Worth County saw their chances at a trip to St. Louis slip away as they fumbled away the ball 11 times and lost six of them in rainy conditions against Mound City. They also threw an interception as they committed seven turnovers, far too many for an opportunistic team like Mound City. And the tackling, which was better the second time around against the Panthers, nonetheless broke down at a critical moment allowing them to score a critical touchdown.
The game was similar to Mound City's 38-23 win over Stanberry during the middle of the season; in that game, a bad second quarter by Stanberry led to Mound City scoring 30 points in a nine-minute span in the second quarter that erased an early Stanberry lead. Worth County had their chances to stay with Mound City, but critical breakdowns snowballed into a big lead for the Panthers.
The game was one of the muddiest games played in recent memory with over an inch having fallen during the day and a continuous rain falling throughout the night. Mound City sought to take full advantage, running James Schoonover right up the middle. The Panthers got two first downs on their initial drive, but then fumbled the ball away and Cody Green pounced on it for the Tigers. A bad snap drove the Tigers back to their own 24, but then Eli Mullock broke off a pair of 10-yard runs for a first down into Mound City territory. But they stalled at the 30 and the blocking broke down as Worth County turned the ball over on downs.
Mound City was faced with fourth and two at the Tiger 36, but then James Schoonover found a big hole and rumbled 35 yards down to the one before Eli Mullock caught him from behind. Schoonover scored from one yard out on the next play to make it 6-0 with 4:31 left in the first.
Eli Mullock took the snap out of the wildcat formation and ran for 11 yards and a first down to the Panther 35. An offsides penalty and Alex Harmening's three yard run got Worth County another first down at the Mound City 24. A pair of false starts set up third and 17 for the Tigers, but Bryce Ross threw a short pass to Alex Harmening and his catch and run for 15 yards set up fourth and two at the 16. But Eli Mullock was stopped one yard short at the 15 and Mound City took over on downs.
Mound City had trouble hanging onto the ball in the slippery conditions and a halfback pass by Schoonover fooled nobody as he came under a heavy rush and his throw was well off the mark and Mound City was forced to punt. Three straight carries by Eli Mullock netted seven yards and Worth County elected to gamble and went for it on fourth and three. But a bad snap gave Mound City the ball back on the Worth County 25 with a short field to work with.
The critical sequence of the game happened next. Alex Harmening dropped Zach Kahle for no gain and then John Hinz dropped Schoonover for one yard. A counter by Thomas Shiflett only got three yards and Mound City was faced with fourth and five at the Tiger 20. Lucas Schawang went on the keeper around right end and was seemingly stopped for no gain. But Worth County's tackling woes, which had haunted them so badly in the first meeting between the two teams, came back to bite them at the worst possible time as someone tried to arm-tackle Schawang, who broke the tackle and was gone for a 20-yard touchdown with 8:36 left in the half.
Everything started to snowball from there. Wyatt Rush muffed the ensuing kickoff and Mound City pounced on it; four plays later, James Schoonover was in the end zone from two yards out to make it 18-0 with 7:02 left. With 6:16 left, on their second play from scrimmage, Worth County had a bad snap which resulted in a safety to make it 20-0, forcing them to kick it back to Mound City.
On the ensuing drive, Worth County stiffened up and forced Mound City into a fourth and two at the Tiger 14, but James Schoonover's cutback run converted it into a first down at the 7. Mound City tried a shot into the end zone, but Dallas Greenland broke it up to deny them. Two cracks at the line set up fourth and goal at the one, but the Tigers held as Lucas Schawang was denied on a quarterback sneak. Eli Mullock bounced outside for a 16 yard gain to get the Tigers out of the hole, but then Alex Harmening was stood up and stripped of the ball; that set up James Schoonover's 22-yard run with 1:09 left. Zach Kahle ran in the extra points to make it 28-0.
Worth County tried to air it out, but Bryce Ross' pass was way underthrown and Miles Jumps intercepted it and returned it all the way to the Tiger 8. Two plays later, James Schoonover was in the end zone from one yard out and he ran in the extra points to make it 36-0 at the half. The snowball effect continued in the second half as Worth County fumbled away the first play from scrimmage and Mound City took it in four plays later as James Schoonover dove into the end zone to make it 42-0 with 10:43 left in the game.
The game threatened to end right then and there thanks to the mercy rule, but Worth County was able to keep Mound City from scoring from there. Alex Harmening's 10-yard run got the Tigers a first down into Mound City territory at the 26, but they stalled there and the Panthers took over on downs. But then the fumble bug hit Mound City as they fumbled away their second play and Tyler Schmitz pounced on the loose carom. But Worth County could not take advantage as three cracks only netted three yards and a delay of game and a fumble gave the ball right back to Mound City. Mound City continued to struggle with moving the ball as two false starts and two fumbles drove them back 10 yards and they were forced to punt.
Worth County converted a first down, but they stalled at their own 33 and were forced to punt. The kick was a good one and it pinned Mound City back on their own one. Mound City rode the back of Schoonover and got out of the hole and drove to their own 24. Schoonover then broke several tackles on his way to a 26-yard run to the Tiger 30. But then a botched handoff was recovered by Cody Green, denying Mound City their best chance to end the game on the mercy rule.
Neither side could move the ball in the rain and mud until late in the game, when Worth County took over on downs at their own 32. Finally, Eli Mullock reversed his field for 15 yards to the Mound City 33. A false start and a fumble stalled the Tigers momentarily, but Dallas Greenland's 10-yard and and a diving catch by Cody Green for 13 yards of a pass from Bryce Ross put the Tigers on the Panther 16. Eli Mullock got five yards to the 11 and two cracks from Alex Harmening got Worth County into the end zone with 1:09 left in the game to make it 42-6.
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