Tulsa World: Cardinals' big stops key in win

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Cardinals' big stops key in win
East Central uses defense in district win against McAlester.

East Central's Marcus Robinson reads a reverse trick play and tackles McAlester's Caleb Carney for a loss. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

By BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Published: 10/31/2009 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 10/31/2009 8:27 AM

It was fitting for East Central that Keith Ross ended Friday night's District 5A-4 title showdown against McAlester with an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The fifth-ranked Cardinals' defense delivered several pivotal plays en route to a 22-6 victory over visiting No. 6 McAlester at East Side Sports Complex.

Before Ross' final play, East Central's scoring was produced by Antonio Escobedo's three field goals and Chakeal Armstrong's 30-yard touchdown run.

The outcome was very much in doubt midway through the final period as McAlester, trailing 16-6, had fourth down at the Cardinals 1. McAlester quarterback Tony Kiefer tried to go wide on a keeper, but was stopped for a 3-yard loss by Cardinals defensive end Ashton Dandy following an East Central timeout.

"I didn't like using the timeout because it was our last one," East Central coach Travis Hill said. "But we used it because we knew if we make the play we're going to win the ballgame. We knew if they were going to come out in the same personnel set (as McAlester had shown before the timeout), they were going to go outside. Ashton has been making big plays since the Coweta game (Week 7). It's so fun to see Ashton now that he has learned how to turn on his motor and make big plays every week. He is growing as a football player."

Dandy added, "I knew I had to come through. It feels great to win a district championship in my first year starting."

East Central had a streak of six straight district titles snapped last year. Kiefer racked up 297 total yards, but had only one TD, on a 56-yard pass to Alvary Braxton late in the third quarter. Kiefer completed 28-of-40 passes for 194 yards. He also had 25 carries for 103 yards to lead the Buffaloes, who entered averaging 31 points.

"We were just trying to keep him to the inside and we were able to contain him," Dandy said. "Our defense played with great intensity."

Dandy also contributed on a turnover on McAlester's first possession as he knocked a Kiefer fumble to teammate Marcus Robinson at the Buffaloes 28. The turnover set up Escobedo's 26-yard field goal that opened the scoring.

Another big play by the Cardinals' defense came late in the second quarter. Cody Colbert's end-zone interception ended a McAlester drive that reached the East Central 9 and enabled the Cardinals to take a 13-0 lead at half.

Special teams were a huge part of the win for the Cardinals (8-1, 6-0). Besides Escobedo's field goals, the Cardinals blocked a McAlester field goal and extra-point kick. In addition, a fumbled punt led to Escobedo's third field goal, a 41-yarder that made it 16-6 with 9:52 left.

"He has a strong, accurate leg," Hill said of Escobedo, who kicked the winning field goal with 40 seconds left at Ada last week. "The kid is ice. He's calm, cool and collected. He's a great kicker. We thought about faking it there, but we knew if we could get up by two possessions, it was going to be very tough on them."

That field goal helped swing the momentum back to the Cardinals after they had a TD nullified by a penalty midway through the third quarter. McAlester (8-1, 5-1) took advantage with Braxton's TD following a successful 4th-and-5 conversion when Kiefer lined up in punt formation, but passed instead 14 yards to Tyler Crabtree for a first down. LaRone Fitzgerald, however, blocked the extra-point kick.

"It was a great effort by our defense to hold them to six points," Hill said.

Slide Show

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EAST CENTRAL 22, MCALESTER 6

McAlester 0 0 6 0 — 6
East Central 3 10 0 9 — 22

EC: FG Escobedo 26

EC: Armstrong 30 run (Escobedo kick)

EC: FG Escobedo 37

M: Braxton 56 pass from Kiefer (kick failed)

EC: FG Escobedo 41

EC: Ross 80 interception return (no conversion)

	MCAL	EC
First Downs	15	11
Rushes-Yards	29-103	38-191
Passing Yards	194	46
Comp-Att-Int	28-41-2	5-9-0
Punts-Avg	2-27.0	4-37.0
Fumbles-Lost	2-1	1-0
Penalties-Yards	3-35	6-55

Barry Lewis 581-8393
barry.lewis@tulsaworld.com By BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "East Central defense delivers victory," which was published on 10/30/2009.

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vger1970, tulsa (11/2/2009 4:12:08 PM)

Go Cards !!

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