By Tommy Cobb

Phoenix Correspondent

HASKELL — Haskell entered Friday night’s District A-7 contest with Hominy needing a win to make the playoffs. A loss would prematurely end the Haymakers’ season for the fourth straight year.

Haskell found itself in a hole early and couldn’t overcome mistakes, lucky bounces, and field position as No. 9-ranked Hominy ended the Haymakers’ playoff hopes with a 39-13 win at A. B. Shockley stadium.

“You never want a season to end like that,” said Haskell coach Chad Kirkhart. “You can’t make the mistakes we made against good teams like that. They won the field position battle and we couldn’t run the ball consistently.”

Haskell’s misfortunes began on Hominy’s first drive of the game when a certain interception by the Haymakers turned into a 36-yard gain for the Bucks when the ball fell out of the defender’s hands and into the hands of Hominy receiver Caleb Christian. The play led to Hominy’s first score.

Haskell, who was held to minus-two yards rushing in the first half, finally got its offense going. Josh Harvey had runs of 15 and 16 yards sandwiched around a 12-yard pass from Jordan Pendergraft to Chiante Jackson and Haskell found itself at the Hominy 7. Pendergraft then found J. D. McCoy for a diving 7-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 19-7.

But that was a close as Haskell would get to ending its playoff drought.

Haskell finished its season at 5-5 after back-to-back 2-8 seasons. The four-year playoff drought is the longest for Haskell since 1979-83.