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Tigers unable to slow Wildcat attack, fall 55-14 on Homecoming night
The Nevada Tigers endured a rough 55-14 loss to the De Soto (Kan.) Wildcats on Homecoming night Friday at Logan Field.
The non-conference loss moves Nevada to 3-4 overall (2-2 WCC). De Soto, ranked No. 3 in Kansas 4A football, improves to 5-0. Led by standout quarterback Bryce Mohl, the Wildcats scored on their opening possession. Trevor Watts’ 5-yard touchdown scamper was set-up on the previous play, when Mohl connected with Watts for a 45-yard completion down the right sideline.
Trailing 7-0, Nevada quarterback Braeden Hinton engineered an 8-play, 64-yard drive. Highlights of the scoring drive included, Hunter Mason’s 22-yard reception, in which he broke several tackles, and Braxton Shadden’s 4-yard rushing touchdown. Matt Thorp’s successful point after kick tied the contest 7-7 at the midpoint of the first quarter.
A three-and-out defensive stop quickly handed the ball back to the Tigers, with Nevada putting together another impressive drive.
After marching into Wildcat territory, a Shadden 16-yard run had Nevada in business at the De Soto 14-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-8 from the 12, Hinton rolled out of the pocket as he was heavily pursued by a host of Wildcat defenders. Hinton then flipped a shovel pass into the left flat, that was intercepted by defensive back Brayden Bummer and returned 73 yards to the Nevada 18 yard line, as Hinton made the touchdown saving tackle.
“It’s just a young man trying to make a play,” said Nevada head coach Wes Beachler during his postgame radio interview.
On first down, Mohl rolled to the left and connected with senior wide out Connor Strouse for the 18-yard touchdown strike, putting the Tigers up 14-7 with 11:55 remaining in the first.
Three minutes later, De Soto was back on the scoreboard, with senior tailback Darren Winans rumbling in from 14-yards out, after taking an option pitch from Mohls, as the Wildcats increased their lead to 14 points.
The Tigers responded, scoring on the ensuing possession, with fullback Zach Gardner lowering the boom on a 13-yard touchdown run. Thorp’s extra point trimmed De Soto’s advantage to 21-14 with 8:27 left until the half.
After a 30-yard Watts kick return set De Soto up at midfield, the Wildcats struck quick, when Mohl hooked up with Strouse for a 50-yard touchdown; Strouse’s second of the game, as De Soto increased its lead to 28-14.
On third-and-20 with 4:08 remaining in the half, Mohl threaded a perfect pass to Watts, for the 24-yard touchdown reception down the right sideline Exavier Jackson’s extra point boot handed the Wildcats a commanding 35-14 lead.
Late in the first half, another Nevada fumble led to De Soto taking over at the Tiger 45-yard line. The Wildcats then parlayed Nevada’s third turnover of the half into a 5-yard Joseph Oplotnik touchdown run, as the Wildcats seized a 42-14 halftime advantage, with Mohl compiling 185 yards though the air.
“It just really happened quick,” noted Beachler. “We scored to make it 21-14 and then the next thing I know, it’s 42-14. We gave up too many big plays, and a lack of discipline on the defensive side in a couple areas, that I thought we addressed pretty well at halftime.”
The Wildcats tacked on to the lead midway through the third, via Mohl’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Watts. After the unsuccessful extra point, De Soto led 48-14.
The final score of the contest came on an Oplotnik 1-yard touchdown plunge with 8:12 remaining in regulation.
“Injuries and some bad mistakes and some breakdowns defensively let the game get away from us, when I thought we were in a position to hang with them and make it a ballgame,” said Beachler.”
Beachler added that missed blocks proved costly for his squad.
“It seems to me like we always have a missed block or two after the first three or four series,” lamented Beachler. “And it’s not a conditioning thing, we just have guys that take a play off here and there at critical times.”
Continued Beachler: “And I don’t know if they think somebody else is going to get it done, or that Zach or Braxton are going to get yards despite the fact that they’re not blocking hard. But it happens repeatedly with our starting offensive line.
“There are no plays off in football. That’s the beauty and the beast of football. When all 11 guys play together and play hard on every down, it’s a beautiful thing.
“And when you get a guy or two who decides he’s going to take a play off or isn’t going to give great effort, it’s ugly. And I will be pointing those things out to some offensive linemen tomorrow. We had some guys missing blocks inexplicably, when we needed to make blocks.”