Worth County’s football team dropped a homecoming battle to 1-3 King City 50-44 Friday. It was their first homecoming loss since 2004, when they lost 14-8 to Mound City. It was marred by sloppy play on both sides of the ball, including bad snaps, 11 penalties, and defensive lapses. The big play bug that cost Worth County against Albany the week before bit them again as they gave up one big play after another every time it looked like they would get back in the game.
King City got the opening kickoff, and from the start, they were playing like the team that was 3-1 and not 1-3, putting the ball in Parker Muff’s hands. Worth County knew what the play was going to be, and it didn’t matter, as Muff got the ball seven times on that series, including a 42 yard touchdown scamper that put them up 6-0 with 9:14 left.
Then, one of many bad snaps cost the Tigers as they were forced to punt. Jackson Runde intercepted a pass to give Worth County the ball back at the 9, but they couldn’t move the ball, and Muff ran wild again. Worth County knew what the play was going to be and it didn’t matter as Muff bounced outside for 29 yards and another score to make it 14-0 after Corbin Taylor caught the extra points with 2:57 left.
Even that did not wake up the Tigers, as a penalty and a fumble stopped them and they were faced with fourth and three at the 40. Worth County tried to air it out, but nobody was open, and King City took over on good field position at the 40.
The Wildkats were in good position to make it three possessions and run away with it, but Jackson Runde recovered a fumble at the 35 to put Worth County right back in the game. From there, Andrew Alarcon nearly singlehandedly kept the Tigers in the game for the rest of the way. Worth County nearly stopped themselves with a holding penalty on the ensuing drive, but on second and 17 at the King City 27, Alarcon took a pitch right, reversed his field left, and found daylight as he put the Tigers on the board with 11:01 left to make it 14-6.
But then Landon Wells fooled everyone on a quarterback keeper that picked up 13 yards to the 40. Then, it was back to Parker Muff again, who carried King City to the 15, as Worth County knew what the play was going to be and still couldn’t stop it. Worth County finally got a push up front and stopped Muff, setting up third and 12 at the Tiger 17. But then Landon Wells started channeling Steven Willhite, and Corbin Taylor started channeling Cameron Jones, as he was faster than anyone the Tigers had on the field. Wells threw a strike to Taylor for a 17 yard pass as he got behind the defense and then caught another pass to make it 22-6 with 8:41 left.
Wells put up the kind of numbers that Steven Willhite and Zane Reed put up for Pattonsburg every Friday, throwing 19 for 25 for 198 yards. Corbin Taylor put up the kind of numbers that Pattonsburg’s receivers put up every game, catching 13 passes for 185 yards.
King City gambled on the ensuing kickoff, but it backfired, as it bounced off a black shirt, only for Chance Jacobs to pounce on it at the 35 to give Worth County good field position. They took advantage of it as Andrew Alarcon took a sweep down the right side, reversed his field to the left, and picked up 15 to the 30. From there, Colt Cameron spelled him and burst through a big hole for 24 yards down to the one after an offsides penalty and carried it in the next play. He then bounced off a tackle and in for the extra points to make it 22-14 with 7:24 left in the second.
Worth County finally forced a three and out. A good punt pinned the Tigers on their own 5, but a first down run by Andrew Alarcon on third and 13 got them to the 15. But once again, sloppy play cost them as a bad snap sailed into the end zone and Alarcon was trapped for a safety to put King City up 24-14.
King City tried to take advantage of the turn of events, as they attempted a fake punt. Parker Muff took the ball on fourth and ten at their own 30, but Worth County tackled him five yards short at the 35. On the ensuing series, Braxton Hightshoe showed that he is a much stronger kid than enemy players realize, hitting Muff so hard at the end of a run that he knocked him out of the game at the King City 28. Worth County had a manageable down and distance, third and three at the 28, but then yet another bad snap sailed over everybody’s heads, and Worth County was forced to punt.
It didn’t matter that Muff was out, as King City simply turned to the air. With 20 seconds left and King City at their own 39, it looked like Worth County would hold, but then Landon Wells aired it out and Corbin Taylor got behind the defense for a score to make it 30-14.
It looked like Worth County would come back and make a game of it like they did in the Doniphan West game as Andrew Alarcon got the Tigers right back in the game with a 59 yard run to start the second half and Braxton Hightshoe ran in the extra points to make it 30-22.
With Muff out, King City put Ty Mooney in and they threatened again, getting as far as the Tiger 19. But on fourth and six at the 19, Worth County got pressure on Wells for once, and he threw it away and Worth County got it back with a chance to tie. They overcame a holding penalty as Braxton Hightshoe’s 12 yard run got a first down to the 30. Then, Hightshoe took a 42 yard keeper to the house with 6:17 left to make it 30-28.
It looked like the Tigers would take control like they did in the Doniphan West game as they forced a stop after King City got a first down, getting the ball on their own 22. But then, they returned to the sloppy play that bit them in the first half, as a fumbled snap and a false start killed the drive and they were forced to punt. Then, a lapse on special teams occurred as Taylor returned the punt all the way to the Tiger 24. That turned the momentum back in King City’s favor. Worth County had a chance to make a stand as King City was faced with third and 13 at the 27. But once again, Taylor got behind the defense and made a 26 yard grab to the 1, and Mooney took it in the next play. Jacob Boone’s extra point pass put King City back in control at 38-28 with 1:24 left.
Worth County couldn’t answer; Andrew Alarcon took a 20 yard first down run to the 32, but then slipped and fell on his next run, and a busted play and an incomplete pass forced Worth County into fourth and 12 at their own 30. Instead of punting, Worth County tried a fake punt and did a reverse to Dylan McIntyre, but it fooled nobody and he was tackled seven yards short of the first down at the 35.
King City took advantage of the short field and Ty Mooney showed some speed as he ran by defenders like they weren’t even there to the 18. They were faced with third and five at the 13, but once again, Landon Wells aired it out and Corbin Taylor was quicker than anyone the Tigers had on the field, as he got behind the defense for a score with 10:35 left to make it 44-28.
Worth County marched right back down the field as Braxton Hightshoe threw a 23 yard strike to Jackson Runde, and Levi Cassavaugh took an option run 19 yards to the one. Two plays later, Andrew Alarcon got into the end zone and then hurdled a defender to add the extra points to make it 44-36 with 7:34 left.
But once again, Worth County got burned by the big play. First, Ty Mooney ran by defenders like they weren’t even there for 34 yards to the 19. Then, on third and seven at the 16, Wells threw a strike to Corbin Taylor for 15 yards to the one. Worth County tried to make a stand, but once again, Wells and Taylor connected on fourth and goal at the one to make it 50-36.
Worth County overcame a bad snap on the next series as Andrew Alarcon made a shoestring catch for 20 yards to the King City 22 on fourth and nine. On third and nine, Andrew Alarcon a screen pass and took it to the house with 3:06 left to make it 50-44.
Worth County nearly recovered the onsides kick, but it didn’t travel the necessary ten yards, and King City had to run 3:06 off the clock to get the win. Worth County nearly got the stop, but then their 11th penalty turned out to be the most costly as second and nine turned into second and four at the 32. Then, nobody covered Brody Tunks, and he was all alone for a first down at the 21. Worth County still had a chance to get a stop, but Brody Tunks picked up six on third and four to get the first down and King City could kneel down to run out the clock.
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