Top dogs bite Tigers

KEARNEY —  Smith-Cotton’s hopes for a state title were upended Saturday, as top-ranked Kearney defeated the Tigers 36-7 in a Class 4 state quarterfinal playoff game.

“The kids played hard and we battled against a good defensive team,” S-C coach Mark Johnson said. “Despite the loss, these kids accomplished a lot. These kids are good kids and good citizens and more than 12-1, I’m proud of them as individuals.”

Smith-Cotton ran into Kearney’s “steel curtain” defense, and Bryce Johnson and Solomon Watkins were held in check as the Tigers’ normal prolific offense couldn’t muster a touchdown.

Bryce Johnson completed seven of 12 passes for 81 yards and an interception. Watkins failed to score and eclipse the 100-yard mark for the first time this season, as the senior running back was held to 73 yards on 17 carries.

The Tigers had three turnovers at the most inopportune times, swinging the momentum to Kearney just when their offense was making a charge.

“Three turnovers — you’re not going to win many ballgames against good teams if you play like that,” coach Johnson said. “The first one wasn’t a fumble. His knee was down right in front of us but they called it. The second turnover was just dropped and the last one, the wind just ate up that pass.

“You get a little tested when you get behind like that and you do some things you normally wouldn’t do. They got us out of our comfort zone and the weather didn’t help.”

With winds at 20-plus mph and the temperature in the upper 20s, Smith-Cotton looked primed to get on the scoreboard early.

The Tigers took over at their own 20-yard line on the opening drive and went to work. The Tigers gave the stout Kearney defense a steady diet of the run, setting up a trick play at midfield that marched Smith-Cotton down to the red zone.

On the play, Bryce Johnson found Kendal Brown open for a lateral screen pass and the 6-foot-5 tight end found Jordan Brown open downfield for a 45-yard gain.

Inside the 10-yard line, Smith-Cotton couldn’t punch it in and faced a fourth-and-4. The Tigers opted for a Watkins handoff up the right side. Watkins fell inches short and the Bulldogs took over.

“We can’t miss good blocks against a good football team,” coach Johnson said. “We needed to score there; there’s no doubt about it. We wanted a measurement, instead it was close and they took over.

“We missed assignments on back-to-back plays and you can’t do that. We have to score in that situation and that may have changed the outcome of the game.”

Kearney was forced to a three-and-out on the ensuing drive but received a gift on the next play.

On a designed quarterback keeper, Bryce Johnson rushed up the right side and fumbled to give the Bulldogs possession at Smith-Cotton’s 23.

The Bulldogs’ Kelton Orr capped the short drive with a 5-yard TD run. Matt Slenker’s extra point attempt was blocked, and Kearney led 6-0.

Smith-Cotton couldn’t answer on the next drive and was forced to punt on its first set of downs.

Kearney quarterback Conrad Schottel had trouble on the ensuing drive finding room in the secondary.

Sharaden Staten intercepted Schottel’s pass on the drive’s second play, but the Tigers couldn’t capitalize on the turnover.

Kearney’s defensive line stuffed three straight runs up the middle, and Nick Tuggle mishandled the snap on the punt to give the Bulldogs another short field.

After forcing Kearney to punt, Smith-Cotton drove to midfield off two straight long runs by Watkins. Faced with fourth-and-4 in Bulldogs territory, the Tigers opted to punt just before the half.

Deep in his team’s own territory, Kearney’s Josh Klenda broke a 60-yard run to set up a first down in the red zone. Mark Krause rumbled in from 1 yard out, and the two-point conversion failed, giving the Bulldogs a 12-0 lead going into halftime.

“We punted deep in their territory just before half in hopes to go down 6-0, and they stole the momentum with that long run and score just before the half,” coach Johnson said.

In the second half, the Tigers defense picked up the depleted offense and put Smith-Cotton on the board.

Jordan Brown got to Schottel in the pocket and made hit. Joey Hays caught the deflection and rumbled into the end zone from 20 yards out. Jessica Greer made the point after and Smith-Cotton trailed 12-7.

Kearney answered with a 74-yard drive, capped by an Ashton Hiatt 13-yard TD run.

Jordan Brown fumbled on the ensuing drive, and Kearney kicked a 31-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 22-7.

Kearney later added a 7-yard TD run by Hiatt and a 9-yard score from Orr to finish off the Tigers.

“They’re a good football team,” coach Johnson said. “We knew what they were going to run, but we just gave up some big plays and the third quarter really killed us.”

Kearney (13-0) will host Webb City in the semifinals at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Helias will host Gateway Tech in the other semifinal.