ALTUS - It was a game of big plays and in the end it was the Shawnee Wolves who made more plays down the stretch to come away with a 24-20 victory over the Altus High Bulldogs in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs here Friday night.

Using its spread and shotgun offense, Shawnee threw 25 of its 28 passes in the first half and then turned to the run in the second half.

It started out to be an offensive shootout as both teams scored the first two times they had the ball.

Shawnee took the opening kickoff and marched 76 yards in seven plays. A 44-yard aerial from sophomore quarterback Tucker Brown to wide receiver Eric Combs gave the Wolves a first and goal at the 3-yard line. Two plays later Brown carried on the bootleg and ran into the end zone untouched. Adam Betterton's PAT made it 7-0 with 9:22 remaining in the first period.

Altus answered quickly going 65 yards for a score in only five plays. James Holt carried twice on the drive for 54 yards. On his second attempt, he slid down the line of scrimmage and dipped outside for a 40-yard touchdown run with 7:01 left in the first period. Raegan Vaughan kicked the extra point and the score was tied 7-7.

Betterton kicked a 24-yard field goal with 1:16 left in the first period to give the Wolves a 10-7 lead.

The Bulldogs took their first lead of the night on its next possession. It was a 67-yard drive that was helped with two big plays. Senior halfback Omar Nails reeled off a 21-yard run and fullback Zacc McCaskill scampered 24 yards and with the aid of a face mask penalty, Altus had a first and goal from the Shawnee six. It boiled down to a fourth down call from the one. Holt went outside on the bootleg and easily waltzed into the end zone. Vaughan's kick made it 14-10 with 10:01 left in the second half.

The two defenses settled down after that, though the Wolves had one more scoring opportunity in the first half. With 14 second left in the half, Shawnee drove to the Altus three when Brown tried to score on a quarterback draw. However, Altus linebacker Drew George came up to make the stop at the line scrimmage and the ball came loose. Shawnee recovered the fumble, but the Wolves had no timeouts left and the first half ended.

The first time the Wolves had the ball in the second half they scored. Once again the passing combination of Brown and Combs came up big. Combs, who made 10 catches on the night, hauled in a 32-yard pass play to give the Wolves a first down at the Altus three. Senior running back Brandon Davis scored on the next play and following Betterton's kick Shawnee led 17-14 with 1:31 left in the third period.

Altus' next two possessions ended in turnovers. The Bulldogs had a nice drive that ended when Nails fumbled at the Shawnee 37.

The Wolves drove to the Altus 21 where they faced a fourth down and five. Junior linebacker Michael Hayes with the help of Kelby Fowler sacked Brown for an 8-yard loss ending the threat.

That seemed to be the spark Altus needed. Facing a second and two from the 37, Holt went right on the option, darted up field and had plenty of yardage for a first down. But when attempting to leap over a Shawnee defender, the ball came loose and Eugene Young recovered at the Bulldogs 33.

Aided by a questionable pass interference penalty, the Wolves sustained a drive and Davis scored on a 5-yard plunge with 1:51 remaining in the game. The Wolves led 24-14.

On the ensuing kickoff, Holt gave the Bulldogs one last chance. He took the kick at the Altus 15 and returned it 60 yards to the Shawnee 25. Holt then took the snap from center and threw to Devon Davis. Davis, normally a wide receiver, lined up at tight end and made a leaping catch at the Wolves three. Nails then leaped into the end zone on the next play. An errant snap foiled the conversion attempt and Altus trailed 24-20 with 1:18 left.

Vaughan's onside kick was a one-hopper that was recovered by Justin Climer. The Wolves picked up one first down and ran out the clock.

HOW THEY SCORED

Shawnee - Tucker Brown 2 run (Adam Betterton kick), 9:22, 1st qtr., Shawnee, 7-0.

Altus - James Holt 40 run (Raegan Vaughan kick), 7:08, 1st qtr., 7-7.

Shawnee - Betterton 24-yard field goal, 1:16, 1st qtr., 10-7.

Altus - Holt 1 run (Vaughan kick), 10:01, 2nd qtr., Altus 14-10.

Shawnee - Brandon Davis 2 run (Betterton kick), 1:31, 3rd qtr., Shawnee 17-14,

Shawnee - Davis 5 run, (Betterton kick), 1:51, 4th quarter, Shawnee, 24-14.

Altus - Nails 3 run (PAT failed), 1:14, 4th qtr., Shawnee 24-20.

Individual Statistics

Altus

Rushing - Holt 12-74, 2TDs; Shelly 7-41; McCaskill 4-34; Nails 13-84; Davis 1-4.

Passing - Holt 3-4 42.

Receiving - Nails 1-10; Davis 2-32.

Shawnee

Rushing - Liles 3-13; Brown18-58, 2TDs; Davis 21-70, 2TDs.

Passing - Browns 14-28, 219.

Receiving - Combs 10-174; Liles 1-12; Bourannails 1-4; Climer 1-13; Davis 1-16.