High school football: Deer Creek upsets No. 1 McGuinness

Jackson wrestled it away from a defender, giving Class 5A No. 5 Deer Creek a huge momentum shift early in the fourth quarter as the Antlers upset No. 1 McGuinness 25-12 at Pribil Stadium on Friday night.

“It was crazy,” Jackson said. “Me and the other dude just jumped up and I guess I just came out with it. It was a fight though.”

The 32-yard completion on third and 15 gave the Antlers the ball inside the 5. One play later, they scored to take the lead for good.

The reward for the win?

The District 5A-2 championship.

“It's almost like a dream,” linebacker Austin Loomis said. “Our goal is to win a state championship and to do this gives us all the confidence in the world.

“It's incredible what this team has accomplished.”

Deer Creek (9-1) opens the playoffs at home against Ardmore on Friday. McGuinness (9-1) will play host to Duncan on Friday.

The Antlers' reaction was a far cry from two weeks ago, when Deer Creek let a two-touchdown halftime lead slip away and fell to Guthrie 42-35 in overtime in a game that featured several controversial calls.

Deer Creek took lessons form that finish and used them late to hold off the Irish.

“We learned that nothing outside should be able to change the game,” said Antlers running back Brennan Miyake, who scored the go-ahead touchdown. “We went off that game on a positive note and put the same effort forward tonight.”