Oak Grove literally runs its way to repeating as Division IV non-select champions

Behind juniors Jackson Bradley and Jay Freeman, Tigers rush for 401 yards in downing Haynesville

NEW ORLEANS - Oak Grove literally ran its way to a repeat. 

The Tigers compiled an astonishing 401-yard rushing performance en route to winning their second straight Division IV non-select title in a 62-36 win against Haynesville Thursday night at the Caesars Superdome. In stark contrast, they threw for only 27 yards, all coming in the second quarter.

Oak Grove defeats Haynesville: Live updates, score of Louisiana high school football Division IV non-select state championship (12/7/2023)

Two Oak Grove players - junior quarterback Jackson Bradley and junior tailback Jay Freeman - literally carried the load in Thursday’s victory. Of the 54 carries the Tigers had, they were responsible for 46 of those.

Bradley and Freeman also combined to rush for all but 17 of those yards. Bradley finished with 23 carries for 211 yards as he was named the Tigers’ Most Outstanding Player, while Freeman added 173 yards, also on 23 carries.

“I think that sums it up, to be able to rush for that against a defense like Haynesville,” said Oak Grove coach Ryan Gregory, who won his fourth state title in the past five season. “But they’ve been putting it together this year; it’s probably one of the most cohesive groups, they’ve come a long way.

“At the beginning of the season, that was probably one of the bigger question marks just because we had a lot to replace. But man, what a performance (Thursday), and then it goes along with what we did last week, too (a semifinal win on the road at Kentwood).”

While Bradley - who has committed to Louisiana Tech - was definitely a focal point for the Tigers, Freeman was determined to be just as effective on Thursday.

He actually set the tone with the first time he touched the ball, even though it wasn’t a running play. Freeman fielded the opening kickoff and brought it back 46 yards to the Haynesville 47.

Five plays later, Oak Grove found the end zone for the first time on Bradley’s 29-yard TD keeper.

Another long kickoff return proved pivotal for the Tigers. After the Golden Tornado tied the score on their opening series, TaMarques Prichard - yet another junior - took the ensuing kickoff and darted 88 yards to the house.

Oak Grove players TaMarques Prichard (left) and Jay Freeman listen to a question during a press conference following the Tigers' Division IV non-select championship win Dec. 7, 2023. 

That started a run of 34 unanswered points as Oak Grove built a commanding 41-7 advantage five minutes into the second quarter. Freeman and Bradley each had two TDs in that span.

Both Freeman and Bradley finished with three rushing touchdowns apiece. Freeman also scored another touchdown - which ironically was nearly scored by Bradley.

Early in the fourth quarter with Oak Grove leading 48-23, the Tigers drove down near the Haynesville 10, where they faced a fourth-and-short. Bradley then attempted a sneak, but fumbled the ball.

A Golden Tornado player initially had his hands on the ball, but Freeman sprinted to knock away the ball. While trying to pick it up, he inadvertently kicked it toward the end zone, but Freeman was able to easily dive on it in the end zone to get credit for his fourth TD.

“We were running a QB sneak and (Bradley) fumbled the ball,” Freeman said. “I saw (the defender) pick it up and he was turning, so I ran and poked it out and dove for it and scored in the end zone.”

Oak Grove’s final TD was scored on a 1-yard run from senior Maddox Hurley with less than seven minutes left. Before that run, Bradley and Freeman had accounted for all of the Tigers’ rushing yards up to that point, combining for 384 yards.

The Tigers, who eventually played their reserves in the closing minutes, were able to exceed the 400-yard barrier. They also set a new record for most rushing yards in a Division IV/Class 1A state title game, breaking the previous record of 395, set by Southern Lab in 2016.

Freeman was quick to praise the play of the offensive line for the job they did Thursday.

“The (line) has been doing the same thing they’ve been doing all year, creating a hole to make us the players we are today,” he said. “We wouldn’t be the players we are today without the offensive line.”

And even though Freeman had more TDs than Bradley, Freeman remarked he was happy to see Bradley get the Most Outstanding Player. But Freeman was just as determined to do his part in making sure the Tigers repeated as state champs.

Oak Grove junior quarterback Jackson Bradley talks during the postgame press conference following the Tigers' Division IV non-select state title win Dec. 7, 2023. 

“Coming into the game, (the focus) was all about Jackson, but going on during the game, I started making runs, making cuts and I ended up with four (touchdowns) and he ended up with three,” Freeman said. “I feel like he deserved MVP all day; if he felt like he deserved it, I don’t know, but I feel like he deserved the MVP all day.”

Photo of Oak Grove quarterback Jackson Bradley by the K104ScoreboardShow X page

-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveLA