Knights win with a foot

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

JACKSON - The Farmington Knights outlasted the Jackson Indians Friday night to score the last touchdown of the game and capture a 42-38 win, spoiling the Indians’ Homecoming rituals. 

When it came down to the deciding factor between a very evenly fought battle, freshman Logan Bradley’s early field goal and 3-3 on extra-point attempts became the difference in the score.

Jackson started out with the advantage. They had to punt on their first possession, but the ball hit a Farmington player to sustain Jackson’s drive. The Indians could not capitalize on the extra gift.

The Knights were able to advance the ball on their possession far enough to allow Bradley to make good on a 34-yard field goal.

Jackson came right back, and this time was not to be denied as they scored a 23-yard touchdown by Drew Bucher for the first of six lead changes in the game. Their extra-point attempt failed.

Farmington answered with the big play. Quarterback Zach Hibbitts hit Bryan Krause in the flat, and Krause took the ball 79 yards to the house for the quick score, and a 10-6 lead with three minutes still left in the quarter. Hibbitts would finish the night completing 19 of 36 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns.

The first play of the second quarter gave the lead back to Jackson with Cole Rodgers making an eight-yard touchdown run, but again the PAT was no good.

Before Jackson’s Homecoming fans could sit down from their celebrating the 12-10 lead, Krause took the kickoff at the 15 and broke loose to run 85 yards for the score and give the lead back to Farmington with less than a minute burned off of the quarter.

The two teams traded turnovers and late in the half, Farmington finished off a drive with a seven-yard touchdown run by Zachary Oyler. With 2:42 left in the half, there was plenty more action before the break.

Bucher broke loose on the first play from scrimmage for the Indians and headed for a certain score, but was tracked down 73 yards later by Krause. Jackson took only one more play with quarterback Marcus Harris hitting Kevin Pridemore on a four yard pass for the touchdown and again the PAT was no good.

Krause took an obstacle-course route on the kickoff return and was finally taken down at the Jackson eight after 72 yards which was more like 172 in actual running yards. Hibbitts found Ethan Bullard in the end zone with a pass to reward Krause’s effort. The two-point conversion was no good, and the Knights held a 30-18 lead with 30 seconds to go in the half.

On Farmington’s first possession of the half, Jackson intercepted a pass and returned the ball to the 14 where Rodgers took it in for the score. The Knights turned the ball over on downs on their next possession after stalling in the Red Zone, and Jackson made them pay with a two-play touchdown. Bucher ran for 37 yards and Jason McCulley took the ball 45 yards for the touchdown and a 31-30 lead.

With six minutes left in the game, the Indians would enjoy their largest lead in the game with Rodgers scoring a nine-yard    touchdown run to make it 38-10.

Back came Farmington with Nick Baker hauling in a pass from Hibbitts and taking it all the way to the 11. Oyler made good for the last seven yards on a screen pass from Hibbitts. The Knights two-point try to tie the game failed.

Jackson was forced to punt on their next possession, but the long snap went over the head of the punter and a kick attempt was blocked by the Knights at Jackson’s 10. Two plays later, Oyler ran the ball in from the 10 to give Farmington the final lead.

Bradley’s kickoff was mishandled by the Indians and they had to start from their five-yard line. The Knights defense held as time expired.

Farmington, 5-1 and 2-0 in the SEMO North, will host McCluer North this Friday.