Zane Thomas’ 10-yard touchdown run in overtime sealed a 41-35 victory for the Guthrie Bluejays on a muddy Saturday afternoon at Jelsma Stadium, capping one of the most dramatic games of the season. The win keeps Guthrie’s district title hopes alive and extends their winning streak to seven games.
The Bluejays (7-1 overall, 5-1 District 5A-2) appeared to be in control early, building a 14-point second-half lead behind a balanced ground attack and a stingy defense. But visiting Altus (7-1, 5-1) stormed back with three straight touchdowns to take its first lead of the game late in regulation.
Altus freshman quarterback Jeymon Reed powered the comeback, scoring on a 1-yard run with just over three minutes remaining and then tossing a two-point conversion to Jamele Alexander for a 35-28 lead.
That set the stage for Guthrie’s clutch response. Facing 4th and 3, junior quarterback Daelon Rice found senior wide receiver Maddox Vaughn for a crucial first down. On the very next play, Rice connected with Vaughn again for a 39-yard strike down to the 1-yard line, setting up his own touchdown run to tie the game and send it to overtime.
In overtime, Thomas wasted no time, scoring on the first play to give Guthrie the lead. Head coach Kelly Beeby opted to go for two, but Codie Carlock was stopped just short of the goal line, leaving the door open for Altus.
The Bulldogs nearly answered immediately — Reed lobbed a fade to Khamden Lane in the corner of the end zone, but the diving attempt came up inches short. Three incompletions later, including a final desperation throw broken up by Clayton Carpenter, Guthrie’s defense held strong to secure the victory.
Rice was steady under pressure, delivering big plays throughout the afternoon. Vaughn and Lane were instrumental in the comeback, combining for clutch catches on Guthrie’s game-tying drive.
The Bluejays’ running back by committee approach again paid off, with Thomas, Dereon Whitehorn, and Elijah Smith all finding the end zone. Guthrie’s ground game churned out 264 yards, compared to just 50 for Altus, while the Bulldogs relied heavily on their aerial attack — 347 passing yards to Guthrie’s 111.
Each team punted three times, but Guthrie was more disciplined, finishing with four more first downs and seven fewer penalties. The Jays also won the turnover battle, forcing two giveaways while committing none.
Under Beeby, Guthrie is now 3-0 in overtime games and 6-1 since 2002. Their current seven-game win streak matches 2023 run that ended against Carl Albert — a team that has won nine straight meetings in the series.
Guthrie now heads to Midwest City for a massive showdown with the top-ranked and defending state champion Carl Albert Titans. A district title remains within reach — something the Bluejays haven’t claimed since 2013, the same year they won their last state championship.
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