The Vian Wolverines will be entering the Class 2A playoffs on a two-game losing streak.
The Sequoyah-Tahlequah Indians spoiled Senior Night for the Wolverines as the visitors left town with a 3835 road win on Friday night at St. John Stadium.
The Wolverines (6-4 overall, 5-2 in District 2A-5 play) lost for the second straight week, but ended up third place in the district and will get a rematch with the Eufaula Ironheads — who they defeated 3527 on Sept. 1 at St. John Stadium — to begin the Class 2A playoffs at 7 p.m. next Friday in Eufaula.
With the game tied at 35-all with 7:38 left to play in the game, the Indians (7-3, 6-1) got a 20yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in regulation to get the win.
Trailing 7-0 with 9:59 left in the first half, the Wolverines tied the game at 7-all on Draighton Fletcher’s 33-yard touchdown run and Mikayah Mendoza’s extra point with 8:49 remaining before halftime.
However, the Indians scored two TDs in the final 3:47 to take a 21-7 halftime lead.
Fletcher’s second touchdown run and Mendoza’s PAT cut Vian’s deficit to 21-14 with 8:24 left in the third quarter.
After Sequoyah-Tahequah responded with a TD drive of its own, Kaden Fulbright caught an 18-yard TD pass from Riley Ellis with 52 seconds remaining in the period. Mendoza’s extra point cut Vian’s deficit to 28-21 after three quarters.
The Wolverines tied the game at 28-all with 11:29 left in the game as Fletcher recorded a hat trick with his third touchdown run of the game, a 39-yard run, and Mendoza’s PAT.
After the Indians regained the lead at 35-28 with 7:54 remaining to play, it only took 16 seconds for the Indians to get the game knotted at 35-all as Adoff Stahl returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards for a touchdown. Mendoza hit the extra point.
For the game, Fletcher rushed for 229 yards and three TDs, and Mendoza hit all five PATs.
Former Vian Wolverine and Oklahoma State Cowboy Kenyatta Wright, right, gets a framed replica of his Vian uniform No. 44 by former Vian coach Ray Jordan during the pregame ceremony in which Wright’s No. 44 was retired by Vian Public Schools.