The White Pigeon football team ran nearly twice as many plays as Lawton, yet the Chiefs could not keep up with the Blue Devils Friday night.
Lawton (8-0), which was ranked ninth in this week’s Division 7 poll, never trailed in its 43-20 win over the visiting Chiefs, which watched their playoff aspirations circle the drain.
The Blue Devils, which led 36-6 at halftime, ran 34 plays and averaged 9.7 yards per play. White Pigeon (4-4) ran 60 plays and averaged 5.1 yards per play.
Matt Maynard gave Lawton a 7-0 lead with a 3-yard run 17 seconds into the game.
White Pigeon responded with a 19-yard run from Cahil Krajniak 3:02 into the first quarter, but the Chiefs’ point-after attempt was blocked.
Lawton put the pedal to the metal from there.
The Blue Devils scored 36 unanswered points to gain a 43-6 lead until White Pigeon quarterback Matt Eger ran in for an 8-yard touchdown with 1:57 remaining in the third period.
Eger scored the third White Pigeon touchdown with a 2-yard run 1:17 into the fourth quarter. Dylan Hochstetler found Donavon Gremore for the2-point conversion play.
Eger completed 6 of 7 passes for 108 yards. He also led the team in rushing with 18 carries for 87 yards and the two scores. Hochstetler completed 2 of 11 passes for 36 yards.
Krajniak caught two passes for 57 yards. Hochstetler caught four passes for 51 yards.
Lawton, which recorded 329 yards of total offense to White Pigeon’s 308, was led on the ground by Brandon Turner’s 68 yards on 11 carries.
George Gilley completed 8 of 13 passes for 169 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Blue Devils.
After Turner returned a White Pigeon kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown with 8:58 remaining in the first period, Gilley found Jarod Wimes for a 4-yard score to put the home team ahead, 22-6, with 5:22remaining in the first.
John Coleman gave Lawton a 29-6 lead after a 25-yard scoring run with 3:076 left in the second quarter.
Gilley then found Matt Maynard for a 42-yard score with 1:48 remaining in the first half.
Maynard, who capped the Blue Devils’ scoring with an 11-yard run with 7:29 remaining in the third, finished with two receptions for 58 yards and he picked up 19 yards on five carries.
Brendon Wimes finished with 3 receptions for 92 yards to lead Lawton.
Krajniak had six tackles to lead White Pigeon’s defense.