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Cardinals control Regional contest
EUDORA -- Fort Scott High scored first in this Class 4A-Division I Regional Playoff Game here Friday night. But Eudora struck back quickly and took control the rest of the way to bring an end to the Tigers' season, 33-7.
Fort Scott (7-3) went into the final game of the regular season last week with the second-best scoring offense in the Southeast Kansas League, averaging 34 points per game. But the Tigers managed only a touchdown in each of their final two outings.
Eudora (7-3) was led by quarterback Grant Elston, who rushed for 227 yards on 24 carries and completed all three of his passes for 43 more, including a touchdown pass from a fake field-goal attempt in the waning moments of the first half.
Fort Scott needed just three plays to score after Zarek Fewell returned the opening kickoff to the Eudora 38-yard line. Three plays later, Kaleb DeLaTorre found Marcus Stepps on a 24-yard scoring play with 10:44 still on the clock. Brody Southwell kicked the extra point.
On the third play of the Cardinals' first possession, Elston scampered 46 yards on a quarterback keeper to the Fort Scott 30. Austin Downing scored from there on the next play with 8:40 on the clock.
After stopping Fort Scott on fourth-and-5 from the Eudora 47 with 6:19 left, Eudora scored the go-ahead touchdown on Downing's 15-yard scamper with 3:29 to go in the quarter.
The Cards stopped Fort Scott on another fourth-down play at their own 30 on the next possession and then thwarted the Tigers' next drive with an interception.
After the Tigers got to the Eudora 32, another Cardinal pickoff at the goal line was brought back to near midfield. With five seconds remaining in the half, Elston lined up for what looked to be a 43-yard field-goal attempt. Instead, he found Ryan Verbanic for a 25-yard scoring pass as the clock hit zero, making it 21-7.
Since the Cardinals had deferred their choice when they won the pre-game coin toss, they were able to receive the second-half opening kickoff. Elston eventually scored on a 44-yard run with 7:21 left in the third. The extra point was unsuccessful, leaving it at 27-7.
The Tigers tried a fake punt at their own 30 with about six minutes left in the third but Eudora stopped it. That led to Carter Neis' 7-yard score with 2:31 in the third.
Trying to keep their season alive, the Tigers went for it twice more on fourth down. They were stopped short on a pass play two plays into the fourth quarter near midfield and again at the Eudora 6 after a good drive with 5:12 remaining.
The Cardinals were able to run out the clock from there.
Eudora gained 383 yards in total offense to 270 for Fort Scott. DeLaTorre threw for 160 yards on 10-of-23 passing. Stepps caught 3 for 75 yards.
Eudora held the Tigers to 3.7 yards per running play while the Cards averaged 6.8. Wyatt Tourtillott led Fort Scott with 61 yards on 9 carries.
FORT SCOTT....... 7 0 0 0 -- 7
EUDORA................ 14 7 12 0 -- 33
| Team stats | Fort Scott | Eudora |
| First downs | 10 | 12 |
| Rushes-yards | 30-110 | 50-338 |
| Passing yards | 160 | 45 |
| Total offense | 270 | 383 |
| Passing (c-a-i) | 10-23-2 | 3-3-0 |
| Punts-avg. | 0-0 | 2-37.0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| Penalties-yards | 5-25 | 3-30 |
First quarter
FS -- Stepps 24 pass from DeLaTorre (Southwell kick), 10:44
E -- Downing 30 run (Elston kick), 8:40
E -- Downing 15 run (Elston kick), 3:29
E -- Verbanic 25 pass from Elston (Elston kick), :00
E -- Elston 44 run (kick failed), 7:21
E -- C. Neis 7 run (pass failed), 2:31
RUSHING: Fort Scott -- W.Tourtillott 9-61, Young 8-27, Fewell 4-15, Tome 1-4, DeLaTorre 7-2, team 1-1. Eudora -- Elston 24-227, Downing 10-56, Andrews 8-35, C.Neis 5-15, T.Neis 2-7, team 1-minus 2.
PASSING: Fort Scott -- DeLaTorre 10-23-2-160. Eudora -- Elston 3-3-0-43.
RECEIVING: Fort Scott -- Stepps 3-75, Southwell 3-30, W.Tourtillott 2-30, Hudiburg 1-15, Young 1-10. Eudora -- Verbanic 1-25, Downing 1-13, T.Neis 1-7.
MISSED FIELD GOALS: None.