Bitner’s TD put the exclamation point on a stellar defensive performance Friday night in a 21-13 win at S.E. Williams Stadium.

With the victory, Hale clinched the third spot in 5A-3 and will travel to McAlester for their first playoff game next week. Pryor fell to fourth in the standings and will return to S.E. Williams Stadium to take on East Central.

Bitner’s third-quarter sack jarred the ball loose at the Pryor 22-yard line and he scooped it up and took it the distance with 5:27 left in the third quarter.

“I just saw the ball, I picked it up and ran, I guess,” said the junior Bitner, laughing at the first touchdown of his career.

Pryor answered by opening the fourth quarter with a touchdown of its own, cutting the lead to 15-13 with 11:17 left in the game. Hale came back with an 8-minute drive of its own, including three fourth-down conversions, one on quarterback Chaz Dawson’s pass to tight end Evan Taylor for the score.

“The coach had just chewed me out for not blocking very well so I was like 'I have to go out for my team,’” said Taylor, admittedly nervous when his number was called and the ball was coming to him in the end zone.

Pryor blocked the extra-point attempt with 3:20 left, but the Tigers fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by Hale, essentially clinching the game for the Rangers.

“We didn’t show up in the first half. Didn’t play with any emotion or

Hale head coach Anthony Fogle cited consistency on offense as the key to the 8-minute drive in the fourth quarter. The drive made Pryor’s comeback difficult, but Fogle feels his team needs to work on cutting down penalties after the “playoff-caliber game.”

“McAlester. Playoff game. We coming,” said Hale running back Justin Fogle, who finished with 17 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown. “We ain’t gonna be backing down. ... We’re just gonna come and play our own game.”