The Gore Pirates returned to their winning ways as they made it a happy homecoming with a 34-6 District AII3 victory over the Wewoka Tigers on Thursday night at K.G. Horn Stadium.

Devon Mannon rushed for 168 yards and scored four touchdowns on runs of 20, 5, 4 and 22 yards — the latter two came after the lone touchdown by the Tigers (1-6 overall, 1-3 in district play).

Tate Brooksher scored a two-point conversion after Mannon’s first TD.

The Pirates (4-3, 2-2) also got a 5-yard TD run by Bladin McCartney, who rushed for 80 yards and scored the one touchdown, in the final period as well as a safety by Keiden Denton to lead the scoring off in the first quarter.

“Our special teams did a really good job,” Gore coach Brandon Ellis said. “We pinned them inside the (Wewoka) 5 (yard line) three times (one of which led to Denton’s safety). We recovered two kickoffs. They weren’t onside kicks. They were just kicks, and we recovered them (before a Wewoka player got to the football). Special teams did a really good job. The defense did a really good job, and the offense did a really good job. In all three phases, they did really well.”

After the rough district road loss to Tulsa Regent Prep the week prior, Ellis said Thursday night’s district win was much needed.

“It was good,” he said. “It was homecoming, so there was a lot of distractions last week. It was good to get that underneath our belts. It moved us to 2-2 in district.”

The Pirates will entertain the Liberty Tigers at 7 p.m. Friday at K.G. Horn Stadium in another district contest.