The Worth County Tigers fell in a hard way to Stanberry as they fell to the visiting Bulldogs 44-24 Friday. Worth County was unable to cope with either the experience (11 seniors for Stanberry, 4 for Worth County) or the speed of the Bulldogs. Having had a surprisingly easy time with North Andrew and having wins against North Nodaway and South Nodaway that were decided by halftime, Worth County was not used to playing against a quick team like Stanberry as they were repeatedly burned for big plays all night. With the loss, the Tigers will travel to Mound City this Friday at 7:00 for a return match with the Panthers. Coach Chuck Borey was not happy with what he saw as less than 100% effort from the team. However, he said that it made no difference as they would have had to play the Panthers anyway at their place regardless of the outcome. Stanberry will host Nodaway-Holt in the other district game in the bracket; should the Tigers beat Mound City at their field for the fifth straight time, Stanberry will host the Tigers at their place. Luck is on Worth County's side in another area as they have not lost two straight games since the 2004 season, when they lost their last two games of that season. The Tigers dug themselves into an 18-0 hole in the first quarter, very similar to what happened in their district match last year when they dug themselves into a 28-0 hole and had to fight back. Similar to last year, Worth County fought back to make a game out of it, only to get burned on a big play as they seemingly wore themselves out trying to get back into the game. With the loss, the Tigers fell into a three-way tie for first place in the 275 Conference with Stanberry and Mound City. Worth County got the ball to start the game, but could do nothing with it despite an offsides penalty by Stanberry and they were forced to punt. On the punt, the Tigers' long snapping woes from the last game countinued as a bad snap sailed over Zach Harmening's head in the wet field conditions; however, he was able to get to the ball and get the punt off, which rolled dead at the Stanberry 28. The Bulldogs took the opening drive for a ten play 52 yard drive for the first score. Conner Rosier got a first-down run up to the 38. A holding penalty set Stanberry back to the 32, but poor tackling enabled Rosier to spring loose for a 14-yard gain to the Tiger 34. Two cracks up the middle gave them another first down to the 30, and a counter to Gage moved it to the 20. Three plays later, Rosier got into the end zone for a 6-0 Stanberry lead with 5:24 left in the first quarter. Nothing to worry about -- the Tigers had trailed early against Nodaway-Holt and Craig/Fairfax and gave up an early score against West Nodaway as well. But the Tigers went three and out again aided by a sack after a pass was batted back in Zach Harmening's face and he was sacked for a 10-yard loss. This time, Stanberry only needed three plays to score despite another referee's hankie. Stanberry started off in good field position at the Tiger 35 and then Devin Gage took the ball 13 yards to the 22. Then, in a scene that would repeat itself for the rest of the evening, Bulldog quarterback Jason McQuinn took an option 19 yards down to the three as nobody covered him. This was an instance of Stanberry's experience paying off -- while Stanberry's players knew their assignments, Worth County's were repeatedly confused about responsibilities and would get beat for big plays as a result. A false start moved the ball back to the 8, but Devin Gage bounced outside on a dive play and nobody was home to cover him and he scored with 3:39 left to make it 12-0. That was nothing to worry about -- Worth County had dug themselves out of a 20-6 hole against Nodaway-Holt earlier in the year. But then, the Tigers dug themselves into a hole that was far too deep -- consecutive bad snaps led to Stanberry's third consecutive score as on fourth and 14, the second such snap sailed into the end zone and the speedy Stanberry players pounced on it for the score with 1:33 left to make it 18-0. Worth County needed a break to do so, but like last year, they made a game out of it. On the ensuing kickoff, two cracks by Barrett Baker went nowhere, but then Eli Mullock lined up in the shotgun formation and took the snap and outran everyone for a 60-yard score to put the Tigers on the board with 9.6 seconds left in the period. Stanberry then handed the Tigers another gift as they fumbled the ball on their first play from scrimmage to give the Tigers the ball at the Stanberry 18; Mullock recovered the fumble for the Tigers on the play. Two plays later, the line finally opened up a big hole for Mullock, who burst through for 11 yards down to the 5. Three consecutive offsides calls moved the ball to the one-inch line, where Zach Harmening's quarterback sneak made it 18-12 with 10:55 left in the second quarter. But Stanberry reestablished control of the game on their third play from scrimmage. This time, the Tigers had McQuinn covered perfectly but forgot to cover Devin Gage, who was off to the races for a 45-yard touchdown run with 9:34 left to make it 24-12. Worth County went three and out on their next possession as Harmening's pass was nearly intercepted and then two cracks by Eli Mullock could only net seven yards. But this time they held as Gage was stood up for no gain by Josh Wagner, who delivered a solid shot. Then, Brian Hall shot through and hit Jason McQuinn for a 4-yard loss on an option. Then, Stanberry tried another option but fumbled the pitch out of bounds and they were forced to punt. The Tigers threatened to score and make it a one-possession game, but they were denied; Worth County had three possessions where they took it in the red zone but failed to score. They dug themselves into a hole at their own 14 with a holding penalty, but a pass interference penalty on Stanberry gave them the ball at their own 32. Alex Harmening then took a flat pass 16 yards to the Stanberry 32. A holding penalty moved it back to the Worth County 38, but on third and 17, Josh Wagner, of all people, caught a 28-yard bomb that gave Worth County first and 10 at the Stanberry 11. But the Tigers stalled there as two cracks lost one yard. Zach Harmening scrambled for seven yards to the Stanberry 5, but on fourth and four, as they tried to isolate Barrett Baker in the left corner of the end zone, Harmening threw an interception that was returned to the 6. Stanberry initially started off very conservatively and intended to run out the clock as two cracks up the middle got nowhere, but then on their third down pass, Barrett Baker unsuccessfully tried for an interception that would have been a touchdown return, and Andy Luke caught a 12-yard pass to keep the drive alive with 47 seconds left in the half. Devin Gage took an option for 17 yards up to the Stanberry 38 and then Conner Rosier caught a 12-yard screen pass to the Tiger 29. But time was winding down and with 12 seconds left in the half, Stanberry tried a halfback pass as they pitched back to Tyler McQuinn, who aired it out into the end zone. But Eli Mullock picked it off and returned it to the 23. Mullock caught a pass for 12 yards before time ran out in the half. The second half started off well for Worth County as they pounced on a fumble on the opening kickoff and recovered the ball at the Stanberry 26. Three plays later, Eli Mullock went in shotgun on the swing motion play, took the snap, and headed around the end as he got a block from Dylan Kinsella to bring the Tigers within 24-18 with 11:17 left in the third quarter. Jason McQuinn took an option for 19 yards to the Worth County 37, but the Bulldogs stalled there. Two runs by Devin Gage only netted three yards and then Barrett Baker broke up a pass on third and seven. Stanberry elected to pin Worth County deep in their own territory instead of going for it and Worth County got the ensuing punt on their own 18. The move initially paid off as a fumble and a block in the back penalty moved the Tigers back to their own seven, but Zach Harmening rescued the drive as he aired it out to Alex Harmening for 29 yards to the Stanberry 36. On the next play, Eli Mullock took the handoff, swept to the right, and then reversed his field back to the left side and picked up 27 yards to the Stanberry 9 where Worth County had first and goal. But they stalled there as three carries by Mullock lost a yard and then Harmening's pass to Barrett Baker in the end zone was too far and Stanberry took over on downs.
Stanberry ran their way out of trouble as Rosier got a first down run to the 20 and then Gage took a pitch out to the 30 for 10 yards where he was stopped inches short. Two cracks failed to get the first down, but Stanberry went for it on fourth and inches and Jason McQuinn's sneak got them the critical fourth down conversion to the 35. Then, the Tigers began to break down on the option again as nobody covered McQuinn, who ripped off carries of 17 and 11 yards mixed in with three carries by Devin Gage for 10 yards. Finally, McQuinn got a keeper around the end to score with 11:02 left to make it 30-18.
A block in the back penalty put the Tigers in bad field position at their own 8, but they passed their way out of the hole as Zach Harmening aired it out to Barrett Baker for 39 yards to the Stanberry 33. Two plays later, Harmening aired it out to Alex Harmening for 29 yards down to the three and Eli Mullock got a block from Barrett Baker and scored up the middle to make it 30-24 with 9:47 left. But Stanberry struck right back; they were seemingly stalled on third and long at their own 14 when Jason McQuinn went on the option again. Once again, nobody covered him on the option and this time, he was off to the races for a 66-yard touchdown run that turned out to be the dagger for Stanberry as they went ahead 36-24.
Worth County went nowhere on their next series as a short pass to Alex Harmening and a sweep from Eli Mullock only netted four yards and then their third down pass was incomplete. With time running out in the game, Worth County elected to go for it, but another pass was incomplete and Stanberry took over on downs at the Tiger 19. They were thwarted and the Tigers got the ball back on downs, but then Devin Gage intercepted a pass on their first play from scrimmage and this time, Stanberry got their final score with 3:49 left, a 10-yard run from Conner Rosier. Andy Luke caught the extra point pass to make it 44-24. Worth County drove down the field in an effort to get a final score. They were buried on their own seven thanks to a block in the back penalty, but Barrett Baker caught a 29-yard screen pass and Zach Harmening aired it out to Cody Green for 31 yards down to the Stanberry 12. A pass interference penalty moved it to the six and then Alex Harmening caught a short pass that he ran down to the one. But they could not get in as Harmening lost two on a short pass and then two plays later, Zach Harmening threw a tipped ball that was picked off in the end zone.
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