Sports : WHS
Smith-Cotton pulls away from Warrensburg in second half
Oct 31, 2009, 8:06 AM
By GALE L. O'DELL
KNOB NOSTER, Mo. -- Warrensburg (4-6) and Smith Cotton (8-2) met on neutral ground Friday when the two football teams met at Knob Noster with the Silver Tiger up for grabs.
Smith Cotton had to move the game from its own Jennie Jaynes Field Thursday because the field was unplayable.
In the first half, things started looking good for Warrensburg. On the first drive of the game, junior quarterback Layton Moore passed to Alex Kostas for a 38-yard touchdown.
Moore remembered the excitement his team had before the game, which helped out in the touchdown drive.
“We came out fired and pumped up and ready to play,” Moore said. “I just had confidence in my receivers and my line. They played and blocked great. So, when we got that touchdown, I thought it was going to be a good game from there on.”
Smith Cotton senior running back Andrew Byrd answered with a 30-yard touchdown run with 1:59 left of the first quarter to tie the game at 7. Anyone would have thought that the game was going to be close from there on out, but Smith Cotton came back in the second half and overpowered Warrensburg 34-10.
The rivalry between the two West Central Conference teams made it a tougher loss for the Warrensburg Tigers and coach Wiley Meade.
“It was a big game for us, two big (rivals),” Meade said. “Smith Cotton just beat us fundamentally in the second half. They did both with tackles and Andrew Byrd, just a great running back, and he just ran right through us.”
Warrensburg kicked a field goal with 39 seconds left of the second quarter for a 10-7 lead, but it would be the last time the team would score.
Byrd ran over Warrensburg in the second half, first by running 56 yards for a touchdown, just a play after the kickoff to start the half. The kick after was no good, but Smith Cotton had its first lead of the game, 13-10.
Byrd would score again on his team’s next drive, getting a 39-yard rushing touchdown to give his team a 20-10 lead. Later, he found the end zone again from the Smith Cotton 41-yard line to increase the lead to 26 after another missed extra point. He also scored the last touchdown of the game by running 19 yards.
On this touchdown, Smith Cotton decided to go for a two-point conversion on a pass play to Sam Brummett to finish off Warrensburg with 8:20 left of the game.
Although Smith Cotton came away with a big win, coach Mark Johnson could see some improvements Warrensburg made this year.
“I thought they came out and played well,” Johnson said. “They are much improved from what they were last year. I think they fly around the field and do great things, and so it is tough, but it is a fun rivalry.”
Even with the tough loss, Moore was already talking about playing Smith Cotton again next year.
“It was a tough loss; it’s a big rivalry. And we are going to come out next year, and we are going to come out strong,” Moore said. “Come this off-season, we are going to work hard, get better as a team, and we are going to have a great season next year.”
Smith Cotton had to move the game from its own Jennie Jaynes Field Thursday because the field was unplayable.
In the first half, things started looking good for Warrensburg. On the first drive of the game, junior quarterback Layton Moore passed to Alex Kostas for a 38-yard touchdown.
Moore remembered the excitement his team had before the game, which helped out in the touchdown drive.
“We came out fired and pumped up and ready to play,” Moore said. “I just had confidence in my receivers and my line. They played and blocked great. So, when we got that touchdown, I thought it was going to be a good game from there on.”
Smith Cotton senior running back Andrew Byrd answered with a 30-yard touchdown run with 1:59 left of the first quarter to tie the game at 7. Anyone would have thought that the game was going to be close from there on out, but Smith Cotton came back in the second half and overpowered Warrensburg 34-10.
The rivalry between the two West Central Conference teams made it a tougher loss for the Warrensburg Tigers and coach Wiley Meade.
“It was a big game for us, two big (rivals),” Meade said. “Smith Cotton just beat us fundamentally in the second half. They did both with tackles and Andrew Byrd, just a great running back, and he just ran right through us.”
Warrensburg kicked a field goal with 39 seconds left of the second quarter for a 10-7 lead, but it would be the last time the team would score.
Byrd ran over Warrensburg in the second half, first by running 56 yards for a touchdown, just a play after the kickoff to start the half. The kick after was no good, but Smith Cotton had its first lead of the game, 13-10.
Byrd would score again on his team’s next drive, getting a 39-yard rushing touchdown to give his team a 20-10 lead. Later, he found the end zone again from the Smith Cotton 41-yard line to increase the lead to 26 after another missed extra point. He also scored the last touchdown of the game by running 19 yards.
On this touchdown, Smith Cotton decided to go for a two-point conversion on a pass play to Sam Brummett to finish off Warrensburg with 8:20 left of the game.
Although Smith Cotton came away with a big win, coach Mark Johnson could see some improvements Warrensburg made this year.
“I thought they came out and played well,” Johnson said. “They are much improved from what they were last year. I think they fly around the field and do great things, and so it is tough, but it is a fun rivalry.”
Even with the tough loss, Moore was already talking about playing Smith Cotton again next year.
“It was a tough loss; it’s a big rivalry. And we are going to come out next year, and we are going to come out strong,” Moore said. “Come this off-season, we are going to work hard, get better as a team, and we are going to have a great season next year.”
