From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
TULSA, Okla. — Unbeaten Joplin never trailed in turning back the Tulsa Knights 35-26 in the non-pro Central Football League on Saturday at the East Tulsa Sports Complex.
The defending champion Crusaders, 3-0, entertain the Healdton-based South Oklahoma Roughnecks at 6 p.m. next Saturday at Junge Field.
The Tulsa Knights, 2-1, trailed 21-10 at halftime and were behind 28-10 after three periods.
Clay Lasater’s 1-yard sneak for a touchdown and conversion run by DeJuan Middleton gave the Crusaders an 8-0 lead with 6:30 minutes left in the first quarter.
The Knights retaliated late in the quarter with a short scoring return of a Joplin fumble.
The Knights opted for the conversion kick to trail 8-7.
Middleton scored on a 10-yard run at 9:05 in the second quarter but the conversion run failed. Another Joplin fumble set up a field goal by the Knights at 3:06.
But Joplin came back to score at 1:46 on Jeremy Massey’s 1-yard plunge. Lasater’s completion of about 20 yards to Scott Thompson set up the TD.
Lasater’s 2-yard sneak and Aaron Doll’s conversion kick made it 28-10 at 3:40 in the third.
Tulsa scored on a long pass at 7:09 in the fourth and added the running conversion.
Lasater’s 20-yard scoring pass to Chris Turner and Doll’s boot made it 35-18 at 6:21.
The Knights tallied on a 2-yard run at 4:15 and added the conversion run to produce the final score.
“I thought overall we played well,” co-head coach David Pitts said. “We started the game with a lot of emotion.
“The Knights were younger, quicker and athletic,” Pitts said. “But I thought we were able to control the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense.”
Sports
March 8, 2008
Crusaders outgun Knights in CFL
Joplin team to play home game Saturday against Roughnecks
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Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
Continued ... - Stanton’s homers fuel Marlins’ surge in May
- Five sign to join Missouri Southern women's track team
- Whisner ignites Joplin Miners past Webb City
- Venus Williams joins Serena on sideline in Paris
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- Pittsburg State Sports
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- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
- Ethan Cordray signs with Pittsburg State
- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
- Three finalists named for PSU head baseball coach position
- Lions qualify 10, PSU 15 for Division II outdoor track meet
- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
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Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
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