Mistakes hurt Wildcats in 35-21 loss at Nashville
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<p class="p1">Anna-Jonesboro remained in striking distance until the fourth quarter in a 35-21 loss to host Nashville in Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division high school football action Friday, Sept. 18.</p><p class="p1">“We felt we were right there,” A-J coach Brett Dering said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t make plays when we needed to.”</p><p class="p1">The game was knotted 21-21 headed in the final quarter when the Hornets scored a pair of touchdowns on A-J mistakes.</p><p class="p1">“Up to that point, they hadn’t stopped us,” Detering said. “In close games, you can’t make those mistakes and put the ball on the ground.”</p><p class="p1">Early in the final quarter, the A-J defense stiffened and Dylan Fox and Bryce Osman teamed up to stop Hornet quarterback Andrew Kash on a fourth down play. </p><p class="p1">The Wildcats then fumbled the football and Nashville recovered.</p><p class="p1">“We got a goal line stand and then turned the ball over on the 9-yard line,” Detering said. “We needed to pick it up at that point because they hadn’t stopped us.”</p><p class="p1">Four plays later, Nashville running back Hunter Schultze scored on a 1-yard run.</p><p class="p1">Jaris Dalman kicked the extra point and Nashville led 28-21 with 6:22 remaining in the game.</p><p class="p1">A-J then drove to midfield and lost the football again on a fumble.</p><p class="p1">“We still had a chance and we put the ball on the ground again,” Detering said. </p><p class="p1">Schultze then made a 66-yard run for a score to cap a 2-play drive. Dalman’s extra point kick closed out the scoring with 4:05 remaining in the game.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats’ final drive was halted by an interception.</p><p class="p1">A-J’s offense got off to a good start to begin the game.</p><p class="p1">Alec Gold made a nifty kickoff return to give the Wildcats good field position.</p><p class="p1">With Gold leading the way in the backfield, the Wildcats marched downfield and concluded a 10-play drive with quarterback Jake Stark scoring on a 3-yard run.</p><p class="p1">Kicker Dakota Earnhart was out with an injury and Zach Parr filled in to boot the extra point for a 7-0 Wildcat lead with 6:25 remaining in the opening quarter.</p><p class="p1">The Hornets bounced back when Kyle Schnitker scored on a 3-yard run after an 8-play drive.</p><p class="p1">Dalman’s extra point kick knotted the game 7-7 with 2:15 left in the opening quarter.</p><p class="p1">Gold, who suffered a leg injury on the opening drive, had Trenton Turner, Caleb Clover and Jayce Turner filling in to pick up the slack in the backfield.</p><p class="p1">“When a guy goes down we got guys who can replace them,” Detering said. “With our injuries, we’ve had guys playing on one side of the ball, now they’re playing on both sides” on offense and defense. The A-J coach said his squad was getting injured players back slowly.</p><p class="p1">After a 10-play drive, Collin Prather scored on a 4-yard run. Parr’s extra point kick put A-J ahead 14-7 with 9:06 remaining in the second quarter.</p><p class="p1">Nashville countered by marching down field on a 13-play drive that was capped with Dalman scoring on a 10-yard run. Dalman’s kick tied the game 14-14 with 1:30 left in the second quarter.</p><p class="p1">The Hornets opened the second half by receiving the opening kick off and marching downfield on an 8-play drive that ended with Schultze scoring on a 5-yard run. Dalman’s kick put Nashville on top 21-14 with 7:50 remaining in the first half.</p><p class="p1">A-J countered with a 5-play drive with Jayce Turner scoring on a 5-yard run. Parr’s extra point kick knotted the game 21-21 with 6:21 remaining in the third quarter.</p><p class="p1">The Hornets’ longest drive of the game was then halted on A-J’s goal line stand.</p><p class="p1">Despite Gold’s injury, he was able to rush for 63 yards on 7 carries. Trenton Turner led A-J with 136 yards on 14 carries. Jayce Turner added 48 yards on 6 carries.</p><p class="p1">Stark had one completed pass for 36 yards, but two interceptions.</p><p class="p1">Detering said the extent of Gold’s injury was unknown and his status was uncertain for this Friday’s game.</p><p class="p1">Nashville improved to 4-0 and A-J evened up its record at 2-2.</p>