Tigers withstand Labette County rally

ALTAMONT -- Fort Scott High's football team was able to hold off a rally by Labette County here Friday night and remain unbeaten in Class 4A-Division I District 4 play.

The Grizzlies scored 12 points in less than three minutes in the fourth quarter of this game that also counted in Southeast Kansas League standings, getting within 28-25 with 5:40 to go.

But Fort Scott (2-0 District, 5-1 SEK and 7-1 overall) recovered an onside kick and held the ball for the remaining time, converting a fourth-and-1 at the LCHS 13 with about a minute and a half to go and then taking knees as the Grizzlies (0-2, 2-2, 3-5) were out of time outs.

In the other District game, Paola (2-0, 7-1) routed Chanute, 55-7. With Friday's results, the Tigers and Paola have clinched Class 4A-Division I playoff berths. The meeting between the two Friday night at Frary Field will determine the District champion, which gets to host the runner-up of District 3 in the first round while the loser has to travel to play the District 3 champion.

Fort Scott scored on its first offensive play, a 39-yard keeper by quarterback Kaleb DeLaTorre with 10:19 left in the first quarter.

Just three plays following the kickoff, on a third-and-14 play, Labette County's Isaiah McPherson broke through the middle and went 89 yards to tie the score with 9:15 on the clock.

The Tigers looked to get a 35-yard field goal from Brody Southwell, but the snap went over his head and he had to chase it down to keep LCHS from advancing it.

The Grizzlies took the lead late in the second quarter when Logan Dean found Klein Ryan on a 22-yard scoring pass. The snap was bad in the extra point, so the score remained 13-7.

Fort Scott scored on its first possession of the second half as DeLaTorre scored again, this time from 11 yards out with 7:53 on the clock to reclaim the lead, 14-13.

A 26-yard punt gave the Tigers the ball at the LCHS 36 and five runs produced a 9-yard touchdown by Carter Young with 4:11 to go, making it 21-13.

Young scored again on a 4-yard run with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter, making it 28-13.

McPherson scored again on a 40-yard run over the right side with 8:17 to go. The Grizzlies went for 2 points but the official ruled Ryan was out of bounds when he made the catch on the play, so the score remained 28-19.

The Grizzlies took over at the Fort Scott 39 with 7:10 to go after a 28-yard punt. McPherson scored from the 5 but the Tigers blocked the extra point, which kept the score 28-25.

Southwell recovered the onside kick and the Tigers were able to run out the clock.

Young rushed for 112 yards on 20 carries for Fort Scott while Tourtillott added 98 on 16 totes. DeLaTorre, who struggled passing, hitting only 4 of 14 passes for 43 yards, was able to run for 69 yards on 15 carries.

McPherson finished with 195 yards on 25 carries for LCHS. Dean threw for 122 yards on 9-of-15 passing but was sacked six times for 34 yards in losses.

The Tigers had just 92 yards rushing at the half but gained 192 on the ground in the second half.

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TIGER BOX

FORT SCOTT.......... 7 0 14 7 -- 28

LABETTE COUNTY...... 7 6 0 12 -- 25

Scoring plays

First quarter

FS -- DeLaTorre 39 run (Southwell kick), 10:19

LC -- McPherson 89 run (Dantic kick), 9:15

Second quarter

LC -- Ryan 22 pass from L.Dean (kick failed), 3:03

Third quarter

FS -- DeLaTorre 11 run (Southwell kick), 7:52

FS -- Young 9 run (Southwell kick), 4:11

Fourth quarter

FS -- Young 1 run (Southwell kick), 9:50

LC -- McPherson 40 run (pass failed), 8:17

LC -- McPherson 5 run (kick blocked), 5:40

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Fort Scott -- Young 20-112, W.Tourtillott 16-98, DeLaTorre 15-69, Fewell 4-33, Tome 1-minus 1, team 3-minus 27. Labette County -- McPherson 25-195, L.Dean 11-minus 20, team 1-minus 2.

PASSING: Fort Scott -- DeLaTorre 4-14-0-43. Labette County -- L.Dean 9-15-1-122.

RECEIVING: Fort Scott -- Stepps 3-23, Hudiburg 1-20. Labette County -- Johnson 4-72, Bruce 2-28, Ryan 2-18, McPherson 1-4.

MISSED FIELD GOALS: None.