Tigers Fall Short in Brutal Defensive Struggle with Platte Valley

Worth County fell short 12-6 in a brutal defensive struggle with Platte Valley in which they made one too many mistakes Friday night. It was the lowest scoring game ever played by the Tigers in eight man, eclipsing a 14-6 loss to West Nodaway in 1991, current coach Jon Adwell’s last game as a player. Worth County hit hard throughout the game, but gone was the explosive playmaking of previous years. They showed the ability to move the ball, but they could not convert any quick strikes that would have turned the tables. 

The two teams were a mirror image of each other, with both teams trying to grind out a win against the other’s defense. That style of game can work, but only if penalties and turnovers and assignment breakdowns are kept to a minimum. Worth County had too many of those in Friday night’s game. They will have to get better in a hurry, as Mound City will come to town wanting to make a statement after their 70-18 loss to the Tigers last year. They were one of the most improved teams, totally turning their season around after struggling the first two games and nearly knocking off South Holt before the Knights salvaged their season with an improbable comeback and score at the end.

The start of a game in any sport is a chance to set the tone, but that did not happen for the Tigers as a muffed kickoff buried them on their own seven to start the game. They advanced as far as the 31, only for a sack and a fumble to give Platte Valley a short field to work with at the Tiger 23

Platte Valley wasted no time as Leland Otto ripped off 10 to the 13. The Tigers made a defensive stand as Jayden Strum was stopped for two and Bo Collins stopped Otto for no gain. But the Tigers could not get off the field all night on third down, and it happened on that drive as Lucky Ferry weaved his way to the three and scored the next play to make it 6-0. Landon Wilmes dropped Mason Casner short of the goal line to keep it at 6-0.

Worth County ran the ball back to the 27, and on the play, Leland Otto, the heart and soul of the Platte Valley team, broke his fibula and will be out for the year. But there was no dropoff for the Platte Valley players, who said they wanted to win it for Leland Friday night. 

The Tigers ground it out long and slow, with new quarterback Hayden Sanders and Landon Wilmes getting carries into Platte Valley territory despite the huge Platte Valley front line, anchored by Landon Wiederholt, one of the biggest defensive lineman the Tigers have ever had to face throughout their eight man history. But then the penalties started to mount; first a false start, and then a delay of game penalty. Finally, faced with fourth and two at the Platte Valley 20, they got a false start to move them back to the 25. They tried a guard eligible play from Hayden Sanders to Bo Collins, but Dylan Klamm and Jayden Strum blanketed Collins and knocked the ball out of his hands to give Platte Valley the ball back on downs.

Mason Casner ripped off a 10 yard gain, but then Bo Collins dropped Jayden Strum for a loss of three. But then the tackling brown down as Lucky Ferry got loose to the Tiger 35 and then Casner picked up 11 more to the 24. Platte Valley got as far as the 19 before a false start backed them up to the 24. They got nine yards back, getting to the 15 for a fourth and one. Then, new quarterback Ridge Clements moved a pile to the 9 for a first down. After the season was over, the players said that Clements was ready to play quarterback, and he justified their expectations, not trying to do too much and managing the game well. 

But then Ethan Lininger dropped Casner for a loss of one. A pass to a wide open Justin Miller was just too far, and Ferry was only able to get to the Tiger five. Once again, a pass was too far for Miller and the Tigers took over on downs.

Once again, Worth County started moving the ball against the huge Platte Valley front line. Mason Casner dropped Landon Wilmes for a short gain to set up third and five at the Tiger 10, but then Hayden Sanders ripped off gains of 9 and 11 yards. Cole Ruby earned some varsity action for his performance in the preseason jamboree, and he ripped off a nine yarder after getting a block from Lucas Frisch. Hayden Sanders followed a block from Carter Chapman and picked up seven into Platte Valley territory to the 34.

But once again, the penalty bug bit them after they were stood up as Kegan Etter, who was a sparkplug for Platte Valley last year, shot a gap and dropped Landon Wilmes to set up third and eight at the 32. Blaine Clements then blew up a screen pass and then a delay of game penalty put the Tigers behind the sticks at fourth and 13. On the ensuing punt, Mason Casner ran it all the way back to the 40. With the first half clock winding down, Platte Valley kept it on the ground, getting 3-6 yards a carry, and trying to score and leave as little time as possible for Worth County to get a score before halftime. They got as far as the Tiger 5 before Worth County nearly caught a break when Brayden Combs stripped one of the Platte Valley backs and had nothing but daylight ahead of him. But the officials ruled the Platte Valley back had been stood up first and that the play was over. 

Worth County stiffened up as Mason Casner was dropped back to the six. Lucky Ferry got the next carry and he was fighting for yardage when this time, Brayden Combs was not to be denied and he fell on a fumble at the one with 52 seconds left as Worth County killed the clock to end the half.

Platte Valley recovered a squib kick at the 28 to start the second half. They tried some rare trickery as they started off in the swinging gate and then shifted to their regular power formation, but Worth County was not fooled and they forced a three and out. But Worth County could not do anything either as a mixup on a pass play on third and nine meant nobody was home and they were forced to punt. Worth County finally caught a break when the punt was muffed after a hit by Brayden Stevens. Ethan Lininger picked up the loose carom and returned it to the Platte Valley 36. 

But once again, Worth County failed to wake up and clean things up from the first half, as a long run was wiped out by a penalty and Worth County tried another pass, but this time, Blaine Clements not only got his hands up and batted the ball, it stuck to his hands as he got a pick and returned it to the Worth County 34. The loss of Leland Otto meant that Clements started playing both sides of the ball, and he stepped right up for Platte Valley.

Platte Valley, for once, had penalty problems of their own and could not take advantage of it, but Worth County stopped themselves once again, this time with a holding penalty, a delay of game penalty, and a false start, forcing a punt and putting Platte Valley in good field position at the Tiger 38. They got as far as the Tiger 20, but then Worth County stopped Ferry on fourth down at the 19 to hold on downs.

Once again, Worth County shot themselves in the foot with a penalty, this time with a false start and Platte Valley got the ball back at their own 37. But this time, Platte Valley gave it right back to them when a bad snap rolled around on the ground until Worth County picked it up at the Platte Valley 38. 

Once again, Worth County struggled as a mixup on the play resulted in a loss and Hayden Sanders was flushed on a pass play and dropped at the 40 to set up third and 12. But then Cole Ruby took a sweep, ran into a wall of Platte Valley defenders on the left side, reversed his field, and walked the tightrope down the right side and took it to the house. One referee signaled that he was out of bounds short of the goal line, but the other referee signaled that he was in as the Tigers tied the game up at 6-6 with 9:12 left in the game. They avoided their first shutout in many years with that score. Hayden Sanders was tackled short of the goal line as Platte Valley preserved the tie.

Lucky Ferry nearly broke one on the ensuing Platte Valley possession, but was ruled out at their own 28 and the Tigers held after Jude Archer broke up a pass on third down. Once again, Worth County shot themselves in the foot with a holding penalty. This time, Platte Valley gave them another chance as they got a facemask penalty that gave the Tigers a first down at their own 37, but Worth County proceeded to unravel even more, getting a delay of game, their fourth of the game, followed by a holding penalty. Finally, Jayden Strum picked off a pass and ran it back to the Tiger 21.

Ferry carried the team on his shoulders at that point, with Platte Valley keeping it on the ground and running out time. Finally, Ridge Clements took it in from eight yards out with 1:46 left to put Platte Valley up 12-6. Landon Wilmes dropped Clements to stop the extra point.

But Worth County unraveled even more on the final possession. Brayden Stevens ran for a first down to the Platte Valley 35 with 58 seconds left, but back to back holding penalties, including one that wiped out another touchdown run by Cole Ruby that would have tied it or given Worth County the lead, buried them behind the sticks. Finally, Justin Miller got back to back sacks to end it.