Fears finishes Hoxie overtime victory at Osceola
Hoxie 26, Osceola 20
OSCEOLA — Harper Fears scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak on fourth down in overtime, lifting Hoxie to a 26-20 victory over Osceola Friday night at Seminole Stadium.
The Mustangs first intercepted a pass in the end zone on Osceola’s overtime possession, then worked their way back from a fumbled snap to win. Fears recovered the loose ball on Hoxie’s first play but lost a yard. Successive keepers moved the ball to the 5 and then the 1 before his fourth-down sneak ended the game.
Hoxie’s defense had also protected the tie late in regulation. Dallas McNeal stripped the ball from a receiver to give Osceola another opportunity with 4:38 remaining. The Seminoles moved inside the 20, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Hoxie took over with 2:17 left and eventually let the clock expire with the score 20-20.
The Mustangs struck first after Jayden Dunbar intercepted a pass in the opening quarter. Colby Bullard broke through the middle on the next play and ran 73 yards for a touchdown. The extra point made it 7-0 with 6:39 remaining.
Osceola answered with Deion Spears’ 57-yard touchdown pass to E’Kylin Perez at the 1:20 mark. The kick failed, leaving Hoxie ahead by one. Fears then found Tristian Foust open over the middle for a 22-yard touchdown on fourth-and-nine with 5:34 left in the second quarter. Osceola blocked the extra point, and Hoxie led 13-6 at halftime.
Spears connected with Julius Jones for a 63-yard touchdown with 9:41 remaining in the third quarter. Deizel Freeman’s extra point tied the game. Hoxie responded with Luke Cooper’s 2-yard touchdown run and a successful kick with 50 seconds left in the quarter, reclaiming a 20-13 lead.
The Seminoles tied it again with 8:18 left in regulation. Spears threw a 9-yard fade to Fabious Hughes, and Freeman added the extra point. Neither team scored again before overtime.
The broadcast’s postgame statistics credited Hoxie with 212 rushing yards on 51 carries and 242 total yards. Spears completed 11 of 22 passes for 239 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted three times. Khamajh Poole caught six passes for 82 yards, while Jones had two catches for 68 yards and Hughes two for 32. Perez’s lone reception accounted for his 57-yard touchdown.
Scoring summary
First Quarter
Hoxie: Colby Bullard 73-yard run (kick good), 6:39. Hoxie 7, Osceola 0.
Osceola: E’Kylin Perez 57-yard pass from Deion Spears (kick failed), 1:20. Hoxie 7, Osceola 6.
Second Quarter
Hoxie: Tristian Foust 22-yard pass from Harper Fears (kick blocked), 5:34. Hoxie 13, Osceola 6.
Third Quarter
Osceola: Julius Jones 63-yard pass from Spears (Deizel Freeman kick), 9:41. Hoxie 13, Osceola 13.
Hoxie: Luke Cooper 2-yard run (kick good), 0:50. Hoxie 20, Osceola 13.
Fourth Quarter
Osceola: Fabious Hughes 9-yard pass from Spears (Freeman kick), 8:18. Hoxie 20, Osceola 20.
Overtime
Hoxie: Fears 1-yard run. Hoxie 26, Osceola 20.
Players who stood out
Harper Fears, Hoxie: Threw a 22-yard touchdown pass and scored the winning 1-yard touchdown on fourth down in overtime.
Colby Bullard, Hoxie: Broke a 73-yard touchdown run on Hoxie’s first play after an interception.
Jayden Dunbar, Hoxie: Intercepted a first-quarter pass to set up Bullard’s touchdown.
Deion Spears, Osceola: Completed 11 of 22 passes for 239 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in the broadcast’s postgame tally.
Khamajh Poole, Osceola: Six catches for 82 yards in the broadcast’s postgame tally.
Julius Jones, Fabious Hughes and E’Kylin Perez, Osceola: Each caught a touchdown pass. Jones finished with two catches for 68 yards, Hughes two for 32 and Perez one for 57 in the broadcast’s tally.