Bixby pushes past MWC for finals

JENKS — Stifled all night in its running attack, Bixby went back to the Cade Cavender well.

Cavender took the snap lined up as the wildcat quarterback, put his head down and plowed forward for a tough four yards, scoring his third touchdown of the night to put Bixby ahead of Midwest City for good 24-21 late in the fourth quarter in the Class 6A-II state football semifinals.

Bixby is heading back to the state title game.

“This is just one of those moments that you never forget,” Cavender said as his teammates rushed him with hugs and slaps on the back. “After a hard tough game, coming out on top is just an amazing feeling.”

Midwest City jumped on the board first quarter when on its first drive, quarterback Preston Colbert found running back Oshei Whiteside along the sideline for a 64-yard touchdown pass.

After a 24-yard Bixby field goal by Reis Vernon made the score 7-3 in the first quarter, Colbert looked poise to take Midwest City for another touchdown.

Colbert broke off a 38-yard run to get the Bombers set up in the Bixby red zone, but fumbled

on his next carry.

Midwest City coach Darrell Hall said it was a combination of red zone mistakes and failure to capitalize on turnovers that were the difference in the game.

“Short again to these guys,” Hall said, referencing the Bombers semifinals loss to the Spartans last season. “We had a chance to get on top of them in the first half big time, but we weren’t able to do it. It wasn’t for lack of effort.”

Midwest City stuffed the Bixby run game for the majority of the game. The Bombers racked up 14 tackles for a loss, recorded three interceptions and limited the Spartans to less than 40 yards rushing through three quarters.

But Cavender proved to be the tonic for Bixby on offense. The junior scored two rushing touchdowns in the wildcat while also catching five passes for 90 yards and a third score.

Cavender also recorded an interception from his safety spot on defense.

“He’s been making great plays for the Spartans for the past three years,” Bixby coach Loren Montgomery said. “He was the guy tonight.”

For Midwest City, Colbert finished the night with 202 yards passing and two touchdowns, while rushing for 92 yards.

OKLAHOMAN] [PHOTO BY ALONZO ADAMS, FOR THE Tuttle’s Jon-Michael Hollarn (28) runs ahead of Hilldale’s Dylan Walker (33) during Friday’s high school Class 4A football playoff game in Tuttle.

[PHOTO BY EVAN BROWN, FOR THE TULSA WORLD] Midwest City’s Brian Wilson breaks a run for a big gain against the Bixby defense in Friday’s playoff game at Jenks High School.