FOR THE FIRST time since 1989, Jay is celebrating a district football championship.

Jay won the title with a 29-21 victory over rival Grove on Friday. The Bulldogs (7-3) emerged with the 4A-3 crown because they had the most marginal points in a three-way tiebreaker with Oologah and Catoosa.

"Everyone is very excited here," Jay coach Shane Holland said. "To win the district and to do it against Grove is the best of both worlds."

Before the season, Jay was projected to finish fourth in a poll of 4A-3 coaches with Grove picked as the favorite, Oologah second and Catoosa seventh.

Jay returns to the Tulsa World's Class 4A rankings this week at No. 10.

For Holland, a former Grove assistant, it was fitting that Jay had to rally from a 14-7 halftime deficit.

"There have been several games when we've been down in the second half, but we've been coming back all year," he said.

Casey Loomis, a senior who attended middle school in Grove, had a tying touchdown run in the third quarter and kicked a 33-yard field goal to provide valuable insurance points in the fourth quarter. Loomis leads 4A with nine field goals.

"Casey has been making big plays all year," Holland said. "It was a big game for all of us, but especially for Casey because he used to live