By RANGERS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
Exciting would be an understatement when describing what happened at Ranger Field on Sept. 1.
Most of the excitement came in a positive manner for the Rangers including quarterback Reid Miller’s record setting performance against the Weevils of Arkansas-Monticello. Miller broke his own school record of six passing touchdowns as he threw for seven touchdowns throughout the evening.
The final score ended up being 59-56 in favor of the Rangers, but how it ended up there was hard to explain. With over 1,000 yards of offense between both teams and a Great American Conference tying record for points, an average football fan could spend hours attempting to describe the chaos that ensued throughout the evening.
It didn’t take long for points to hit the scoreboard as on the second play of the first drive for the Rangers Miller hit wide receiver Horatio Smith for a 49-yard touchdown. Monticello quickly responded with points of their own on the very next possession, evening the contest up at 7-7.
Miller would then use his feet to escape pressure on the ensuing possession and gain a critical first down before connecting with Lubbock, Texas native Tamarick Courtney for his second passing touchdown of the evening. A few Monticello stalled drives would lead to yet another Miller touchdown pass to Alva, Oklahoma, native Riley Hess, who executed some miraculous catches throughout the evening.
After a quick Monticello touchdown, the Rangers entered halftime leading just 21-14. The craziness then continued as the teams came back out onto the field.
The Rangers would come out of the locker room and score two unanswered touchdowns, and right when Monticello looked as if they were going to keep themselves in the ball game with a touchdown of their own, Miller once again connected with Hess for a 38-yard touchdown.
With a 42-21 lead many Ranger fans exited the premise to begin the celebration of the opening night victory for the Rangers, but the Weevils had other plans in mind. Entering the fourth quarter down 49-21, the Weevils rattled off three straight touchdowns in less than five minutes to narrow the scoring differential to just seven points with over nine minutes remaining in the quarter. In simple terms, the Rangers went from being up 28 points to being up just seven in a matter of roughly five minutes.
Things wouldn’t begin to look up quickly for the Rangers either as a quick three-and-out from Miller and company would set up a Weevil touchdown, bringing the score to 49-48. Monticello remarkably went for the two-point conversion and failed.
Runningback Anthony Cota would punch in a 15-yard run with 1:45 remaining on the clock to provide the Rangers with some much needed breathing room. Monticello would answer by driving the length of the field and also converting the two-point conversion this time to finally tie up the ball game.
Miller, as he had done all night, provided the final answer for the evening, as he drove the Rangers down the field, setting up a 34-yard game winning field goal from Blayne Lankford. As the dust settled and everything calmed down from the track meet that broke out inside Ranger Field, the Rangers found themselves 1-0 and moving forward to their next game, hopefully with four quarters resembling the first three of this game.
The Rangers head to Magnolia, Arkanasa to take on the Muleriders of Southern Arkansas with kick-off set to begin at 6 p.m.