Worth County honored three football players, five band members, and one cheerleader before beating Tarkio 58-26 on their senior night. The first half was close with a lot of momentum changes. However, Worth County broke the game open in the third quarter following a goal line stand that kept Tarkio from tying or taking the lead. From the band, seniors Claire Andrews, Brianna Fletchall, Kayla Martell, Katie Mullock, and Clayton Ross were honored. Brianna was also honored as a cheerleader and cheered in her last regular season home game Friday. Playing in their last regular season home game were Lane Craven, Wyatt Rush, and Andrew Mullock.
Coach Chris Healy made several adjustments following the Stanberry loss, going to a lot more two-tight end sets and did a lot more running plays (only four pass attempts for the whole game). The punt formation was changed, with Wyatt Rush taking over long snapping duties and Ben Badell handling punting chores for the Tigers.
Tarkio did all they could to stop the run, but it didn't matter. They stacked seven men in the box and had only one safety, which resulted in a lot of losses and no-gains for the Tigers. They were moving and shifting around on defense a lot, causing a few false start penalties. However, when Worth County was able to get by the initial onslaught, they were able to gash Tarkio's defense for some long gains. Wyatt Rush had 31 carries for 249 yards, putting him over the 1,000 yard mark this year. Andrew Mullock followed with 17 carries for 85 yards; Brevyn Ross followed with three carries for 43 yards. Worth County rushed for nearly 400 yards for the night.
Defensively, after giving up some big plays in the first half, Worth County pitched a shutout in the second half as they played their best half of the year. Tarkio presented some matchup problems with their tall receivers, meaning that they came away with some catches even when Worth County was covering them perfectly. However, quarterback Michael McMahon misfired on a lot of his passes and was only 12 for 32 for the night.
With the win, Worth County clinched their 20th straight winning season. They have not had a losing season since 1993, when then-coach Mark Fletcher was just getting started. The Tigers had a formidable passing attack, but they were able to use an improved defense and an improved running game to jump to an 8-2 record in 1994 and a state title in 1995.
The game was a district game for both teams. A win by Tarkio would have vaulted them ahead of Worth County in the standings; since the teams were 2-3, Worth County would have had to make a trip to Tarkio. As it stands, the Tigers will host Tarkio again in two weeks as they both get byes. The winner will likely travel to Rock Port, who faces either North Nodaway or West Nodaway in the second round of districts.
Neither side could do anything with their first possession, but Tarkio used a 59 yard screen pass from Michael McMahon to Jordan Riley to set up their first score with 9:34 left, a 5 yard keeper. Brevyn Ross made a good one on one tackle to stop the extra points.
Worth County went three and out on their next series, but after a 12-yard power sweep by McMahon to midfield, the Indians stalled there as McMahon was misfiring on his passes and missing some open receivers as Tarkio gave up the ball on downs. Worth County took advantage as Wyatt Rush got carries of 12 and 11 yards to the Indian 19. Six plays later, Wyatt Rush was in the end zone with 3:41 left in the first quarter. Wyatt then ran in a counter play to put the Tigers up 8-6. But Tarkio went right back in front before the end of the first quarter. Worth County seemingly had Tarkio stopped on fourth and long when the always-dangerous Blaine Lambert caught a pass over the middle, broke a tackle, and was off to the races for a 38-yard score. Connor Shaw caught the extra point pass to make it 14-8 shortly before the end of the first quarter.
Neither side could score on their next possession as Gavin Hawk blew up a screen pass to keep the Indians from doing any damage, but then Worth County blocked a punt and that gave then the break they needed to take the lead as they got the ball in good field position at the Tarkio 39. Wyatt Rush ripped off three carries of 11, 24, and 4 to get into the end zone with 5:00 left to tie it up with five minutes left. Lane Craven atoned for a drop earlier in the game by catching a tough extra point pass to put Worth County in front for good at 16-14.
Worth County got a momentum changing play two plays later when Tarkio had a shotgun snap whistle past McMahon. It caromed off one of the Tarkio players scrambling for it into the end zone, where Wyatt Rush pounced on it for a score for Worth County. Wyatt then pushed one of his own linemen out of the way to get the extra points to make it two scores at 24-14.
Once again, Worth County seemingly had Tarkio stopped on fourth down and once again, Tarkio beat them with a big play as Deaven Tunnell caught one over the middle and there was no help available as he ran untouched into the end zone from 37 yards out to make it 24-20. Andrew Mullock broke up the extra point pass.
The Tigers got the ball back with 2:03 left in the half at their own 31 and Wyatt Rush had a quick hitter go for 23 yards to set up Worth County's final score of the half. From there, Worth County ran time off the clock to leave Tarkio with as little time as possible while getting chunks of yards. Wyatt was stopped inches short of the goal line with 9.4 seconds left in the half, but Worth County still had a time out to use and they took it. Finally, Ben Badell broke the plane with 6.9 seconds left to make it 32-20. That was seeming enough, but then Worth County overran Jacob Masonbrink on the kickoff and he took it 75 yards to the house with no time remaining to swing the momentum back to Tarkio, bringing them to within 32-26.
Worth County got the ball to start the second half, but they were stopped inches short of the first down at the Tarkio three and gave up the ball on downs. Tarkio moved down the field, using a 37-yard pass to Tunnell to get out of the hole and caught a 26-yard pass to move it to the Tiger 11. Jordan Riley optioned it all the way to the 2 following a Tarkio timeout; that set up third and one. But then Wade Rush responded with a tackle for a loss as McMahon unsuccessfully tried to sneak for a first down or a score and he was dropped back to the 5. On fourth down, Brevyn Ross, who was burned earlier in the drive, broke up what would have been a sure touchdown pass to Tunnell to give Worth County the ball back on downs.
Wyatt Rush took a simple dive play and took it 55 yards to the Indian 24. He made a rare miscue at the end of the run, getting called for a 15-yard facemask that brought it back to the 39. Worth County was seemingly stalled there, but then on fourth down, Coach Chris Healy put Brevyn Ross in the Wildkat formation. Tarkio apparently thought he was going to punt it, but thought wrong as Brevyn took the snap and ran it in from 38 yards out to make it 38-26.
Brevyn Ross broke up a pass on the next series and then McMahon threw behind an open receiver on the next play. He tried a draw on third and long, but Wyatt Rush and Gavin Hawk contained perfectly and stopped him for a one yard gain and they were forced to punt.
Worth County was stuck with third and long at the 37, but then Ben Badell optioned the Tigers out of trouble, picking up 17 yards to the 28 for a first down. Andrew Mullock's first down run put the Tigers on the 17. They then overcame a pair of false starts as Wyatt Rush was seemingly stood up after a short gain from the 18 with five red shirts trying to bring him down. But all of a sudden, Wyatt broke free for an 18 yard score to make it 44-26 with 9:25 left.
The real backbreaker came on the next play. It was not planned out that way, but kicker Josh Warner shanked the ensuing kick, which rolled free at the Indian 36. Gavin Hawk pounced on it for the Tigers and they had a free possession to use. Tarkio called a timeout to regroup, but it didn't matter as Wyatt Rush ripped off a 33-yard run to set up a 1 yard score with 8:24 left. Wade Rush ran in the extra points to make it 52-26.
Warner shanked another kick and Worth County nearly recovered it again, but it caromed off Brevyn Ross and out of bounds at the Indian 25. But Brevyn atoned for butterfingering the squib kick by picking off a tipped ball and returning it to the Tiger 16. Worth County was seemingly stalled at the 9, but following a timeout, Coach Chris Healy put Brevyn in the Wildkat formation again and he converted for a 9 yard score with 5:07 left to make it 58-26.
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