As of the completion of Friday's games, North Andrew stood first in District 4. East Atchison was second, while Platte Valley was third and Worth County fourth. Surprisingly, despite only having one loss, Albany was at fifth despite having beaten both Worth County and Platte Valley.
After North Andrew kicked it into the end zone, Worth County started off with a screen pass where Tyler New pitched to Braxton Hightshoe, who threw it back to New. Despite North Andrew having prepared for that particular play, it still went for 19 yards to the 34. With North Andrew selling out to stop the run, Worth County was able to move the ball through the air and Grant McIntyre caught a short pass seven yards to the Cardinal 39 as Creed Wilcox's block gave New time to throw. Dylan McIntyre made a shoestring catch at the 34, and then Dylan McIntyre caught a pass in the end zone with a defender draped all over him. Braxton Hightshoe caught a pass in the end zone after New rolled out to his right and Worth County was up 8-0 with 10:23 left in the first quarter. But in a theme that would repeat itself, Hayden Ecker ran through the Tiger defense like it wasn't even there and broke three different tackles from the Cardinal 21 to the Tiger three. North Andrew was in the end zone the next play, and Ecker ran in the extra points to make it 8-8.
North Andrew tried to kick it short, but Worth County had its hands team on the field, and Braxton Hightshoe made a fair catch at the Cardinal 39. Worth County used the short field to its advantage as Hightshoe took it four yards to the 35 and then Tyler New aired it out to Grant McIntyre for another score with 9:16 left. Levi Cassavaugh bulldozed his way into the end zone to make it 16-8.
For once, Worth County got a stop as North Andrew could not establish their quarterback, Braxon Linville, and they had to punt after picking up a first down. Levi Cassavaugh got blocks from Tyler New and Creed Wilcox and picked up 17 to the 34. A chop block (there is a legal chop block zone, but linemen can't double team and chop block) wiped out a long run, but Worth County aired it out 41 yards to Dylan McIntyre to the 19, and Braxton Hightshoe's catch and run netted 13 yards down to the six. Tyler New got down to the 1; one referee signaled touchdown, but it was somehow waved off. A false start moved it back to the six, but Tyler New got in to the end zone with 3:25 left in the first to make it 22-8. But once again, Worth County couldn't get off the field as Ecker ripped off a couple of 13 yarders, a pass from Linville to Dawson Eychaner went for 18, and Andrew Goff, the fullback, crashed into the end zone with 1:14 left to make it 22-14.
Worth County moved right back down the field again after North Andrew kicked it into the end zone. Levi Cassavaugh picked up eight after getting a block from Dylan McIntyre. Elias Alarcon led the way as Levi picked up two more carries of seven yards each. Creed Wilcox opened another hole, this time for Tyler New for seven to the Cardinal 36. Braxton Hightshoe got a block from Elias Alarcon and then broke a tackle for 11 yards down to the 25. He only got 1 on the next play, but then caught a short pass for 10 down to the 14. Tyler New lost three on the next play but then got a block from Creed Wilcox for 10 to get down to the seven for a third and three. New got two more to the five for a fourth and one, and then picked up two yards behind blocks from Elias Alarcon and Creed Wilcox to the 3. On the next play, Tyler New got a block from Elias Alarcon and got in with 8:15 left in the second to make it 28-14.
But try as they might, Worth County once again could not get off the field. They knew what the plays were going to be, either a quick hitter to Goff, a counter by Linville, spring Ecker loose on a sweep, or set up a long pass or a screen pass if the defense sold out too much to stop the run. It didn't matter, as North Andrew marched steadily down the field, converting a fourth and two at the Tiger 36 as Ecker picked up three to the 33. Eychaner caught a 15 yard pass down to the 18. Even a holding penalty did not stop North Andrew. On second and 16 from the 24, a screen pass to Hayden Ecker fooled everyone, and Linville scrambled into the end zone for the extra points to make it 28-22.
North Andrew tried an onsides kick, but Worth County was ready for it and Dylan McIntyre returned it to the Cardinal 31. But this time, the Tigers couldn't score as on fourth and two from the 23, Tyler New had Grant McIntyre all alone in the end zone but missed him and threw it away. Once again, the Tigers couldn't get off the field as on fourth and two, North Andrew fumbled the ball forward and Khizer Shunk recovered it for a first down at the Tiger 30. But a sack by Elias Alarcon and Levi Cassavaugh put North Andrew in the hole as they were trying to score right before the half, and Worth County finally got off the field with three seconds left.
Worth County has had countless times where they went for the score in the closing seconds of the first half and it paid off for them. But this time, it backfired on them; the line didn't know the play, and three North Andrew players got in unblocked, and forced a fumble. Collin Patterson then scooped and scored as time expired to put North Andrew on the board. Ecker caught the extra point pass, and North Andrew was in front 30-28 at the half. The bad thing about that play was that North Andrew had the ball to start the second half, giving them a chance to score twice without Worth County touching the ball.
Sure enough, with North Andrew facing third and 8 at their own 21, they gave it to Hayden Ecker, and three players missed tackles on him. He ran right through the Tiger defense like it wasn't even there, and North Andrew was on the board again with 10:34 left in the third quarter. Andrew Goff ran in the extra points to make it 38-28.
Things threatened to snowball from there, but Levi Cassavaugh got a block from Dylan McIntyre for 10 yards for a first down on second and nine. Worth County had third and nine at the 35, but Levi Cassavaugh's catch and run took the Tigers into North Andrew territory and a first down at the 33. Levi picked up four more to the 29, and then Dylan McIntyre took a pass away from two defenders at the 9. Worth County nearly squandered their chance to score as Tyler New, instead of throwing to a wide open Dylan McIntyre in the end zone, threw a short pass to Levi Cassavaugh, who was dropped back at the 17 for third and goal. But then Tyler atoned when he threw a strike into the end zone and Grant McIntyre caught it despite a defender draped all over him with 5:38 left. Grant caught a pass in the back of the end zone to make it 38-36.
But once again, Worth County couldn't get off the field. They knew what the plays were going to be, and it didn't matter as Ecker took it 21 yards on third and four to the Tiger 18. A reverse to Eychaner went nowhere, but then three straight carries by Eckert got into the end zone with 56 seconds left in the third quarter. Tyler New broke up the extra point pass try, meaning it was still a one possession deficit for the Tigers, who trailed 44-36.
Things threatened to snowball from there as the Tigers were faced with fourth and seven at the 40 on the next series. But then Braxton Hightshoe made a clutch catch at the 19 for a first down. Grant McIntyre caught a short pass and Tyler New got blocks from Levi Cassavaugh and Colt Cameron for a five yarder down to the three. New was stood up for no gain to set up third and goal at the 3, and then nobody blocked Jacob Chittum, who came clear from the other side to run him down for no gain to set up fourth and goal at the three. But then Grant McIntyre caught a pass in the back of the end zone with 8:15 left to make it 44-42. Worth County had a chance to tie, but while Dylan McIntyre and Grant McIntyre were both open in the end zone, New tried to throw a short pass to Braxton Hightshoe, and there were red shirts all over him to blow up the play. Once again, Worth County knew who the ball was going to, and it didn't matter as Hayden Ecker ran right through the Tigers like they weren't even there, ripping off a 21 yarder to the Tiger 30 and then later ripping off a 28 yard score with 7:02 left to make it 50-42. Andrew Goff was tackled short of the end zone as Worth County kept their deficit at one possession.
Worth County overcame a sack on their next series as Braxton Hightshoe made a pair of clutch catches to the North Andrew 25 and a first down. Braxton Hightshoe picked up four on the next play. An incomplete pass set up third and six at the 21, but Braxton made another clutch catch at the 9 for a first down and then Worth County used him as a decoy and hit Dylan McIntyre in the back left corner of the end zone to make it 50-48. But the extra point game, which has been a liability for the Tigers, came back to bite them at the worst possible time as North Andrew broke up the game tying pass and kept the lead.
The Tigers nearly stopped North Andrew, forcing a fourth and one at the Tiger 32 with 2:02 left. But this time, it was Linville who ran through the defenders like they weren't even there, scoring with 1:54 left to make it 56-48. North Andrew tried to use Hayden Ecker as a decoy and slip Linville into the end zone, but Worth County didn't bite and dropped him to give themselves one last chance. But North Andrew adjusted to bump and run coverage for the last series. Two passes were incomplete, and then Braxton Hightshoe dropped a potential touchdown on third down. Tyler New was sacked on fourth down and North Andrew was able to run out the clock.
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