By Jason Strickland (GRAIN VALLEY, Mo, digitalBURG) –

Turnovers cost the Warrensburg Tigers a chance to win (0-3) Friday night in a 16-6 loss to the Grain Valley Eagles (1-2).

Brett Marr, No. 12, takes some warmup tosses prior to Friday’s game against Grain Valley.

The Tigers coughed up the football five times, none bigger than the Logan Means fumble inside the 10-yard line in the first quarter.

The Tigers missed another opportunity to take their first lead of the season when Rem Hoyer missed a field goal on Warrensburg’s first offensive possession.

The Eagles scored the first points of the game when running back Brendan Baldwin ran it in from 18 yards out with 7:30 to go in the first half to make it 7-0 after the extra point.

Grain Valley added to its lead after a 3-yard touchdown run by Travis Delozier with 30 seconds remaining in the first half. A blocked extra point by Means kept the score at 13-0 at halftime.

The turnovers kept coming in the second half as the Tigers fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, which led to a field goal by Evan Velasquez to make the score 16-0 with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Warrensburg was able to force a punt on Grain Valley’s next possession, but Bo Mackey fumbled the punt at the 35-yard line with 3:42 remaining in the third. However, the Tigers got a break as a 35-yard touchdown run by Brice Quinn was called back for holding.

Later on the driver Tiger cornerback Anthony Briscoe intercepted a Ben Andes pass and returned it 60 yards, but a block in the back on the return brought the ball back to the Warrensburg 35-yard line. The ensuing Warrensburg drive ended in a punt.

The next Grain Valley drive got all the way to the Tiger’s 11-yard line, but linebacker Devin Morris forced a fumble which was recovered by linebacker Matt Robinson to the Eagle’s 12-yard line.

That led to a 6-yard touchdown run by Means to make it 16-6 with 10:18 remaining in the game. The Tigers failed on the 2-piont conversion try with a run by Means.

Later in the quarter, Grain Valley attempted a fake punt which was stopped by Warrensburg at the Eagles 44-yard line with 6:01 remaining.

The Tigers found themselves in a fourth-and-15 with about four minutes left, and Briscoe dropped his third pass of the night at the first down markers.

Grain Valley took over and was able to run most of the clock out. Warrensburg got the ball back after holding the Eagles on a fourth down, but Brett Marr threw his second interception of the game as time expired.

Marr ended up 7-for-19 passing for 91 yards and two interceptions, as the Warrensburg receivers dropped several passes.

Andes ended up 7-for-14 for 112 yards and an interception. He added 59 yards rushing off 13 carries in the Eagle’s option offense. A host of running backs carried the ball for Grain Valley. Quinn ended up with 54 yards off six carries and a 27-yard reception. Cameron Bolten ran for 28 yards off eight carries.

Baldwin and Delozier had 28 yards and 14 yards, respectively. Means was the leading rusher for the Tigers with 15 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Warrensburg’s next game is at Harrisonville (0-2) next Friday. Harrisonville’s game at Bolivar was postponed until Saturday at 1 p.m.

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