Choctaw falls to top-ranked Kansas squad

September 18, 2024 |

Yellowjackets prepare to host Bixby Friday

By Ryan Horton
Choctaw Times

Titus Hawk celebrates in the Gardener-Edgerton end zone. (PHOTO BY KOLBY RUSH)

Choctaw High School football came up short at Gardener-Edgerton in Kansas Thursday.

The Yellowjackets took their explosive offense north last week to a high-scoring slugfest with Kansas’ reigning state champions.

Choctaw would put in nearly 400 yards of offense good for six touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to topple the hosting Trailblazers.

The contest started out competitive, but the sunflower state’s top-ranked program would pull away late to improve to 2-0 on the season.

It was tied up at 14-14 after the first quarter, and Choctaw trailed 38-36 going into halftime.

However, the Kansas hosts would maintain a relentless run game that would propel them to victory in the final periods of play.

The Trailblazers put up 14 unanswered points in the third, and then capped the night with a 14-8 final quarter run.

While the Jackets came up short, they put in plenty of work and never gave up their quest to best the powerhouse program.

Juju Smith finds some running room against Gardener-Edgerton. (PHOTO BY KOLBY RUSH)

CHS quarterback Cash Williams connected on 13 passes for three TDs and a one two-point conversion.

Williams recorded 145 yards passing and another 66 and TD on the run.

Landon Gatson had a 33-yard pass for six, and recorded 18 yards rushing.

Juju Smith had 66 yards receiving and another 25 rushing.

Mayor Morgan had 118 yards rushing and 18 receiving.

Hayden Mounce had 47 yards receiving, Nate Kieffer had 38 yards receiving, and Titus Hawk had 14,

The visiting Yellowjackets suffered their first loss of the year as the defending Kansas Class 6A state champions outlasted Choctaw, 66-44.

Choctaw’s coaches will have plenty of notes to focus on this week as they return to host Oklahoma’s powerhouse, Bixby.

Sept. 20. the Yellowjackets will take on Oklahoma’s defending Class 6A-I state champs who have claimed a gold ball nine out of the last 10 years.

Bixby (1-1) is coming off a 50-10 win over Sand Springs (0-2).

Choctaw (1-1) will kickoff at Bill Jensen Field at 7 p.m. Friday night.

Hayden Mounce makes a catch for a touchdown in Kansas. (PHOTO BY KOLBY RUSH)

CHS has been ranked No. 3 in the first Associated Press Poll of the season.