INOLA — For one dramatic half, the Checotah Wildcats looked poised to shock Class 3A. But a late second-quarter swing, punctuated by an 87yard pick-six with just six seconds left, ignited No. 9 Inola’s rally and ultimately ended the Wildcats’ season in a 38-20 playoff defeat Friday night.
Checotah entered the game shorthanded, missing star running back Jayden Ellen, who stepped away from the team after last week’s emotional 110th rivalry win over Eufaula. Ellen had powered the Wildcats all season, rushing for 1,041 yards in seven games and earning a college offer from Air Force. Without him, Checotah’s offense leaned heavily on quarterback Cole Rolland.
Wildcats strike first – twice
Checotah opened with confidence. Rolland capped a 73-yard opening drive with a one-yard touchdown run, set up by a 33yard strike to Landynn Thomason, giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.
After Inola answered with a 26-yard field goal, Rolland punched in a second one-yard score to push Checotah ahead 14-3, giving the Wildcats early control and momentum.
Inola Storms Back Before Halftime
A 37-yard punt return gave the Longhorns life, and quarterback Huston Wilhite connected with Micah Schwing from eight yards out with just over two minutes left in the second quarter.
Then came the turning point.
With Checotah looking to regroup, Inola’s Jayce Kent jumped a route and raced 87 yards to the house, flipping a 14-10 Checotah lead into a stunning 17-14 halftime advantage for the Longhorns.
Longhorns Take Over the Second Half Inola kept rolling. Kent broke loose again early in the third quarter on a 33-yard touchdown run, and Brennan Lawley punched in another score from eight yards out to stretch the Longhorn lead to 31-14.
Rolland, fighting to keep the Wildcats alive, connected with Jayden Lake for a 42-yard touchdown with 2:30 left in the third. Lake finished with a monster night, three receptions for 152 yards, while Thomason hauled in five catches for 73.
But that was the final spark for Checotah.
Inola added one more touchdown in the fourth, finishing with 285 total yards and closing out their first playoff victory since 1994 and their first home playoff win since 1980.
Wildcats fight through adversity Rolland threw for 222 yards (10-of-19) and rushed for 45 more, but the Longhorn defense keyed on him all night. With Ellen unavailable, freshman Tommy Calico added three carries for 11 yards in relief.
Despite the loss, Checotah head coach Zac Ross praised his team’s resolve: “I’m very proud of this team. We faced a lot of adversity and obstacles throughout this season and we overcame a lot of it. It made us closer as a team. Of course we came here to win a ballgame, but it just didn’t go our way.”
Checotah concludes the season 6-5, while Inola (9-2) advances to face No. 3 Heritage Hall next week.
FINAL
Inola 38, Checotah 20 Checotah 7 7 6 0 — 20 Inola 0 17 14 7 — 38
Scoring Summary
CHS: Rolland 1 run (Duvall kick), 9:11 1Q IHS: Ellis 26 FG, 4:00 2Q CHS: Rolland 1 run (Duvall kick), 3:29 2Q IHS: Schwing 8 pass from Wilhite (Ellis kick), 2:09 2Q IHS: Kent 87 INT return (Ellis kick), :06 2Q IHS: Kent 33 run (Ellis kick), 10:43 3Q IHS: Lawley 8 run (Ellis kick), 5:04 3Q CHS: Lake 42 pass from Rolland (kick failed), 2:30 3Q IHS: 23-yard run (Ellis kick), 3:23 4Q
