Tigers open 2023 with narrow home win

September 6, 2023

By LARRY OWEN SPORTS EDITOR

Charles Shelburn scores game-winner with 25 seconds left in regulation

The Wilson Tiger varsity football team notched their second- straight season-opening win this past Friday night in front of their home fans.

An 18-yard run by Charles Shelburn with 25 seconds remaining in regulation gave the host Wilson squad the thrilling 26-18 win over the Graham- Dustin Chieftains in the Tigers’ 2023 season opener.

The Wilson gridiron squad will look to double their win total to two this Friday with a trip to Caddo and a non-district showdown with the Class B powerhouse Caddo Bruins, who enter the contest with a 2-0 record following a 60-14 win last week against Davenport.

Friday’s non-district battle with Caddo is scheduled to get started at 7 p.m.

In Friday’s season opener against Graham-Dustin, the Tigers got the scoring started with a 67-yard TD run in the first quarter by Shelburn. The try for two was unsuccessful, giving the host Wilson squad the 6-0 advantage after the first 12 minutes of action.

A 2-yard TD run by Graham-Dustin in the second quarter deadlocked the score at 6-6, then Shelburn connected with Esiah King on a 67-yard TD pass later in the frame to push the Tigers back in front by a 12-6 margin.

The visitors knotted the score at 12-12 with a 5-yard TD run in the third quarter, while Wilson had an answer, as Shelburn completed a 30-yard TD pass to Talon Dobson for an 18-12 advantage for the host Tigers at the end of three quarters of play.

The Chieftains began the final frame with a 9-yard TD run to tie the score for the third time in the contest – 18-18.

Shelburn put the Wilson squad on top for good with his game-winning 18-yard TD run with 25 seconds left in regulation. Shelburn then connected with Dobson on the conversion pass attempt to award the Tigers with the thrilling 26-18 victory.

— Wilson 26, Graham-Dustin 18 Graham: 0 – 6 – 6 – 6 (18) Wilson: 6 – 6 – 6 – 8 (26) — First Quarter

Wilson – Charles Shelburn, 67yard run (Run Failed) — Second Quarter

Graham-Dustin – 2-yard run (Run Failed) Wilson – Esiah King, 67-yard pass from Charles Shelburn (Run Failed) — Third Quarter

Graham-Dustin – 5-yard run (Run Failed) Wilson – Talon Dobson, 30-yard pass from Charles Shelburn (Pass Failed) — Fourth Quarter

Graham-Dustin – 9-yard run (Run Failed) Wilson – Charles Shelburn, 18yard run (Dobson pass from Charles Shelburn)

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