Outlaws score late to dump ‘Horns, 21-14

MARLOW—There are seldom easy opponents in the state football playoffs and while Marlow got a huge challenge from Chisholm, the Outlaws are heading to the second round of the Class 2A-I playoffs thanks to a down-to-the-wire 21-14 victory before a huge crowd at Outlaws Stadium.

Marlow head coach Matt Weber was well aware that it was going to be a tough matchup heading into the game but says he’s happy with the way his guys finished.

“They’re a good football team and we knew that coming in,” Weber said of the Longhorns. “It’s playoff football and at this point you want to survive, win, and advance. In the end, our guys found a way to win.”

Next Friday, Marlow will be playing at Kingston in the second round with a 7 p.m. kickoff. Kingston routed Sperry, 41-6, in its first-round contest.

In a game this close, many teams might fold under pressure but with playoff experience among the Outlaws veterans, it was theirs for the taking. Weber says that being in a playoff position before has helped his kids thrive in those situations and stay focused. In the final few minutes of Friday’s game, focus played a part in helping them win.

“Our kids have been here a lot. We’ve played a lot of playoff football, and each team is unique,” said Weber. “It’s cliché but how you practice really does reflect how you play, and these guys give it their all each day.”

Down three in the third quarter, Marlow was able to inch its way to the end zone through a series of tough running plays. Running back Hudson Morgan contributed 42 yards to the drive and eventually powered his way into the end zone to put Marlow on the scoreboard. With the PAT kick splitting the uprights, Marlow had taken a 7-6 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

On the ensuing drive, Chisolm was forced into a third down situation. Longhorns’ quarterback Kelson Hamilton tried to find a receiver but before the ball reached the intended target, Marlow’s Blayd Harris made the interception and returned it 40 yards to  position his team on the 8-yard line.

With the clock now becoming a factor, Marlow found itself in a 4th-and-1 after the Longhorns’ defense made a couple of big stops. But Harris was able to get enough of push from his offensive line and scored with 11 seconds remaining in the quarter. The PAT kick was good and Marlow had the lead entering the fourth quarter.

With its defense managing to control the Longhorns’ offense much of the first three quarters, the visitors finally got back into the end on a 26-yard run from running back Malachi Bennet. Chisholm wasted little time making a decision to go for a two-point PAT and it was Bennet getting the call and he responded to knot the score at 14-all with eight minutes remaining in the game.

The Outlaws took the ensuing kickoff but were unable to move the ball and were forced to punt the ball away with six minutes remaining. Like it had done much of the season, the Outlaws’ defense got a couple of big hits on the Chisholm drive, setting up a 4th-and-2 from midfield.

Marlow’s defensive coaches got their call right on the key play, plugging the gap and stopping the Longhorns just short of the first down with 3:30 remaining.

With the momentum from the big defensive stop, the Marlow offense went to work with Morgan and Harris getting first downs on back-to-back runs to earn a first down at the 24-yard-line.

Harris got the call from there and when he was tackled on the next play the Longhorns were called for a face-mask penalty moving the ball to the 5-yard-line and getting a critical first down.

Morgan took little time to bull his way into the end zone, scoring on first down and giving the Outlaws the lead with the clock now a big factor. The Longhorns were unable to get anything on the ground and on fourth down Marlow’s defense sealed the outcome with a big stop as the home fans started to celebrate.

Chisholm was able to score first in the battle of evenly-matched teams. After working the ball to Marlow’s 18-yard-line, quarterback Bennet found receiver Manu Smolinski in the end zone for the TD. The Longhorns attempted a two-point conversion, but after a penalty set them back five yards, they were unable to convert. That’s how the half ended as the defenses ruled in the first 24 minutes.

Harris, who took over the quarterback job after the graduation of Gage Gilbert, stood out for the Outlaws with two key pass completions for 41 yards in the air, plus he added 70 rushing yards. And he also made a big interception on the defensive side of the ball in the third quarter to set his team up on first and goal and to swing the momentum in the Outlaws’ direction.

Morgan also stood out with 80 rushing yards on 18 carries. He also contributed two touchdowns.