Before the game, Worth County honored its seniors who were involved in golf, cheer, football, and band. Honored were Brayden Combs (football, band), Katie Fletchall (cheer, color guard, golf), Lucas Frisch (football, band), Andrew Griffin (band, drumline leader), Wyatt Hill (football), Conner Pointer (band, drum major), Brayden Murphy (football), Riley Ridge (softball, cheer), Marissa Schmitz (golf), Bailey Steele (golf), Brayden Stevens (football), and Sawyer Thurman (football).
It looked like Worth County would put King City away early like they did last year as Cole Ruby took the first play of the game 45 yards for a score with 11:42 left in the first quarter. The ensuing squib kick was recovered by the Tigers after Lucas Frisch delivered a big hit, and Wyatt Hill recovered it at the King City 22. But when they failed to convert on fourth and three at the 15 and Ryder Sample got a pick and returned it to the 27, that gave King City hope and the rest of the game was a slopfest marred by self-inflicted wounds, controversial calls and non-calls on both sides, the scoreboard and the lights in the pressbox going out at one point, and a stingy Wildkat squad which showed why it was one of the top defensive squads in the conference along with Worth County.
An offsides penalty gave King City a first down, but Worth County stiffened and forced fourth down and 11 at the King City 38. A screen pass misfired and Worth County took over on downs at the 38. They got a first down at the King City 26, only to shoot themselves in the foot with a holding penalty and King City took over on downs at the 26. A hook and ladder play picked up 10 yards to the 36 and then Landon Carlson scrambled for a first down to the Tiger 26. But a false start penalty stopped them. A pair of short passes to Ryder Sample set up fourth and two at the 18, but Swayer Thurman had a pass breakup at the 18 and Worth County held on downs.
Cole Ruby picked up 25 yards to the 37, but then Worth County shot themselves in the foot again and King City intercepted it at the 17. King City went three and out and Jude Archer got a long runback to the 37 for the Tigers. Defense and special teams were key for the Tigers on a night when they had all the trouble in the world moving the ball on King City. A block in the back on Worth County wiped out a Cole Ruby touchdown run back to the 40, but he picked up 18 yards to the 22 and then Hayden Sanders burst up the middle and bounced outside with 11:19 left in the second. Cole Ruby muscled his way in for two to make it 16-0.
A 12-yard pass to Ryder Sample put King City in business at the 40 and a short pass to Jax Jundy put it on the Tiger 29. But King City tried to air it out and Jude Archer picked it off at the 3. Worth County went for it on fourth and one at its own 12 and made it, with Hayden Sanders carrying it to the 17. But once again, they shot themselves in the foot with a holding penalty and were forced to punt. A good kick and a block in the back penalty pinned King City at their own 5. They got as far as the 39 before Ryder Smyser got a sack and an ineligible man downfield forced them to punt. They pinned Worth County at their own 5 right before half and Worth County ran out the clock and went in with a 16-0 lead.
A squib kick pinned King City at its own 12, but it didn't matter as a pass to Caiden Wainscott picked up 16 to the 26. Ryder Sample caught a long pass down to the 23, and a sweep by Carlson picked up 11 to the 12. But a holding on King City moved them back to the 23 and Lucas Frisch picked off a flat pass and returned it to the King City 39.
But Cole Ruby fumbled the ball after a first down run at the 28, and then the referees called a questionable helmet to helmet hit to put the ball on the Tiger 32. From there, King City marched down the field with carries from Graham Medsker and Carlson and Ryder Sample caught a 9-yard pass to put King City on the board. Sample caught a bubble screen and ran it in for the conversion and it was 16-8.
But just as it looked like King City would be getting momentum on their side, Cole Ruby ran back the kickoff, weaving his was through traffic, going down the left side, and getting a block from Bo Collins to make it 22-8 with 5:19 left in the third. On the ensuing kick, Jude Archer beat everyone to the ball and grabbed it right before it went out of bounds at the King City 15. Three plays later, Hayden Sanders scrambled in for a touchdown from the six and Brayden Stevens took an option pitch and got a block from Lucas Frisch to make it 30-8.
But then King City got the score right back as Worth County had King City seemingly pinned on fourth and seven at the Tiger 39, only for Ryder Sample to get loose for a score with 2:09 left in the third to make it 30-14.
Worth County started at its own 16 and two quick hitters by Lucas Frisch picked up a first down at the 26. On third and 11 at the 25, Frisch came up clutch again with an 18-yard catch to the King City 37. Jude Archer took the Wildkat snap and laid out a defender at the end of the run at the 16. A phantom holding call, a sideline warning for protesting the call, and a false start drove the Tigers back to the 36, but on third and 23, Caleb New was all alone and caught a 23-yard pass to the six. On third and goal at the one, Hayden Sanders got a block from Ethan Lininger and converted a sneak to make it 36-14.
But then the King City coach successfully talked the referees into throwing a facemask penalty, which put the ball on the Tiger 23. Then, they threw a late hit penalty on King City. Then, they threw a phantom targeting call on Worth County on a hook and ladder play where Graham Medsker was lowering his head and fighting for yardage and Worth County was trying to bring him down. After the dust had settled, King City had the ball on the Tiger 13. Finally, Luke Roberts caught a pass in the end zone with 5:48 left and Medsker ran in the extra points to make it 36-22.
There was a heartstopping moment as King City tried a squib kick which caromed off Braden Combs and into the arms of Roberts at the Tiger 30. King City drew a holding penalty back to the 40 but passes to Wainscott and Sample put it on the 18. A short pass to Jundy put it on the 14. But the next pass was incomplete, and Jude Archer broke up a pass to set up fourth and six. Landon Carlson tried to scramble, but the ball slipped out of his hands, and he was ruled down at the 14, short of the first down.
Hayden Sanders picked up 11 yards to the 25 on the next play. He was shaken up and came out. Worth County shot itself in the foot with a holding penalty and had first and 23 at their own 13, and Hayden Sanders was dropped at the 11. But Jude Archer took the Wildkat snap and ran 16 yards to the 27, dragging defenders the last five yards. Caleb New made a clutch catch to the King City 37 for a first down. Cole Ruby picked up five yards and two carries by Lucas Frisch picked up a first down to the 24. Hayden Sanders picked up three to the 21, and Worth County finally knelt out the clock to clinch the conference title.
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During the Pattonsburg game, Cole Ruby went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
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