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  • Hayden running back Parker Sims (29) is chased by Springville defenders during the Wildcats' 21-20 loss to the Tigers on Friday night. Sims led the rushing stats with 86 yards on 18 carries. Robert Carter

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September 8, 2012

Football: Springville 21, Hayden 20

Missed extra point ends Wildcats' hopes

By Robert Carter North Jefferson News

HAYDEN — After struggling to gain momentum against a game Springville squad all night, Hayden had finally gotten the break it needed with a touchdown in the last minute of the game. All they needed was an extra point, and the Wildcats would have at least a tie and a chance to win in overtime.

But that’s where the Wildcats’ hopes ended.

Dylan Putnam’s kick was straight but too low, and the Tigers held on for a 21-20 road victory Friday night.

The game was as back-and-forth as one could ask for, with the two sides trading touchdowns in the second, third and fourth quarters. Hayden struggled with its passing game, while Springville’s combination of Jackson Findlay and Zach Mayo proved to be tough to contain. The pair alternated between quarterback and running back or receiver, with Findlay taking over most of the passing duties in the second quarter. His throws accounted for all three Tiger touchdowns: a long fall-away toss to Isaiah Benson for 61 yards in the second quarter for the game’s first points, an 11-yard scoring throw to Mayo in the third, and then again to Benson for 11 yards early in the final frame for what proved to be the winning touchdown.

Hayden had an answer each and every time. Quarterback Corey Ward tied the game at 7-7 after the guests’ first score, responding with a 5-yard pass to Houston Stewart to cap a nine-play, 73-yard march. The touchdown came with :17.8 seconds left in the first half.

After the Tigers went ahead in the third, Ward struck again on the fourth play of the ensuing drive, scrambling into open space to his right and flipping to Luke Wall, who then went 65 yards to paydirt.

Penalties as inopportune times hurt the Wildcats. After the Tigers took the lead again in the fourth quarter, they marched the ball downfield on nine straight running plays to the Springville 15, only to bet set back by a holding penalty — one which coach Steve Kerby argued vociferously — and could not convert the 2nd-and-24 situation, turning the ball over on downs.

But three plays later, the Tigers gave Hayden a gift as Kelley Ryan fumbled the ball on his own 23. The Wildcats quickly got down to the 8 on the next play, but could not pound the ball into the end zone on three tires from inside two yards.

The Cats held Springville to another three and out, forcing the punt from their own 7-yard line. Hayden returned the kick to the Tiger 25, then got 12 more yards on a late-hit penalty.

They needed only two plays for Ward to hand off to Parker Sims, who slanted left toward the pylon for the score from eight yards out.

Kerby was almost at a loss for words afterward, but not quite.

“It’s hard to swallow. I don’t know really what to say,” Kerby said. “They played hard, and we gave up some big plays, and that hurt us. Penalties put us behind the chains, and we can’t keep playing from there. We missed some assignments and had some dropped balls — we couldn’t get out passing game going. We have some work to do.”

Hayden had the upper hand in statistics over Springville, which moved back up to Class 5A this season after dropping down to 4A for two years. The Wildcats outgained the Tigers 275 yards to 303, and dominated the ground game with 244 rushing yards compared to Springville’s 152. Hayden also had 21 first downs, compared to the Tigers’ 11.

The Wildcats’ rushing was divided almost evenly between Sims with 86 yards on 18 carries, John Smith with 74 yards on 16 plays and Ward’s 62 yards on 6 attempts.

Mayo was Springville’s leading rusher with 76 yards on 10 carries, three of which were kneel-downs for small losses at the game’s end.

Ward was 9-for-19 for 131 passing yards, while Findlay and Mayo combined for an 8-for-11 night for 151 yards.

Freshman kicker Tyler Sumpter was perfect on extra points, making all three for the Tigers.

The Wildcats travel to Moody next week.

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