Those high school football fans who attended Friday’s Class 6AII playoff game in Sullins Stadium were treated to a battle that went down to the wire.

At least those who stayed to the finish saw a classic playoff game.

The contest featured Stillwater vs. Deer Creek and the opening half went according to most analysts’ predictions. Stillwater was the No. 1 ranked team in 6AII and many observers didn’t believe that the Pioneers would have much trouble replacing Bixby as the state champion.

Stillwater struck early scoring on its second play from scrimmage. Before the first quarter was over, quarterback Gage Gundy had thrown three touchdown passes and the Pioneers led 27-0. Stillwater added a field goal in the second quarter and led 30-0 at the half.

A different Deer Creek team came out in the second half to make the game interesting. Other than a field goal, the Pioneers were scoreless in the second half. Deer Creek scored 15 points in the third quarter and added 13 in the fourth quarter to make the score 33-28.

With time running out, Deer Creek has possession and one last chance to win the game. With 3.2 seconds remaining, Deer Creek sophomore quarterback Grady Adamson launched a 45-yard Hail Mary pass to the end zone, but it was intercepted by Stillwater’s Gharett Reese to end the game and preserve Stillwater’s win.

With the victory, Stillwater advances to the Class 6AII State Championship game which will be played at 1 p.m. Friday on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. The Pioneers’ opponent will be Choctaw, which defeated Muskogee in Ada Friday.

In Class A, District A-5 ‘s lone survivor Hominy defeated Hooker 46-13. Colcord, which topped Tonkawa earlier stayed alive with a 48-6 pounding of No. 1 ranked Ringling; Gore which eliminated Woodland, topped Crescent 69-13 and Fairview defeated Stroud 27-21.

STATE PLAYOFF RESULTS CLASS 6A-1 Bixby 28, Jenks 14 Owasso 50, Tulsa Union 47 (6 OTs) CLASS 6AII

Choctaw 45, Muskogee 20 Stillwater 33, Deer Creek 25 CLASS 5A

McAlester 39, Bishop McGuinness 29 Carl Albert 55, Grove 21 CLASS 4A

Wagoner 30, Poteau 0 Cushing 56, Elk City 14 CLASS 3A

Heritage Hall 41, Verdigris 20 Metro Christian 49, Lincoln Christian 35 CLASS 2A

Millwood 49, Sequoyah-Claremore 30 Victory Christian 46, Chandler 35 Jones 27, Kiefer 19 Washington 47, Idabel 6

CLASS A

Hominy 46, Hooker, 13 Gore 69, Crescent 13 Colcord 48, Ringling 6 Fairview 27, Stroud 21 CLASS B

Seiling 46, Wetumka 0 Laverne 30, Weleetka 26 Velma-Alma 40, Regent Prep 26 Oklahoma Bible 46, Dewar 0 CLASS C

Tipton 64, Timberlake 32

Waynoka 50, Mt. View-Gotebo 0

PLAYOFFS THIS WEEK CLASS 6Al State Championship Bixby vs. Owasso, 7 p.m. Friday, UCO CLASS 6AII State Championship

Stillwater vs. Choctaw, 1 p.m. Friday, UCO CLASS 5A State Championship

McAlester vs. Carl Albert, 1 p.m. Saturday, UCO

CLASS 4A State Championship

Cushing vs. Wagoner, 7 p.m. Saturday, UCO CLASS 3A State Championship

Heritage Hall vs. Metro Christian, 7 p.m. Thursday, UCO CLASS 2A Semifinals

Millwood vs. Victory Christian, 7 p.m.

Friday, Ada Jones vs. Washington, 7 p.m. Friday, Putnam City CLASS A Semifinals

Hominy vs. Gore, 7 p.m. Friday, Jenks Colcord vs. Fairview, 7 p.m. Friday, Harrah CLASS B Semifinals

Alva Seiling vs. Oklahoma Bible, 7 p.m. Friday, Velma-Alma vs. Laverne, 7 p.m. Friday, Weatherford CLASS C State Championship

Waynoka vs. Tipton, 7 p.m. Friday, Bethany