Football

Haskell Keeps Bacone winless

By Kenton Brooks
Phoenix Sports Writer
Muskogee Phoenix

Coach Lloyd Spotted Wolf said his Bacone football players working dailly on fundamental tackling, but they aren’t showing much fruits of their labors.

A fake field goal worked for Haskell Indian Nations University as the Indians kept a drive alive on the way to a third quarter touchdown en route to their 35-17 win against the Warriors at Indian Bowl on Saturday night to spoil Bacone’s homecoming.

Bacone trailed 21-17 after Brandon Hawley kicked a 48-yard field goal with 9:28 left in the third period.

On the enusing drive, Haskell had a fourth down and four situation at Bacone’s 32 with 7:08 remaining. The drive had apparently stalled.

But the Indians’ Cody Coburn of Tahlequah took the fake field goal attempt for five yards and the first down. Later, the Indians got a first down on a three-yard run by Malcolm Coleman to keep the drive alive.

Four plays later, and with 3:07 left in the third period, Daniel Jones scored from 12 yards out to put the Indians ahead 28-17 after the extra point.

It was a crucial score for the Indians, now 3-2 for the season.

“No question that (fake field goal) was a big play,” Spotted Wolf said. “We had an idea there was going to be a fake. We had the receivers covered downfield, but, unfortunately, he turned up north and south and was able to get the first down.

“They do a good job running the football and run it well. We’re having a real problem tackling right now. Watching the film, I imagine most of their yards on the ground were after first contact. For some reason, we’re still trying to deliver the big hits. We’re not wrapping up and waiting for the cavalry to arrive. That’s a real problem.”

Another problem that showed up for Bacone was fumbles. They lost four of five in the game and the first three came in the first half and led to 21 points for Haskell.

After recovering the three first-half fumbles, Haskell marched 16 plays and 92 yards to reach the end zone. Malcolm Coleman ran two yards for a TD, while Daniel Jones plunged from three yards out and Dwayne Butler had a two-yard run. Haskell led 21-14 at halftime.

Coleman led all rushers with 170 yards on 36 carries, while Butler had 80 yards on 14 totes.

Bacone, losing its third straight game to fall to 0-3, jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 54-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stanley Johnson from Shawn Walls with six minutes left in the first quarter. JaMario Thomas got the Warriors’ other touchdown on a 63-yard run with 4:21 left in the first half.

Walls completed 14 of 28 passes for 194 yards and the touchdown.

Bacone returns to action next Saturday at 6 p.m. at Southern Nazarene, while its next home game is on Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. against Texas College.