Worth County got off to a slow start against Nodaway-Holt, but got stronger as the game progressed and put them away 56-6 in the third quarter. The Tigers finally got their first win of the season, avoiding their first winless season since 1961. They also avoided falling to the Trojans for the first time since 1993, a winning streak that is now 21 years and counting. Nodaway-Holt, which won its first game of the year, got off to a strong start, but they were outmanned. They listed 14 players on their program, but only 12 suited up for Friday night's game.
Back in the 1960's, a certain Yugoslav grandmaster was playing in a brutal chess tournament in which the current world chess champion and two future world champions were participating. Bobby Fischer was one of the participants. The Yugoslav was in horrific form, playing one bad game after another. But then, he ran into another grandmaster in even worse form, won the game, and climbed out of last place. He wrote that the turn of events made him cynical -- he thanked God someone else was in worse form than he was.
It took the Tigers a whole quarter to realize that they were the better team on the field as they struggled with the center-quarterback exchange and gave away the ball on downs to the Trojans. Then, someone forgot to cover Cody Schniedermeyer, whose long pass brought Nodaway-Holt to the Tiger 9. But then Brevyn Ross, one of the few players to play both sides of the ball, broke up a pass in the end zone, Dalton Auffert turned a sweep inside perfectly, and the Tigers caught a break when Carey Voltner was all alone in the back of the end zone, but Trojan quarterback Brody Day didn't see him on fourth down. But the center-quarterback exchange problems didn't solve themselves as Worth County lost a fumble at their own 12 and Day was in the end zone one play later to make it 6-0 with 7:45 left.
But the difference between Friday night and the last four Friday nights was that although Worth County made a lot of mistakes that game, they were able to play through them this time. They finally cut down on their penalties, down to nine. Coach Chris Healy made some wholesale changes to the lineup; hardly anyone played on both sides of the ball, unlike the first four games. That allowed him and assistant coach Mark Fletcher to rotate in fresh legs when needed.
Worth County had their fourth fumble in eight plays after picking up a first down, prompting Coach Healy to switch to a spread formation with Brevyn Ross at quarterback taking snaps out of the shotgun, with Josh Warner as the motion man. That move obviously rattled Nodaway-Holt, which burned a timeout and bailed Worth County out of an illegal motion penalty; they had obviously not practiced against that particular formation. Brevyn picked up gains of 16 and 15 down to the Trojan 13 and then Josh Warner took a sweep and rumbled to the 7. A false start moved it back to the 12, but then Brevyn found a big hole up the middle to put Worth County on the board with 5:17 left. Tevin Cameron caught a pass for the extra points to put Worth County up 8-6.
Nodaway-Holt threatened again thanks to an obvious faceguarding penalty on Worth County; they used their option game to drive deep into Tiger territory. But Zach Walker came up inches short on fourth down and Worth County took over on downs at the 7. Ben Badell, who had been working with center Jacob Hardy on exchanges on the sideline when not on the field, came back in and aired it out to Chris Alarcon for 63 yards down to the Trojan 10. Three plays later, Jayden Mancuso was in the end zone from two yards out with 11:56 left in the second quarter to put Worth County up 14-6.
Nodaway-Holt went three and out and Brevyn Ross returned the ensuing punt into Trojan territory to set up Worth County's next score. His 15-yard run overcame a block in the back penalty and then Ben Badell made something out of nothing, taking a bobbled snap on fourth and goal at the 1 and scoring with 6:55 left to make it 20-6. Josh Warner pounced on a Trojan fumble on their second play from scrimmage and that set up Worth County's next score as Brevyn Ross followed a block from Wade Rush into the end zone with 5:28 left in the second. Wade Rush ran in the extra points to make it 28-6.
On Nodaway-Holt's next play, Zach Walker found a big hole and was seemingly headed for paydirt to let Nodaway-Holt right back into the game, but Andrew Faustlin caught him from behind at the 10 to save a touchdown and Worth County held when Carey Volner's shoestring catch on fourth down was a foot short of the end zone. With time running out, this time Worth County managed the clock well after struggling with clock management in the Albany game. Jayden Mancuso broke loose for 13 yards around the right end to get Worth County out of the hole and then Brevyn Ross was seemingly stood up by two Trojan defenders for a loss. But he broke free and picked up 20 to the Tiger 34. Brevyn picked up 16 more to the Trojan 30 and then Ben Badell scrambled for 15 more to the Trojan 15. Worth County picked up a false start, but then pulled off the guard eligible play from Ben Badell to Josh Warner. The Trojan backs bit on the run fake, leaving Warner open and he dragged his defender for the final few yards with 45.6 seconds left in the half. Wade Rush ran in the extra points to make it 36-6.
Brevyn Ross recovered a fumble right off the bat for Worth County, but then Nodaway-Holt came out fired up and held on downs. But then Worth County forced a three and out and started at their own 15. Tevin Cameron was called for a holding penalty, but then atoned for his mistake with a leaping catch from Ben Badell with a defender draped all over him for 45 yards down to the Trojan 25. That gave Ben Badell 128 yards passing for the night. That set up Wade Rush's one yard score with 7:00 left in the third. Brevyn Ross ran in the extra points to make it 44-6.
Nodaway-Holt ditched their option game and spread out all of their receivers and tried to follow North-West Nodaway's lead, but it backfired as Truman Moore came right up the middle unblocked and had a sack which buried Nodaway-Holt back at their own 10, where they were forced to punt. Brevyn Ross weaved and spun his way to the Trojan 2 on the punt and then Jayden Mancuso scored with 4:26 left to make it 50-6. In desperation, Nodaway-Holt went for it on fourth and two deep in their own territory at the 23, but four different Tigers gang-tackled Cole Alloway one yard short of the first down, something that had been missing from previous games. That set up a short field for Worth County's final score as Jayden Mancuso picked up six yards, following blocks by Wade Rush and Ryan McClellan. Wade broke a host of tackles and rumbled to the 6 for 14 yards, and then Jayden Mancuso picked up the final six yards to end the game at the 2:54 mark of the third quarter.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Fundraiser Held for Denver Schoolhouse
A fundraiser was held Saturday evening for the Denver Schoolhouse. Dinner was served at 6, followed by an auction at 7.
Helen Foster said that current goals were to put in folding doors to cut down on energy costs and put in kitchen cabinets. Currently, LaDora Combs is working on an inventory list of everything that is currently at the museum. She also donated a collection of obituaries dating back to 1863, which is the oldest such collection in the county. She also is working on a large collection of funeral cards dating back to 1901, which she says will help families find gravesites if the obituary is incorrect or didn't list one. The Worth County Partnership Library allowed her to borrow materials for her latest projects.
Helen Foster said that current goals were to put in folding doors to cut down on energy costs and put in kitchen cabinets. Currently, LaDora Combs is working on an inventory list of everything that is currently at the museum. She also donated a collection of obituaries dating back to 1863, which is the oldest such collection in the county. She also is working on a large collection of funeral cards dating back to 1901, which she says will help families find gravesites if the obituary is incorrect or didn't list one. The Worth County Partnership Library allowed her to borrow materials for her latest projects.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Farm Bureau Meeting: Allen Andrews Says Challenges Ahead in Farming Industry
Allen Andrews, speaking at the annual Worth County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, said that while times were good for the farming industry, there were many different challenges ahead. There were 20 Worth County FFA members present as well as members of the Farm Bureau. Andrews said that his wool shop was an outgrowth of an FFA sheep project and that he owed a debt of gratitude towards both 4-H and FFA for where he is today. He said that he had felt a calling since his children were little to run for office and that his goal was to pass legislation to better peoples' lives.
Quoting Abraham Lincoln, he said that agriculture is a "great calling;" Lincoln said that even back in 1852, that American agriculture was seen as a breadbasket for the world. This was when the world population was considerably less than it is today. Andrews said that we were blessed to live in a country with abundant soil and the best food supply in the world. He noted that food costs around 10% of peoples' budgets in this country, while it was as high as 25-30% in other developed countries. "The world is still depending on the US to feed them," he said.
Turning to Missouri, he said that agriculture was an $8.3 billion business which created hundreds of thousands of jobs and that times had been good for farming in the last 4-5 years. But he said that there were a lot of concerns on the horizon. "I've listened to a lot of your concerns on the campaign trail," he said.
Among concerns that Andrews said he heard:
--Most people are three generations removed from agriculture and only two percent of all Americans reside on a farm. "I've been told by some people that meat comes from a freezer," he said. That, he said, was why it was important that Amendment 1 passed to safeguard Missouri's right to farm.
--The average farmer is 58 years old and having to farm more and more acres. There are fewer young people going into agriculture.
--Infrastructure, especially lettered roads. He said that he had talked to commissioners who were concerned about how to move equipment with deteriorating roads and no shoulders.
--Record crop yields this year, which means that there is a concern about how to move it out given that many parts of the district are far away from a main highway. He said that the DOT was dragging its feet on a weight limit waiver that would allow people to haul more crops during harvest.
--Pest control; Andrews said that there were pests coming into the country that authorities have been unable to stop.
--Beef cattle production; Andrews said that Missouri had its lowest beef cattle production since 1952.
--More regulations coming down from DNR and EPA. "Regulations are a good thing, but overregulation has to stop," said Andrews.
Specifically, the Farm Bureau distributed a flyer with information about a proposed rule that they say would allow the EPA to make an end run around Congress and the Supreme Court by allowing it to have veto power over basic farming practices. The Farm Bureau said that the exemptions that EPA and USDA claim will protect farms are actually designed to shut new farming operations out. Another example that Andrews gave was a proposed DNR rule which would have required farmers to sterilize everything before entering their land to perform basic farming practices. "As a potential legislator, I see it as imperative to push legislation that safeguards the long-term sustainability of agriculture," said Andrews. "We have an obligation to preserve, protect, and expand small and mid-sized farms so that they can produce goods and provide employment for our area."
Board members named for two year terms were Ted Foland (Legislative Committee Chair), Don Null, Lois Null, Jack Cottrell, Craig Hunt, and Paul Tracy (Young Farmer & Commodity Committee Chair). Officers named were Pat Hardy (President), Paul Tracy (Vice-President), and David Seat (Secretary/Treasurer).
Among activities and accomplishments were participating in Amendment 1 and "Ditch the Rule," discount tickets for the Missouri State Fair, getting two members (Cody & Tonya Mullock) honored as Extension Farm Family of the Year, supporting the Farm Bureau Tractor Cruise, met membership quota for the fourth straight year, and received a Gold Star Award from the Missouri Farm Bureau for activities completed.
The Farm Bureau recognizes area youth who contribute to agriculture. Kristen Andrews won the annual $200 scholarship while Jennnifer Runde and Clayton Ross received $200 awards for their contributions to agriculture. Farm Bureau also helps with the annual FFA Barnyard that is held at the school in May.
Quoting Abraham Lincoln, he said that agriculture is a "great calling;" Lincoln said that even back in 1852, that American agriculture was seen as a breadbasket for the world. This was when the world population was considerably less than it is today. Andrews said that we were blessed to live in a country with abundant soil and the best food supply in the world. He noted that food costs around 10% of peoples' budgets in this country, while it was as high as 25-30% in other developed countries. "The world is still depending on the US to feed them," he said.
Turning to Missouri, he said that agriculture was an $8.3 billion business which created hundreds of thousands of jobs and that times had been good for farming in the last 4-5 years. But he said that there were a lot of concerns on the horizon. "I've listened to a lot of your concerns on the campaign trail," he said.
Among concerns that Andrews said he heard:
--Most people are three generations removed from agriculture and only two percent of all Americans reside on a farm. "I've been told by some people that meat comes from a freezer," he said. That, he said, was why it was important that Amendment 1 passed to safeguard Missouri's right to farm.
--The average farmer is 58 years old and having to farm more and more acres. There are fewer young people going into agriculture.
--Infrastructure, especially lettered roads. He said that he had talked to commissioners who were concerned about how to move equipment with deteriorating roads and no shoulders.
--Record crop yields this year, which means that there is a concern about how to move it out given that many parts of the district are far away from a main highway. He said that the DOT was dragging its feet on a weight limit waiver that would allow people to haul more crops during harvest.
--Pest control; Andrews said that there were pests coming into the country that authorities have been unable to stop.
--Beef cattle production; Andrews said that Missouri had its lowest beef cattle production since 1952.
--More regulations coming down from DNR and EPA. "Regulations are a good thing, but overregulation has to stop," said Andrews.
Specifically, the Farm Bureau distributed a flyer with information about a proposed rule that they say would allow the EPA to make an end run around Congress and the Supreme Court by allowing it to have veto power over basic farming practices. The Farm Bureau said that the exemptions that EPA and USDA claim will protect farms are actually designed to shut new farming operations out. Another example that Andrews gave was a proposed DNR rule which would have required farmers to sterilize everything before entering their land to perform basic farming practices. "As a potential legislator, I see it as imperative to push legislation that safeguards the long-term sustainability of agriculture," said Andrews. "We have an obligation to preserve, protect, and expand small and mid-sized farms so that they can produce goods and provide employment for our area."
Board members named for two year terms were Ted Foland (Legislative Committee Chair), Don Null, Lois Null, Jack Cottrell, Craig Hunt, and Paul Tracy (Young Farmer & Commodity Committee Chair). Officers named were Pat Hardy (President), Paul Tracy (Vice-President), and David Seat (Secretary/Treasurer).
Among activities and accomplishments were participating in Amendment 1 and "Ditch the Rule," discount tickets for the Missouri State Fair, getting two members (Cody & Tonya Mullock) honored as Extension Farm Family of the Year, supporting the Farm Bureau Tractor Cruise, met membership quota for the fourth straight year, and received a Gold Star Award from the Missouri Farm Bureau for activities completed.
The Farm Bureau recognizes area youth who contribute to agriculture. Kristen Andrews won the annual $200 scholarship while Jennnifer Runde and Clayton Ross received $200 awards for their contributions to agriculture. Farm Bureau also helps with the annual FFA Barnyard that is held at the school in May.
Grant City Planning Session Lists Strengths, Weaknesses for City
The Strategic Planning meeting that was held for Grant City Wednesday listed numerous strengths and weaknesses for the city; many different opportunities were identified as well. Arnie Kreek of the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments facilitated the session with city leaders. The last Strategic Plan was drawn up in 2009. The goal is to control change rather than merely react to the need for change. Another session will be held in October to put together action plans for key goals.
The Mission Statement for the last Strategic Plan was, "The Mission of Grant City is to attain the highest quality of life, moral standards, and a wholesome community environment. Grant City will continue working to improve the infrastructure, encourage business development, and promote safety and well-being for all its residents." A new list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges for 2014 was developed.
In 2009, the areas of focus were physical appearance and aesthetic value, parks and recreation, culture and arts, public services, community development, and education and youth activities.
Strengths listed Wednesday night were people, the school, churches, history, recreation, the Skating Rink, the pool, businesses, cottage industries, dedicated leaders, youth leadership, caring people, community, the Nature Trail, the track, the ball field, the outdoor classroom, parks, civic environment, historic buildings and homes, the Senior Center, strategic location, hunting and fishing opportunities, farm economy, the Amish, the Fall Festival, Christmas activities, support of sports teams, the Partnership Library, teachers, and the Courthouse.
Weaknesses included lack of quality jobs, declining population, housing, infrastructure, unpaved streets, property cleanup, law enforcement, judicial system, declining population, handicapped accessible housing, tax base, absent landowners, indoor recreation, youth recreation, youth employment, empty buildings on the square, not close to any major highways, and a lack of a fiber network.
Opportunities that participants wanted to pursue included community involvement, home-based businesses, fiber network, cable, a historic tour district, training programs for youth, bringing in plumbing and electric services, marketing, landscaping, campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, day events, indoor youth facility, bluegrass festival, and historic reenactment. "The opportunities are here," said Kelly Heiffus of the Regional Council and a Grant City resident. "We just have to take advantage of them." "We want to know what you want in your community," said Mayor Debbie Roach.
Challenges listed include social media and rumors, resistance to change, transportation, EPA and DNR regulations, instilling community pride, poverty, and an aging population.
The city has brought in $8 million worth of grant projects since the strategic planning process was started back in 2001. The goal for the next meeting will be to break into small group discussions and work on some of the areas identified. The next meeting will be October 15th at 6:30 at Grant City Hall. The final meeting will be November 5th at 6:00 at City Hall; a meal will be served. After that, a new strategic plan will be written up for the city.
The Mission Statement for the last Strategic Plan was, "The Mission of Grant City is to attain the highest quality of life, moral standards, and a wholesome community environment. Grant City will continue working to improve the infrastructure, encourage business development, and promote safety and well-being for all its residents." A new list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges for 2014 was developed.
In 2009, the areas of focus were physical appearance and aesthetic value, parks and recreation, culture and arts, public services, community development, and education and youth activities.
Strengths listed Wednesday night were people, the school, churches, history, recreation, the Skating Rink, the pool, businesses, cottage industries, dedicated leaders, youth leadership, caring people, community, the Nature Trail, the track, the ball field, the outdoor classroom, parks, civic environment, historic buildings and homes, the Senior Center, strategic location, hunting and fishing opportunities, farm economy, the Amish, the Fall Festival, Christmas activities, support of sports teams, the Partnership Library, teachers, and the Courthouse.
Weaknesses included lack of quality jobs, declining population, housing, infrastructure, unpaved streets, property cleanup, law enforcement, judicial system, declining population, handicapped accessible housing, tax base, absent landowners, indoor recreation, youth recreation, youth employment, empty buildings on the square, not close to any major highways, and a lack of a fiber network.
Opportunities that participants wanted to pursue included community involvement, home-based businesses, fiber network, cable, a historic tour district, training programs for youth, bringing in plumbing and electric services, marketing, landscaping, campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, day events, indoor youth facility, bluegrass festival, and historic reenactment. "The opportunities are here," said Kelly Heiffus of the Regional Council and a Grant City resident. "We just have to take advantage of them." "We want to know what you want in your community," said Mayor Debbie Roach.
Challenges listed include social media and rumors, resistance to change, transportation, EPA and DNR regulations, instilling community pride, poverty, and an aging population.
The city has brought in $8 million worth of grant projects since the strategic planning process was started back in 2001. The goal for the next meeting will be to break into small group discussions and work on some of the areas identified. The next meeting will be October 15th at 6:30 at Grant City Hall. The final meeting will be November 5th at 6:00 at City Hall; a meal will be served. After that, a new strategic plan will be written up for the city.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Tiger Softball Gives King City All They Can Handle; Falls Short
Worth County's softball girls showed some improvement this week after getting knocked out of all three of their games last week. Pitted against former Tigers Grace and Quinci Schottel and the King City Wildkats, they roughed up Grace for one of the few times in her life and chased her from the mound in the third inning. Then, after losing their composure and falling behind in the sixth, they came back and got to within one run before falling 8-7. Unfortunately, it didn't get any easier for them Wednesday as they had to turn around and travel to Polo, who beat Gallatin 6-1 and ended their 15-game winning streak.
Grace Schottel was pounding the outside corner and getting called third strikes for King City, but Worth County got Jacklyn Brooks back; the Tiger slugger played like she hadn't skipped a beat, pounding a single over the shortstop's head to set up Worth County's first run. Finally, Sidney Troutwine took one on the elbow for the team and forced in a run to make it 1-0.
Worth County continued to hit Schottel hard in the third, getting a double down the left field line for two runs from Alysa Lyle and a single that brought in another run from Brooks. That inning was started when Kaitlyn Davidson hit a weak roller to second, groaned, "Oh, shoot, I shouldn't have swung at that!" and beat it out for an infield hit. Kaitlyn, who was touted for her hitting by coach Dave Gilland, helped the Tigers out with her glove at third base as she robbed King City of two sure hits.
King City began rallying back; Payton Adwell scored on a wild pitch, but King City chipped away at Worth County's lead until the sixth inning when they executed a perfect contact play, where they got down a bunt in fair territory, the runner on third was off at the crack of the bat, and she scored easily to tie it up at 5. Worth County then lost their composure, forgot to cover second and third, and threw the ball around as King City went ahead 6-5. King City scored two more runs in the top of the seventh, but Rachel Gardner made a leaping catch in the rain to take away extra bases and keep it at 8-5.
That sparked the team, as Kaitlyn Davidson and Gardner both came home on wild pitches. But one of Worth County's runners wandered too far off third and was picked off for the final out. The Tigers are showing improvement even though their record doesn't show it and they are finally getting healthy; however, they are a very young team going up against teams that are loaded. Tuesday night's loss was a prime example of what happens in these situations.
Grace Schottel was pounding the outside corner and getting called third strikes for King City, but Worth County got Jacklyn Brooks back; the Tiger slugger played like she hadn't skipped a beat, pounding a single over the shortstop's head to set up Worth County's first run. Finally, Sidney Troutwine took one on the elbow for the team and forced in a run to make it 1-0.
Worth County continued to hit Schottel hard in the third, getting a double down the left field line for two runs from Alysa Lyle and a single that brought in another run from Brooks. That inning was started when Kaitlyn Davidson hit a weak roller to second, groaned, "Oh, shoot, I shouldn't have swung at that!" and beat it out for an infield hit. Kaitlyn, who was touted for her hitting by coach Dave Gilland, helped the Tigers out with her glove at third base as she robbed King City of two sure hits.
King City began rallying back; Payton Adwell scored on a wild pitch, but King City chipped away at Worth County's lead until the sixth inning when they executed a perfect contact play, where they got down a bunt in fair territory, the runner on third was off at the crack of the bat, and she scored easily to tie it up at 5. Worth County then lost their composure, forgot to cover second and third, and threw the ball around as King City went ahead 6-5. King City scored two more runs in the top of the seventh, but Rachel Gardner made a leaping catch in the rain to take away extra bases and keep it at 8-5.
That sparked the team, as Kaitlyn Davidson and Gardner both came home on wild pitches. But one of Worth County's runners wandered too far off third and was picked off for the final out. The Tigers are showing improvement even though their record doesn't show it and they are finally getting healthy; however, they are a very young team going up against teams that are loaded. Tuesday night's loss was a prime example of what happens in these situations.
Haley Hunt Tosses No Hitter for Junior High Tigers; Anna Gladstone Steals Home
Worth County's Junior High Tigers remain with only one loss on the season as Haley Hunt tossed a no-hitter and the Tigers won 6-3. Haley retired the Wildkats 1-2-3 in both the first and second innings. She got into trouble in the third inning thanks to two dropped third strikes and two runs came home on wild pitches. But an outstanding defensive play by right-fielder Liz Lyle, who threw to first to preserve the no-hitter and the victory, got them out of the inning.
In the bottom of the first, Anna Gladstone stole home as they tried to pick her off third, but there was no play on the throw home. That opened the floodgates to a four-run inning as three other batters walked in runs after Worth County had loaded the bases. Kristen New pulled off a successful delayed steal of third in the second to set up a score on a wild pitch; Haley Hunt helped herself out by scoring on another wild pitch for the Tigers in the inning. Worth County only needed one hit, a squib in front of the plate that Haley Hunt beat out in the second, in order to score their six runs.
In the bottom of the first, Anna Gladstone stole home as they tried to pick her off third, but there was no play on the throw home. That opened the floodgates to a four-run inning as three other batters walked in runs after Worth County had loaded the bases. Kristen New pulled off a successful delayed steal of third in the second to set up a score on a wild pitch; Haley Hunt helped herself out by scoring on another wild pitch for the Tigers in the inning. Worth County only needed one hit, a squib in front of the plate that Haley Hunt beat out in the second, in order to score their six runs.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Worth County Sheriff's Report
9-15 -- Officer transporting female prisoner from Ringgold County Jail to Worth County Court.
9-15 -- Officer transporting male prisoner to Ringgold County Jail from Worth County Court.
9-16 -- Call of suspicious truck near Denver.
9-16 -- Children's Division asking about a male subject.
9-17 -- Person reports missing cow; cow was located.
9-17 -- Taylor County Sheriff calls regarding breakins.
9-18 -- Received arrest warrant on male subject.
9-19 -- Adair County (IA) sheriff's office calls about male subject in their custody who has a Worth County warrant.
9-19 -- Sheriff en route to Ringgold County to talk to male prisoner.
9-20 -- Report of bull out on Route C; owner notified.
9-15 -- Officer transporting male prisoner to Ringgold County Jail from Worth County Court.
9-16 -- Call of suspicious truck near Denver.
9-16 -- Children's Division asking about a male subject.
9-17 -- Person reports missing cow; cow was located.
9-17 -- Taylor County Sheriff calls regarding breakins.
9-18 -- Received arrest warrant on male subject.
9-19 -- Adair County (IA) sheriff's office calls about male subject in their custody who has a Worth County warrant.
9-19 -- Sheriff en route to Ringgold County to talk to male prisoner.
9-20 -- Report of bull out on Route C; owner notified.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Obituary -- Vickie Jane Kimble 1960-2014
Vickie Jane Kimble was born on November 15, 1960 in Maryville, Missouri to Larry and Mary Ellen (James) Kimble. Sixteen months later she was joined by her brother Kurtis.
From day one she assigned herself the responsibility of caring for her brother. Over the years they shared all things – toys, friends, school activities, farm chores, secrets, problems, achievements, and love for each other. Vickie's interest in medicine was evident early in her life. She cared for any injured pet or bird, removed splinters for Kurtis, applied Band-Aids, wrapped ankles for the athletes, etc. It was pretty much assumed she was headed for a career in medicine.
In a tragic accident in 1977, at the age of 16, Vickie suffered third degree burns over 63 percent of her body. She spent the following three months in the Burn Unit at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. While there she underwent eleven surgeries (debriding, skin grafts and whole blood transfusions). In later months she had six corrective surgeries. After this experience Vickie's interest in medicine faded and, seemingly, died. As she said "I never want to see the inside of a hospital again."
Vickie attended Northwest Missouri State University for three semesters. She returned home for one semester for peace, solitude and direction. During this time, her interest in medicine had been rekindled. She enrolled in Missouri Methodist School of Nursing in St. Joseph, Missouri, graduating in 1983 as a registered nurse. She later earned her BS in Nursing from Missouri Western State University. Having an insatiable appetite for learning she continued her education by earning a Master's Degree as a Family Practice Nurse Practitioner. Post Master's Degree was earned as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. These degrees were from University of Missouri in Kansas City (UMKC). Vickie's work in the medical field was rewarding to both her and her patients. She worked in Home Health in a five county area in northwest Missouri; many years at the Missouri State Mental Hospital in St. Joseph; Health Clinic at Northwest Missouri State University; Northwest Medical Clinic in St. Joseph; and as Psychiatric Nurse at Lucas County Hospital in Chariton, Iowa.
She was devastated when her declining health required her to quit working. She loved her work, she loved her patients, and she was good at what she did. She had never once complained nor stated resentment about having cancer until it took such a toll on her body that she had to quit the work she loved.
In 1988, Vickie's son, Payden Cale Harris was born. He brought joy, happiness, humor, and the sense of pride that comes with parenthood. Payden has the same beautiful brown eyes as his mother. And Vickie's brown eyes would sparkle and shine when she was with Payden or when she talked about him. He was her pride and joy. She once said all she ever needed and wanted from this life was the love of her son.
After a two year long hard, fought battle against cancer, on September 16, 2014, Vickie Jane flew from the pain and heartache of this world into the loving, waiting arms of Grandma Evelyn and Grandma Maxine. She knew Grandpa Jim and Grandpa Frank would be there too all waiting for her arrival in Heaven. As the old hymns say "what a glorious reunion that will be!" Preceding Vickie in death were her maternal grandparents, Evelyn and Victor "Jim" James and paternal grandparents, Maxine and Frank Kimble.
Left to cherish her memory are her son, Payden Cale Harris (fiancé Brittany Bahr) of Kansas City, Mo.; parents, Larry and Mary Ellen (James) Kimble of Grant City, Mo.; brother, Kurtis (Laura) Kimble of Maryville, Mo.; nieces, Ashten and Aubrey Kimble of Maryville, Mo; niece, Adria (Justin) and children Avery, Barrett, Maci, Madi of Trenton, Missouri; nephew Jesse Meek, currently serving in the U.S. Army in Kosovo; aunt, Becky James of Des Moines, Iowa; uncle Lewis (Maria) James of San Antonio, Texas; cousins, Angie (Bob) Radloff and sons, Jay and Drew of Woodbine, Iowa, Scott (Jeane) Keplinger and children Anna, Ellen and Graham of West Des Moines, Iowa; many relatives, friends and fellow medical personnel. Memorials may be established in her name.
From day one she assigned herself the responsibility of caring for her brother. Over the years they shared all things – toys, friends, school activities, farm chores, secrets, problems, achievements, and love for each other. Vickie's interest in medicine was evident early in her life. She cared for any injured pet or bird, removed splinters for Kurtis, applied Band-Aids, wrapped ankles for the athletes, etc. It was pretty much assumed she was headed for a career in medicine.
In a tragic accident in 1977, at the age of 16, Vickie suffered third degree burns over 63 percent of her body. She spent the following three months in the Burn Unit at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. While there she underwent eleven surgeries (debriding, skin grafts and whole blood transfusions). In later months she had six corrective surgeries. After this experience Vickie's interest in medicine faded and, seemingly, died. As she said "I never want to see the inside of a hospital again."
Vickie attended Northwest Missouri State University for three semesters. She returned home for one semester for peace, solitude and direction. During this time, her interest in medicine had been rekindled. She enrolled in Missouri Methodist School of Nursing in St. Joseph, Missouri, graduating in 1983 as a registered nurse. She later earned her BS in Nursing from Missouri Western State University. Having an insatiable appetite for learning she continued her education by earning a Master's Degree as a Family Practice Nurse Practitioner. Post Master's Degree was earned as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. These degrees were from University of Missouri in Kansas City (UMKC). Vickie's work in the medical field was rewarding to both her and her patients. She worked in Home Health in a five county area in northwest Missouri; many years at the Missouri State Mental Hospital in St. Joseph; Health Clinic at Northwest Missouri State University; Northwest Medical Clinic in St. Joseph; and as Psychiatric Nurse at Lucas County Hospital in Chariton, Iowa.
She was devastated when her declining health required her to quit working. She loved her work, she loved her patients, and she was good at what she did. She had never once complained nor stated resentment about having cancer until it took such a toll on her body that she had to quit the work she loved.
In 1988, Vickie's son, Payden Cale Harris was born. He brought joy, happiness, humor, and the sense of pride that comes with parenthood. Payden has the same beautiful brown eyes as his mother. And Vickie's brown eyes would sparkle and shine when she was with Payden or when she talked about him. He was her pride and joy. She once said all she ever needed and wanted from this life was the love of her son.
After a two year long hard, fought battle against cancer, on September 16, 2014, Vickie Jane flew from the pain and heartache of this world into the loving, waiting arms of Grandma Evelyn and Grandma Maxine. She knew Grandpa Jim and Grandpa Frank would be there too all waiting for her arrival in Heaven. As the old hymns say "what a glorious reunion that will be!" Preceding Vickie in death were her maternal grandparents, Evelyn and Victor "Jim" James and paternal grandparents, Maxine and Frank Kimble.
Left to cherish her memory are her son, Payden Cale Harris (fiancé Brittany Bahr) of Kansas City, Mo.; parents, Larry and Mary Ellen (James) Kimble of Grant City, Mo.; brother, Kurtis (Laura) Kimble of Maryville, Mo.; nieces, Ashten and Aubrey Kimble of Maryville, Mo; niece, Adria (Justin) and children Avery, Barrett, Maci, Madi of Trenton, Missouri; nephew Jesse Meek, currently serving in the U.S. Army in Kosovo; aunt, Becky James of Des Moines, Iowa; uncle Lewis (Maria) James of San Antonio, Texas; cousins, Angie (Bob) Radloff and sons, Jay and Drew of Woodbine, Iowa, Scott (Jeane) Keplinger and children Anna, Ellen and Graham of West Des Moines, Iowa; many relatives, friends and fellow medical personnel. Memorials may be established in her name.
Worth County Bucks Trend on Annual Progress Report
The Worth County School bucked statewide trends on the annual progress report that comes out annually. Most schools across the state had lower scores due to new assessments. However, Worth County scored 94.6 APR points, out of a possible 100 in the 2013-2014 school year. The year before, it was 92.5. This put the school at third in the Grant River Conference after the school had finished in the lower half in 2012-2013. This and other testing data was shared at the Worth County School Board Meeting Thursday night. Northwest Missouri schools have done well across the board, with around 40 schools in the area scoring at 90 or better.
Carissa Runde won two different awards for Upward Bound. She was second in a science competition and 1st in a math competition there.
Concrete was poured on the east stairs Thursday. The bleachers were worked on Friday, while work on the security doors is scheduled to begin in October. There were $2,000 to $3,000 in change orders for the doors, for which the school had money for.
Assistant Principal Chuck Borey reported that Fischer Track came back and inspected the track. The yellowing on the track had washed away, while the seams on the track were within national guidelines. After the meeting, the school paid the balance on the track. The track is under a five-year warranty. Cost for another track project will be much less next time if prices for materials hold.
Details about the October 3rd Homecoming were released. There will be a community pep rally at the football field on October 2nd at 7; the King and Queen will be selected. A student pep rally will be held on the morning of the 3rd at the school. The parade will follow at 1:30; the King and Queen and candidates will come to the Senior Center for a reception. Superintendent Dr. Matt Martz said that there were positive comments about the reception last time. There will be a dance following the game against South Holt, which will take place at the Multipurpose Room in the Elementary.
Assistant Principal Chuck Borey responded to a query regarding athlete conduct. He said that all Worth County athletes sign a citizenship pledge. The school has an anti-bullying program at school this year being led by Jonnell Cook.
Bryce Schafer reported on the Odyssey software that is being used with the Missouri Options students as well as the rest of the school. It is also used for learning labs. There are 500 courses and counting including credit recovery, ACT preparation, and SAT preparation. It also serves as a resource for teachers in need of a lesson plan or a video. The software can be used with the school's smartboards. Schafer uses the software to track assignments to ensure that students are on track. Parents also have access to their child's assignments. The Odyssey software also has a diagnostic component, which allows the school to work with students as individuals. For instance, if students are having trouble with knowledge retention, then Mr. Schafer can teach the students skills to help them retain what they have learned in the classroom. Students can communicate with teachers through the system.
The goal of the system is to have 18 advanced placement courses by the end of the year, which will allow students to get credit in college for classes that they take at Worth County. There are five licenses, which means only five students can be on at one time; however, all the teachers can use the software.
Carissa Runde won two different awards for Upward Bound. She was second in a science competition and 1st in a math competition there.
Concrete was poured on the east stairs Thursday. The bleachers were worked on Friday, while work on the security doors is scheduled to begin in October. There were $2,000 to $3,000 in change orders for the doors, for which the school had money for.
Assistant Principal Chuck Borey reported that Fischer Track came back and inspected the track. The yellowing on the track had washed away, while the seams on the track were within national guidelines. After the meeting, the school paid the balance on the track. The track is under a five-year warranty. Cost for another track project will be much less next time if prices for materials hold.
Details about the October 3rd Homecoming were released. There will be a community pep rally at the football field on October 2nd at 7; the King and Queen will be selected. A student pep rally will be held on the morning of the 3rd at the school. The parade will follow at 1:30; the King and Queen and candidates will come to the Senior Center for a reception. Superintendent Dr. Matt Martz said that there were positive comments about the reception last time. There will be a dance following the game against South Holt, which will take place at the Multipurpose Room in the Elementary.
Assistant Principal Chuck Borey responded to a query regarding athlete conduct. He said that all Worth County athletes sign a citizenship pledge. The school has an anti-bullying program at school this year being led by Jonnell Cook.
Bryce Schafer reported on the Odyssey software that is being used with the Missouri Options students as well as the rest of the school. It is also used for learning labs. There are 500 courses and counting including credit recovery, ACT preparation, and SAT preparation. It also serves as a resource for teachers in need of a lesson plan or a video. The software can be used with the school's smartboards. Schafer uses the software to track assignments to ensure that students are on track. Parents also have access to their child's assignments. The Odyssey software also has a diagnostic component, which allows the school to work with students as individuals. For instance, if students are having trouble with knowledge retention, then Mr. Schafer can teach the students skills to help them retain what they have learned in the classroom. Students can communicate with teachers through the system.
The goal of the system is to have 18 advanced placement courses by the end of the year, which will allow students to get credit in college for classes that they take at Worth County. There are five licenses, which means only five students can be on at one time; however, all the teachers can use the software.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Free Jason Craig Concert at Worth County Fall Festival
A free Jason Craig concert will be held at the Worth County Fall Festival on October 4th. The concert will start at 7:30 and end at 10 that night.
Activities will start off with the Grant City Lions Pancake Breakfast starting at 7 am. Cost will be a free will donation. At 10 am, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Nature Trail. After the ribbon cutting, the Lions Club will hold a diabetes awareness walk on the new trail.
At noon, the Senior Center will have a lunch for a free will donation and have bingo at the center. From 1-3, there will be activities for kids at the shelter house on the east side of the square. From 3-5, there will be local music and art talent on the main stage.
From 5-7, the Masonic Lodge will hold a fish fry. Cost will be $8 per person; it will be held on the east side of the square. At 5:30, the Baby Show (1 month to 4 years) and Little Mr. & Miss Worth County (5-6 years) will be held on the main stage.
Activities will start off with the Grant City Lions Pancake Breakfast starting at 7 am. Cost will be a free will donation. At 10 am, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Nature Trail. After the ribbon cutting, the Lions Club will hold a diabetes awareness walk on the new trail.
At noon, the Senior Center will have a lunch for a free will donation and have bingo at the center. From 1-3, there will be activities for kids at the shelter house on the east side of the square. From 3-5, there will be local music and art talent on the main stage.
From 5-7, the Masonic Lodge will hold a fish fry. Cost will be $8 per person; it will be held on the east side of the square. At 5:30, the Baby Show (1 month to 4 years) and Little Mr. & Miss Worth County (5-6 years) will be held on the main stage.
Grant City Health Insurance Rates Up 9.71%
Health insurance rates for Grant City's health plan went from $3,632/month to $3,985/month, an increase of 9.71%. John Joe, the city's health insurance agent said that to get on Obamacare will mean substantially higher rates, as high as $4,988 depending on what was available.
Madelyn Wemple came to the meeting and requested something be done about water from the streets getting in and cutting into her carport.
There was around $10,000 left over from the waterline project that will be returned to USDA.
The city agreed to close off the south side and part of the east side for the Fall Festival October 4th. There will be no charge for booths this year. The Extension will sell ice cream. The VFW Auxiliary will sell funnel cakes. The Senior Center will have Bingo and sell light sandwiches. Porter Trash donated a dumpster while portable restrooms will be available. The Grant City Lions will hold a Pancake Breakfast at the Senior Center and do a diabetes walk and diabetes tent with free screening.
The city also agreed to a request from Superintendent Matt Martz to close off streets for the Homecoming Parade October 3rd. The band will perform for the WCCC residents at 1:15, followed by the parade, which will proceed to the Square. Coronation will be Thursday night. The game against South Holt will be at 7:00.
Public Works Director Carl Staton reported that he did dirt work on the trail and cleared a ditch by the ball diamond, which the city will keep mowed. The city replaced a tube on 4th street near Jerry Drake's, Duane James', and the WCCC; a tube had rotted and caved in. The city got a new locator for the gas system.
Water Superintendent Greg Miller reported that the city put in a spare pump for Dollar General and that the city needed another spare.
The city voted to retain Gilmore & Bell to handle the bonds for the city for the 11-mile project. The city voted to purchase a new carpet from Eckard's for a cost of around $750. The old one was pulling up and creating a tripping hazard.
Mayor Debbie Roach read a proclamation marking National Constitution Week for September 17th to 23rd.
Madelyn Wemple came to the meeting and requested something be done about water from the streets getting in and cutting into her carport.
There was around $10,000 left over from the waterline project that will be returned to USDA.
The city agreed to close off the south side and part of the east side for the Fall Festival October 4th. There will be no charge for booths this year. The Extension will sell ice cream. The VFW Auxiliary will sell funnel cakes. The Senior Center will have Bingo and sell light sandwiches. Porter Trash donated a dumpster while portable restrooms will be available. The Grant City Lions will hold a Pancake Breakfast at the Senior Center and do a diabetes walk and diabetes tent with free screening.
The city also agreed to a request from Superintendent Matt Martz to close off streets for the Homecoming Parade October 3rd. The band will perform for the WCCC residents at 1:15, followed by the parade, which will proceed to the Square. Coronation will be Thursday night. The game against South Holt will be at 7:00.
Public Works Director Carl Staton reported that he did dirt work on the trail and cleared a ditch by the ball diamond, which the city will keep mowed. The city replaced a tube on 4th street near Jerry Drake's, Duane James', and the WCCC; a tube had rotted and caved in. The city got a new locator for the gas system.
Water Superintendent Greg Miller reported that the city put in a spare pump for Dollar General and that the city needed another spare.
The city voted to retain Gilmore & Bell to handle the bonds for the city for the 11-mile project. The city voted to purchase a new carpet from Eckard's for a cost of around $750. The old one was pulling up and creating a tripping hazard.
Mayor Debbie Roach read a proclamation marking National Constitution Week for September 17th to 23rd.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Grant City Lions Plan Pancake Breakfast, Free Diabetes Screening
Grant City Lions are planning numerous activities for the Worth County Fall Festival that will be held on October 4th. They will have a pancake breakfast at the Senior Center starting at 7 until all the food runs out. They will then have a diabetes walk following the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Nature Trail that will take place at 10 that morning. At 1, Robert Jobst will help give free diabetes screening.
Jennifer Runde wrote a thank you letter for the scholarship she received from the Grant City Lions last year.
There were 11 kids present at the September 6th Leo Club meeting. Marti Myers said that she was waiting for some membership forms to be returned. A Halloween Movie Night will be held on November 1st, since October 31st falls on Friday night, when football is scheduled. There will be three movies shown so that kids can watch something that is age appropriate. There will be snacks and crafts.
The Grant City Lions will have a highway cleanup Saturday on September 27th at 1 pm along Route 46 east of Grant City, possibly with help from the Leo Club.
Jennifer Runde wrote a thank you letter for the scholarship she received from the Grant City Lions last year.
There were 11 kids present at the September 6th Leo Club meeting. Marti Myers said that she was waiting for some membership forms to be returned. A Halloween Movie Night will be held on November 1st, since October 31st falls on Friday night, when football is scheduled. There will be three movies shown so that kids can watch something that is age appropriate. There will be snacks and crafts.
The Grant City Lions will have a highway cleanup Saturday on September 27th at 1 pm along Route 46 east of Grant City, possibly with help from the Leo Club.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Jenna Smith's Dash Around the Bases Propels Junior High Over Albany
The one Worth County team successful against Albany this week was the Junior High softball team, which beat the Warriors 3-2. The game was tied 2-2 in the sixth when Kaylee McElvain got on base. Jenna Smith, running for Kaylee, then stole second and third and came home when Merrideth Spiers hit a squib in front of the plate with two out. The first baseman dropped the throw, allowing Worth County to score the run and get ahead. "Those are battle games," said assistant coach Bryce Schafer. "We didn't play our best, but we got through it." The girls remained undefeated over the weekend as they subsequently won the King City Tournament.
Tiger Softball Improves, but Still Falls to Albany
Worth County's softball girls showed some improvement from their first game against Albany, but they could not hold a 4-0 lead and fell 13-7 to the Warriors Thursday evening. After swinging under the ball throughout the first game, Worth County hit the ball much better the second time around and were able to put some runs on the board. They made some good plays out in the field, including three double plays. But as Coach Dave Gilland told his charges after the game, the team still needed to get better at doing the little things in order to get better. There were four called third strikes as well as seven errors out in the field. Gilland summed it up, "You just have to trust yourselves."
The Tigers were going through a tough stretch; they also competed in the King City Tournament against three of the top softball teams in the area. They fell 16-1 against Gallatin and then had to play South Nodaway, whom NEN Coach Darlene Conover tabbed as a contender in the PVC. Worth County did better the second game and went the distance, but still fell to the Longhorns 8-3.
Albany made a ton of errors in the top of the first inning, committing five. Worth County has been working on bunting and slapping this year and the effort paid off when Sidney Troutwine laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out and then circled the bases when Albany threw the ball around. Payton Adwell, who reached on a dropped fly ball, also scored on the play. Mollie Blaine showed some of her trademark speed in the inning when she ran out a grounder to the pitcher and caused her to hurry a throw, leading to another error and a Tiger run; another run scored on a wild pitch.
But when you have a big inning on offense, it is imperative to have a shut-down inning on defense. That did not happen as Worth County committed two errors in the inning and Albany scored three runs to get back into the game. "I was disappointed, because we could have won this game," said Gilland. But for that to happen, the team has to cut down on the called third strikes and errors. The inning could have been much worse, but shortstop Sidney Troutwine made a strong throw to first to Alysa Lyle, who made a strong throw to Dominique Findley to retire a runner trying to get from first to third on the play.
Worth County killed a potential rally in the third with two called third strikes after getting runners on first and second to start the third. Alysa Lyle beat out a perfect bunt single in the inning, showing a lot of speed. She also beat out a perfect slap hit as well.
Albany scored four runs in the bottom of the third to take control; catcher Adrian Fletchall re-sprained her ankle in the inning trying to corral a wild pitch. It could have been much worse, but Sidney Troutwine got her second double play of the game, doubling a runner off third after catching a line drive.
Dominique Findley hit the ball much better that night; she led off the fourth with a single, took second and third on wild pitches, and Payton Adwell hit a sacrifice fly to bring her home. The Tigers could have done much more damage, but once again, two called third strikes in the inning killed their chances. Instead of a tie game, Albany was up 7-5 and remained in control of the game.
Albany began pulling away at that point, scoring one in the fourth and one in the fifth to make it 9-5. Worth County responded as Adrian Fletchall recovered enough to go back into the game and hit a solid single to make it 9-6 in the sixth. Alysa Lyle, who hit the ball well all game, absolutely crushed a line drive, but it was right at the pitcher, who had the presence of mind to snare the ball and end the rally and give all the momentum back to Albany. The Warriors then proceeded to time and crush the ball in the bottom of the sixth to score four and make it 13-6. Sydney Thummel, playing second, caught a line drive and doubled a runner off first to keep Albany from winning by the ten run rule.
Nichole Aragon showed that her triple against North Nodaway was no accident as she crushed a double to the wall in right field to jump start a good inning for Worth County as they got a run across in the seventh. Brooklyn White, another newcomer, got another solid hit as she singled in Worth County's run in the inning. If the Tigers are to improve and start winning these sorts of games, it will take younger players stepping up and making plays.
The Tigers have two wins at this point and have to come together as a team if they are to navigate a tough schedule this week, with games against Gallatin and Jefferson coming up along with a long road trip to Braymer. The pitchers have to trust their fielders behind them to make plays and throw strikes and the fielders have to remain focused in the field when the pitchers are fighting the strike zone.
The Tigers were going through a tough stretch; they also competed in the King City Tournament against three of the top softball teams in the area. They fell 16-1 against Gallatin and then had to play South Nodaway, whom NEN Coach Darlene Conover tabbed as a contender in the PVC. Worth County did better the second game and went the distance, but still fell to the Longhorns 8-3.
Albany made a ton of errors in the top of the first inning, committing five. Worth County has been working on bunting and slapping this year and the effort paid off when Sidney Troutwine laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out and then circled the bases when Albany threw the ball around. Payton Adwell, who reached on a dropped fly ball, also scored on the play. Mollie Blaine showed some of her trademark speed in the inning when she ran out a grounder to the pitcher and caused her to hurry a throw, leading to another error and a Tiger run; another run scored on a wild pitch.
But when you have a big inning on offense, it is imperative to have a shut-down inning on defense. That did not happen as Worth County committed two errors in the inning and Albany scored three runs to get back into the game. "I was disappointed, because we could have won this game," said Gilland. But for that to happen, the team has to cut down on the called third strikes and errors. The inning could have been much worse, but shortstop Sidney Troutwine made a strong throw to first to Alysa Lyle, who made a strong throw to Dominique Findley to retire a runner trying to get from first to third on the play.
Worth County killed a potential rally in the third with two called third strikes after getting runners on first and second to start the third. Alysa Lyle beat out a perfect bunt single in the inning, showing a lot of speed. She also beat out a perfect slap hit as well.
Albany scored four runs in the bottom of the third to take control; catcher Adrian Fletchall re-sprained her ankle in the inning trying to corral a wild pitch. It could have been much worse, but Sidney Troutwine got her second double play of the game, doubling a runner off third after catching a line drive.
Dominique Findley hit the ball much better that night; she led off the fourth with a single, took second and third on wild pitches, and Payton Adwell hit a sacrifice fly to bring her home. The Tigers could have done much more damage, but once again, two called third strikes in the inning killed their chances. Instead of a tie game, Albany was up 7-5 and remained in control of the game.
Albany began pulling away at that point, scoring one in the fourth and one in the fifth to make it 9-5. Worth County responded as Adrian Fletchall recovered enough to go back into the game and hit a solid single to make it 9-6 in the sixth. Alysa Lyle, who hit the ball well all game, absolutely crushed a line drive, but it was right at the pitcher, who had the presence of mind to snare the ball and end the rally and give all the momentum back to Albany. The Warriors then proceeded to time and crush the ball in the bottom of the sixth to score four and make it 13-6. Sydney Thummel, playing second, caught a line drive and doubled a runner off first to keep Albany from winning by the ten run rule.
Nichole Aragon showed that her triple against North Nodaway was no accident as she crushed a double to the wall in right field to jump start a good inning for Worth County as they got a run across in the seventh. Brooklyn White, another newcomer, got another solid hit as she singled in Worth County's run in the inning. If the Tigers are to improve and start winning these sorts of games, it will take younger players stepping up and making plays.
The Tigers have two wins at this point and have to come together as a team if they are to navigate a tough schedule this week, with games against Gallatin and Jefferson coming up along with a long road trip to Braymer. The pitchers have to trust their fielders behind them to make plays and throw strikes and the fielders have to remain focused in the field when the pitchers are fighting the strike zone.
Worth County Sheriff's Report
9-8 -- Report of car speeding on 169.
9-8 -- Officers on bailiff duty for court.
9-8 -- Report of stolen gazing balls.
9-9 -- Officer enroute to Holt County to pick up female prisoner arrested on Worth County warrant.
9-9 -- Person in for CCP update.
9-10 -- Report of destroyed mailbox in Grant City.
9-11 -- Report of stolen wallet and money from resident in Grant City.
9-12 -- Person in for fingerprinting.
9-12 -- Report of cattle out on Route C and 213 Road; owner notified.
9-12 -- Cattle out report; Routes M & C; owner notified.
9-12 -- Cattle out report; Routes M&C; owner notified.
9-12 -- Person calls about coyote problem in cattle.
9-13 -- Report of accident on private property.
9-13 -- Cattle out on 46 west of Grant City.
9-13 -- Report of computer stalker and hacker.
9-8 -- Officers on bailiff duty for court.
9-8 -- Report of stolen gazing balls.
9-9 -- Officer enroute to Holt County to pick up female prisoner arrested on Worth County warrant.
9-9 -- Person in for CCP update.
9-10 -- Report of destroyed mailbox in Grant City.
9-11 -- Report of stolen wallet and money from resident in Grant City.
9-12 -- Person in for fingerprinting.
9-12 -- Report of cattle out on Route C and 213 Road; owner notified.
9-12 -- Cattle out report; Routes M & C; owner notified.
9-12 -- Cattle out report; Routes M&C; owner notified.
9-12 -- Person calls about coyote problem in cattle.
9-13 -- Report of accident on private property.
9-13 -- Cattle out on 46 west of Grant City.
9-13 -- Report of computer stalker and hacker.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Important District Contest with North-West Nodaway Looms
Worth County will not have time to dwell on their heartbreaking 40-36 loss to Albany. In order to pick up their first win, they will have to beat North-West Nodaway, a rapidly improving team which evened their record at 2-2 Friday night. The goal will be to avoid a trip to Rock Port for the first round of districts. Despite dropping back to back games, the Blue Jays are still a formidable team.
North-West Nodaway came close in losses to Stanberry and Rock Port; however the problem is, that close doesn't count. Coach Andrew Webster challenged his team to pick it up in practices and they have responded, with wins over East Atchison and a 57-0 win over South Holt Friday. After facing one of the top backs in eight man football in Zach Sharp of Albany, Worth County will now have to face the top passer in eight man football in Koby Reynolds. He is 80 for 116 this year for 1,040 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only three picks. They will also have to face one of the top receivers in Trevor Meyer; he is absolutely fearless and is willing to take a big hit if it means coming up with a catch. He can run after the catch and can count on his receivers to block for him after the catch, which is something not necessarily taught even at the NFL level. He is ranked as the top receiver with 606 yards, over twice the 2nd ranked receiver. One of North-West's favorite plays is to isolate Meyer on the zero pass; if he can make his defender miss, then he is frequently gone. He burned Rock Port twice this way.
But Worth County cannot just focus on Trevor Meyer. The other three receivers, Dakota Smyser, Jakob Cordell, and Dakota Chesnut are all ranked as well. And the Muskets can run as well as throw; after throwing it nearly every single time against Stanberry and Rock Port, they ran nearly every single time in their 42-20 win over East Atchison. And Meyer picked up 224 yards in that win; he is the fourth-ranked runningback with 525 yards for the year.
The challenge for North Nodaway will be pass protection. The one way Rock Port was able to stop the Muskets and get the win was through constantly blitzing from different angles, something that North Nodaway did not have an answer for. Worth County held Albany well below their average defensively, so they showed some promise in the defensive area last Friday. But a good possibility could be a high-scoring game; last year, the only way Worth County could beat both North Nodaway (72-54) and West Nodaway (86-68) was to keep scoring. Paradoxically, if the game is high-scoring, the outcome can hinge on a key fumble recovery or a key pick. While North Nodaway is loaded with talent, former Tiger Coach Gary Wood says that Worth County is loaded with talent as well. It's simply a matter of being able to put it to use on the football field.
Worth County was nearly the second winless team to knock off an unbeaten. What looked like a misprint on Northwest Mo Info turned out not to be the case as previously winless South Nodaway knocked off previously unbeaten Mound City 34-0. Tryston Freemyer returned the opening kickoff 71 yards for a score and they continued to pull away, crashing Mound City's homecoming and winning 34-0. The win obviously had Dan Collins' fingerprints all over it; he is now helping out there after being forced out at Stanberry. Whatever he told the Longhorn players must have lit a fire under them as South Nodaway showed that they could be relevant this year.
Trying to regain their footing after their disappointing 66-18 loss to Albany, Rock Port used a 76-yard kickoff return to start the second half to catch Stanberry at 16-16. But then Stanberry pulled away by scoring the next 30 points to pick up the 46-24 victory and remain unbeaten. The elusive Brady Minter was held to 18 yards before breaking away for a 46-yard run with the game already decided. Stanberry showed the capability of having two backs who can run for over 200 yards; Clayton Stoll ran for 211 yards in the win. Nick Shanks ran for 270+ yards in Stanberry's opening victory over North-West Nodaway.
East Atchison picked up their first win of the season, getting a halftime victory over Nodaway-Holt 48-0. Blaine Lambert picked up 105 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Greenfield picked up their first win, beating DeKalb 14-12. Hardin-Central went the distance against powerhouse North Andrew, dropping their game to the Cardinals 42-12. Hardin-Central showed that they are relevant as they are 3-1 despite the loss. St. Joseph Christian got locked in a track meet against Chilhowee, as they led them 24-16 in the second quarter. However, they broke the game open and won 72-22 to raise their record to 3-1.
On the 11-man scene, Maryville knocked another team from the unbeaten ranks as they beat LeBlond 58-19 after knocking Chillicothe from the unbeaten ranks last week. What looked like an offensive shootout turned into a rout for Maryville after the Spoofhounds, up 22-6, saw a long LeBlond score wiped out by a holding penalty. Last year, LeBlond nearly pulled off a shocker before Maryville pulled off an 18-16 win. Maryville's win streak is now 34 games.
Polo established themselves as the team to beat in the Grand River Conference. Quarterback Wiley Martin, normally known for his legs, threw for two touchdowns as Polo beat South Harrison 24-14 to drop them to 1-3. Martin had ran for over 300 yards in an earlier game. Maysville raised their record to 3-1 with a 26-20 win over Christ Prep Academy. Former Coach Wood says they are a team on the rise this year. Gallatin evened their record to 2-2 with a 44-0 win over hapless Princeton. After a promising start, Braymer (2-2) has gone into a tailspin as they fell 50-6 to King City, who used a 28-point third quarter to break the game open. Skylar Lane had 222 yards for the Wildkats.
Hamilton beat hapless East Buchanan 69-30 as they scored 62 points in the first half to seal the game. Kellen Overstreet had "only" 180 yards after getting over 300 in Hamilton's first three games.
Next week, Albany will stay at home as they host Nodaway-Holt. They will have to avoid a letdown against the Trojans, who won their first game of the year before dropping their last three. South Nodaway will have plenty to build on as they travel to DeKalb. In what could be an entertaining matchup, St. Joseph Christian will travel to Hardin-Central in a battle of 3-1 teams. Mound City will be traveling to Rock Port in a battle of normally solid teams that are reeling. The question is, which Mound City team will show up -- the one that established themselves as one of the top defensive teams in Missouri Eight Man Football along with Albany, or the team that fell 34-0 to previously winless South Nodaway. Rock Port is normally one of the most difficult venues to play in, but Albany had no problems in trouncing the Blue Jays in Rock Port. South Holt will be traveling to East Atchison. The Knights are still looking to score their first points of the year.
North-West Nodaway came close in losses to Stanberry and Rock Port; however the problem is, that close doesn't count. Coach Andrew Webster challenged his team to pick it up in practices and they have responded, with wins over East Atchison and a 57-0 win over South Holt Friday. After facing one of the top backs in eight man football in Zach Sharp of Albany, Worth County will now have to face the top passer in eight man football in Koby Reynolds. He is 80 for 116 this year for 1,040 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only three picks. They will also have to face one of the top receivers in Trevor Meyer; he is absolutely fearless and is willing to take a big hit if it means coming up with a catch. He can run after the catch and can count on his receivers to block for him after the catch, which is something not necessarily taught even at the NFL level. He is ranked as the top receiver with 606 yards, over twice the 2nd ranked receiver. One of North-West's favorite plays is to isolate Meyer on the zero pass; if he can make his defender miss, then he is frequently gone. He burned Rock Port twice this way.
But Worth County cannot just focus on Trevor Meyer. The other three receivers, Dakota Smyser, Jakob Cordell, and Dakota Chesnut are all ranked as well. And the Muskets can run as well as throw; after throwing it nearly every single time against Stanberry and Rock Port, they ran nearly every single time in their 42-20 win over East Atchison. And Meyer picked up 224 yards in that win; he is the fourth-ranked runningback with 525 yards for the year.
The challenge for North Nodaway will be pass protection. The one way Rock Port was able to stop the Muskets and get the win was through constantly blitzing from different angles, something that North Nodaway did not have an answer for. Worth County held Albany well below their average defensively, so they showed some promise in the defensive area last Friday. But a good possibility could be a high-scoring game; last year, the only way Worth County could beat both North Nodaway (72-54) and West Nodaway (86-68) was to keep scoring. Paradoxically, if the game is high-scoring, the outcome can hinge on a key fumble recovery or a key pick. While North Nodaway is loaded with talent, former Tiger Coach Gary Wood says that Worth County is loaded with talent as well. It's simply a matter of being able to put it to use on the football field.
Worth County was nearly the second winless team to knock off an unbeaten. What looked like a misprint on Northwest Mo Info turned out not to be the case as previously winless South Nodaway knocked off previously unbeaten Mound City 34-0. Tryston Freemyer returned the opening kickoff 71 yards for a score and they continued to pull away, crashing Mound City's homecoming and winning 34-0. The win obviously had Dan Collins' fingerprints all over it; he is now helping out there after being forced out at Stanberry. Whatever he told the Longhorn players must have lit a fire under them as South Nodaway showed that they could be relevant this year.
Trying to regain their footing after their disappointing 66-18 loss to Albany, Rock Port used a 76-yard kickoff return to start the second half to catch Stanberry at 16-16. But then Stanberry pulled away by scoring the next 30 points to pick up the 46-24 victory and remain unbeaten. The elusive Brady Minter was held to 18 yards before breaking away for a 46-yard run with the game already decided. Stanberry showed the capability of having two backs who can run for over 200 yards; Clayton Stoll ran for 211 yards in the win. Nick Shanks ran for 270+ yards in Stanberry's opening victory over North-West Nodaway.
East Atchison picked up their first win of the season, getting a halftime victory over Nodaway-Holt 48-0. Blaine Lambert picked up 105 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Greenfield picked up their first win, beating DeKalb 14-12. Hardin-Central went the distance against powerhouse North Andrew, dropping their game to the Cardinals 42-12. Hardin-Central showed that they are relevant as they are 3-1 despite the loss. St. Joseph Christian got locked in a track meet against Chilhowee, as they led them 24-16 in the second quarter. However, they broke the game open and won 72-22 to raise their record to 3-1.
On the 11-man scene, Maryville knocked another team from the unbeaten ranks as they beat LeBlond 58-19 after knocking Chillicothe from the unbeaten ranks last week. What looked like an offensive shootout turned into a rout for Maryville after the Spoofhounds, up 22-6, saw a long LeBlond score wiped out by a holding penalty. Last year, LeBlond nearly pulled off a shocker before Maryville pulled off an 18-16 win. Maryville's win streak is now 34 games.
Polo established themselves as the team to beat in the Grand River Conference. Quarterback Wiley Martin, normally known for his legs, threw for two touchdowns as Polo beat South Harrison 24-14 to drop them to 1-3. Martin had ran for over 300 yards in an earlier game. Maysville raised their record to 3-1 with a 26-20 win over Christ Prep Academy. Former Coach Wood says they are a team on the rise this year. Gallatin evened their record to 2-2 with a 44-0 win over hapless Princeton. After a promising start, Braymer (2-2) has gone into a tailspin as they fell 50-6 to King City, who used a 28-point third quarter to break the game open. Skylar Lane had 222 yards for the Wildkats.
Hamilton beat hapless East Buchanan 69-30 as they scored 62 points in the first half to seal the game. Kellen Overstreet had "only" 180 yards after getting over 300 in Hamilton's first three games.
Next week, Albany will stay at home as they host Nodaway-Holt. They will have to avoid a letdown against the Trojans, who won their first game of the year before dropping their last three. South Nodaway will have plenty to build on as they travel to DeKalb. In what could be an entertaining matchup, St. Joseph Christian will travel to Hardin-Central in a battle of 3-1 teams. Mound City will be traveling to Rock Port in a battle of normally solid teams that are reeling. The question is, which Mound City team will show up -- the one that established themselves as one of the top defensive teams in Missouri Eight Man Football along with Albany, or the team that fell 34-0 to previously winless South Nodaway. Rock Port is normally one of the most difficult venues to play in, but Albany had no problems in trouncing the Blue Jays in Rock Port. South Holt will be traveling to East Atchison. The Knights are still looking to score their first points of the year.
Tiger Football Gives Albany All They Can Handle, Falls in Heartbreaker
Worth County played their best game of the year in giving Albany, the top team in Missouri Eight Man Football this year, all they could handle. Unfortunately, they once again could not hold a two possession lead in the fourth quarter and fell 40-36. Worth County cleaned up a lot of their mistakes from the first two games, only getting six penalties after getting 21 against Rock Port and 18 against Mound City. They didn't have a single blown pass coverage against Albany after having eight against Mound City. The tackling was the best it was this year, with hardly any missed tackles after 50 against Rock Port. They proved they can play with anyone, but the time is gone when the Tigers only had one or two strong teams to contend with. In order to start winning games, the Tigers will have to master the little things.
One of these things is getting off to faster starts. In many games between evenly-matched teams, one team will jump out on the other team right off the bat; the other team uses all their energy to get back in the game, and then they don't have any energy to finish off the game. This is pretty much what happened Friday night. Worth County dug themselves into a 12-0 hole, fought back and led for much of the game, only to have no more energy to hold off Albany's final run in the last seven minutes of the game.
The Tigers had trouble containing Zach Sharp, the 2nd leading rusher in Missouri Eight Man Football. Drew Cottrill rightly had most of the hype; however, the scary thing was that he was only the third best back on the team behind Sharp and quarterback Seth Cline, both of whom had over 100 yards in Albany's 66-18 drubbing of Rock Port. Albany was having their way up the middle, people were getting blown off the line, and people were forgetting who they were supposed to hit as Sharp scored off an 18-yard scamper. After a Tiger fumble, Cottrill took a quick hitter up the middle, the same play that Mound City used, and scored from 15 yards out as Albany was up 12-0 with 5:28 left. It was seven minutes before the Tigers realized that they could play football with the Warriors, and that seven minutes proved costly in the end.
But the kickoff return game, which had been a liability against Mound City, turned into an asset against Albany as Tevin Cameron returned the ensuing kickoff to the Warrior 39. Assistant Coach Mark Fletcher said that Cameron would have the best hands on the team since Vinny Fletchall back in the late 1990's; he showed a ton of speed as he weaved his way through traffic. He is earning playing time; he played some receiver as well.
Another adjustment Coach Chris Healy made was putting Jayden Mancuso in at runningback and pairing him with Wade Rush and moving Chris Alarcon back to his natural position at end. Only a freshman, Jayden showed some raw speed and the ability to thrive in big games in junior high; this year, he showed that he has built on his success over the offseason. If the line can open holes for him, then he will be a threat to score every time he touches the ball similar to Eli Mullock. The line blocked as well as it has all year; the focus in future games will be to hold their blocks until the whistle and making sure that their guy does not make the tackle. They showed a lot more mobility in Friday's game; there were numerous times when Albany defenders had one of the Tiger backs zeroed in for a loss or short gain when someone would come out of nowhere and make a block to keep the play alive.
Jayden's 11-yard run to the 28 was followed by a 22-yard burst from Wade Rush down to the five. Wade showed some rust in his first game against Mound City; he got more confident against Albany and showed the form that made him so hard to tackle in junior high and in 'Lil Tigers, rumbling down to the five. Finally, Ben Badell threw a strike to Chris Alarcon to put the Tigers on the board with three minutes left. Worth County got a false start on the extra point, but they overcame that as a sweep play to Wade Rush fooled everyone as he was open all day as he rumbled in from eight yards out to make it 12-8.
The next challenge was to figure out how to stop the vaunted Warrior juggernaut; however, Josh Warner pounced on a loose ball at the Warrior 15 on their second play from scrimmage after Chris Alarcon's hit buried Albany in bad field position on the kickoff. Worth County was faced with fourth and three at the Warrior 8; however, they pulled off the guard eligible play and sprung Warner loose for a touchdown strike to put them in front. Warner rumbled in for the extra points to put Worth County up 16-12.
But Albany showed on their next possession that they could throw as well as run; Noah Wilmes showed that he is one of the top receivers in Eight Man as he got behind the Tiger defense for a 46-yard strike that put Albany back up 18-16 with 10:40 left in the first half. Worth County did a much better job of pass coverage than they did against Mound City; however, they could only slow down Wilmes for a time; they could not keep him down forever.
The question was how well Worth County would respond to Albany's opening up the game. But they showed some mental toughness as they responded with a solid kick return up to their own 35 and then a series of punishing runs, 3-5 yards at a time, down to the Warrior 17. Finally, Jayden Mancuso got the big hole that he needed and that was all he needed to scamper in to put Worth County up 24-18 with 6:36 left in the second after Ben Badell ran in the extra points. Worth County was ahead because they were converting their extra points and keeping Albany out of the end zone; a reversal from the Rock Port game.
Albany looked like they would come right back as Cottrill gashed the Tigers once again with the quick hitter. In order to get better, Worth County will have to find a way to stop this play. But finally, Andrew Faustlin pounced on a fumble at the Tiger 16 to kill the Warrior drive. Worth County had a promising drive to finish the half, but clock management turned out to be an area in need of improvement. Ben Badell got a block from Wade Rush and sprung loose for 15 yards into Warrior territory and then Jayden Mancuso got a block from Josh Warner for 10 more down to the 17 with time running out in the first half. But then the Tigers had a first down run wiped out by a holding penalty; the bad thing about that penalty was that it was committed after they had already gotten the first down.
Finally, with the Tigers in position to take a shot into the end zone at the Warrior 20 and one timeout left, they let the clock run out instead of calling timeout. Under the rules, either the head coach or any player can call timeout; but nobody noticed time running out until it was too late. Instead of Worth County possibly making it a two possession game and getting a chance to score twice without Albany having the benefit of a possession (Worth County had the ball to start the second half), they came away empty-handed. It's just like pop flies in softball, where someone has to take charge before the ball drops in for a hit.
That play seemed to kill Worth County's momentum, as they went three and out to start the second half and Ben Badell stumbled on defense and Wilmes had all the daylight in the world to catch a long pass that set up Drew Cottrill's five yard score early in the third to tie it at 24. Ben Badell atoned for that by breaking up the extra point pass to keep it tied.
Once again, the question was how well Worth County would respond to the change in momentum, but Wade Rush got consecutive carries of 11 and 8 yards and Ben Badell scrambled for a long gain and the ref tacked on a defensive holding penalty that move the ball all the way to the Warrior 6. Jayden Mancuso got a block from Truman Moore and got loose to put Worth County back in front at 30-24 with 6:30 left.
Albany went three and out, but then pinned Worth County at their own 8. Jayden got a 20-yard sweep to the 31 and Ben Badell broke another carry for 19 to get into Warrior territory at the 34, but then the blocking started to break down and the Tigers started having trouble holding their blocks and stalled there. Albany aired it out to Noah Wilmes in an effort to tie or take the lead, but Johnny Carlson came off the bench to break up the pass and Albany was forced to punt. He was able to give Ben Badell a rest on defense; Ben had to pull double duty directing the Tiger offense and trying to keep up with the fleet-footed Wilmes. One of the main reasons for Worth County improving their play this week was some of the younger players stepping things up and earning some playing time.
Gavin Hawk got a sack to force Albany to punt from their own end zone on that series and Worth County had a chance to go up two possessions as a shanked punt gave the Tigers a short field to work with on the Warrior 28. A holding penalty wiped out a first down run, but a pass interference penalty on Albany returned the favor and put the ball on the Warrior 13. Finally, Ben Badell found a big hole around the right end and got in to put Worth County up 36-24 with 7:19 left.
But then Albany spread out the field for the first time and marched right down the field, getting a pass to Cole Parman with 5:04 left to cut Worth County's lead to 36-32. Worth County had a chance to pick up some first downs and run out the clock, but once again, they could not run out enough clock and Albany got the ball back with plenty of time left. Ben Badell's 12-yard sweep picked up a first down following a Warner block and Worth County was faced with a fourth and one at the 40 with 2:23 left. Pick up another pair of first downs and the game would be over. But once again, clock management turned out to be a killer for the Tigers. They were out of timeouts, took too long to get the play in, and nobody noticed the play clock winding down and the Tigers took a delay of game penalty. Instead of a makeable fourth and one, Worth County was faced with fourth and six at their own 35 and was forced to punt.
Once again, Worth County could not keep up with Noah Wilmes, who hauled in a 36-yard pass to the Tiger 16. A false start penalty on Albany moved the ball back to the 21, but then Albany opened up the playbook with 53 seconds left and Zach Sharp went back for a halfback threw a perfect strike to Wilmes in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead score to make it 40-36. Ben Badell made a smart play by not coming off his man and covered Wilmes as well as he could, but Sharp threw it in a spot where Wilmes could leap really high for the catch. Worth County got the ball back, but with no timeouts left, they could only get it to midfield before time ran out.
Coach Chris Healy told his team after the play that the goal going in was to find some heart. "We found some heart; we can build on this," he said. "This one's on me. You all played your hearts out this game."
One of these things is getting off to faster starts. In many games between evenly-matched teams, one team will jump out on the other team right off the bat; the other team uses all their energy to get back in the game, and then they don't have any energy to finish off the game. This is pretty much what happened Friday night. Worth County dug themselves into a 12-0 hole, fought back and led for much of the game, only to have no more energy to hold off Albany's final run in the last seven minutes of the game.
The Tigers had trouble containing Zach Sharp, the 2nd leading rusher in Missouri Eight Man Football. Drew Cottrill rightly had most of the hype; however, the scary thing was that he was only the third best back on the team behind Sharp and quarterback Seth Cline, both of whom had over 100 yards in Albany's 66-18 drubbing of Rock Port. Albany was having their way up the middle, people were getting blown off the line, and people were forgetting who they were supposed to hit as Sharp scored off an 18-yard scamper. After a Tiger fumble, Cottrill took a quick hitter up the middle, the same play that Mound City used, and scored from 15 yards out as Albany was up 12-0 with 5:28 left. It was seven minutes before the Tigers realized that they could play football with the Warriors, and that seven minutes proved costly in the end.
But the kickoff return game, which had been a liability against Mound City, turned into an asset against Albany as Tevin Cameron returned the ensuing kickoff to the Warrior 39. Assistant Coach Mark Fletcher said that Cameron would have the best hands on the team since Vinny Fletchall back in the late 1990's; he showed a ton of speed as he weaved his way through traffic. He is earning playing time; he played some receiver as well.
Another adjustment Coach Chris Healy made was putting Jayden Mancuso in at runningback and pairing him with Wade Rush and moving Chris Alarcon back to his natural position at end. Only a freshman, Jayden showed some raw speed and the ability to thrive in big games in junior high; this year, he showed that he has built on his success over the offseason. If the line can open holes for him, then he will be a threat to score every time he touches the ball similar to Eli Mullock. The line blocked as well as it has all year; the focus in future games will be to hold their blocks until the whistle and making sure that their guy does not make the tackle. They showed a lot more mobility in Friday's game; there were numerous times when Albany defenders had one of the Tiger backs zeroed in for a loss or short gain when someone would come out of nowhere and make a block to keep the play alive.
Jayden's 11-yard run to the 28 was followed by a 22-yard burst from Wade Rush down to the five. Wade showed some rust in his first game against Mound City; he got more confident against Albany and showed the form that made him so hard to tackle in junior high and in 'Lil Tigers, rumbling down to the five. Finally, Ben Badell threw a strike to Chris Alarcon to put the Tigers on the board with three minutes left. Worth County got a false start on the extra point, but they overcame that as a sweep play to Wade Rush fooled everyone as he was open all day as he rumbled in from eight yards out to make it 12-8.
The next challenge was to figure out how to stop the vaunted Warrior juggernaut; however, Josh Warner pounced on a loose ball at the Warrior 15 on their second play from scrimmage after Chris Alarcon's hit buried Albany in bad field position on the kickoff. Worth County was faced with fourth and three at the Warrior 8; however, they pulled off the guard eligible play and sprung Warner loose for a touchdown strike to put them in front. Warner rumbled in for the extra points to put Worth County up 16-12.
But Albany showed on their next possession that they could throw as well as run; Noah Wilmes showed that he is one of the top receivers in Eight Man as he got behind the Tiger defense for a 46-yard strike that put Albany back up 18-16 with 10:40 left in the first half. Worth County did a much better job of pass coverage than they did against Mound City; however, they could only slow down Wilmes for a time; they could not keep him down forever.
The question was how well Worth County would respond to Albany's opening up the game. But they showed some mental toughness as they responded with a solid kick return up to their own 35 and then a series of punishing runs, 3-5 yards at a time, down to the Warrior 17. Finally, Jayden Mancuso got the big hole that he needed and that was all he needed to scamper in to put Worth County up 24-18 with 6:36 left in the second after Ben Badell ran in the extra points. Worth County was ahead because they were converting their extra points and keeping Albany out of the end zone; a reversal from the Rock Port game.
Albany looked like they would come right back as Cottrill gashed the Tigers once again with the quick hitter. In order to get better, Worth County will have to find a way to stop this play. But finally, Andrew Faustlin pounced on a fumble at the Tiger 16 to kill the Warrior drive. Worth County had a promising drive to finish the half, but clock management turned out to be an area in need of improvement. Ben Badell got a block from Wade Rush and sprung loose for 15 yards into Warrior territory and then Jayden Mancuso got a block from Josh Warner for 10 more down to the 17 with time running out in the first half. But then the Tigers had a first down run wiped out by a holding penalty; the bad thing about that penalty was that it was committed after they had already gotten the first down.
Finally, with the Tigers in position to take a shot into the end zone at the Warrior 20 and one timeout left, they let the clock run out instead of calling timeout. Under the rules, either the head coach or any player can call timeout; but nobody noticed time running out until it was too late. Instead of Worth County possibly making it a two possession game and getting a chance to score twice without Albany having the benefit of a possession (Worth County had the ball to start the second half), they came away empty-handed. It's just like pop flies in softball, where someone has to take charge before the ball drops in for a hit.
That play seemed to kill Worth County's momentum, as they went three and out to start the second half and Ben Badell stumbled on defense and Wilmes had all the daylight in the world to catch a long pass that set up Drew Cottrill's five yard score early in the third to tie it at 24. Ben Badell atoned for that by breaking up the extra point pass to keep it tied.
Once again, the question was how well Worth County would respond to the change in momentum, but Wade Rush got consecutive carries of 11 and 8 yards and Ben Badell scrambled for a long gain and the ref tacked on a defensive holding penalty that move the ball all the way to the Warrior 6. Jayden Mancuso got a block from Truman Moore and got loose to put Worth County back in front at 30-24 with 6:30 left.
Albany went three and out, but then pinned Worth County at their own 8. Jayden got a 20-yard sweep to the 31 and Ben Badell broke another carry for 19 to get into Warrior territory at the 34, but then the blocking started to break down and the Tigers started having trouble holding their blocks and stalled there. Albany aired it out to Noah Wilmes in an effort to tie or take the lead, but Johnny Carlson came off the bench to break up the pass and Albany was forced to punt. He was able to give Ben Badell a rest on defense; Ben had to pull double duty directing the Tiger offense and trying to keep up with the fleet-footed Wilmes. One of the main reasons for Worth County improving their play this week was some of the younger players stepping things up and earning some playing time.
Gavin Hawk got a sack to force Albany to punt from their own end zone on that series and Worth County had a chance to go up two possessions as a shanked punt gave the Tigers a short field to work with on the Warrior 28. A holding penalty wiped out a first down run, but a pass interference penalty on Albany returned the favor and put the ball on the Warrior 13. Finally, Ben Badell found a big hole around the right end and got in to put Worth County up 36-24 with 7:19 left.
But then Albany spread out the field for the first time and marched right down the field, getting a pass to Cole Parman with 5:04 left to cut Worth County's lead to 36-32. Worth County had a chance to pick up some first downs and run out the clock, but once again, they could not run out enough clock and Albany got the ball back with plenty of time left. Ben Badell's 12-yard sweep picked up a first down following a Warner block and Worth County was faced with a fourth and one at the 40 with 2:23 left. Pick up another pair of first downs and the game would be over. But once again, clock management turned out to be a killer for the Tigers. They were out of timeouts, took too long to get the play in, and nobody noticed the play clock winding down and the Tigers took a delay of game penalty. Instead of a makeable fourth and one, Worth County was faced with fourth and six at their own 35 and was forced to punt.
Once again, Worth County could not keep up with Noah Wilmes, who hauled in a 36-yard pass to the Tiger 16. A false start penalty on Albany moved the ball back to the 21, but then Albany opened up the playbook with 53 seconds left and Zach Sharp went back for a halfback threw a perfect strike to Wilmes in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead score to make it 40-36. Ben Badell made a smart play by not coming off his man and covered Wilmes as well as he could, but Sharp threw it in a spot where Wilmes could leap really high for the catch. Worth County got the ball back, but with no timeouts left, they could only get it to midfield before time ran out.
Coach Chris Healy told his team after the play that the goal going in was to find some heart. "We found some heart; we can build on this," he said. "This one's on me. You all played your hearts out this game."
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