Menu
Nevada Middle School squads square off with Monett
Nevada Middle School's seventh and eighth-grade football teams made their home debuts Thursday evening at Logan Field, matching up against Big 8 Conference West division foe, Monett Cubs.
The Tigers dropped the seventh-grade game, 28-6. In a bizarre turn of events, the eighth-grade contest concluded in a two quarter, 0-0 Monett forfeit.
The NMS seventh-grade griddders were unable to contain power running back Parker Doss, whose 67-yard reverse sweep for a fourth quarter touchdown sealed the victory.
Doss compiled three rushing scores of 50 or more yards, en route to a 180 yard performance.
With 5:50 remaining in the first half, Mason Majors punched in Nevada's lone score of the contest, on a short scamper to paydirt, as the Tigers led, 6-0. Quarterback Kellen Braden then completed a pass, for what appeared to be a successful two-point play, only to have it nullified by a penalty.
A 62-yard Doss TD run on the ensuing possession tied the contest, 6-6.
After scoring on the final play of the half, plus converting the two-point attempt, Monett increased its advantage to 14-6.
Nevada marched downfield early in the third, but fumbled it away deep in Monett territory.
Doss' 50-yard romp down the left sideline, plus the two-point play tacked-on, handed Monett a 22-6 lead with 7:04 remaining in regulation. Doss' 67-yard TD run, with 3:09 remaining in regulation, accounted for the final margin.
After his huge performance in the seventh-grade contest, Doss returned to the field for the eighth-grade contest. Listed in the official game program as a seventh-grader, Doss was slowed by Nevada's eighth-grade defensive front.
Monett, however, took the opening drive, and chewed up nearly the entirety of the first quarter clock. The Cubs stalled deep in Nevada territory, as defensive back Barrett Nadurata's pass deflection on fourth down snuffed out the drive.
Nevada was unable to gain any offensive traction in the first half. That was, until Bodie Thorpe took a handoff on the final play of the half, swept to the left sideline, and bolted 65 yards — before finally being tugged down inside the Monett 5-yard line.
With he contest knotted 0-0, coaches, officials, and a Nevada Middle School administrator huddled near midfield during the halftime break. After the dust had settled, it was determined the second half would not be played.
Monett's coaching staff indicted to the surprised R-5 official that it was a miscommunication on their part — and that they had only planned on their club playing one half of football in the eighth-grade contest.
The forfeit-victory moves Nevada's eighth-grade squad to 2-0 overall, while the NMS seventh-grade gridders fall to 0-2.