Claremore Daily Progress

Catoosa

October 21, 2011

No. 2 Catoosa takes down No. 1 Wagoner

GLENN HIBDON Sports Writer

CATOOSA — Cole Scheulen provided the hustle, Levi Browning contributed the muscle and the No. 2 Catoosa Indians won a mighty tussle with top-ranked Wagoner Thursday night before a crowd nearing 6,000 at McNabb Field.

Scheulen ran for 151 yards, Browning amassed 134 and each scored three touchdowns as the Indians stopped the Bulldogs, 45-27 in a showdown for the state’s top spot and District 4A-3 lead. Catoosa improved to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in league play, dropping Wagoner to 7-1 and 4-1.

The only negative for Catoosa and coach Aaron Meier was an injury to Browning’s left ankle in the third quarter, forcing the senior to leave the field without placing weight on it.

“He will be all right,’’ said Meier. “He twisted his ankle and he’s had a slight sprain before. I was told he will be all right.’’

For a while it didn’t appear the Indians would escape unscathed. Kevin Peterson lived up to his pre-game billing with 172 yards on nine carries, including touchdown runs of 70, 36 and 70 yards. Wagoner scored on three of its first five plays and led 20-7 with 2:37 remaining in the first period.

Catoosa quickly rallied and clamped down on the Bulldogs in the second half, limiting them to three first downs and 106 yards, 70 coming on Peterson’s third score. The Indians ran 73 plays in the game compared to just 32 for Wagoner.

“We made some adjustments,’’ Meier said of his halftime strategy. “They were doing a lot of shifting and we had to get our guys lined up. We had him (Peterson) bottled up in the second half.

“We kept our composure and kept pounding the ball. We wore them out in the second half. This is a great win for Catoosa and our program. We lost to them twice last season and this was a big win.’’

Down 20-7, Catoosa roared back starting with Browning’s six-yard score on the final play of the first quarter. The Indians used a Wagoner fumble at its own 33 to take a 21-20 lead when Browning bulled over from 10 yards out.

Browning broke for a 58-yard TD midway in the third, but Peterson quickly struck back for Wagoner, darting 70 yards to pull his team within 31-27. That was the visitors’ swan song. Scheulen climaxed a 69-yard drive with a 13-yard score late in the third, then added a four-yard TD with 3:35 left.

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