Tigers lose heartbreaker to Northwest in OT

The McClain Tigers suffered a disappointing and heartbreaking overtime loss, 19-13 to McDermott Northwest Friday night on McClain Field in Greenfield.

It was a game that looked like after the Mohawks’ first offensive series that McClain might get blown out. but their defense really buckled down and played well the rest of the game.

Northwest took the opening kickoff and marched down the field, going 65 yards on nine plays to score a touchdown on a 6-yard run by Carter Runyon with 7:33 remaining in the opening quarter. After that drive, the McClain defense bent several times but didn’t break while holding Northwest scoreless until a controversial touchdown call in the end zone with just 13 seconds remaining in regulation on a pass play.

“I’m really proud of the way our defense played,” McClain head coach Keith Penwell said. “We played a ton of kids on defense tonight, and they played hard and gutsy.

“I don’t like to blame officials, but we had a couple of crucial calls that didn’t go our way. That was a tough call at the end of the fourth quarter on the catch that they said the kid scored, but I’m not so sure.”

McClain had taken a 10-7 lead on a converted field goal by Zane Adams from 29 yards out and a 47-yard pick-6 by senior Owen Sykes, both coming in the second period.

Penalties and injures also were hurtful for a second straight week for the Tigers, especially at inopportune times.

After a scoreless third period, the Tigers increased their lead to 13-7 in the fourth on another successful field goal by Adams, this one coming from 27 yards out with 10:13 remaining in regulation.

The McClain defense made big play after big play stopping several Mohawk scoring opportunities, twice by recovering fumbles on potential scoring drive. Defensive leaders were Andrew Roeder (eight tackles), Kamden Penwell (five tackles), Noah Sponcil (four and a half tackles), Jordan Bell (four tackles) and Riley Cummins (four tackles).

It looked like the stubborn McClain defense had saved the game after sacking the Northwest quarterback on a fourth-and-eight play from the Tigers’ 30-yard line with just 4:44 remaining in the contest. But McClain could not finish the game and run out the clock and had to punt the ball back to the Mohawks with just over a minute remaining.

Northwest, like on their opening possession of the game, moved the ball 65 yards on seven plays and tied the game on the aforementioned controversial touchdown catch. The extra-point try was missed when it hit the right upright, and the game was tied 13-13.

McClain got a great return on the ensuing kickoff by Dalton Rowland when he returned the ball to the Mohawks’ 31-yard line with four seconds still showing on the game clock, but the game went to overtime when a long field goal attempt by Adams came up short.

Northwest got the ball first in OT, and on its first play Runyon zig-zagged through the Tigers’ defense and scored, putting the Mohawks up 19-13.  The PAT failed, setting up the Tigers’ first offensive possession of the extra period.

McClain was able to move the ball to the Northwest 9-yard line after a first down throw and catch from Cohen Six to Adams, but the game ended on the next play. Northwest’s Austin Smith intercepted a pass at the goal line on a play which looked like the Mohawk defender had gone over the McClain receiver’s back, but no penalty was called.

“I thought my kids played hard tonight, and I’m really proud of them,” Penwell said. “They left it all on the field.

“There were 20 kids in the box all night, and it seemed like everyone was running into each other. Our defense really stepped up and shut them down for most of the game after that first touchdown.

“We need to get more consistent on offense running and throwing the football,” Penwell continued. “We have a lot of new faces out there. It’s a fast game on Friday night, and some of our younger guys haven’t adjusted to that yet. But we’re going to keep working.”

The Mohawks rushed for an amazing 244 yards on 52 carries compared to just 14 rushing yards for McClain on 22 carries.

The Tigers fall to 0-2 on the season and will host Paint Valley next on Friday, Sept. 6 in the Battle of 41 with a 7 p.m. kickoff.

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