PANAMA CITY — Mosley is incredibly tough to beat at Tommy Oliver Stadium. This is a three-time defending champion, after all, a thorn in Niceville's side.
So from a glass-half-full perspective, the Big Green's non-district, 15-13 loss in Thursday's season opener isn't on its own merits overly concerning. But that doesn't make the way they lost, most self-inflicted errors, any easier to digest.
Choctaw committed 23-or-so penalties, had two turnovers deep in Dolphins territory, had a key receiver ejected for two unsportsmanlike flags and, cramping the entire night, emerged with several key players banged up or injured and didn't even approach a scoring drive in a scoreless second half.
The only offense the Big Green could muster was a Carter Marracco 1-yard keeper in the first quarter and a 37-yard touchdown connection between IMG transfer Baker Giles and Rives Brown, the latter who was tossed after spiking the ball in the end zone. The subsequent two-point conversion fell just shy, and with it Choctaw's only legitimate chance to knot the score at 15.
Even with all the self-inflicted wounds, Choctaw still had a chance to make it a successful night.
After forcing yet another turnover on downs, the Big Green got the ball at their own 24 yard line with 1:26 left to play in the game. But Giles was sacked and flagged with intentional grounding, was sacked again at the 5, and then connected with Keller for a 10-yard gain. But Mosley's defense broke up a fourth -down pass over the middle, setting off a sideline celebration more fitting of a playoff win.
Beating the 25th-ranked team in the USA Today Super 25 poll will do that, a powerhouse with four straight region championship appearances and a Final 4 in 2025. Tommy Joe Whiddon's Dolphins, meanwhile, weren't ranked in the 4A poll, which had Choctaw No. 5. The two may swap positions next week.
Adversity came last year to Choctaw in the regular season finale. This year it comes it comes in the opener. We'll see how the Big Green bounce back next Friday, Aug. 28, versus Auburn (Alabama) at Joe Etheredge Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Choctaw football blanked in 2nd half, drops season opener at Mosley
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