Worth County once again came up big on defense when they had to as this time, it was Hayden Sanders who got a game-winning pick to seal the game as Worth County denied Archie a third straight state title with a 36-34 win Saturday. It was the same identical score as the North Shelby game the week before. Like the last time, Worth County denied an extra point try to preserve a lead. And for the second time in five years, Worth County ended someone's try at a three-peat; in 2020, Worth County beat Mound City in districts to deny them a third straight title.
Worth County will play Rock Port Thursday at 7 pm at Spratt Stadium at Missouri Western State University for the State Championship. In order to win, they will have to overcome history, as the Tigers have never lost a regular season game and went on to win a state title. On the other hand, Jon Adwell is one of the most difficult coaches in the world to beat twice; his teams beat Platte Valley and Albany last year after suffering earlier losses to them in the regular season.
Just like two years ago, Worth County looked like they were in over their heads against Archie. They got the ball to start the game, and they got a first down, only to be stopped at the 32. Wyatt Hill got off a good punt with the wind at his back to put Archie at their own 8, but it didn't matter as Jackson Kash ripped off a 22-yard run to the 30. They were backed up third and nine at the 31, but they ripped off one of their specialties, the double counter, and Westyn Bryant took it 20 yards to the Tiger 29. Jackson Kash then broke tackle after tackle into the end zone to give Archie a 6-0 lead.
The game looked like it would follow the same script as the Archie game two years ago as Hayden Sanders came under a heavy rush during the next series, missed a wide-open Lucas Frisch, tried to throw it away, but threw a strike to Westyn Bryant at the Archie 39. But all of a sudden, Worth County realized they could play football with them and stiffened up, forcing a fourth and seven at the Tiger 38. Normally, teams kick it away in these sorts of situations, but the wind was howling in Archie's face, and they elected to go for it. The pass went incomplete, and Worth County took over on downs in good field position.
Worth County got a first down when Jude Archer ripped off a run to the 29. Cole Ruby picked up four to the 25, and then Archer took it to the house with 11:23 left in the second quarter to put Worth County on the board. Archie had a five-man front and was crowding the line every chance they could get, meaning that Worth County was able to gash them with several big plays Saturday. Hayden Sanders weaved his way in for the extra points to make it 8-6.
Worth County tried its onside kicking game, but Archie was ready for it and had their hands team in, and recovered it at the 35. On the first try from scrimmage, Leeper came under a heavy rush, but got it away, and Sawyer Thurman batted it in the air, and it was batted twice before it fell to the ground. Leeper met Lucas Frisch the next play, and a botched handoff forced them to punt. With the wind at their backs in the second quarter, Archie nearly pinned Worth County at the one-inch line, but the player wound up in the end zone and Worth County had a touchback at the 15. On third and seven at the 18, Hayden Sanders aired it out to Caleb New into the wind, and Caleb caught it and accelerated past his defender and to the house with 8:35 left in the half. For the third time in three games, Bo Collins made a highlight-film grab with his toes in the back of the end zone to make it 16-6.
But with Archie set back second and 24 at their own 33 after a chop block penalty, Tristan Leeper aired it out to Jackson Kash, and he beat everybody to the house with 6:35 left in the second, Leeper ran in the extra points to make it 16-14.
On the next series, Jude Archer ripped off what looked to be a 32-yard run to the Archie 25. It looked like a normal play, with nothing out of the ordinary. But a phantom unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put the ball back on the 40. It didn't matter as Brayden Stevens picked up 13 yards after a quick pitch to the 20 to convert a third and three. Since Archie would have the ball to start the second half, Worth County tried to leave Archie with as little time as possible to try to score twice without Worth County having the ball. Lucas Frisch converted a fourth and one to the 10 to keep the drive going, but Jude Archer was buried at the 13 with 30 seconds left to set up third and goal. Brayden Stevens caught a five-yard pass to the eight with 23 seconds left to set up fourth and goal. Worth County tried some trickery, with Brayden Stevens throwing a halfback pass to Bo Collins, but it was wiped out by a holding penalty. A pass interference penalty put it on the nine with six seconds left, but Hayden Sanders' pass was broken up after the Tiger receiver slipped and fell and Archie had held.
Archie seemingly took control to start the second half when Tristan Leeper faked a handoff and took off down the left side and to the house with 11:20 left in the third quarter. The conversion pass put Archie in front 22-16. Jude Archer nearly broke one on the kickoff and ran it back to the 35. Hayden Sanders picked up four to the 39, and Jude Archer, running the Wildkat, took it to the 36. An offsides penalty put it on the 31, but a holding penalty put it back on the 38. Two offsides penalties put it back on the 28. Jude Archer took a pitch to the 23, and Hayden Sanders took a Wildkat run to the 18. Brayden Stevens took a counter to the three, but on the next play, Tristan Leeper came through unlocked and dropped Hayden Sanders at the four. Brayden Stevens got three yards to the one and Hayden Sanders tried a sneak for the score. He was seemingly stood up, but with his final effort, got in to make it 22-22 with seven minutes left in the third.
Tristan Leeper ripped off 32 yards to the Tiger 10, and Archie was knocking on the door again. But Bo Collins shot through unblocked and dropped him at the 13. The Archie field, like the North Shelby field the week before, was slick from all the rain, and it cost Archie as Leeper slipped and fell at the 20. Two incomplete passes gave Worth County the ball back on downs at the 20. They were stuck with fourth and five at their own 25, but Worth County made a gutsy call and went for it deep in their own territory. It paid off as Bo Collins made a clutch catch at the 34 into the wind to keep the drive going. But Worth County stalled after a long run was wiped out by a holding penalty, and they were forced to punt.
The kick was shanked into the heavy wind, and Archie had the ball on the 40. This time, Tristan Leeper bounced outside and made it down to the 13. Peyton Himes ripped off 12 more to the one. Leeper was denied on his first try from the one but converted the next with 11 minutes left to make it 28-22. On the extra point try, Leeper came under a heavy rush, but got it off to Jackson Kash. Kash nearly dragged his defender in for a score but was ruled out at the one despite plenty of chirping from the Archie side.
Brayden Stevens nearly broke one before Jackson Kash made a shoestring tackle at the Tiger 36. A bobbled snap pinned the Tigers at the 33, but Caleb New caught a 22-yard pass to the 25 for a first down. Jude Archer bounced outside and made it down to the three, before Brayden Stevens reached across for a score with 9:44 left. Hayden Sanders threw a short pass to Jude Archer, who was in the grasp of a defender at the one, but reached over to make it 30-28.
After Worth County used the wind to pin Archie at their own 15, Leeper tried to get it all back and aired it out to a wide-open receiver, but left it too far. Leeper picked up seven on the next run, but Bo Collins dropped him at the 20 to set up fourth and five. This was normally a punting situation, but Archie had the wind howling in their faces and elected to go for it rather than risk a shanked kick. Leeper tried to throw a quick slant to Kash, but there was a mixup on the play and the ball dropped incomplete, giving Worth County a short field to work with on the Whirlwind 20. Brayden Stevens fought forward for four, and then Jude Archer bounced outside for nine to the seven. Worth County gave it back to Brayden Stevens, who ran through a big hole to the house to make it 36-28. Worth County lined up for the extra point try, which would have made it two possessions. But a false start moved them back to the eight, and Sanders' pass to Caleb New was knocked away and Archie remained down one possession with 7:24 left.
Worth County nearly recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but a targeting penalty kept the ball in Archie's hands and put the ball on the 36. Leeper met Bo Collins at the 37 but a bubble screen to Jackson Kash put it on the Tiger 37. Leeper faked a counter and kept it himself, being tackled inches short at the 34 to set up fourth down. Worth County seemingly jumped offsides, but the referees ruled they had called timeout before the play, and they replayed it. This time, Leeper got the necessary yardage. They were faced with fourth and three and got an apparent delay of game penalty, but it was waived off for some reason. This time, a pass interference penalty put it at the Tiger 13 for a first down. Once again, Worth County backed them up, but once again, they couldn't get off the field. On third and 15 at the 18, a screen to Jackson Kash picked up the necessary yardage to the three. Leeper took it the rest of the way to make it 36-34 with 4:26 left.
Archie tried some trickery, setting up a reverse pass. The tight end on the left side was eligible and was all alone in the end zone. But the pass was batted down, and Worth County remained ahead 36-34. It was the second time in two weeks that Worth County had denied an extra point try to preserve a lead.
On the ensuing onsides kick, there was a wild scramble for it, but Worth County came up with it at the 34. They had to run off 4:26 left and got a first down as Jude Archer carried it to the 33. But a holding penalty put them behind the sticks and Sanders was sacked to force a punt, meaning Archie had one more chance to win it with 1:53 left and no timeouts at their own 26 after the punt.
Leeper faked a scramble on the first play and pulled back and aired it out, but Worth County held firm, and the pass was incomplete. Worth County sacked Leeper at the 25, and valuable time went off the clock. Jackson Kash caught a 10-yard pass on the 35, setting up fourth and one. Hayden Sanders was in for Wyatt Hill, who was shaken up on the previous punt. Leeper tried to throw a short pass to keep the drive going, but Sanders jumped the route and picked it off to preserve the win.
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