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The Oologah Mustangs kicked off district play in style Friday night, defeating the Miami Wardogs 36-20 in their homecoming matchup. Head coach Sam Noble said the game was an unusual one, as his team only had possession of the ball for about 12 minutes the entire night. Despite the limited offensive opportunities, the Mustangs capitalized in all three phases of the game, including two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns and a kickoff return for a score. “Our defense played physical and answered every challenge,” Noble said.

The Mustangs, who entered the matchup evenly matched with Miami, made the most of their chances. Both teams had previously beaten Vinita and were coming off a pair of losses, making Friday’s contest a key turning point. Oologah’s defense and special teams carried the load, while the offense added timely touchdowns to keep control. Noble praised his players for their effort and physicality, calling the victory a testament to their resilience and determination in front of the homecoming crowd.

Looking ahead, the Mustangs will face Fort Gibson this Friday in their second district game of the season. Fort Gibson comes in with a 3-1 record after a 47-25 win last week and also sits at 1-0 in district play. Noble said the focus remains the same—control what they can each day and aim to “go 1-0” every practice and every week. “If we come out and have a good week of preparation, I believe we’ll be just fine,” Noble said. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Fort Gibson.