Turnovers thwart Nevada cause

RALPH POKORNY/HERALD-TRIBUNE-- Nevada sophomore Cole Ogle pressures Neosho quarterback Kyle Dickens during the third quarter of Southwest Conference action at Logan Field Friday night in Nevada, Mo. The pressure caused Ogle to throw an interception but Neosho made few other mistakes in a 25-0 win over the Tigers

NEVADA, Mo. -- Barring any unforseen cicrumstances, a gridiron tradition that has been unbroken since 1929 will cease to exist next year when the Nevada Tigers and Neosho Wildcats will no longer meet

On Friday at Logan Field, the Nevada Tigers suffered a self-induced 25-0 loss to the Neosho Wildcats and fell to 2-4 while the Wildcats improved to 3-2.

The series has not been that good to the Tigers since 1975 when the Tigers held an overall edge of 23-22-4. It has since faded and fallen to 33-43-4.

If there is one thing in football that throws a monkey wrench into the best laid game plan, it is turnovers. Turnovers have been the arch-enemy of the Tigers this season with the loss to Neosho in which four were committed erasing any chance for a Nevada victory.

In all though, the Tigers played much better on defense than they did on offense as three of Neosho's four touchdowns came as the result of turnovers. Throughout the game, though, the Tigers failed to generate much offense. When they threatened, the result was a turnover.

Nevada played well in the first quarter and made two first downs on their first possession as Jake Cherry, Colby Shepherd and Jake Anderson all showed solid flashes before the drive appeared to have fizzled when quarterback Austin Baldwin was sacked for a loss and a delay of game made it third down and 19.

Undaunted, Baldwin drilled a pass to Kyle Hughes, but for a lack of speed would have scored. Hughes made the excellent reception and romped 58 yards before being dragged down from behind at the 11-yard line.

The Tigers ran three plays and could advance no closer than the five. On fourth down, Baldwin was sacked at the 10-yard line, and Nevada's most determined drive until the second half was finished.

The Tigers came right back on their next possession and threatened again. The Tigers started at their own 39 and made back-to-back first downs. Anderson made a first down at his own 42 and the Tigers advanced into Neosho territory on the ensuing play when Baldwin ran into Neosho territory at the 40 and got five more on a face mask infraction.

Two plays later, the first period ended. Two plays into the second quarter, the drive was throttled down at the 11-yard line and Austin Payne attempted a 29-yard field goal that sailed wide left.

The Tigers held and forced a punt. On first down, Trevor Foreman ran for a solid gain. On second down, Anderson coughed up the ball and Neosho recovered at the Neosho 43-yard line.

The Tigers held and forced another punt. After a short return to his own 27 by Shepherd, the Tigers lost the ball on the firt play of the drive as Tyler Henson intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards to the Nevada 45.

With Jared Shurley carrying the ball five times, the Wildcats engineered an eight-play drive. Shurley scored from four yards out with 2:24 left in the half. The PAT kick was messed up and was caught by Aaron Dade, who could have gone all the way had it been allowed. The score remained at 6-0 as neither team could do anything on their final possession.

The Tigers caught the first break of the second half when Anderson intercepted a pass on Neosho's second possession and returned it a short distance to the Wildcat 45.

The Tigers surrendered the ball on downs when they attempted a fourth and one from their own 35. On Neosho's first play, Shurley broke through the line, hit the secondary and split two Tiger defenders, leaving them with nothing but air. Shurley ran untouched 65 yards for the touchdown to complete the one play drive with 3:10 left in the third period. Logan Burr's PAT kick made it 13-0.

Shepherd made a good return to his own 37, but the Tigers went in reverse and wound up punting. Baldwin launched his usual good punt that rolled out-of-bounds at Neosho's 36, two plays before the third period closed with Neosho atop a 13-0 lead.

Two possessions later, Neosho took over at at its own 39 and began a methodical drive. This one took nine plays and ended when Ethan Adams went in untouched from 12 yards out with 5:41 left in the game. The conversion pass failed, leaving the score at 19-0.

The Tigers seemed determined to avoid the whitewash on their next drive. They moved into Neosho territory when Anderson raced for a first down and Nevada got 15 more on an unsportsmanlike conduct call all the way to the Neosho 28.

A pass interference on Shepherd in the end zone netted Nevada more yardage all the way to the 14. On the next play, Baldwin drove into the line and the ball popped up. Neosho recovered.

The Tigers held and took over with one last chance at the 50-yard line. On first down, Baldwin threw a short pass into the arms of linebacker Mark Lievens, who had nothing between him and the goal line except grass for 43 yards. With 0:33 left, the kick failed, leaving the score at 25-0.

The Tigers will attempt to get their turnover prone offense straightened out before they travel to McDonald County Friday for their all-time final Southwest Conference game, ending the history of the loop that lasted 27 years.

Friday's boxscore is on page 4B.