Eighth grade falls to Bulldogs, 22-6

Fort Scott Middle School's Zarek Fewell tackles Independence running back Jacob Jackson (16) during a first-quarter play at Frary Field Thursday night. The Tigers lost to the Bulldogs, 22-6, in their final home game of the season. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

Fort Scott Middle School's eighth-grade team hung around with Independence early at Frary Field Thursday night. But the Bulldogs scored in the last two minutes of the second quarter and early in the third and held on for a 22-6 victory over the Tigers (2-1).

Independence scored first on a 1-yard keeper by quarterback Josh Pralle 55 seconds into the second quarter. Just over a minute later, Tiger running back Zarek Fewell made some cuts through the Bulldog defense on his way to the tying score from 40 yards out. Since both teams' conversion attempts failed, the score was 6-6.

Prally scored again on a 52-yard keeper with 1:43 left in the half and Jacob Jackson ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 14-6. Jackson scored a 29-yard touchdown run and the 2-point conversion with 5:08 on the clock in the third.

Jesse Jones had an interception for the Fort Scott defense. Derek Bollinger rushed the ball 6 times for 52 yards for the Tigers while Fewell ran for 46 yards on 3 carries.

The Tigers play at Jayhawk Junior High in Mound City at 5 p.m. Monday night.