Slow start dooms Tigers in 31-13 loss at Smith-Cotton

A rugged first quarter proved costly as the Nevada Tigers were unable to dig out from a 28-point deficit against Sedalia Smith-Cotton.

The 31-13 West Central Conference loss Friday night at Sedalia moves the Tigers to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in WCC-play.

Early in the first quarter, Sedalia junior running back Brice Pannier broke off a 54-yard touchdown run, after taking a pitch from quarterback Jaden Kendrick and getting to the right edge. Senior kicker Blake Grupe boomed the extra point through the uprights, as Smith Cotton grabbed a 7-0 lead.

On Smith-Cotton's next possession, Kendrick racked up big chunks of yardage on quarterback keepers, netting 34 yards on one carry, followed by a rush of 20 yards down to the Nevada 1-yard line. On first-and-goal, Kendrick went around his left guard for paydirt. Grupe's extra point handed Sedalia a 14-0 advantage with 3:35 to play in the first quarter.

A short Nevada punt set Smith-Cotton up with excellent field position. Smith-Cotton quickly capitalized, as Pannier took a jet-sweep around the left side, breaking three tackles en route to the end zone and a 21-0 lead with 1:10 left in the first quarter.

"You have to tackle, gang-tackle, or wrap-up," Nevada head coach Erik Yoakam said during his postgame radio interview. "It seems like or kids wait a little bit too long (to make the tackle). That's something we're going to have to work on."

On its next possession, Smith-Cotton again marched downfield, as its fourth scoring drive of the night was capped by an 8-yard Brandon Neale touchdown reception. The Grupe point after attempt staked Smith-Cotton to a 28-0 lead.

Leading by four touchdowns at the half, Kendrick was 5-for-6 for 47 yards and a touchdown pass, to go along with 89 rushing yards on six carries and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Pannier averaged 9.3 yards a carry in the first half, as he rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown.

Midway through the third quarter, a Grupe 32-yard field goal increased Sedalia's lead to 31-0.

Nevada finally hit for a big play when quarterback Jacob Hammontree connected with junior wide receiver Shelby Trotter on a 48-yard strike to the Smith-Cotton 1-yard line.

One play later, Hammontree scored on a QB keeper. With the extra point, Nevada trailed 31-7 with 1:30 remaining in the third quarter.

With 2:09 left in the game, Hammontree hit Braxton Shadden for an 18-yard pass-and-catch to the Sedalia 2-yard line. Two plays later, Jacob Johnson bulldozed into the end zone from two yards out. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful for the final 18-point margin.

"I challenged the kids after the game, we have to find a way to get the ball rolling early," Yoakam said. "We're looking to get going as a team, and hopefully we can start that process next week."

Up next

The Tigers return to Logan Field Sept. 23 as they host Central (Springfield) High School, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.