For the first time this season, McAlester will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will be playing in front of their home fans against the Coweta Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. McAlester, yet to win a game, are hoping to taste some of the success that has characterized Coweta's (thus far) undefeated season.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between McAlester and Ada, and Ada kept the tradition alive. The Buffaloes fell 37-27 to the Cougars two weeks ago.
Despite their defeat, McAlester saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Jordan Clark, who rushed for 117 yards and one TD, was perhaps the best of all. Clark also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making seven total tackles and defending one pass. Another player making a difference was Jaxon McKinney, who rushed for 72 yards and one touchdown.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Tigers on Friday. Coweta simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Prairie Grove 41-12. Given Coweta's advantage in MaxPreps' football rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 31st in Oklahoma, while Prairie Grove is ranked 88th in Arkansas) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
McAlester better focus on containing Legend Ellis and Brock Heilmann as the pair were huge in Coweta's win. Ellis rushed for 92 yards and one score, while Heilmann rushed for 135 yards and a pair of TDs. Those 92 rushing yards gave Ellis a new career-high.
Coweta was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 268 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 189 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Coweta's victory bumped their record up to 3-0. As for McAlester, their loss dropped their record down to 0-3.
Everything came up roses for McAlester against Coweta when the teams last played back in September of 2024, as the team secured a 35-0 win. Will the Buffaloes repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
