the Dogs would fumble two more times, including one at the Davis 14-yard-line to end a drive just before halftime.

Sulphur returned the second- half kickoff to their own 41, and in only four plays made it a 21-0 game when Gray broke free on a 47-yard score. Rios’ PAT kick was good, giving the Dogs a comfortable margin.

After forcing Davis to kick on their ensuing possession, the Dog’s Gray, on first down, blitzed the Wolves on a 63-yard scorning run midway through the third quarter to give Sulphur a fourscore margin. Rios hit the PAT and that was the game.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Dog’s Mitchell boomed a 52-yard punt to the Davis five, a point where the Wolves began their only TD drive of the game. Owens and fullback Creed Rogers did most of the damage on running plays, then Owens got Davis on the board with a nine-yard TD strike to Isaac Lewis. The PAT run failed, and Sulphur held on for the win.

One of the largest crowds ever to watch a football game in Sulphur witnessed an astonishing contest between two of the best programs in the state last Friday night.

The annual showdown between Sulphur and Washington lived up to its billing as the Bulldogs rallied to defeat the Warriors, 28-27, in overtime at Agee Field.

“What an incredible night, what an incredible atmosphere and environment for a high school football game featuring two tradition-rich football communities,” Sulphur head coach Corey Cole said. “It had to be one of the biggest crowds we’ve ever had here at Agee Field for a Friday night football game.”

The contest began as a defensive battle, with the Bulldogs trailing 13-7 at halftime. By midway through the fourth quarter, Sulphur’s situation wasn’t hopeless, but the Bulldogs needed to pick up the pace if they were going to pull out the victory.

At the 9:45 mark of the fourth period, Washington’s big tight end and Penn State commit, Case Alexander, burned the Bulldogs on a 12-yard scoring pass from quarterback Creed Barrett to give the Warriors a 21-14 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining.

It was now or never for the Bulldogs.

Starting his first game at quarterback, senior Traber Sartors connected with receiver Nate Wood on a three-yard pass play to start Sulphur’s next series. It wasn’t much, but it seemed to provide the spark the Bulldogs needed.

Power runner JoJo Gray then reeled off runs of eight and nine yards to add to the momentum. On first down, Sartors rolled out and fired a pass to senior Carter Cole, who made a leaping catch at the pylon to complete the 35-yard scoring play and even the game at 21-21 after Angel Rios hit the critical extra point.

Neither team could move the ball on the next two series, and the Bulldogs fought through a spate of holding penalties to retain possession until the end of regulation.

Sulphur lost the overtime coin toss and was forced to go on offense first, a situation that can put a team at a disadvantage.

But it didn’t matter. Junior Bulldog running back Jackson Haggard blew through a hole to the one-yard line on the first overtime play, followed by Sartors plunging into the end zone on the second play. Rios’ PAT was good, and Sulphur had taken a 28-21 lead.

The Sulphur crowd fell silent moments later, however, as Barrett fired a nine-yard scoring strike to Alexander on Washington’s second overtime play to bring the Warriors within one point.

Going for a tie didn’t seem to be an option for Washington coach Brad Beller.

And he didn’t. But Sulphur brought pressure on the two-point conversion try, flushing Barrett out of the pocket. The quarterback tried to outrun Carter Cole to the pylon, but Cole was just a half-step ahead and made a game-saving stop to preserve the Bulldog victory.

“What a tremendous finish, and what a tremendous game that was,” Corey Cole said. “Like I said, I think everybody got their money’s worth.”

Cole said he was proud of the way his players handled the intensity of the game and continued to improve as the night progressed.

“I was really, really proud of our kids for their toughness, their grit, their will to win and their commitment to stay true to the process,” he said. “I thought we were getting stronger as the game went on, and I thought we played really well down the stretch and in overtime.”

The Bulldogs’ ability to control the line of scrimmage proved to be a major factor in the victory. Sulphur ran for nearly 240 yards while holding Washington to around 100 yards on the ground.

“A big difference was we didn’t turn the ball over,” Cole said. “I thought we were really, really physical and, for the most part, we were very efficient. I thought our defensive line played extremely well controlling the line of scrimmage.”

Gray led the Bulldogs’rushing attack with close to 150 yards. Haggard and Madden Duck also delivered big carries throughout the contest.

Cole credited the offensive line of Kaleb Walker, AJ Gordon, George Martinez, Wriley Ashley, Caysen Meador and Acer Dixon for helping establish the Bulldogs’ physical running game.

“I thought those guys played really, really well for us throughout the ball game,” he said.

While Sulphur’s passing attack struggled at times, Sartors came through when the Bulldogs needed him most, connecting with Carter Cole on the 35-yard touchdown that tied the game late in the fourth quarter.

“We definitely need to get better in our passing attack,” Corey Cole said. “We struggled there a little bit for parts of the game, but Traber hit Carter for the big 35-yard touchdown to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. It was a great throw by Traber and a big-time catch by Carter.”

The Bulldogs then turned to their running game in overtime.

“Jackson Haggard had the big run to get us down the one-yard line, and then Traber punched it in,” Cole said. “Angel Rios then hit the extra point that gave us a 28-21 lead.”

Alexander’s overtime touchdown brought Washington within one, setting up the dramatic twopoint conversion attempt.

Cole said the Bulldogs elected to use man coverage on the play, a strategy they had not employed much during the game.

“We decided to go man coverage, and we hadn’t done that most of the night, so it was a little bit of a different strategy, hoping to disguise that a little bit,” he said. “We brought pressure to try to flush the quarterback, and it did.”

As Barrett rolled toward the pylon, Carter Cole found himself in single coverage with Alexander.

“Alexander went and blocked and kind of freaked Carter up, and then it was just a race to the pylon as Carter beat Creed Barrett by a half a step,” Corey Cole said.

Sulphur’s defensive effort was led by Michael Morris, who recorded 15 tackles, three tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

“He had a heck of a game for us at linebacker,” Cole said. “He played outstanding, as did all of our other linebackers.”

Chase Warden, making his first appearance as a Bulldog, played well at linebacker, while Duck and Lucas Mitchell also turned in strong performances.

Cole praised the play of his defensive line, including Acer Dixon, Britton McKinley and Kaleb Walker in the middle, along with Garin Watson, George Martinez and Jesse Peters at defensive end.

“I was really proud of the defensive line and the linebackers up front controlling the run game,” he said.

The Bulldogs’ secondary also improved as the game progressed. Ethan Sales played well in his first career start, while Aylor Dixon recorded 10 tackles and delivered several big hits.

“I thought he played really well,” Cole said.

Sartors also contributed on defense at safety, while Mavric Lowrance and Drake Wood provided steady play in the secondary.

Cole said the victory was a valuable early-season test for both teams.

“It was an extremely physical game, and a game of momentum changes,” he said. “It was a playoff-type atmosphere here in Week 1. I think both teams will benefit greatly from playing such a high-level game so early in the season.”

Despite the victory, Cole said the Bulldogs know there is plenty of work to do.

“Obviously, there’s lots of things that can be fixed, and that’s why you play games like this,” he said. “It’s why you play somebody the caliber of a team like Washington, because they’re going to expose your weaknesses, and they’re going to show you where you need to get better in a hurry.”

The Bulldogs will now turn their attention to correcting those mistakes and continuing to improve.

“We got lots of things that we need to fix, and that’s what we’re focused on this next week is to get better,” Cole said. “You play games like this hoping that you can make a run in the playoffs and play in December.”

And after a game that delivered on every bit of its preseason hype, the Bulldogs have already taken a major step toward that goal.

Game Recap

After fumbling on the seventh play of their opening possession, the Warriors held Sulphur on a fourth and five and took over at their own 34.

It didn’t take them long to score as Warrior signal caller Creed Barret connected to Adam Sharp on a 65-yard scoring pass. The PAT kick failed, but the Warriors were on the board with a 6-0 lead.

On Sulphur’s possession, the Dog’s JoJo Gray sparked the Sulphur offense with a 21-yard run. Madden Duck reeled off a 12-yard run into the red zone and Sartors completed the drive with a 3-yard TD run with 2:23 left in the first period.

Sulphur didn’t convert the PAT kick, but tied the score at 6-6.

The Warriors moved to near midfield on their ensuing drive but stalled out and kicked to the end-zone.

The Dogs couldn’t move either, but Lucas Mitchell boomed a long punt to the Warrior 30.

Sulphur’s defense held, but they couldn’t move on their next possession and were forced to punt again. This time, Mitchell had to retreat deep into the redzone to retrieve the center snap, but was able to get off excellent boot.

The Warriors then mounted a 65-yard scoring drive to go ahead of the Dogs at the half, 13-6.

Sulphur opened the second half after returning the kick to their own 33. The Dogs couldn’t overcome a holding penalty, but Mitchell launched a booming, 62-yard punt to the Warrior 3.

That deep punt eventually led to the Dogs getting a safety two series later when Michael Morris broke through and tackled a Warrior runner in the end-zone.

With 4:29 left in the 3rd quarter, the Dogs trailed only by five, 13-8.

The Dogs got good field position on the ensuing punt at the Warrior 43 and began to move. Mavric Lowrance reeled in 14yard pass from Sartors, then the Sulphur signal-caller completed the drive on an 8-yard TD run. Rios’ PAT was good, and Sulphur led, 14,-13.

The Warriors re-took the lead on their next drive onAlexander’s 12-yard reception and PAT kick.

Sulphur then tied the game at 21 with 7:42 left in the fourth quarter as Carter Cole made a leaping catch at the pylon for the score.

Neither team was able to score in the remaining minutes, leading to an overtime, and the rest is history as the Dogs won in one of the most exciting games at Agee Field.

Sulphur will have little rest this week as they face off with #2 Davis this Friday at Agee Field in the Bedlam rivalry series.