After the final seconds ticked off the clock Saturday at Haskell Stadium, the only noise to be heard was the hooting of the Langston Lions, who emptied every Gatorade cooler on their sideline onto the heads of their coaching staff.

Langston finished the regular season with a 6-5 record, and its 48-17 victory over Haskell Indians Nations University gave the Lions good reason to take team photos on the field.

Just three weeks ago, Haskell coach Eric Brock had pictured the same outcome for his team when it was 4-5 with two games remaining.

Now, the Indians head into the offseason after a 4-7 finish, but there is a bright side. Haskell loses only two seniors and will have a good opportunity to jell in 2005.

“I enjoy coming to work every day, and I enjoy coaching them,” Brock said. “Unfortunately, it’s baby steps. I would love to take just two or three big jumps forward, but we just haven’t done that yet. But, as long as we’re still on the incline, that helps with recruiting, team morale, fan base and things like that. We’re still climbing.

“Hopefully, I’m not an old man before we win a championship around here.”

For the second consecutive game, turnovers hurt the Indians early, and HINU again was forced to play from behind. Langston’s Jamal Harley picked up two Haskell fumbles in the first six minutes and returned them for touchdowns of 45 and 46 yards.

HINU started to move the ball on the ground, and a field goal made the score 14-3. But the Indians’ spirits were broken in the second quarter by the Lions’ back-up quarterback, Kendrick Dozier.

Dozier replaced Tony Williams, who started the game just 3-for-12 for 43 yards. Dozier completed just two passes in the second quarter, but they were for touchdowns of 72 and 12 yards to put Langston up, 27-3, at halftime.

Haskell Indian Nations University freshman running back Marcus Benally (32) is tackled by Langston defenders in the second quarter. The Fightin' Indians lost, 48-17, in their season finale Saturday at Haskell Stadium.

Haskell couldn’t keep up offensively, as quarterback Terrell Denney was 2-for-8 for 12 yards in the first half. Tailbacks Marcus Benally and Jerry Racine combined for 95 yards on 25 carries in the game’s first 30 minutes, but a moderately successful ground attack was not enough.

“We kinda got our backs against the wall,” Denney said. “We’re a running team, and when we get down it kinda forces us to get out of our game plan. It seemed like everything just snowballed on us.”

The Indians mostly were somber after the game. The team matched last season’s win total, but the players still feel things are headed in the right direction.

Haskell defenders tackle Langston's Freddy Fair, right, during Saturday's game.

“I think we’ve taken maybe two steps forward,” Denney said. “They say it was about five years ago they weren’t winning a game around here. We won four games, and we had opportunities to win two or three more.

“It doesn’t look too good at the end of the season when you’re 4-7. But when you’ve got two seniors and everyone else is freshmen and sophomores, we’re just gonna keep going.”

Haskell Indian Nations University freshman running back Marcus Benally runs the ball against Langston University. The Fightin' Indians lost in their season finale, 48-17, Saturday at Haskell Stadium.