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Tigers break skid behind big first half
A big first half helped Fort Scott High's football squad break a three-game losing streak Friday night as the Tigers jumped out to a 31-0 lead and went on to a 31-12 victory over Independence in Southeast Kansas League play at Frary Field.
Both teams came into the game with 1-3 records, each having lost to teams that were undefeated going into Friday night. The Tigers (2-2, SEK, 2-3 overall) had the challenge of trying to deal with an Independence team that is both quick and athletic.
Fort Scott answered that challenge well. The Tigers played a well-rounded game in all aspects and the offensive line in particular had its best game of the season as it opened large holes in the Bulldog defense.
"Our offensive line had a challenge tonight against a big D-line," Fort Scott head coach Bob Campbell said. "All those kids, I thought, really played well and did a great job of getting movement at the point of attack. And then we were able to convert in the first half."
The Tiger defense had to make adjustments as the game went on. Independence starting quarterback Chase Berry was pulled at the end of the first quarter and Kyle Rinck, a lanky sophomore, was put in. The Bulldogs (1-3, 1-4) began running more plays from the Wildcat formation and started moving the ball.
Courtlan Hayes, Indy's top running back, was injured returning a kickoff late in the second half and did not return. But backup tailback Marquise Johnson went in and found some success as he ended up leading the Bulldogs in rushing.
"I think you saw some of the quarterback-running back combinations Indy has," Campbell said. "As we've said all week, they're very athletic and to their credit, I thought they came out and played hard in the second half. We were able to get a big enough lead that it wasn't in doubt."
Fort Scott led 14-0 before Independence got a chance to run an offensive play. The Tigers received the opening kickoff and moved downfield, 67 yards in 10 plays, to score on a 1-yard run by Carter Young almost five minutes into the contest.
Indy muffed the ensuing kickoff and Fort Scott recovered it at the Bulldogs' 29-yard line. It took just five plays for the Tigers to score as Race Kastl plunged into the end zone from 2 yards out with 5:18 remaining in the first quarter.
Independence managed to get about 30 yards downfield once it got the ball. But two fumbles on its opening possession hindered the effort and then the snap went over the punter's head on fourth down from midfield. The Tigers recovered at the Indy 25 with 38 seconds left in the opening stanza.
Seven plays later, Johnathan Allen kicked a 27-yard field goal -- the first field goal by any player in the SEK this season -- to extend the lead to 17-0 with 10:13 left in the first half.
Chris Allen sacked Rinck for a 14-yard loss on the fourth play of Indy's ensuing possession, which put the 'Dogs at third-and-26 from their own 32. After Rinck managed just 8 yards on a quarterback draw, Independence's punter badly shanked a punt which bounded back and came to a rest just five yards downfield.
Taking over at the Independence 45, Kastl rushed for 35 yards on second down and then followed Garin Sinn's block the remaining 10 yards for his second touchdown with 6:53 left in the half to make it 24-0.
Alex Fink returned an interception 40 yards to the Independence 15, setting up Joe Doherty's 15-yard touchdown run on the very next play to make it 31-0 with 5:17 left in the half.
Independence got on the board on a 12-yard pass from Rinck to tight end Cody Spears with 47 seconds left in the half. The Bulldogs went for a 2-point conversion but Rinck's pass was incomplete.
The Bulldogs had just 67 yards in total offense at the half. Kastl already had 92 rushing yards by himself. But the Wildcat formation began the second half with alternating doses of Johnson left, Chris Jones right and Rinck up the middle and the mixture kept the Tigers off guard a bit. Independence held the ball 14 plays and for 7 1/2 minutes on the opening possession of the third quarter but came away with nothing after Young intercepted a fourth-down pass on a play from the eight-yard line.
The Tigers were able to hold the ball just five plays themselves before punting it back. Independence held the ball into the early stages of the fourth quarter but again came away empty after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-8 from the Fort Scott 46.
Independence did score again on a 2-yard run by Johnson with 6:04 left in the contest, set up one play before by a 41-yard pass from Rinck to Jon Melton. The 'Dogs went for two but another pass play failed, keeping the score at 31-12.
Johnson recovered the ensuing onside kick and managed to run it up to the Fort Scott 35-yard line. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the 21 but, again, the Bulldogs were stopped on fourth down. This time, Johnson got strung out on a running play on fourth-and-6 from the 17 and was stopped by Young and Jash Pytlowany.
Fort Scott had to punt again but the Tiger defense held the Bulldogs to three incomplete passes and then just one yard on a fourth-down screen pass and took over with 23 seconds left and killed the clock.
"The first half was very a balanced attack, offense, defense, special teams," Campbell said. "Second half, we were a little flat. Independence, to their credit, I thought their kids played very hard the whole game."
Fort Scott finished with 234 yards in total offense, all of it on the ground, compared to just 157 for Independence. The Bulldogs rushed for just 74 yards on 50 carries.
Kastl led the Tigers with 104 yards on 13 carries. Young followed with 67 yards on 11 rushes and Brendyn Quinney finished with 51 yards on eight totes.
Johnson led Independence with 59 yards on 16 carries even though he didn't play the first quarter and a half. Rinck added 42 yards rushing and was 5 of 12 passing for 69 yards.
The Tigers will travel to Altamont Friday night to take on Labette County in SEK play. The Grizzlies (1-3, 1-3) were trailing at Prairie View, 7-6, Friday night when that game was suspended due to lightning. The game will resume Monday afternoon at 4 p.m.
NOTES -- Many games across the state, mainly in the Wichita area and the northeast part of the state, were either halted by storms or kicked off at earlier times in an attempt to beat the storms. No other SEK games were affected but a game involving one of the Tigers' upcoming Class 4A District 6 opponents, Anderson County, was suspended. The Bulldogs (0-4) will resume play at Wellsville tonight at 6 p.m....