Nevada just short in SWC finale

Ralph pokorny/herald-tribune-- Nevada quarterback Austin Baldwin got by McDonald County's Jason Hackett to score this third-quarter touchdown Friday night at Anderson, Mo. The sophomore signal caller also threw two touchdown passes but it was not enough as Nevada fell in its final game as a member of the Southwest Conference, 35-33.

ANDERSON, Mo. -- Superman wears a big "S" on his chest. Fridays night at McDonald County, Nevada and McDonald County high schools both had their own "S" Men on display.

Mac County's star was Kord Stancel. Kord is the son of former Pitt State running back Bruce Stancell, who also was a former coach of the Mustangs. The younger Stancell bulled his way through and around the Nevada defense for 198 yards on 28 carries. Kord is only a junior and after you see him run you know he is the real deal just like his father.

Nevada had Colby Shepherd as their "S" man answer to Stancell. Colby electrified Nevada fans with two touchdowns. The first was a 51-yard TD pass reception from quarterback Austin Baldwin in the first quarter. The second was perhaps the best play of the night for the Tigers, coming late in the fourth quarter. Shepherd took a reverse handoff from Dan Lovinger at Nevada's own five-yard line on a kickoff. Shepherd ran just about every direction except straight over the course of 88 yards, but at the end of the run he was in the end zone.

At the end of the game, Nevada had gained 351 yards of total offense to Mac County's 356. The score was 35-33 in favor of the Mustangs. The only problem was that both the players and the coaches felt they had let this Southwest Conference tilt -- the last one ever for Nevada as the conference breaks up after this school year -- slip away due to mistakes.

All night long, Nevada, 0-4 in the SWC and 2-5 overall, was plagued by penalties, poor kicking, and turnovers. It was a game that saw the Tigers fall way behind in the first half by a score of 28-14 only to roar back in the second half. It was a game that was "in our grasp" according to Nevada head coach Shannon Jolley. The Tigers just made to many mistakes both by players and coaches.

Nevada began the game very well. It was the fifth play of its first drive of the night, when Baldwin hit Shepherd on the long touchdown. But the mistakes began on the extra point. Nevada missed the kick and led by only 6-0.

Mac County, 1-1, 3-4, wasted little time on its first possession. On the second play, a long pass to Stancell moved the ball to the Nevada four-yard line. Three plays later, Stancell powered in for the first of his four touchdowns of the contest.

Nevada's next set of plays was plagued by a critical delay penalty. The 25-second play clock was not working, and Nevada would be penalized for delay several times during the contest.

The Mustangs came after the punt by Baldwin and blocked it successfully, taking over at the Nevada 25. Three plays later, Stancell ran six yards untouched into the end zone for a 14-6 lead.

Nevada followed on its next possession with their best drive of the evening. Mixing runs and passes, Baldwin directed the Tigers on a 13-play drive culminated with a one-yard TD plunge by Jake Cherry. Baldwin hit Logan Harms for the two-point conversion, tying the score at 14-14.

Just when it looked as if momentum was turning in Nevada's favor, Stancell broke numerous tackles on the second play of the next Mustang drive for his second TD from 54 yards out. Just that quickly Nevada trailed again, 21-14. Both teams exchanged punts on their next efforts.

Then Nevada got pushed back deep in its territory with another penalty, this time for holding. This was followed by another delay of game call. Nevada began to move the ball after forcing a punt, but was stopped by an interception.

Mac County took over at the Nevada 38, and once again it was "Stancell" time. In two plays, he took the ball to the one yard line. Then as if to demonstrate the Mustangs indeed have other players, they handed off to Zach Morrow for a one-yard TD. Nevada was now a deep hole 28-14.

Another interception by Mac County as time ran out in the half prevented the Tigers from getting a score to narrow the deficit. Nevada needed to regroup at halftime, and that is exactly what the Tigers did.

On the second play of the second half, Ryan Herda finally was able to get a big hit on Stancell and he coughed up the ball. Nevada recovered at its own 49.

Trevor Forman had a couple of good runs and Nevada moved the ball to the Mac's 28. A nice touch pass to Aaron Dade was followed by a 17-yard roll-out run to the end zone by Baldwin. Nevada was back in the game. The PAT by Hughes made it 28-21.

Whatever Jolley had told his players at half seemed to be working. Nevada held Mac to a three-and-out on the next possession. Shepherd returned the punt to the Nevada 35.

The Tigers were again hurt by penalties and forced to punt. But that's when Nevada caught a big break as the Mustangs roughed Baldwin on the kick and the Tigers retained possession at their own 47.

Once again the drive stalled. Nevada lined up to punt, but Baldwin faked it and hit Cherry for a big pass to the Mac County 26.

The drive stalled, but what really hurt was when the Tigers missed a golden opportunity. On third-and-long, the Tigers had everything blocked on a screen pass, but it fell just short and it was forced to punt. Excellent punt coverage pushed the Mustangs back to their own two-yard line.

For a time it looked as if Mac County was going to cover the entire 98 yards and put the game out of reach, but two incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs to Nevada at its own 18.

Nevada carefully moved to its own 30 to gain field position. Then Baldwin hit Ben Compton on a beautiful hitch-and-go pattern. Compton looked like a ballet dancer as he tiptoed down the sideline for a stunning 70-yard strike and score. But Nevada missed the PAT again, and trailed 28-27.

Then Cherry looked as if he had executed great onside kick and it seemed as if Nevada would recover it, but it was not to be. Mac County recovered the ball in great position at the 50-yard line.

A punishing nine-play drive followed and, once again, Stancell scored, this time from the 16. Nevada trailed late in the game by eight at 35-27.

That's when Nevada's Superman struck again. In what would be the big play of the game for the Tigers, the aforementioned 88-yard kickoff return. But a shovel pass to Anderson on the two-point conversion try was stopped at the half-yard line and Nevada was unable to tie the game.

The rest of the game saw Nevada force Mac County to punt twice, only to be followed by two interceptions.

Baldwin was scrambling for his life both times and had to throw on the run. Twice Blane O'Bannon made diving interceptions right in front of Nevada receivers, and the game ended with Mac running out the clock.

The Tigers just could not keep from making mistakes in this game. It is one thing to get beaten, but it always hurts more when you know it was you who beat yourself. Nevada had to contend with Stancell all night, but the Tigers' own firepower had them in position to win several times. Penalties, turnovers, and the kicking game were the undoing.

Logan Harms was hit hard and appeared to suffer a possible concussion. The game was stopped for almost 10 minutes before he was able to get to the sideline. It won't be known what his condition is until he checked out by doctors.

Nevada begins district play against Cassville next Friday. Cassville improved to 7-0 with a 28-13 win over East Newton in Big 8 play Friday night.

kicking, and turnovers. It was a game that saw the Tigers fall way behind in the first half by a score of 28-14 only to roar back in the second half. It was a game that was "in our grasp" according to Nevada head coach Shannon Jolley. The Tigers just made to many mistakes both by players and coaches.

Nevada began the game very well. It was the fifth play of its first drive of the night, when Baldwin hit Shepherd on the long touchdown. But the mistakes began on the extra point. Nevada missed the kick and led by only 6-0.

Mac County, 1-1, 3-4, wasted little time on its first possession. On the second play, a long pass to Stancell moved the ball to the Nevada four-yard line. Three plays later, Stancell powered in for the first of his four touchdowns of the contest.

Nevada's next set of plays was plagued by a critical delay penalty. The 25-second play clock was not working, and Nevada would be penalized for delay several times during the contest.

The Mustangs came after the punt by Baldwin and blocked it successfully, taking over at the Nevada 25. Three plays later, Stancell ran six yards untouched into the end zone for a 14-6 lead.

Nevada followed on its next possession with their best drive of the evening. Mixing runs and passes, Baldwin directed the Tigers on a 13-play drive culminated with a one-yard TD plunge by Jake Cherry. Baldwin hit Logan Harms for the two-point conversion, tying the score at 14-14.

Just when it looked as if momentum was turning in Nevada's favor, Stancell broke numerous tackles on the second play of the next Mustang drive for his second TD from 54 yards out. Just that quickly Nevada trailed again, 21-14. Both teams exchanged punts on their next efforts.

Then Nevada got pushed back deep in its territory with another penalty, this time for holding. This was followed by another delay of game call. Nevada began to move the ball after forcing a punt, but was stopped by an interception.

Mac County took over at the Nevada 38, and once again it was "Stancell" time. In two plays, he took the ball to the one yard line. Then as if to demonstrate the Mustangs indeed have other players, they handed off to Zach Morrow for a one-yard TD. Nevada was now a deep hole 28-14.

Another interception by Mac County as time ran out in the half prevented the Tigers from getting a score to narrow the deficit. Nevada needed to regroup at halftime, and that is exactly what the Tigers did.

On the second play of the second half, Ryan Herda finally was able to get a big hit on Stancell and he coughed up the ball. Nevada recovered at its own 49.

Trevor Forman had a couple of good runs and Nevada moved the ball to the Mac's 28. A nice touch pass to Aaron Dade was followed by a 17-yard roll-out run to the end zone by Baldwin. Nevada was back in the game. The PAT by Hughes made it 28-21.

Whatever Jolley had told his players at half seemed to be working. Nevada held Mac to a three-and-out on the next possession. Shepherd returned the punt to the Nevada 35.

The Tigers were again hurt by penalties and forced to punt. But that's when Nevada caught a big break as the Mustangs roughed Baldwin on the kick and the Tigers retained possession at their own 47.

Once again the drive stalled. Nevada lined up to punt, but Baldwin faked it and hit Cherry for a big pass to the Mac County 26.

The drive stalled, but what really hurt was when the Tigers missed a golden opportunity. On third-and-long, the Tigers had everything blocked on a screen pass, but it fell just short and it was forced to punt. Excellent punt coverage pushed the Mustangs back to their own two-yard line.

For a time it looked as if Mac County was going to cover the entire 98 yards and put the game out of reach, but two incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs to Nevada at its own 18.

Nevada carefully moved to its own 30 to gain field position. Then Baldwin hit Ben Compton on a beautiful hitch-and-go pattern. Compton looked like a ballet dancer as he tiptoed down the sideline for a stunning 70-yard strike and score. But Nevada missed the PAT again, and trailed 28-27.

Then Cherry looked as if he had executed great onside kick and it seemed as if Nevada would recover it, but it was not to be. Mac County recovered the ball in great position at the 50-yard line.

A punishing nine-play drive followed and, once again, Stancell scored, this time from the 16. Nevada trailed late in the game by eight at 35-27.

That's when Nevada's Superman struck again. In what would be the big play of the game for the Tigers, the aforementioned 88-yard kickoff return. But a shovel pass to Anderson on the two-point conversion try was stopped at the half-yard line and Nevada was unable to tie the game.

The rest of the game saw Nevada force Mac County to punt twice, only to be followed by two interceptions.

Baldwin was scrambling for his life both times and had to throw on the run. Twice Blane O'Bannon made diving interceptions right in front of Nevada receivers, and the game ended with Mac running out the clock.

The Tigers just could not keep from making mistakes in this game. It is one thing to get beaten, but it always hurts more when you know it was you who beat yourself. Nevada had to contend with Stancell all night, but the Tigers' own firepower had them in position to win several times. Penalties, turnovers, and the kicking game were the undoing.

Logan Harms was hit hard and appeared to suffer a possible concussion. The game was stopped for almost 10 minutes before he was able to get to the sideline. It won't be known what his condition is until he checked out by doctors.

Nevada begins district play against Cassville next Friday. Cassville improved to 7-0 with a 28-13 win over East Newton in Big 8 Conference play Friday night.