Anderson Co. stuns Fort Scott

By Scott Nuzum

Herald-Tribune

GARNETT, Kan. -- Anderson County quarterback Grant Suderman scored on a one-yard quarterback keeper with 1:42 remaining Friday night and the ensuing extra-point kick by Chance Lowe gave the Bulldogs a 16-15 upset win over Fort Scott High in a Class 4A, District 3 football contest.

The loss puts a severe crimp in Fort Scott's plans to qualify for the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. Both Fort Scott and Anderson County are 1-1 in the district with the Tigers dropping to 6-2 overall and the Bulldogs improving to 5-3.

Meanwhile, at Iola, Kan., Friday night, Chanute improved to 2-0 in the district and 7-1 overall by beating Iola, 35-15. The win assured the Blue Comets of a playoff bid.

Fort Scott's defense had trouble making tackles all night and Anderson County averaged more than four yards per carry. But the Bulldogs also came out with a solid offensive game plan and stuck to it. They ran the ball well and dominated time of possession.

By the time the game was over, ACHS had run 29 more plays than Fort Scott, gained 133 more rushing yards (261-128) and controlled the ball for nearly 34 of the 48 minutes. B.J. Rues, despite playing with an injured shoulder, gained 119 yards on 24 carries, while teammate Cory Archer had 107 yards on 22 totes.

Jake Lattimer had only 12 carries for 63 yards for the Tigers. Chris Banks finished with 61 yards on only 11 rushes.

The Tigers scored first. They were able to get a 23-yard run from Lattimer and a 20-yard carry from Banks on consecutive carries to get the ball down to the Anderson County 29-yard line.

Six plays later, Lattimer ran over the left side for a five-yard touchdown and Luke Halsey's extra-point made it 7-0 with 8:42 remaining in the first period.

Anderson County took over on its own 20 and moved down the field three, four, and five yards at a time. They ran 18 plays on the drive and held the ball for nine minutes, 28 seconds before Suderman found tight end Jeremy Sutton on a fourth-and-one play from the Fort Scott 16 for the score with 11:10 in the second quarter. The extra-point was blocked.

Quarterback Dakotah Gettler threw an interception on the first play of the next possession that Suderman returned to the Fort Scott 45. The Bulldogs got to the Tigers' 18 before Cody Kramer broke through the line to block Lowe's 36-yard field-goal attempt with 7:39 left in the half.

Fort Scott was forced to punt but Matt Wheeler booted one 51 yards and pinned Anderson County at its own four. The Bulldogs were able to reach the Fort Scott 48 before punting with 49 seconds to go. The Tigers ran one play for no gain before deciding to let the clock run out.

Although Anderson County trailed, the success of its ball-control plan was evident. The 'Dogs ran 33 plays in the half for 180 yards and held the ball for 15:45. Fort Scott ran only 20 plays for a total of 104 yards and saw the ball for only 8:15.

Anderson County had the ball first in the second half but Alex Bowman intercepted a pass to end the drive. Fort Scott took over at its own 13 and had to punt from its own five after a penalty and a sack pushed the Tigers back. The punt went just 19 yards and Anderson County took its first lead, 9-7, when Lowe converted a 31-yard field goal with 2:51 to go in the third.

The Tigers needed a spark badly and got it when Gettler found tight end Andre Davis -- filling in as a starter -- on a 22-yard pass play on third-and-10 from his own 40. It looked as if Davis might be stopped for only five yards but he broke free and got to the Bulldogs' 38.

The Tigers finally managed to find yards on the ground and Gettler snuck over the left side of the line with 10:31 left in the game. Lattimer ran in the two-point conversion to make it 15-9.

Anderson County took over at its own nine. But an illegal block penalty and a sack by Blake Nelson made it third-and-24 at the 19. Ruse tried a halfback pass but had to throw it away and Anderson County punted.

Rues' kick was muffed and Anderson County recovered at its own 64 with 6:54 remaining. A late hit penalty helped get the ball into Tiger territory at the 37. The 'Dogs moved the ball steadily on the ground, the exception another Suderman-to-Sutton connection on third-and-five at the 15 that gained 12 yards.

Two plays after that, Suderman dove over the pile for the score.

A running into the kicker penalty on the extra point was enforced on the first play after the kickoff and the Tigers took over at their own 30 with 1:42 remaining. Gettler threw four passes but three fell incomplete and the other gained only four yards, forcing a turnover on downs with 1:25 to go.

The Tigers still had two time outs and used them both. But Rues gained eight yards and third-and-five at the 29 and Anderson County was able to run out the clock.

The complicated tie-breaking procedure could leave the Tigers out of the playoffs unless they beat Chanute by at least eight points Thursday night at Frary Field in Fort Scott. If the Tigers beat Chanute by only six or less, they'd lose both steps of the tie-breaker. Chanute would win the district on points and Anderson County would get the number-two position by virtue of this win.

A seven-point win would complicate things, as Fort Scott and Chanute would be tied in points, but might work in the Tigers' favor. The tie-breaking rules are not as clear in that instance.

Notes: This was the first win for Anderson County over Fort Scott in four meetings. It was also the first meeting between the schools to be decided by less than 18 points. ... After starting the season 4-1, Anderson County had lost its previous two games by an average of 36 points. ... Davis caught three passes for 42 yards in his first career start. ... A reunion of the 1996 Class 4A Kansas state championship team will be held in conjunction with Thursday night's game. The members of the team that are able to attend will be honored at halftime. ... There were two former coaches of area schools involved in this game. Former Jayhawk-Linn head football coach Marty Alley is an assistant at Anderson County. Meanwhile, former Pleasanton head boys' basketball coach Jeff Freeman was the referee.