Last-second TD seals Elgin's comeback win against Lawton MacArthur, 20-13
By Glen Brockenbush
LAWTON - Despite being separated by less than 20 miles, Lawton MacArthur and Elgin had never played one another in football prior to this season, when Elgin moved up to Class 5A for the first time.
Still, Thursday’s meeting felt very much like a rivalry.
The emotion, chippiness and trash talk was there. And like any good rivalry game, the best drama was saved for the end.
After being unable to muster many points for much of the game, the Owls scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes, including a 30-yard pass from Tres Lorah to Michael Adesola, who had to dive and secure the ball with 37 seconds left to hand the Owls an emotional 20-13 win at Cameron Stadium.
With just over eight minutes left, Elgin trailed 13-6, though the deficit seemed larger, considering Elgin’s inability to produce points up to that stage in the game. Despite some success on the ground, the Owls hadn’t generated much in the way of sustained offensive attacks through the first three-plus quarters of the game.
Outside of a long touchdown run by Matt Lund in the early stages of the second quarter and a run or two by Ritson Meyer, the big chunk plays that had been there for Elgin all season were lacking.
In particular, the passing game was off, with Lorah only having completed two passes through the first three-and-a-half quarters of the game. And even when there were big plays, there was often the need to look for a flag, as the two teams combined for nearly 250 yards of penalties.
But Elgin’s defense - under defensive coordinator and former MacArthur assistant Jack Baker - kept giving the Owls' offense chances. MacArthur had three separate drives in the second half that ended on failed fourth-down conversion attempts.
Two of those stops were just a yard short of the sticks, including a fourth-and-goal from the Elgin 1 in which Mac running back Jeremy Hutchinson fumbled into the end zone, and Elgin recovered for a touchback.
So when Elgin stopped MacArthur inside the red zone with eight minutes left, it felt like another bullet dodged. It was now up to the Owls' offense to move 81 yards and capitalize.
They soon found themselves facing fourth-and-8. But Lorah connected with Adesola for the second time on the drive, this time for 30 yards.
However, after three plays, the Owls were staring at another fourth down, this one at the Mac 8. Rather than hand off, Lorah kept the ball and muscled into the end zone, effectively tying the game and sending the packed visitor's stands into a frenzy.
Starting at their own 31, the Highlanders had a chance to drive into field goal range for Matthew Aguilar, who had already nailed two field goals on the night. But a penalty quickly put MacArthur behind the 8-ball.
Then, the hosts were driven back even deeper when Elgin’s Jack Anglley sacked Mac quarterback Gage Graham. It capped a wonderful night for Anglley, who finished with 2.5 sacks.
MacArthur was eventually forced to punt, but used a different punter than they had all night. The strategy didn’t pay off, as the punt went just 15 yards, setting the Owls up at the MacArthur 30.
With 1:12 left, the Owls had a choice - get into field goal range for Gabe Dittmeyer to kick a game-winner, or go for the gusto.
After a run play appeared to point more toward option A, the next play call was decidedly less conservative. The play call was a fade to Adesola.
All year, Lorah and Adesola had been Elgin’s top pass-catch tandem and they would need to be just that once again.
“Going back to June, they created a special chemistry, at the 7-on-7’s and things like that,” Elgin coach Chalmer Wyatt said. “They make magic when we need it.”
And the magic was manifested in a diving catch by Adesola. And while the level of difficulty looked high to most, the junior receiver had few concerns about whether he’d be able to catch it.
“I trust my quarterback to throw me a good ball and I trust myself to make that catch,” Adesola said.
That trust was shared by the coaching staff, who knew that even if neither had played their best game, Lorah and Adesola were the duo to call upon for the game’s biggest play.
“We knew we needed to get it to Mike, it’s Tres’ favorite football to throw and Michael went and got it,” Wyatt said. “Just incredible.
"Incredible tandem, incredible chemistry. I’m just proud of them.”
Adesola’s three catches and 72 yards all came in the final 6:50 of the game. Lund finished the night with 181 rushing yards on 28 carries.
MacArthur ran the ball for 234 yards with Hutchinson, Mason Diaz and Marquis Harris all playing a major role, along with a spirited effort from the offensive line. At the end of the night, though, mistakes undid the Highlanders too often.
“Our effort was awesome. I’m really proud of our kids for their whole approach and the way they played,” MacArthur head coach Brett Manning said. “It’s one of the best, focused, intense games we’ve played all year and I’m really proud of our kids for that.
"We just missed opportunities and did things to ourselves that really hurt us.”
The first half was largely defensive, with both teams producing fourth-down stops. Meanwhile, the only points of the first quarter came on a Aguilar field goal that put MacArthur up 3-0.
But the first play of the second quarter provided the game with its first touchdown, as Lund galloped 61 yards for a score. However, the extra point attempt was blocked, leaving the score 6-3.
Mac later scored on a Hutchinson touchdown run from 3 yards out.
Elgin (8-1, 5-1 in District 5A-1) hosts Midwest City with the district championship on the line next Friday. MacArthur (5-4, 3-3) plays at Noble to close the regular season.
