SALLISAW – The Sallisaw Black Diamonds pulled victory from defeat in the last minute of a thriller, 36-35 over Broken Bow.
Everybody had Sallisaw as the underdog against the No. 1 ranked Broken Bow Savages (3-1) Friday night. The Diamonds (4-0) came into the game rank at No. 3.
In the Savages first possession, Greydon Howell made it look easy capping off an opening drive with an 11-yard keeper into the end zone for a quick 7-0 Broken Bow lead.
It didn’t take long for Sallisaw to even the score. Brodi Nickell grabbed a 38-yard reception from Kase Adams to tie the score with 1:03 remaining in the opening quarter, and it was “game-on” from there.
In the second quarter it was Howell again for the Savages on another quarterback keeper for an 11-yard sprint to the end zone with 4:30 remaining in the half.
Just a little over two minutes later, Nickell struck again for Sallisaw on a 30-yard TD reception to tie the score going into halftime.
With the score tied at 14, Broken Bow regained the lead again just 2:15 into the third, with another QB keeper, this time for 5 yards, for his third score of the night. A penalty on the extra try put the ball back 5 yards on the try that was successful by Gadiel Zaragoza, for a 21-14 Savages lead.
A short time later, Sallisaw’s Kenyan Hill broke a 60-yard run down to the Broken Bow 10 yard line, and two plays later, Adams took it in for the score and it was tied again at 21 all with 7:50 left in the third quarter.
Less than 2 minutes later a Howell to Brayden Williams 3-yard pass for another Savage TD put Broken Bow back on top 27-21 after a blocked extra point.
Broken Bow opened up a two score lead with a Howell 43-yard touchdown run for his fourth of the night. A successful 2-point conversion pass to Kyng Golston put the Savages up 35-21 with 11:50 remaining in the game.
Later, with Broken Bow backed up to their own 15 yard line, the Diamonds broke through the Savage defense to block a Howell punt, and Clark Hotema scoop-and-score brought the Diamonds with one score with 4:17 left in the game.
On the savages next series. They turned the ball over on downs to the Diamonds at the Broken Bow 39. Sallisaw advanced to the Savages 13 yard line with 1:29 left. Luke Bob Walker put it in the end zone with 0:47 remaining to get the Diamonds within 1 point.
On the extra point try, Broken Bow committed a penalty which put the ball on the 1-yard line, and coach Tyler went for bust and attempted a 2-point try for the lead. A direct snap to Nickell put the ball in the end zone for Sallisaw’s first lead in the game 36-35 with just 47 seconds left.
The Black Diamonds were able to stop the Savages on their final attempt to regain the lead and the game ended with a 36-35 Sallisaw upset of the No.1 ranked Broken Bow Savages.
The Savages will return home next week to take on Poteau in their second district game, and Sallisaw will travel to Mannford to take on the Pirates.