By Oaklee Fielder, Sports Editor
The Rangers won their second game of this tough 2025 season over the University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils in a dominant win, 7-40.
The Rangers entered the game 1-8, the Boll Weevils 2-7. Monticello pulled off a miracle win over the Arkansas Tech Wonderboys earlier in the year, whom the Rangers lost to in the second game of the Rangers’ 2025 campaign, 44-0.
Monticello won the coin toss and decided to defend in the first half.
The Rangers didn’t get far on the first drive. They only had three plays, and then they punted. They were able to force Monticello to do the same, and the Rangers earned possession again. On the next drive, the Rangers charged down the field into the Boll Weevil’s territory. Unfortunately, as soon as they crossed the 50-yard line, they had to punt.
On the next Monticello drive, the Rangers forced them to punt. On the punt, Ranger Rayshun Callahan blocked the punt and then scooped the ball up. Callahan ran to the Monticello endzone and scored the first touchdown of the game in an incredibly exciting manner.
The next drive from Monticello ended in a turnover on downs after they attempted to get a first down on a fourth-and-one. NWOSU’s drive started, and they had a great field position to end the first quarter.
As the field flipped, the Rangers put their heads down and charged down the field. After a pass from Caleb Deal to Brody Williams, the Rangers gained 28 yards to get into the redzone. After short plays from the Rangers, they ended up at the two-yard line. With a rush from Ezequiel Luna, the Rangers scored another touchdown, but this time from the offense. The Rangers attempted a two-point conversion but failed. The score, 0-13.
The next drives from both teams were three plays, then punt. The Boll Weevils were able to get some momentum going on their next drive, but the Rangers were able to stop them in their tracks to regain possession. Starting on their 39-yard line, the Rangers stormed down the field, gaining first downs every other play.
Just barely in the Monticello redzone, the Rangers threw an 18-yard pass from Deal to Isaiah Taylor to score yet another touchdown. The PAT was good, and the Rangers were up 0-20 with just under three minutes left in the half. Although they had good momentum, neither team was able to add points to their scorecards, and they ended the half 0-20 with the Rangers in the lead.
The Boll Weevils started with the ball in the second half, but the Ranger defense was a brick wall and actually pushed them back to their 11-yard line. After gaining possession, the Rangers made a mistake and fumbled the ball, handing the Boll Weevils possession just 24 yards from the Northwestern endzone.
With pressure on Monticello to get control of the game, the Boll Weevils handed the ball right back to the Rangers. The Monticello running back dropped the ball, and Chism Watson picked it up and ran ten yards before he was tackled. The tackle from Monticello was not clean, and they were caught with a horse collar penalty, allowing the Rangers to go 15 more yards from where Watson was tackled.
After all that, the Rangers went from their 31-yard line to the Monticello 30-yard line, a whole 40 yards from the fumble. Although the Rangers weren’t able to score a touchdown, Kale Purvis kicked a 41-yard field goal to extend the Rangers’ lead to 23.
The Boll Weevils were finally able to find a source of momentum, and they scored a touchdown on their next drive to cut the Rangers’ lead to 16.
The third quarter ended without any more points being scored, and the Rangers held the lead 7-23.
The Rangers held possession at the end of the third and continued to have it in the fourth. They were able to get down the field to the 24-yard line, but were forced to try for a field goal. Purvis made the 41-yard field goal and kicked it off to the Boll Weevils.
The Ranger defense stopped the Boll Weevil offense. On a fourth-and-ten play, Monticello tried to go for it, but failed, giving the Rangers the ball on their 25-yard line. The Rangers jumped at the opportunity to score another TD, and scored with a pass from Deal to Bailee Davenport for 25 yards and extended their lead to 7-33.
The next drives from both teams did not end with any points, as the Ranger defense continued to be a brick wall to Monticello.
With 11 minutes left in the game, the Rangers charged down the field, pushing for another touchdown.
On a first-and-17 on the Northwestern 47-yard line, Jahhim Mahmoud ran 48 yards to get the Rangers into the Monticello redzone with a chance to extend their lead. After two rushing attempts from QB Deal, the ball was handed off to Mahmoud to run just two yards and score the Rangers’ fourth touchdown of the game and make it 7-40.
The Ranger defense stepped up one more time and forced the Boll Weevils to give the ball back to Northwestern. With three minutes left on the clock, it was just a waiting game for the Rangers.
Northwestern was able to gain the right amount of yards and used enough time to end the game.
This is the Rangers’ second win of the season, and by far their most dominant one in a while. With SWOSU on their schedule for the final game of the season, the Rangers just need to keep their momentum, and they’ll be able to put down the Dawgs to cap the year on a good note.