Lake City, FL — LAKE CITY — Choctaw's Cinderella run has come to a heartbreaking end. Jesse Winslette's fourth-and-goal pass in overtime fell incomplete and the Big Green came up just short in the Region 1-3S title game, losing 20-14 in overtime at Columbia. It would have been Choctaw's first Final 4 trip since 2014, a stunning reversal for a program that just two years ago went 0-8 before bringing in alumnus Frank Beasley to right the ship. He went 6-4 in his first season to set the tone for 2022, when his Big Green rode the second best SOS in the state (FWB was first) to a 5 seed and playoff road upsets at fourth-seeded St. Augustine and No. 1 Pine Forest. The latter victory had the Big Green believing they could bring home the program's first state title since 1990 when Lionel Fayard's juggernaut beat Riverview 13-10 for the 5A crown. Had Choctaw had the homecooking of playing at Joe Etheredge Friday night, there's little doubt they would've won. But four hours from home, the road warriors just couldn't pull off another upset away from Fort Walton. Down 14-0 in the second quarter, Winslette connected on 35-yard touchdown to Jayce Brown to cut the deficit in half. Brown later picked off Tyler Jefferson for his second interception of the night in what appeared to be an 84-yard pick-six to end the half, but a holding penalty negated the score as Choctaw trailed 14-7 headed into the locker rooms. With a steady diet of Cole Tabb and its defense pitching a second-half shutout, Choctaw finally knotted the score on a 22-yard touchdown connection between Winslette and Brown with 3:19 left in the game. After a clutch defensive stand from a unit that allowed just one touchdown in regulation, bring on overtime. But after pitching a second-half shutout, Choctaw's defense could do little to stop the short field. Jefferson connected with Rontravion Tolliver for a 10-yard touchdown on 2nd down, but excessive celebration on the end zone celebration pushed the PAT back and set up a Choctaw block. Down 20-14 with an opportunity to win, Choctaw opted for a halfback pass on first-and-goal that was nearly picked off. After a 6-yard Tabb run down to Columbia 4, back-to-back incomplete passes sealed the win for the Tigers and a Final 4 trip next week to unbeaten Lake Wales.