SALLISAW – After 48 minutes and 84 points on the board, the game still was not decided at Sallisaw Friday night. It took overtime to decide a winner between the Black Diamonds and the Fort Gibson Tigers.

Neither team showed any kind of defense from the start of the contest, and it was evident the game would be a shootout.

Sallisaw’s lengthy opening drive was topped off with a score at 6: 22 on a fourth down run around the right side by Broque Oft for an 18-yard touchdown. Brian Castor added the extra point, and the Diamonds were off to a 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Jace Patton took the Tigers out to midfield with a 40-yard return. Just two plays later a 26-yard touchdown pass from Parker Lockheart to Jaiden Johnson tied the score at 7 after the Elijah Scaggs extra point.

Streun was next on the board with a scramble up the middle and broke loose for 60-yards and a score with just under four minutes left in the first.

With 2:28 still remaining in the opening quarter, Cole Stephens got on the board with a 30-yard scamper around the left side and a dive into the end zone, and Sallisaw extended the lead to 21-7.

Before the quarter ended Lockheart connected with Chase Meissner who took it 71 yards to the house, to get the Tigers back to within one score, 21-14.

The scoring slowed a bit in the second. It took the Diamonds just over seven minutes before Streun forced his way in from the Tiger 1 yard line to open it up to two scores at 28-14.

Before the half ended Fort Gibson would score again on a fourth down play from the 19 with a Lockheart to Brody Hansen toss and the Tigers were back to within 7 points 28-21.

With under a minute left I the half the Black Diamonds were not done scoring. A Streun to Oft 29-yard toss got Sallisaw down to the 14 yard line. Two plays later Streun punched it in from the two with just 39 ticks left in the half.

About 4 minutes into the third with the Black Diamonds leading 35-21 Judd Rudd scampered in from the ten for the Tigers to get Fort Gibson back to within 7 points 35-28.

Sallisaw opened it up again scoring in the fourth quarter to take the score to 42-28 and it looked like the Black Diamonds had the game in hand, but two quick scores tied the score at 42 and that’s where it ended after regulation.

In the overtime Fort Gibson had the first possession from the ten and scored on third down to take their first lead of the night.

Sallisaw’s possession hit paydirt after just two plays, but Coach Brandon Tyler wanted to end the game there with a two-point try, but that attempt fell short when Streun was tackled at the 1-yard line to end the game 49-48 in favor of Fort Gibson.

The Black Diamonds (5-4) travel to Madill (2-7) next week in a must win game for a chance to qualify for a playoff spot, while the Tigers (4-5) return home to challenge their rival Hilldale (4-5).