The Checotah Wildcats showed grit and determination Friday night, grinding out a 14-6 victory over the Dewey Bulldoggers in front of a fired-up home crowd during homecoming for Checotah at Ray Grandstaff Stadium. The Wildcats relied on a powerful ground attack, piling up 267 rushing yards as they controlled the tempo and wore down the Dewey defense.

Leading the charge was Jayden Ellen, who delivered a career performance. Ellen exploded for 236 yards on 22 carries, finding the end zone twice with highlight-reel runs — a bruising three-yard plunge and a dazzling 74-yard sprint that brought the fans to their feet. Every time the Wildcats needed a spark, Ellen delivered.

With starting quarterback Cole Rolland sidelined by a shoulder injury suffered last week against Seminole, sophomore Eli Patterson stepped up under center. Though still finding his rhythm, Patterson went 4-of-14 for 65 yards, including a 28-yard strike to Ellen that showed poise and promise for the young signal caller.

On the defensive side, the Wildcats were relentless, forcing the Bulldoggers into mistakes all night long.

Cale Thompson and Elijah Muhammad each came up with clutch fumble recoveries, while ball-hawking junior safety Landon Thomason stole the show with two interceptions, shutting down Dewey’s passing attack.

The defensive backbone of the team was anchored by Woodrow Spears, who racked up a staggering 17 tackles, flying to the ball on nearly every play. Muhammad added another 10 tackles of his own, giving Checotah two enforcers that the Bulldoggers simply couldn’t escape.

The hard-fought victory pushes Checotah back on track as they head into their bye week. The Wildcats will return to action in two weeks for a key district showdown against Locust Grove, where they’ll look to keep momentum rolling and tighten their grip in the playoff race.