Northeast Nodaway's Junior High boys took a big early lead on Worth County Thursday and then held off a late rally to win 36-31. "These kids are going to play hard every night," said Bluejay Coach Charley Burch. "We just have to make better decisions down the stretch and have better shot selection." After the first half, Worth County went to a 1-3-1 zone which Coach Burch said bothered his players. "We waited too long to get going," said Tiger Coach Chris Healy. "But I was pleased with how we fought back and how we never gave up."
Brandon Auffert's three-pointer jump started a 10-0 run for Northeast that left them up 12-1 after one quarter of play. Garrett Jackson followed with a pair of free throws, Steve Schulte hit another free throw, and then Shaun Burns cleaned up after a steal and then had a nice crossover move to end the first quarter.
J.T. Welch came off the bench for Worth County to start the second quarter and kicked one out to Cole Parman for a baseline shot, but Garrett Jackson answered with a free throw and then Steve Schulte, seemingly channeling his two standout older sisters, went coast to coast on two consecutive plays against the press for two easy layups to make it 17-3. Welch connected from the wing, but Schulte once again beat the Tigers down the court and this time, drew a foul and hit the free throws. Austin Jones and Garrett Jackson followed with free throws to give Northeast its biggest lead of the game at 21-5. Travis Troutwine, channeling his aunt Tiffany, banked a 3-pointer from the left wing with 28 seconds left in an omen of things to come in the second half; Schulte responded with a coast to coast layup to leave Northeast up 23-8 at the break.
Cole Parman started off the scoring for Worth County with a fast break and a shot from the right wing and then followed it with a 3-pointer from the wing to make it 23-13. That seemed to take the lid off the basket for the Tigers. Shaun Burns grabbed an inbounds pass and drove right past a defender for Northeast to make it 25-13. Wyatt Rush then got a putback for Worth County. Brandon Auffert hit a 3-pointer from the right wing with 3:38 left, but Rush scored from inside again to make it 28-17. Shaun Burns drove the lane and hit a floater and then Joel Scroggie drove from the wing and threw up a prayer that went in to make it 32-17, but Aaron Green drove the left baseline with time running out in the third to make it 32-19.
Green hit a free throw to start the fourth quarter and then Andrew Mullock scored after a steal from Travis Troutwine to make it 32-22. Steve Schulte scored after a steal, but then Aaron Green cleaned up after a steal and then Shaun Burns picked up his fifth foul, which seemed to open the floodgates for Worth County. It was still 34-24 with 2:56 left, but then Cole Parman scored from the right side and then Travis Troutwine hit a 3-pointer from the right wing and it looked like he might break Northeast's hearts for the second year in a row; his free throws last year at Ravenwood completely cold off the bench had put that game out of reach for Worth County as they handed Northeast their first loss of the year in junior high.
Troutwine's three-pointer left it 34-29 with 1:45 left, but Worth County missed two chances to make it a one-possession game. Finally, they put Steve Schulte on the line as they were forced to foul to try to get the ball back; Schulte missed both free throws, but then got his own board. Northeast worked the ball to Brandon Auffert; showing no conscience whatsoever, he let fly a high floater from the left baseline, throwing Coach Charley Burch into convulsions. But the shot dropped through and proved to be the dagger as Worth County could only manage a steal and layup from Aaron Green in the closing seconds.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Second Time No Fade Job for Junior High Tigers
Tuesday night, the Worth County Junior High girls had a shocking collapse against King City -- after entering the fourth quarter with a 30-16 lead, King City hung 21 points on Worth County and came back to win 37-31. Given a similar situation against Northeast Nodaway, the Tigers learned their lesson as they protected a similar lead against the Bluejays and won 22-11 Thursday night.
Coach Suzie Smith said that the difference between the two games was that her squad had played calmer the second time around. "We were more in control the second time, and we didn't panic when they put pressure on us." The first eight minutes of the game started off as an all-out war between the two squads as both sides were putting strong pressure on the ball and not giving up any easy looks at the baskets. The only points in the first quarter were a driving layup from Claudia Wiederholt and a drive from Kristen Andrews when she picked up a carom and went in for a layup. There was a lot of rough play on both sides as Stormy Sherer had a hard foul on Wiederholt that left her shook up and Wiederholt picked up three fouls in the first half and saw extended time on the bench after the second quarter. "We played hard, but we didn't play well enough," said Northeast coach Ryan Davis. "Worth County was the most physical team we have seen all year. We have to learn to be just as physical in order to win these kinds of games."
In the second quarter, Worth County slowly began to take control. Liz Novak knocked down a shot from the left side to make it 4-2. Taryn Farnan hit a free throw, but then Novak connected from the right side with 4:15 left, prompting Coach Davis to start keying on her. That opened everyone else as Kristen Andrews connected from the right side after a Claire Andrews kickout and then she drew Wiederholt's third foul on a strong move inside and hit one out of two to make it 9-3 at the break.
Novak got her sixth point from the baseline to start the second half. Shayna Dougan answered with a shot from the right wing with 5:07 left, but then Novak connected from the right side again with 4:38 left to make it 13-5. In the period, the Tigers were switching perfectly when denying the inbounds pass on the press, forcing Coach Ryan Davis to burn two timeouts to avoid five-seconds calls as Northeast was having trouble getting the ball in all night. Claire Andrews then hit from the right side to make it 15-5 with 2:25 left. Novak then picked up her fourth foul and Taryn Farnan scored from inside as Northeast had a glimmer of hope. But then Claire Andrews had a drive right down the lane to open the scoring in the fourth for Worth County. Holly Redden scored on a fast break with 4:09 left, but Katie Mullock hit a free throw with 3:18 left and then Claire Andrews provided the dagger following a turnover with a shot from the right wing. With Northeast trapping, trying to get the ball back, Kristen Andrews drove out of it for a layup down the middle to make it 22-9. Kristen Wiederholt scored a meaningless bucket in the closing seconds for Northeast to account for the final score.
Coach Suzie Smith said that the difference between the two games was that her squad had played calmer the second time around. "We were more in control the second time, and we didn't panic when they put pressure on us." The first eight minutes of the game started off as an all-out war between the two squads as both sides were putting strong pressure on the ball and not giving up any easy looks at the baskets. The only points in the first quarter were a driving layup from Claudia Wiederholt and a drive from Kristen Andrews when she picked up a carom and went in for a layup. There was a lot of rough play on both sides as Stormy Sherer had a hard foul on Wiederholt that left her shook up and Wiederholt picked up three fouls in the first half and saw extended time on the bench after the second quarter. "We played hard, but we didn't play well enough," said Northeast coach Ryan Davis. "Worth County was the most physical team we have seen all year. We have to learn to be just as physical in order to win these kinds of games."
In the second quarter, Worth County slowly began to take control. Liz Novak knocked down a shot from the left side to make it 4-2. Taryn Farnan hit a free throw, but then Novak connected from the right side with 4:15 left, prompting Coach Davis to start keying on her. That opened everyone else as Kristen Andrews connected from the right side after a Claire Andrews kickout and then she drew Wiederholt's third foul on a strong move inside and hit one out of two to make it 9-3 at the break.
Novak got her sixth point from the baseline to start the second half. Shayna Dougan answered with a shot from the right wing with 5:07 left, but then Novak connected from the right side again with 4:38 left to make it 13-5. In the period, the Tigers were switching perfectly when denying the inbounds pass on the press, forcing Coach Ryan Davis to burn two timeouts to avoid five-seconds calls as Northeast was having trouble getting the ball in all night. Claire Andrews then hit from the right side to make it 15-5 with 2:25 left. Novak then picked up her fourth foul and Taryn Farnan scored from inside as Northeast had a glimmer of hope. But then Claire Andrews had a drive right down the lane to open the scoring in the fourth for Worth County. Holly Redden scored on a fast break with 4:09 left, but Katie Mullock hit a free throw with 3:18 left and then Claire Andrews provided the dagger following a turnover with a shot from the right wing. With Northeast trapping, trying to get the ball back, Kristen Andrews drove out of it for a layup down the middle to make it 22-9. Kristen Wiederholt scored a meaningless bucket in the closing seconds for Northeast to account for the final score.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Schoonover, Rosier, Panthers Maul Tigers in Playoffs
Worth County lost 52-0 to Mound City in the first round of the playoffs as their lack of experience showed; the Tigers only had four seniors for this year compared to 11 for Stanberry and 7 for Mound City. Worth County had beaten the Panthers earlier this year, but in the meantime, the experienced Panther squad had taken more strides in improvement than Worth County had. The Tigers continued to be the confused, shell-shocked bunch that fell behind early against Stanberry and couldn't claw back as the missed blocks, poor tackling, and confusion about assignments from the last game combined to bite them in the playoffs. Winning a playoff game is different from winning a regular season game; it requires one to take one's game to a whole different level. The experienced Panther squad succeeded in doing so while the Tigers could not.
The loss was significant in some other ways. The Tigers were shut out in a game for the first time since 2002, when the Mound City Panthers shut out the Tigers 42-0. That loss also ended Worth County's school-record 28-game winning streak. Worth County also dropped consecutive games for the first time since the end of the 2004 season, when consecutive losses to North Nodaway and Stanberry dropped the Tigers out of the playoffs that year. Worth County's troubles were not limited to the Panthers as one of the referees, obviously on a power trip, tried to tag Worth County for a sideline warning because someone on the St. Francis medical staff stood halfway over the dotted line on their side of the field even though she was wearing a coat that clearly identified her as a volunteer trainer for St. Francis and not one of Worth County's coaching staff.
After the Tigers forced Mound City to punt on their opening series, what looked like a possible defensive struggle turned into a disaster when James Schoonover, in the first of many defensive plays Friday night that would hurt the Tigers, shot through unblocked to block a Tiger punt and give Mound City a short field to work with as they started on the Tiger 23. One bad play doesn't win or lose games. But the scene repeated itself throughout the night -- the Tigers actually moved the ball against Mound City at times. But then, they would forget to account for Schoonover, who would shoot into the Tiger backfield to disrupt plays. The Panthers were in the end zone in five plays after the first miscue as Gage Rosier scored from 11 yards out with 5:59 left. Lucas Schawang ran in the extra points to make it 8-0.
It was Rosier (21 carries, 257 yards) who was the second half of the wrecking crew for Mound City -- in a scene that repeated itself from the Stanberry game, the Tigers would hold the Panthers at times. But then, there would be breakdowns on defense and someone would try to grab at Rosier instead of wrapping him up, with predictable results -- Rosier going off to the races and leaving everyone behind.
Worth County could only get seven yards on three plays on their next series after Barrett Baker had returned the ball to the 30 to get them decent field position. They elected to go for it on fourth and three, but a short pass was incomplete and the Panthers took over on the Tiger 37 on downs. This was nothing to worry about -- yet. The Tigers forced two turnovers deep in their own territory in the playoff game two years ago; on both occasions, the Panthers had threatened to make it a two-possession game. But this time, Mound City only needed three plays to make it a two-possession game. Gage Rosier took a sweep, made a cutback, and nobody was home to stop him and he was off for a 32-yard score with 3:08 left in the first quarter. James Schoonover caught the extra point pass and it was 16-0.
It was Schoonover again on defense on the next series as he dumped Barrett Baker for a four-yard loss and then sacked Zach Harmening for an 11-yard loss as the Tigers did not have an answer for him and were forced to punt. This time, Mound City only needed one play to score as two defenders fell down on the play and Rosier shot right up the middle for a 54-yard score with 1:28 left. He caught the extra point pass to make it 24-0.
Worth County finally mounted a drive against Mound City only to be denied. They got into the red zone four times, but failed to score as their rez zone struggles continued. After J.J. Mullock caught a squib kick at the 30, Zach Harmening converted a fourth and inches with a sneak to the Mound City 37. Two plays later, Eli Mullock finally found some daylight as he got open for 24 yards down to the Mound City 10. A facemask penalty then moved the ball down to the six, but then Harmening got thrown for a loss of two on an option play and then Worth County threw two incomplete passes to give up the ball on downs.
Mound City could do nothing with the ball as a block in the back penalty and a big loss in which Schawang slipped and fell while going back to pass moved it all the way back to the one. The Panthers elected to quick kick rather than risk a safety or a turnover and Worth County took over at midfield. Two rushing plays could only net four yards and a pass was incomplete, but on fourth and six, Alex Harmening caught a 35-yard pass down to the Panther one before he was wrestled down. But then someone forgot what the count was and a false start moved it back to the six; a fumbled handoff then gave the ball right back to the Panthers. On their first play from scrimmage, Rosier went on a sweep and was off to the races again for a 70-yard score thanks to some poor tackling and Prent Eaton caught the extra point pass with 7:53 left to make it 32-0.
Worth County got into the red zone for the third consecutive play thanks to some trickery as Alex Harmening aired it out to Zach for 36 yards down to the 25. A holding penalty moved it back to the 37, but then Eli Mullock caught a swing pass for 9 and then Mullock caught a screen pass to the 17. Alex Harmening caught a short pass to the 14, but then once again, nobody blocked James Schoonover, who shot into the backfield and forced a fumble that Kyler VanSchoiak returned all the way to the Tiger 38. A block in the back penalty on Mound City moved it back to the 27, but the damage was done.
Ryan Crowley ran for a first down up to the 40, but two plays later, Eli Mullock outjumped a Mound City defender and intercepted a pass at the 14. But three plays later, Worth County fumbled the ball right back to the Panthers as Alex Harmening ran for a 12-yard reverse, only to fumble the ball at the end of the run at the Tiger 26. Mound City took full advantage of the miscue; three plays later, Lucas Schawang threw an 11-yard strike to Miles Jumps as nobody guarded him and he was all alone in the end zone to make it 38-0 with 2:15 left at the end of the half. Worth County could not move the ball thanks in part to Schoonover, who was in the backfield hurrying Zach Harmening before he was ready to throw; Eli Mullock broke up a long pass and nearly got his second interception and Mound City botched an option play and fumbled it as they were unable to score again before the half. Very appropriately, the Mound City band played Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York;" this is the song that the world champion New York Yankees play after every win.
Worth County got the ball at the start of the second half and they held out hopes of getting back in the game if they got some lucky breaks, but Schoonover was once again in the backfield; this time, he sacked Harmening for a loss of 15 back to the Tiger five, forcing them to punt. The kick only traveled 19 yards, giving Mound City a short field to work with. Worth County came out and played a little better on this series, but they could not overcome the short field. Rosier's first down run went for 13 yards to the 7, and then Crowley's crack for six yards got down to the one. Two cracks by the Panthers could not break the plane, but Schoonover caught a fourth and one pass with 8:16 left to make it 44-0 with 8:15 left.
Cody Green caught a pass for 14 yards to the 29 on Worth County's next series, but they stalled at the 32. With nothing left to lose, Worth County went for it on fourth and seven, but once again, nobody blocked Schoonover, who was in Zach Harmening's face as his pass went incomplete. Rosier got loose for 14 yards to the 16, but the Tigers stiffened for the next three plays, holding Mound City to seven yards in three plays. But this time, Schoonover burned the Tigers on defense as nobody guarded him on pass coverage and there was nobody within 10 yards of him as he caught a nine-yard pass to account for Mound City's final score of the evening.
After the two teams exchanged punts, the Tigers whiffed again in the red zone. Cody Green caught a 22-yard pass to the Panther 20 after a short kick by Mound City gave Worth County good field position. But once again, nobody blocked Schoonover, who dropped Barrett Baker for a two-yard loss. Eli Mullock found some daylight to the 17 on the next play, but then Zach Harmening's pass to an open Barrett Baker was too far and then he was picked off in the end zone on fourth down to end Worth County's final scoring threat of the evening.
Despite the loss, Coach Chuck Borey looked at the big picture, saying that this particular group of seniors had come a long ways since junior high, when they were 1-5 that year. "Thanks to all your hard work, we exceeded everyone's expectations," he told them after the game. The game was the last for Josh Wagner, J.J. Mullock, Zach Harmening, and Barrett Baker. He said that he would have been happy with a 7-3 or 8-2 record and that getting back into the playoffs was a pleasant surprise. Speaking of the game, he said that he was disappointed that they did not convert their chances in the red zone, saying that "it can't happen against a good team like Mound City." He said that the more experienced Panthers came and played like they had something to prove against Worth County. "Mentally, we didn't stay tough. They dominated the line of scrimmage and we could never get our running game going."
The loss was significant in some other ways. The Tigers were shut out in a game for the first time since 2002, when the Mound City Panthers shut out the Tigers 42-0. That loss also ended Worth County's school-record 28-game winning streak. Worth County also dropped consecutive games for the first time since the end of the 2004 season, when consecutive losses to North Nodaway and Stanberry dropped the Tigers out of the playoffs that year. Worth County's troubles were not limited to the Panthers as one of the referees, obviously on a power trip, tried to tag Worth County for a sideline warning because someone on the St. Francis medical staff stood halfway over the dotted line on their side of the field even though she was wearing a coat that clearly identified her as a volunteer trainer for St. Francis and not one of Worth County's coaching staff.
After the Tigers forced Mound City to punt on their opening series, what looked like a possible defensive struggle turned into a disaster when James Schoonover, in the first of many defensive plays Friday night that would hurt the Tigers, shot through unblocked to block a Tiger punt and give Mound City a short field to work with as they started on the Tiger 23. One bad play doesn't win or lose games. But the scene repeated itself throughout the night -- the Tigers actually moved the ball against Mound City at times. But then, they would forget to account for Schoonover, who would shoot into the Tiger backfield to disrupt plays. The Panthers were in the end zone in five plays after the first miscue as Gage Rosier scored from 11 yards out with 5:59 left. Lucas Schawang ran in the extra points to make it 8-0.
It was Rosier (21 carries, 257 yards) who was the second half of the wrecking crew for Mound City -- in a scene that repeated itself from the Stanberry game, the Tigers would hold the Panthers at times. But then, there would be breakdowns on defense and someone would try to grab at Rosier instead of wrapping him up, with predictable results -- Rosier going off to the races and leaving everyone behind.
Worth County could only get seven yards on three plays on their next series after Barrett Baker had returned the ball to the 30 to get them decent field position. They elected to go for it on fourth and three, but a short pass was incomplete and the Panthers took over on the Tiger 37 on downs. This was nothing to worry about -- yet. The Tigers forced two turnovers deep in their own territory in the playoff game two years ago; on both occasions, the Panthers had threatened to make it a two-possession game. But this time, Mound City only needed three plays to make it a two-possession game. Gage Rosier took a sweep, made a cutback, and nobody was home to stop him and he was off for a 32-yard score with 3:08 left in the first quarter. James Schoonover caught the extra point pass and it was 16-0.
It was Schoonover again on defense on the next series as he dumped Barrett Baker for a four-yard loss and then sacked Zach Harmening for an 11-yard loss as the Tigers did not have an answer for him and were forced to punt. This time, Mound City only needed one play to score as two defenders fell down on the play and Rosier shot right up the middle for a 54-yard score with 1:28 left. He caught the extra point pass to make it 24-0.
Worth County finally mounted a drive against Mound City only to be denied. They got into the red zone four times, but failed to score as their rez zone struggles continued. After J.J. Mullock caught a squib kick at the 30, Zach Harmening converted a fourth and inches with a sneak to the Mound City 37. Two plays later, Eli Mullock finally found some daylight as he got open for 24 yards down to the Mound City 10. A facemask penalty then moved the ball down to the six, but then Harmening got thrown for a loss of two on an option play and then Worth County threw two incomplete passes to give up the ball on downs.
Mound City could do nothing with the ball as a block in the back penalty and a big loss in which Schawang slipped and fell while going back to pass moved it all the way back to the one. The Panthers elected to quick kick rather than risk a safety or a turnover and Worth County took over at midfield. Two rushing plays could only net four yards and a pass was incomplete, but on fourth and six, Alex Harmening caught a 35-yard pass down to the Panther one before he was wrestled down. But then someone forgot what the count was and a false start moved it back to the six; a fumbled handoff then gave the ball right back to the Panthers. On their first play from scrimmage, Rosier went on a sweep and was off to the races again for a 70-yard score thanks to some poor tackling and Prent Eaton caught the extra point pass with 7:53 left to make it 32-0.
Worth County got into the red zone for the third consecutive play thanks to some trickery as Alex Harmening aired it out to Zach for 36 yards down to the 25. A holding penalty moved it back to the 37, but then Eli Mullock caught a swing pass for 9 and then Mullock caught a screen pass to the 17. Alex Harmening caught a short pass to the 14, but then once again, nobody blocked James Schoonover, who shot into the backfield and forced a fumble that Kyler VanSchoiak returned all the way to the Tiger 38. A block in the back penalty on Mound City moved it back to the 27, but the damage was done.
Ryan Crowley ran for a first down up to the 40, but two plays later, Eli Mullock outjumped a Mound City defender and intercepted a pass at the 14. But three plays later, Worth County fumbled the ball right back to the Panthers as Alex Harmening ran for a 12-yard reverse, only to fumble the ball at the end of the run at the Tiger 26. Mound City took full advantage of the miscue; three plays later, Lucas Schawang threw an 11-yard strike to Miles Jumps as nobody guarded him and he was all alone in the end zone to make it 38-0 with 2:15 left at the end of the half. Worth County could not move the ball thanks in part to Schoonover, who was in the backfield hurrying Zach Harmening before he was ready to throw; Eli Mullock broke up a long pass and nearly got his second interception and Mound City botched an option play and fumbled it as they were unable to score again before the half. Very appropriately, the Mound City band played Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York;" this is the song that the world champion New York Yankees play after every win.
Worth County got the ball at the start of the second half and they held out hopes of getting back in the game if they got some lucky breaks, but Schoonover was once again in the backfield; this time, he sacked Harmening for a loss of 15 back to the Tiger five, forcing them to punt. The kick only traveled 19 yards, giving Mound City a short field to work with. Worth County came out and played a little better on this series, but they could not overcome the short field. Rosier's first down run went for 13 yards to the 7, and then Crowley's crack for six yards got down to the one. Two cracks by the Panthers could not break the plane, but Schoonover caught a fourth and one pass with 8:16 left to make it 44-0 with 8:15 left.
Cody Green caught a pass for 14 yards to the 29 on Worth County's next series, but they stalled at the 32. With nothing left to lose, Worth County went for it on fourth and seven, but once again, nobody blocked Schoonover, who was in Zach Harmening's face as his pass went incomplete. Rosier got loose for 14 yards to the 16, but the Tigers stiffened for the next three plays, holding Mound City to seven yards in three plays. But this time, Schoonover burned the Tigers on defense as nobody guarded him on pass coverage and there was nobody within 10 yards of him as he caught a nine-yard pass to account for Mound City's final score of the evening.
After the two teams exchanged punts, the Tigers whiffed again in the red zone. Cody Green caught a 22-yard pass to the Panther 20 after a short kick by Mound City gave Worth County good field position. But once again, nobody blocked Schoonover, who dropped Barrett Baker for a two-yard loss. Eli Mullock found some daylight to the 17 on the next play, but then Zach Harmening's pass to an open Barrett Baker was too far and then he was picked off in the end zone on fourth down to end Worth County's final scoring threat of the evening.
Despite the loss, Coach Chuck Borey looked at the big picture, saying that this particular group of seniors had come a long ways since junior high, when they were 1-5 that year. "Thanks to all your hard work, we exceeded everyone's expectations," he told them after the game. The game was the last for Josh Wagner, J.J. Mullock, Zach Harmening, and Barrett Baker. He said that he would have been happy with a 7-3 or 8-2 record and that getting back into the playoffs was a pleasant surprise. Speaking of the game, he said that he was disappointed that they did not convert their chances in the red zone, saying that "it can't happen against a good team like Mound City." He said that the more experienced Panthers came and played like they had something to prove against Worth County. "Mentally, we didn't stay tough. They dominated the line of scrimmage and we could never get our running game going."
Monday, November 2, 2009
Town Meeting To Be Held for Proposed County Jail
Mayor Bud Allee and Council members agreed to call a town meeting at which Gary Hamilton of Albany, the man who would put the proposed county jail in the Sheridan Schoolhouse, would present information about the project. Allee said that he was all for it, saying that it would get the building back in shape and back on the city's tax rolls, but that it was up to the council to decide the fate of the proposal. Allee said that it would be a self-contained prison that would be fenced in and surveyed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; the monitoring would be done based on state requirements. The employees would be private security guards who would have no public authority or arrest powers.
Council members said that there were some people who were for it and some against it. Councilman Dave Thomas said that most of the people he talked to were for it, but councilwoman Candy Martin said that the people she talked to were all against it. Rodney Martin said that he did not want to see any criminal element brought to Sheridan. Councilman Dave Thomas said that the worst offenders that would be there were people who were convicted of DWI offenses or child support violations. Allee said that contrary to rumors, the inmates would not have the run of the park or be allowed to go to the tavern. "There were these sorts of rumors going around when Maryville's facility was built," he said. "And look how lucrative it is for them."
Both Allee and councilman Leland Wake said that the big upside of the project would be the fact that the Schoolhouse would be fixed up. "We've been trying to maintain the building ever since the school closed," said Allee. "This is our chance to do so." He said that another upside would be that the building would be back on the tax rolls; he said that it would use a lot of water, meaning a lot more revenues for the city's water fund. The proposed jail would have its own sewage plant to ease the additional load on Sheridan's water resources.
Miranda Lyle, an opponent of the proposal, addressed the council said that there were a lot of unanswered questions about it. For instance, she said that the city did not know enough about Mr. Hamilton's credentials or what his business plan would be or what information, if any, the state had on either him or similar such projects. "This is research that should have already been done," she said. She said that there were a lot of similar projects around the state in which small towns were stuck with buildings that they could not use because of leins on the property after the jails went under. Another question she said needed to be asked was the fact that there was an already existing unused facility near Bethany but that Mr. Hamilton was trying locate it in Sheridan. "Why here and not Bethany?" she asked. The Bethany jail recently closed, which triggered the current proposal before Sheridan. Councilwoman Mary Jo Hawk said that the project would be paid for by Hamilton's own money and that of two partners and that he was in the process of getting grant money for the project as well.
Lyle then said that the criminal element argument was being downplayed too much. "They may only be in here for 120 days maximum, but that doesn't mean that they didn't commit something else," she said. "These people are not going to willingly walk into these places."
Debbie (Fletchall) Zook, another opponent of the proposal, said that the city should look at other alternatives to bringing in a jail. "We're planning to retire to Sheridan and we're building a house next to the jail," she said. "We should not have to worry about our safety because of the fact that we live next to a jail."
Wake said that the council could not come up with the answers in one meeting and that the best thing to do would be to have a town hall meeting with Mr. Hamilton so that the city and residents could get some answers. Allee appointed Martin and Hawk to organize a meeting with Mr. Hamilton so that he could introduce himself to the community and pitch the proposal.
Talking about the late Marian Scott, Allee said that the town had lost a "prominent, productive citizen." Ms. Scott had worked with the city for 11 years and Allee said that "She was a good friend and she did a lot of good things for the city."
It was reported that there was a vandalism at the park; kids had taken the slide and dragged it in front of the bandstand.
Water Superintendent David Parman reported that he had renewed his water treatment license and that there were six delinquent customers this month.
Street Commissioner Doug Allee reported that the new city truck had been fixed. Work was done on the two-speed, the shutoff, the oil filter, the tail light, and the hydraulics. He said that he planned to work on the city streets this weekend, weather permitting. More work was still needed on welding the snowplow.
Council members said that there were some people who were for it and some against it. Councilman Dave Thomas said that most of the people he talked to were for it, but councilwoman Candy Martin said that the people she talked to were all against it. Rodney Martin said that he did not want to see any criminal element brought to Sheridan. Councilman Dave Thomas said that the worst offenders that would be there were people who were convicted of DWI offenses or child support violations. Allee said that contrary to rumors, the inmates would not have the run of the park or be allowed to go to the tavern. "There were these sorts of rumors going around when Maryville's facility was built," he said. "And look how lucrative it is for them."
Both Allee and councilman Leland Wake said that the big upside of the project would be the fact that the Schoolhouse would be fixed up. "We've been trying to maintain the building ever since the school closed," said Allee. "This is our chance to do so." He said that another upside would be that the building would be back on the tax rolls; he said that it would use a lot of water, meaning a lot more revenues for the city's water fund. The proposed jail would have its own sewage plant to ease the additional load on Sheridan's water resources.
Miranda Lyle, an opponent of the proposal, addressed the council said that there were a lot of unanswered questions about it. For instance, she said that the city did not know enough about Mr. Hamilton's credentials or what his business plan would be or what information, if any, the state had on either him or similar such projects. "This is research that should have already been done," she said. She said that there were a lot of similar projects around the state in which small towns were stuck with buildings that they could not use because of leins on the property after the jails went under. Another question she said needed to be asked was the fact that there was an already existing unused facility near Bethany but that Mr. Hamilton was trying locate it in Sheridan. "Why here and not Bethany?" she asked. The Bethany jail recently closed, which triggered the current proposal before Sheridan. Councilwoman Mary Jo Hawk said that the project would be paid for by Hamilton's own money and that of two partners and that he was in the process of getting grant money for the project as well.
Lyle then said that the criminal element argument was being downplayed too much. "They may only be in here for 120 days maximum, but that doesn't mean that they didn't commit something else," she said. "These people are not going to willingly walk into these places."
Debbie (Fletchall) Zook, another opponent of the proposal, said that the city should look at other alternatives to bringing in a jail. "We're planning to retire to Sheridan and we're building a house next to the jail," she said. "We should not have to worry about our safety because of the fact that we live next to a jail."
Wake said that the council could not come up with the answers in one meeting and that the best thing to do would be to have a town hall meeting with Mr. Hamilton so that the city and residents could get some answers. Allee appointed Martin and Hawk to organize a meeting with Mr. Hamilton so that he could introduce himself to the community and pitch the proposal.
Talking about the late Marian Scott, Allee said that the town had lost a "prominent, productive citizen." Ms. Scott had worked with the city for 11 years and Allee said that "She was a good friend and she did a lot of good things for the city."
It was reported that there was a vandalism at the park; kids had taken the slide and dragged it in front of the bandstand.
Water Superintendent David Parman reported that he had renewed his water treatment license and that there were six delinquent customers this month.
Street Commissioner Doug Allee reported that the new city truck had been fixed. Work was done on the two-speed, the shutoff, the oil filter, the tail light, and the hydraulics. He said that he planned to work on the city streets this weekend, weather permitting. More work was still needed on welding the snowplow.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Shell-Shocked Tigers Fall to Stanberry 44-24
The Worth County Tigers fell in a hard way to Stanberry as they fell to the visiting Bulldogs 44-24 Friday. Worth County was unable to cope with either the experience (11 seniors for Stanberry, 4 for Worth County) or the speed of the Bulldogs. Having had a surprisingly easy time with North Andrew and having wins against North Nodaway and South Nodaway that were decided by halftime, Worth County was not used to playing against a quick team like Stanberry as they were repeatedly burned for big plays all night. With the loss, the Tigers will travel to Mound City this Friday at 7:00 for a return match with the Panthers. Coach Chuck Borey was not happy with what he saw as less than 100% effort from the team. However, he said that it made no difference as they would have had to play the Panthers anyway at their place regardless of the outcome. Stanberry will host Nodaway-Holt in the other district game in the bracket; should the Tigers beat Mound City at their field for the fifth straight time, Stanberry will host the Tigers at their place. Luck is on Worth County's side in another area as they have not lost two straight games since the 2004 season, when they lost their last two games of that season. The Tigers dug themselves into an 18-0 hole in the first quarter, very similar to what happened in their district match last year when they dug themselves into a 28-0 hole and had to fight back. Similar to last year, Worth County fought back to make a game out of it, only to get burned on a big play as they seemingly wore themselves out trying to get back into the game. With the loss, the Tigers fell into a three-way tie for first place in the 275 Conference with Stanberry and Mound City. Worth County got the ball to start the game, but could do nothing with it despite an offsides penalty by Stanberry and they were forced to punt. On the punt, the Tigers' long snapping woes from the last game countinued as a bad snap sailed over Zach Harmening's head in the wet field conditions; however, he was able to get to the ball and get the punt off, which rolled dead at the Stanberry 28. The Bulldogs took the opening drive for a ten play 52 yard drive for the first score. Conner Rosier got a first-down run up to the 38. A holding penalty set Stanberry back to the 32, but poor tackling enabled Rosier to spring loose for a 14-yard gain to the Tiger 34. Two cracks up the middle gave them another first down to the 30, and a counter to Gage moved it to the 20. Three plays later, Rosier got into the end zone for a 6-0 Stanberry lead with 5:24 left in the first quarter. Nothing to worry about -- the Tigers had trailed early against Nodaway-Holt and Craig/Fairfax and gave up an early score against West Nodaway as well. But the Tigers went three and out again aided by a sack after a pass was batted back in Zach Harmening's face and he was sacked for a 10-yard loss. This time, Stanberry only needed three plays to score despite another referee's hankie. Stanberry started off in good field position at the Tiger 35 and then Devin Gage took the ball 13 yards to the 22. Then, in a scene that would repeat itself for the rest of the evening, Bulldog quarterback Jason McQuinn took an option 19 yards down to the three as nobody covered him. This was an instance of Stanberry's experience paying off -- while Stanberry's players knew their assignments, Worth County's were repeatedly confused about responsibilities and would get beat for big plays as a result. A false start moved the ball back to the 8, but Devin Gage bounced outside on a dive play and nobody was home to cover him and he scored with 3:39 left to make it 12-0. That was nothing to worry about -- Worth County had dug themselves out of a 20-6 hole against Nodaway-Holt earlier in the year. But then, the Tigers dug themselves into a hole that was far too deep -- consecutive bad snaps led to Stanberry's third consecutive score as on fourth and 14, the second such snap sailed into the end zone and the speedy Stanberry players pounced on it for the score with 1:33 left to make it 18-0. Worth County needed a break to do so, but like last year, they made a game out of it. On the ensuing kickoff, two cracks by Barrett Baker went nowhere, but then Eli Mullock lined up in the shotgun formation and took the snap and outran everyone for a 60-yard score to put the Tigers on the board with 9.6 seconds left in the period. Stanberry then handed the Tigers another gift as they fumbled the ball on their first play from scrimmage to give the Tigers the ball at the Stanberry 18; Mullock recovered the fumble for the Tigers on the play. Two plays later, the line finally opened up a big hole for Mullock, who burst through for 11 yards down to the 5. Three consecutive offsides calls moved the ball to the one-inch line, where Zach Harmening's quarterback sneak made it 18-12 with 10:55 left in the second quarter. But Stanberry reestablished control of the game on their third play from scrimmage. This time, the Tigers had McQuinn covered perfectly but forgot to cover Devin Gage, who was off to the races for a 45-yard touchdown run with 9:34 left to make it 24-12. Worth County went three and out on their next possession as Harmening's pass was nearly intercepted and then two cracks by Eli Mullock could only net seven yards. But this time they held as Gage was stood up for no gain by Josh Wagner, who delivered a solid shot. Then, Brian Hall shot through and hit Jason McQuinn for a 4-yard loss on an option. Then, Stanberry tried another option but fumbled the pitch out of bounds and they were forced to punt. The Tigers threatened to score and make it a one-possession game, but they were denied; Worth County had three possessions where they took it in the red zone but failed to score. They dug themselves into a hole at their own 14 with a holding penalty, but a pass interference penalty on Stanberry gave them the ball at their own 32. Alex Harmening then took a flat pass 16 yards to the Stanberry 32. A holding penalty moved it back to the Worth County 38, but on third and 17, Josh Wagner, of all people, caught a 28-yard bomb that gave Worth County first and 10 at the Stanberry 11. But the Tigers stalled there as two cracks lost one yard. Zach Harmening scrambled for seven yards to the Stanberry 5, but on fourth and four, as they tried to isolate Barrett Baker in the left corner of the end zone, Harmening threw an interception that was returned to the 6. Stanberry initially started off very conservatively and intended to run out the clock as two cracks up the middle got nowhere, but then on their third down pass, Barrett Baker unsuccessfully tried for an interception that would have been a touchdown return, and Andy Luke caught a 12-yard pass to keep the drive alive with 47 seconds left in the half. Devin Gage took an option for 17 yards up to the Stanberry 38 and then Conner Rosier caught a 12-yard screen pass to the Tiger 29. But time was winding down and with 12 seconds left in the half, Stanberry tried a halfback pass as they pitched back to Tyler McQuinn, who aired it out into the end zone. But Eli Mullock picked it off and returned it to the 23. Mullock caught a pass for 12 yards before time ran out in the half. The second half started off well for Worth County as they pounced on a fumble on the opening kickoff and recovered the ball at the Stanberry 26. Three plays later, Eli Mullock went in shotgun on the swing motion play, took the snap, and headed around the end as he got a block from Dylan Kinsella to bring the Tigers within 24-18 with 11:17 left in the third quarter. Jason McQuinn took an option for 19 yards to the Worth County 37, but the Bulldogs stalled there. Two runs by Devin Gage only netted three yards and then Barrett Baker broke up a pass on third and seven. Stanberry elected to pin Worth County deep in their own territory instead of going for it and Worth County got the ensuing punt on their own 18. The move initially paid off as a fumble and a block in the back penalty moved the Tigers back to their own seven, but Zach Harmening rescued the drive as he aired it out to Alex Harmening for 29 yards to the Stanberry 36. On the next play, Eli Mullock took the handoff, swept to the right, and then reversed his field back to the left side and picked up 27 yards to the Stanberry 9 where Worth County had first and goal. But they stalled there as three carries by Mullock lost a yard and then Harmening's pass to Barrett Baker in the end zone was too far and Stanberry took over on downs.
Stanberry ran their way out of trouble as Rosier got a first down run to the 20 and then Gage took a pitch out to the 30 for 10 yards where he was stopped inches short. Two cracks failed to get the first down, but Stanberry went for it on fourth and inches and Jason McQuinn's sneak got them the critical fourth down conversion to the 35. Then, the Tigers began to break down on the option again as nobody covered McQuinn, who ripped off carries of 17 and 11 yards mixed in with three carries by Devin Gage for 10 yards. Finally, McQuinn got a keeper around the end to score with 11:02 left to make it 30-18.
A block in the back penalty put the Tigers in bad field position at their own 8, but they passed their way out of the hole as Zach Harmening aired it out to Barrett Baker for 39 yards to the Stanberry 33. Two plays later, Harmening aired it out to Alex Harmening for 29 yards down to the three and Eli Mullock got a block from Barrett Baker and scored up the middle to make it 30-24 with 9:47 left. But Stanberry struck right back; they were seemingly stalled on third and long at their own 14 when Jason McQuinn went on the option again. Once again, nobody covered him on the option and this time, he was off to the races for a 66-yard touchdown run that turned out to be the dagger for Stanberry as they went ahead 36-24.
Worth County went nowhere on their next series as a short pass to Alex Harmening and a sweep from Eli Mullock only netted four yards and then their third down pass was incomplete. With time running out in the game, Worth County elected to go for it, but another pass was incomplete and Stanberry took over on downs at the Tiger 19. They were thwarted and the Tigers got the ball back on downs, but then Devin Gage intercepted a pass on their first play from scrimmage and this time, Stanberry got their final score with 3:49 left, a 10-yard run from Conner Rosier. Andy Luke caught the extra point pass to make it 44-24. Worth County drove down the field in an effort to get a final score. They were buried on their own seven thanks to a block in the back penalty, but Barrett Baker caught a 29-yard screen pass and Zach Harmening aired it out to Cody Green for 31 yards down to the Stanberry 12. A pass interference penalty moved it to the six and then Alex Harmening caught a short pass that he ran down to the one. But they could not get in as Harmening lost two on a short pass and then two plays later, Zach Harmening threw a tipped ball that was picked off in the end zone.
Stanberry ran their way out of trouble as Rosier got a first down run to the 20 and then Gage took a pitch out to the 30 for 10 yards where he was stopped inches short. Two cracks failed to get the first down, but Stanberry went for it on fourth and inches and Jason McQuinn's sneak got them the critical fourth down conversion to the 35. Then, the Tigers began to break down on the option again as nobody covered McQuinn, who ripped off carries of 17 and 11 yards mixed in with three carries by Devin Gage for 10 yards. Finally, McQuinn got a keeper around the end to score with 11:02 left to make it 30-18.
A block in the back penalty put the Tigers in bad field position at their own 8, but they passed their way out of the hole as Zach Harmening aired it out to Barrett Baker for 39 yards to the Stanberry 33. Two plays later, Harmening aired it out to Alex Harmening for 29 yards down to the three and Eli Mullock got a block from Barrett Baker and scored up the middle to make it 30-24 with 9:47 left. But Stanberry struck right back; they were seemingly stalled on third and long at their own 14 when Jason McQuinn went on the option again. Once again, nobody covered him on the option and this time, he was off to the races for a 66-yard touchdown run that turned out to be the dagger for Stanberry as they went ahead 36-24.
Worth County went nowhere on their next series as a short pass to Alex Harmening and a sweep from Eli Mullock only netted four yards and then their third down pass was incomplete. With time running out in the game, Worth County elected to go for it, but another pass was incomplete and Stanberry took over on downs at the Tiger 19. They were thwarted and the Tigers got the ball back on downs, but then Devin Gage intercepted a pass on their first play from scrimmage and this time, Stanberry got their final score with 3:49 left, a 10-yard run from Conner Rosier. Andy Luke caught the extra point pass to make it 44-24. Worth County drove down the field in an effort to get a final score. They were buried on their own seven thanks to a block in the back penalty, but Barrett Baker caught a 29-yard screen pass and Zach Harmening aired it out to Cody Green for 31 yards down to the Stanberry 12. A pass interference penalty moved it to the six and then Alex Harmening caught a short pass that he ran down to the one. But they could not get in as Harmening lost two on a short pass and then two plays later, Zach Harmening threw a tipped ball that was picked off in the end zone.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Tigers Hang 30 in First Quarter on Mustangs, Win 46-20
Worth County Tigers hung 30 points in the first quarter on North Nodaway as they contained a potent passing attack and beat the Mustangs 46-20 in a game that was not as close as the final score. North Nodaway scored all 20 points in the second half after Coach Chuck Borey had pulled out all of his starters and the Mustangs elected to keep playing after it was 46-0 and elected to keep all their starters in the game.
North Nodaway got the ball on their opening possession and with nothing to lose, began airing it out almost every single play. They had the arm to do it with as Mustang quarterback Jason DeMott was ranked fourth among eight-man quarterbacks by the St. Joseph News-Press. Tiger quarterback Zach Harmening (7 completions, 180 yards in one half) is ranked third. However, on their initial series at their own 15, the first snap sailed over DeMott's head and he had to throw it away. His second bomb was dropped and this third was broken up by Barrett Baker, forcing them to punt. "We did a good job getting pressure on DeMott," said Coach Borey. "Our ends were doing a good job putting pressure on him, and our backs were doing a good job covering their receivers." Fears that the Tigers would be short-handed because of the flu did not materialize. There were only 15 players at practice at one point during the week, but everyone got themselves healthy by game day. And despite North Nodaway leaving their starters in against Worth County's JV, the Tigers were able to come out of the game healthy as they prepare for their annual showdown with Stanberry this Friday at 7 at home.
Worth County got on the board right away thanks to a short field as a short kick gave them the ball on the North Nodaway 30. They got on the board on their very first play as Zach Harmening aired it out to Alex Harmening, back from a hip injury as Coach Chuck Borey had held him out of the South Nodaway game as a precautionary measure. Alex showed no ill effects as he outleaped a Mustang defender much bigger than he was and hauled it in just inside the right end zone marker for the score with 11:20. Alex Harmening also caught the extra point pass as he broke to the middle and caught a pass to make it 8-0.
Poor field position would doom any hopes of an upset by the Mustangs as well as poor special teams play. First of all, Cody Green stuffed a first down run and threw DeMott for a loss of two. Eli Mullock covered two DeMott bombs successfully and a false start moved it back to the 11. The ensuing punt was blocked by Brian Hall, who recovered the carom at the Mustang 8. Two plays later, the Tigers were in the end zone again as Barrett Baker did it in two cracks, the second a five-yard run helped by a block from Eli Mullock. Baker took the extra point handoff and leveled DeMott and barreled his way in for the two points to make it 16-0 with 9:39 left in the first quarter.
North Nodaway finally got into Tiger territory as DeMott aired it out to Cody Bix for 28 yards to the Tiger 31. But two running plays only netted five yards and then DeMott, going back for a pass, slipped and fell at the Tiger 34 for fourth and 13. On the ensuing play, a bad snap sailed over DeMott's head and Dallas Greenland collared him all the way back at the Mustang 25, where Worth County took over on downs. For the third consecutive series, the Tigers had the short field to work with and they used it as Zach Harmening went back as though to throw a short pass to the right side and faked the throw perfectly. He then handed it to Eli Mullock going around the left side for 16 yards down to the 9. On the next play, Worth County handed it off to Josh Wagner, who got a block from Barrett Baker and leveled a defender for Worth County's third score. J.J. Mullock and Dylan Kinsella opened a huge hole for Wagner on the extra point try and he ran through it for the two points to make it 24-0 with 6:56 left in the first quarter.
North Nodaway's troubles were not over in the first quarter as they tried to go to Jesse Birkenholz for a draw play, but Barrett Baker dropped him for a loss of 4 back to the Mustang 13. DeMott went back to pass on second and long, but his pass was too high for his receiver and then Eli Mullock sacked him to force North Nodaway to punt. But this time Worth County, despite getting the ball on the North Nodaway 20, could not convert as a fumble and a dropped pass gave North Nodaway the ball back on downs at their own 20.
The Mustangs tried the ground game with a little success; however, they stalled at midfield. Zack Gladman ran for a first down to the North Nodaway 32 and then DeMott found daylight and scrambled seven yards to the 39. But a quick pass went astray and then DeMott's fourth down pass short-hopped the receiver and Worth County once again had the ball in North Nodaway territory. This time, they were not to be denied. An offsides penalty moved the ball to the 34 and then Barrett Baker took a sweep nine yards to the North Nodaway 25. Baker's reverse only went for two yards to the 23, but then that set up the next play perfectly. This time, the Tigers faked the reverse and Zach Harmening found Eli Mullock over the middle for a strike in the end zone to make it 30-0 with 24 seconds left in the first quarter.
A botched snap put North Nodaway in the hole again as they were forced into second and long. An incomplete pass, a false start penalty, and another incomplete pass as the Mustangs were desperately trying to air it out to get back in the game set up fourth and 18. But this time, the Tigers gave them new life thanks to some poor tackling and a penalty. DeMott took the snap to punt and it was apparently going to be blocked. But DeMott juked some defenders who were grabbing at him instead of wrapping up and drew a 15-yard facemask penalty to give them new life at their own 35. A pair of carries by Zack Gladman and Travis Koster gave them a first down into Tiger territory at the 34, but then Josh Wagner and Brian Hall stopped Gladman for no gain to set up second and long. An incomplete pass was followed by a four-yard run from Gladman and DeMott's pass was short of the receiver and Worth County took over on downs at their own 30.
Barrett Baker caught a 34-yard pass over the middle to put Worth County into North Nodaway territory at the 28, but on third and three, a bad snap sailed over Zach Harmening's head and he had to eat the ball at the 40. Barrett Baker caught a short pass for what looked like a good gain on fourth down, but his knee hit the ground at the Tiger 38, where North Nodaway took over on downs. But Worth County stiffened up despite the short field as Cody Green dropped Gladman for a loss of two. A dropped pass set up third and long and then Josh Wagner ran down DeMott for a sack to force the Mustangs to punt.
The punt pinned the Tigers at their own 4, but they were able to pass their way out of trouble and score. First, Eli took a long pass and corralled it for 30 yards to the 34. A pair of false starts and a sack set up fourth and 18 at their own 28, but Worth County shifted from a conventional punt formation into a set with triple receivers at the last possible moment and Zach Harmening aired it out to Barrett Baker for 54 yards for a score with 1:59 left. Baker ran a counter sweep in for the extra points to make it 38-0. North Nodaway could only get to midfield before time expired at the half.
Barrett Baker took the first play of the second half and ran through a big hole created by Dylan Kinsella for Worth County's final tally with 11:46 left in the third quarter. Eli Mullock spun his way in for the extra points to make it 46-0.
An offsides penalty gave North Nodaway a first down and Travis Koster ran for another as North Nodaway kept their starters in while Coach Borey began subbing in his JV. But an interception thwarted the drive as Dallas Greenland picked off a tipped pass at the Tiger 34. Greenland got a 12-yard carry to the North Nodaway 34 and then the Tigers rescued second and long as Dallas Greenland picked up a six-yard carry, Jordan Harding got 4, and Adam Summers converted a fourth and one sneak for two yards to the 23. Greenland got 7 yards to the 15, but then Summers was sacked back to the 25. Jordan Harding caught a 12-yard screen pass to the 13 to set up fourth and one, but the Tigers tried to pass and it fell incomplete.
For the rest of the game, it was North Nodaway scoring at will with their starters against the Tiger JV in a scene that Coach Chuck Borey said was "not pretty at all." Zack Gladman ran for a 52-yard touchdown run with 8:37 left to get North Nodaway on the board; Gladman ran another one for 18 yards with 4:09 left for their second score, and then Jason DeMott returned a punt 50 yards for their final score of the evening with 1:37 left before Worth County knelt down for the win.
North Nodaway got the ball on their opening possession and with nothing to lose, began airing it out almost every single play. They had the arm to do it with as Mustang quarterback Jason DeMott was ranked fourth among eight-man quarterbacks by the St. Joseph News-Press. Tiger quarterback Zach Harmening (7 completions, 180 yards in one half) is ranked third. However, on their initial series at their own 15, the first snap sailed over DeMott's head and he had to throw it away. His second bomb was dropped and this third was broken up by Barrett Baker, forcing them to punt. "We did a good job getting pressure on DeMott," said Coach Borey. "Our ends were doing a good job putting pressure on him, and our backs were doing a good job covering their receivers." Fears that the Tigers would be short-handed because of the flu did not materialize. There were only 15 players at practice at one point during the week, but everyone got themselves healthy by game day. And despite North Nodaway leaving their starters in against Worth County's JV, the Tigers were able to come out of the game healthy as they prepare for their annual showdown with Stanberry this Friday at 7 at home.
Worth County got on the board right away thanks to a short field as a short kick gave them the ball on the North Nodaway 30. They got on the board on their very first play as Zach Harmening aired it out to Alex Harmening, back from a hip injury as Coach Chuck Borey had held him out of the South Nodaway game as a precautionary measure. Alex showed no ill effects as he outleaped a Mustang defender much bigger than he was and hauled it in just inside the right end zone marker for the score with 11:20. Alex Harmening also caught the extra point pass as he broke to the middle and caught a pass to make it 8-0.
Poor field position would doom any hopes of an upset by the Mustangs as well as poor special teams play. First of all, Cody Green stuffed a first down run and threw DeMott for a loss of two. Eli Mullock covered two DeMott bombs successfully and a false start moved it back to the 11. The ensuing punt was blocked by Brian Hall, who recovered the carom at the Mustang 8. Two plays later, the Tigers were in the end zone again as Barrett Baker did it in two cracks, the second a five-yard run helped by a block from Eli Mullock. Baker took the extra point handoff and leveled DeMott and barreled his way in for the two points to make it 16-0 with 9:39 left in the first quarter.
North Nodaway finally got into Tiger territory as DeMott aired it out to Cody Bix for 28 yards to the Tiger 31. But two running plays only netted five yards and then DeMott, going back for a pass, slipped and fell at the Tiger 34 for fourth and 13. On the ensuing play, a bad snap sailed over DeMott's head and Dallas Greenland collared him all the way back at the Mustang 25, where Worth County took over on downs. For the third consecutive series, the Tigers had the short field to work with and they used it as Zach Harmening went back as though to throw a short pass to the right side and faked the throw perfectly. He then handed it to Eli Mullock going around the left side for 16 yards down to the 9. On the next play, Worth County handed it off to Josh Wagner, who got a block from Barrett Baker and leveled a defender for Worth County's third score. J.J. Mullock and Dylan Kinsella opened a huge hole for Wagner on the extra point try and he ran through it for the two points to make it 24-0 with 6:56 left in the first quarter.
North Nodaway's troubles were not over in the first quarter as they tried to go to Jesse Birkenholz for a draw play, but Barrett Baker dropped him for a loss of 4 back to the Mustang 13. DeMott went back to pass on second and long, but his pass was too high for his receiver and then Eli Mullock sacked him to force North Nodaway to punt. But this time Worth County, despite getting the ball on the North Nodaway 20, could not convert as a fumble and a dropped pass gave North Nodaway the ball back on downs at their own 20.
The Mustangs tried the ground game with a little success; however, they stalled at midfield. Zack Gladman ran for a first down to the North Nodaway 32 and then DeMott found daylight and scrambled seven yards to the 39. But a quick pass went astray and then DeMott's fourth down pass short-hopped the receiver and Worth County once again had the ball in North Nodaway territory. This time, they were not to be denied. An offsides penalty moved the ball to the 34 and then Barrett Baker took a sweep nine yards to the North Nodaway 25. Baker's reverse only went for two yards to the 23, but then that set up the next play perfectly. This time, the Tigers faked the reverse and Zach Harmening found Eli Mullock over the middle for a strike in the end zone to make it 30-0 with 24 seconds left in the first quarter.
A botched snap put North Nodaway in the hole again as they were forced into second and long. An incomplete pass, a false start penalty, and another incomplete pass as the Mustangs were desperately trying to air it out to get back in the game set up fourth and 18. But this time, the Tigers gave them new life thanks to some poor tackling and a penalty. DeMott took the snap to punt and it was apparently going to be blocked. But DeMott juked some defenders who were grabbing at him instead of wrapping up and drew a 15-yard facemask penalty to give them new life at their own 35. A pair of carries by Zack Gladman and Travis Koster gave them a first down into Tiger territory at the 34, but then Josh Wagner and Brian Hall stopped Gladman for no gain to set up second and long. An incomplete pass was followed by a four-yard run from Gladman and DeMott's pass was short of the receiver and Worth County took over on downs at their own 30.
Barrett Baker caught a 34-yard pass over the middle to put Worth County into North Nodaway territory at the 28, but on third and three, a bad snap sailed over Zach Harmening's head and he had to eat the ball at the 40. Barrett Baker caught a short pass for what looked like a good gain on fourth down, but his knee hit the ground at the Tiger 38, where North Nodaway took over on downs. But Worth County stiffened up despite the short field as Cody Green dropped Gladman for a loss of two. A dropped pass set up third and long and then Josh Wagner ran down DeMott for a sack to force the Mustangs to punt.
The punt pinned the Tigers at their own 4, but they were able to pass their way out of trouble and score. First, Eli took a long pass and corralled it for 30 yards to the 34. A pair of false starts and a sack set up fourth and 18 at their own 28, but Worth County shifted from a conventional punt formation into a set with triple receivers at the last possible moment and Zach Harmening aired it out to Barrett Baker for 54 yards for a score with 1:59 left. Baker ran a counter sweep in for the extra points to make it 38-0. North Nodaway could only get to midfield before time expired at the half.
Barrett Baker took the first play of the second half and ran through a big hole created by Dylan Kinsella for Worth County's final tally with 11:46 left in the third quarter. Eli Mullock spun his way in for the extra points to make it 46-0.
An offsides penalty gave North Nodaway a first down and Travis Koster ran for another as North Nodaway kept their starters in while Coach Borey began subbing in his JV. But an interception thwarted the drive as Dallas Greenland picked off a tipped pass at the Tiger 34. Greenland got a 12-yard carry to the North Nodaway 34 and then the Tigers rescued second and long as Dallas Greenland picked up a six-yard carry, Jordan Harding got 4, and Adam Summers converted a fourth and one sneak for two yards to the 23. Greenland got 7 yards to the 15, but then Summers was sacked back to the 25. Jordan Harding caught a 12-yard screen pass to the 13 to set up fourth and one, but the Tigers tried to pass and it fell incomplete.
For the rest of the game, it was North Nodaway scoring at will with their starters against the Tiger JV in a scene that Coach Chuck Borey said was "not pretty at all." Zack Gladman ran for a 52-yard touchdown run with 8:37 left to get North Nodaway on the board; Gladman ran another one for 18 yards with 4:09 left for their second score, and then Jason DeMott returned a punt 50 yards for their final score of the evening with 1:37 left before Worth County knelt down for the win.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Less than Half of CDBG Surveys Filled Out
The Grant City Council learned at last Wednesday's meeting that less than half of the CDBG surveys that were sent out were returned. There were 284 surveys that were mailed out by the state and only 106 were returned to the city as of last Wednesday. Councilwoman Linda Phipps said that "people want the city to do stuff," but that if they wanted the city to take action to bring clean water to town, they had to fill out the form. CDBG rules require that the city cannot proceed with its grant application for funds for an 11-mile water line from the Middlefork Water Plant to Grant City that the city says will bring cleaner water to the town and replace a line that has had chronic problems and triggered several boil orders in the last year until 80% of the people surveyed have returned forms. Last spring, school was closed for a day because of a leak just north of Gentry that dropped water levels in Grant City too low. There have been several other leaks in the 11-mile water line and Public Works Director Carl Staton said that the problems were only going to get worse if the city did not act. Councilwoman Cathy James said that if people had questions or concerns about the proposed project that they should come to the meeting and get their concerns addressed. She explained that peoples' privacy was protected as neither the city nor the state knows who gets the surveys as they are sent out in a manner similar to how the Census Bureau mails out their forms.
The council met with representatives from Snyder & Associates to discuss the plans for the Downtown Renovation that will be paid for by a $367,500 appropriation from the Federal Government. The project will include sidewalk replacement, beautification, stormwater repair (including the northeast corner), ornamental lighting, and the removal of the existing sidewalk. The preliminary cost estimate for the project will be $334,000, which will vary based on the design and based on what the city wants to do and what they want to leave out. Since this is a federally funded project, the project must be compliant with the ADA, which means all cross-slopes must be under 2%. Trash receptacles and benches will be replaced with ones that match the new design.
A preliminary timeline was mapped out. The council will have a working session for this project November 10th at 6:30 to discuss it in more detail. At the beginning of December, there will be a public forum so that the designers can take into account public feedback. There will be meetings with business owners on the square to discuss the project as well. By February or March, the plan will be submitted to the Missouri Department of Transportation for their approval, and by May, the bids will be sent out. By June or July of next year, the construction will begin and by September, the project will be complete.
Vernon Coy of KCP&L was present to discuss the rewiring of the square, which he said would be done at a minimal cost to the city. He reported that there was not enough electricity to power up the Fall Festival; the lights on the south side of the square went out during the final night of the event. "Every year, we fight to keep the power during the Festival," he told the council. They would rearrange wiring so that they could handle the Fall Festival, the Worth County Smokeoff, and other such events. Coy said that he would get the county's permission to set up needed poles on the Courthouse lawn and that he would donate labor to the project; Councilman Dennis Downing agreed to donate some materials to the project.
The council voted to authorize Councilman Bruce Downing and Public Works Director Carl Staton to spend up to $8,400 to replace the 1979 flatbed truck that the city is currently using. Staton said that the current truck needs about $1,500 to $2,000 in front end parts and that it would not go more than 30 miles per hour on the highway.
Staton reported that work had started on the Nature Trail; the county donated their dozer for the project for two days. Staton reported that he had helped Guy Fletchall remove some abandoned gas lines, met with four engineers who were interested in working on the water main from Grant City to Middlefork Water Company, and winterized the pool. The council voted to replace a sewage pump at a cost of $1,950. For winter, they voted to purchase calcium chloride for the streets for $1,700, salt for another $1,700, and sand for $900 for a total of $4,300. Staton reported that he had gotten a complaint from a customer on a dead-end line about magnesium; he suggested that the line could be hooked up to the main for about $200, as it would involve trenching a line across the street to where the main is. He noted that dead-end lines tended to be trouble spots for magnesium buildups as it sets in low areas and builds up.
Councilwoman Cathy James relayed a request from her daughter Becky McElvain to set up an alert system similar to the one that the school uses to notify parents of cancellations to notify customers of boil orders. Clerk Ayvonne Morin agreed to look into the cost of setting up such a system. In the event of a boil order, the city notifies KAAN Radio, 97.1 The 'Ville, and KQ2 and posts a notice at the Post Office and City Hall.
The city learned that gas rates for this winter will be almost half of what they were last year.
The council met with representatives from Snyder & Associates to discuss the plans for the Downtown Renovation that will be paid for by a $367,500 appropriation from the Federal Government. The project will include sidewalk replacement, beautification, stormwater repair (including the northeast corner), ornamental lighting, and the removal of the existing sidewalk. The preliminary cost estimate for the project will be $334,000, which will vary based on the design and based on what the city wants to do and what they want to leave out. Since this is a federally funded project, the project must be compliant with the ADA, which means all cross-slopes must be under 2%. Trash receptacles and benches will be replaced with ones that match the new design.
A preliminary timeline was mapped out. The council will have a working session for this project November 10th at 6:30 to discuss it in more detail. At the beginning of December, there will be a public forum so that the designers can take into account public feedback. There will be meetings with business owners on the square to discuss the project as well. By February or March, the plan will be submitted to the Missouri Department of Transportation for their approval, and by May, the bids will be sent out. By June or July of next year, the construction will begin and by September, the project will be complete.
Vernon Coy of KCP&L was present to discuss the rewiring of the square, which he said would be done at a minimal cost to the city. He reported that there was not enough electricity to power up the Fall Festival; the lights on the south side of the square went out during the final night of the event. "Every year, we fight to keep the power during the Festival," he told the council. They would rearrange wiring so that they could handle the Fall Festival, the Worth County Smokeoff, and other such events. Coy said that he would get the county's permission to set up needed poles on the Courthouse lawn and that he would donate labor to the project; Councilman Dennis Downing agreed to donate some materials to the project.
The council voted to authorize Councilman Bruce Downing and Public Works Director Carl Staton to spend up to $8,400 to replace the 1979 flatbed truck that the city is currently using. Staton said that the current truck needs about $1,500 to $2,000 in front end parts and that it would not go more than 30 miles per hour on the highway.
Staton reported that work had started on the Nature Trail; the county donated their dozer for the project for two days. Staton reported that he had helped Guy Fletchall remove some abandoned gas lines, met with four engineers who were interested in working on the water main from Grant City to Middlefork Water Company, and winterized the pool. The council voted to replace a sewage pump at a cost of $1,950. For winter, they voted to purchase calcium chloride for the streets for $1,700, salt for another $1,700, and sand for $900 for a total of $4,300. Staton reported that he had gotten a complaint from a customer on a dead-end line about magnesium; he suggested that the line could be hooked up to the main for about $200, as it would involve trenching a line across the street to where the main is. He noted that dead-end lines tended to be trouble spots for magnesium buildups as it sets in low areas and builds up.
Councilwoman Cathy James relayed a request from her daughter Becky McElvain to set up an alert system similar to the one that the school uses to notify parents of cancellations to notify customers of boil orders. Clerk Ayvonne Morin agreed to look into the cost of setting up such a system. In the event of a boil order, the city notifies KAAN Radio, 97.1 The 'Ville, and KQ2 and posts a notice at the Post Office and City Hall.
The city learned that gas rates for this winter will be almost half of what they were last year.
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