Tigers unable to contain Wilkerson in loss to Warrensburg
Nevada Daily Mail
A powerful ground attack spearheaded by tailback Koby Wilkerson sparked Warrensburg to a 44-14 victory over the visiting Nevada Tigers, Friday night.
The loss drops Nevada to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the West Central Conference. For Warrensburg it was their first WCC victory of the season, as they improve to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in WCC play.
During his post-game radio interview last week, Tigers head coach Erik Yoakam called the pending Warrensburg matchup a "very winnable game." However, Wilkerson had other ideas as he piled up 191 yards on the ground while finding the end zone twice.
Facing a third-and-20 with just over eight minutes to play in the first quarter, Warrensburg quarterback Ben McGlung connected with a wide-open Maison Devries in the back corner of the end zone.
Earlier in the drive, facing a second-and-20, Wilkerson ripped off an 18-yard gain to the Nevada 5-yard line. On the next play, Warrensburg was hit with a holding penalty. Despite all of this, they still managed to get into the end zone.
Coming up with key stops on third and fourth-down plays has been a problem for Nevada all season.
"You have to make plays," Yoakam said. "And when it came down to it we just didn't make the plays ---- across the board. "We when get in that third-and- long, you have to buckle down and do your job."
After a failed two-point conversion, Warrensburg led 6-0.
Late in the first quarter an excellent punt return set Warrensburg up at the Nevada 37-yard line.
Later in the drive, Nevada nearly came up with a defensive hold. However, Wilkerson was able to shake and bake a Nevada defender on his way to a 12-yard pickup on fourth-and-2.
One play later, Wilkerson took a toss-sweep into the end zone from 12 yards out. Warrensburg's two-point attempt again came up short as they led 12-0 with 2:34 remaining in the first quarter.
Nevada's ensuing drive began at their own 49-yard line. The Tigers quickly took advantage of the fantastic field position, as senior tailback Chaden Brandt took an inside handoff and went 51-yards to pay dirt, to slice the Warrensburg lead to 12-6. Nevada's point after attempt was wide-left.
Early in the second quarter, Warrensburg extended its lead to 15-6 courtesy of a 25-yard Chris Meloy field goal.
Midway through the second quarter, with Warrensburg again in possession of the ball, a McGlung pass in-and-out of the hands of wide receiver Gunny Nappe was intercepted by linebacker Jacob Johnson. Johnson barreled all the way down to the Warrensburg 8-yard line.
However, a Colton McDowell block in the back at the Warrensburg 38-yard line negated Johnson's big return.
Later in the drive, facing a fourth-and-long, quarterback Braeden Hinton's pass was bobbled and dropped at the 10-yard line by junior Jacob Hammontree, as Nevada turned the ball over on downs.
After driving into Nevada territory, Wilkerson again struck ---- taking a handoff and bolting 35-yards untouched into the end zone. Wilkerson also scored on the two-point conversion, to put Warrensburg in front 23-6 with 2:37 left before halftime.
"Missed tackles," Yoakam said, was the primary reason for Wilkerson's big night. "We were in the right spots at the right times."
An interception by Nevada's Payton Bright with under a minute remaining in the second quarter, set Nevada up at the Warrensburg 19-yard line.
From there, the Tigers needed only three plays to get into the end zone. All three plays were handoffs to Brandt, as he capped the short scoring drive with a 4-yard run. On the two-point play, Brandt's halfback option pass to a leaping Shelby Trotter in the back of the end zone trimmed the Warrensburg lead to 23-14.
Second half
Early in the third quarter, with Nevada driving near midfield, a Hinton pass to Johnson came up incomplete.
"In my opinion, there was a pass interference they didn't call that could have changed the momentum of the game," Yoakam said referring to the play.
Nevada wound up turning the ball over on downs.
Midway through the third quarter, Wilkerson rushed for 16 yards on fourth-and-long to the Nevada 14-yard line.
On fourth-and-1 from the 5-yard line, Devries took a sweep around the right side and went untouched into the end zone. After a failed two-point attempt, Warrensburg led 29-14 with 4:18 to play in the third quarter.
Warrensburg tacked on two more touchdowns ---- an 11-yard Devries run with five seconds to play in the third quarter, followed by a McGlung two-point completion to Wilkerson ---- and a 3-yard Floyd Jackson run late in the fourth quarter plus the extra point ---- for the final 30 point margin.
Next up
Nevada concludes its regular season as they host Clinton, Friday night at 7 p.m.
"We have a good chance (against) Clinton," Yoakam said. "And after we get through that, hopefully we can move on."