Worth County showed improvement from the disastrous King City loss from three weeks ago, but they still gave up too many big plays against undefeated North Andrew and failed to finish off drives deep in Cardinal territory.
It looked like Worth County was in for a long night when Jackson Runde dropped a sure touchdown from Aydan Gladstone on their first series, and they went three and out. But then Runde atoned for it by picking off Carson Thomas’ deep pass to kill North Andrew’s first drive, and then caught a 65 yard pass from Aydan Gladstone despite Aydan being under a heavy rush. Runde was all alone for the extra point pass, and Worth County was up 8-0 with six minutes left in the first quarter.
Neither side could get anything going until Aydan Gladstone picked off Thomas again at the Cardinal 28. But in a pattern that repeated itself throughout the game, Worth County would quit blocking once they got deep within Cardinal territory, and the red shirts would come flying in and stop Worth County cold. Such was the case this time after Grant McIntyre caught a 9 yard pass on third and seven to the Cardinal four. But then the blocking broke down, and the Tigers were denied on four attempts into the end zone.
A few plays later, Worth County had North Andrew stopped third and six at their own 17, in position to force a punt and get the ball back. But then they gave up the first of several costly big plays as Carson Thomas shot through a hole for 63 yards before Aydan Gladstone saved a touchdown at the 10. With 4:14 left in the second, the tackling broke down and Hayden Ecker scored to make it 8-6. Dawson Vore broke up the extra point pass that would have tied it up.
Worth County had another chance to take control of the game when Andrew Alarcon broke loose for 14 and a horsecollar put it on the 29. A fake counter fooled everyone and Aydan Gladstone took it to the 20. On third and four at the 12, there was a mixup as both Andrew Alarcon and Grant McIntyre went for the ball on a pass, but it turned out well as Grant took it and went to the house with 1:44 left to make it 14-6. But then they gave it right back thanks to another big play, when Hayden Ecker shot through untouched for 51 yards and a conversion pass was successful to tie it up at 14.
The Tigers came out strong defensively after being forced to punt, denying North Andrew on a fourth down at the Tiger 36. Andrew Alarcon manufactured some yardage as he broke three tackles to the 31, and Jackson Runde caught a pass for 15 more to the 16. But once again, the blocking disappeared once the Tigers got deep in Cardinal territory as a sack and a false start killed the drive.
North Andrew responded with a punishing drive; Worth County knew the ball was going to either Ecker or Thomas, and they still couldn’t stop it as they were getting blown off the line and they were getting 5-6 yards a carry. Finally, Ecker capped off the drive with a two yard burst and Thomas ran in the extra points to make it 22-14 with 2:42 left.
Andrew Alarcon caught an 18 yard screen pass to the Cardinal 39 to rescue a third and nine, but for the third time, the blocking broke down once the Tigers crossed midfield as Tiger backs saw nothing but swarms of red shirts, try what plays they might. They were forced to punt. Justin Dye pinned the Cardinals at their own 13; his kicking helped out the Tigers as he pinned North Andrew deep several times, including once at their own 1. But the big play burned the Tigers again for the third time as Carson Thomas fooled everyone and took it 37 yards to the Tiger 30. The Cardinals continued to pound the ball; Worth County knew what the plays were going to be, but it didn’t matter as they were getting blown off the line and North Andrew was getting 5-6 yards a crack.
But for once, the Tigers got a break after the Cardinals had gotten to the 1, as they fumbled it into the end zone and Jackson Runde recovered it to kill the drive. But even with the momentum swing, and another play in which Worth County fumbled, Hayden Ecker scooped and scored, but the whistle had blown before the fumble, they could not take advantage as the blocking was nonexistent, and they had to punt the ball back. This time, the kick was shanked and the Cardinals got the short field to work with on the Tiger 27. For the fourth time, the Tigers gave up a big play as Hayden Ecker shot through for 21 yards and Clayton Linville caught the extra point pass to make it 30-14 with 2:56 left in the fourth, too much to make up.
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