Grizzlies' first-half dominance too much to overcome

Fort Scott Community College receiver Anthony Riley (9) brings in a pass in front of Butler linebacker Chris Campa during the Region VI Championship Game at Wichita's Cessna Stadium Sunday afternoon. Riley caught a team-leading seven passes for 79 yards but the No. 7-ranked Greyhounds lost to No. 2 Butler, 35-22. (Fort Scott Community College photo/Matthew Brandt)

WICHITA -- Perhaps the best way to say what happened in the Region VI Football Championship Game at Cessna Stadium here Sunday is that Fort Scott Community College's team showed up to play.

But Butler, the defending champion and the No. 2 team in the nation, showed up to win a championship. And that little difference in attitude made the difference in the game.

Although the Greyhounds turned away Butler's first two drives inside the 10-yard line, the Grizzlies eventually got on track and jumped out to a lead that proved too big to overcome in winning the Region VI title, 35-22.

The Grizzles, 11-0, are most likely headed to the Top of the Mountains Bowl in Salt Lake City to meet No. 1 Snow College for the national title on Dec. 2. The Greyhounds, 9-2, are also likely to go to a bowl game but the official destination couldn't be announced until noon today under National Junior College Athletic Association guidelines.

"I wish them the best of luck," Fort Scott head coach Jeff Sims said. "I think they'll win the national championship and I think we're not that far away from (beating) Butler but I think we need to learn how to play against Butler. You have to make plays and take advantage of your opportunities, and I don't think we did that today."

The Grizzlies got inside Fort Scott's 10-yard line on both of their first two possessions only to see both end with fumbles.

Beau Johnson rushed for 29, 43 and six yards on consecutive plays to get Butler to the two in the first possession. But quarterback Mike Garrison lost a fumble, which was recovered by 'Hound linebacker Matt Glades.

After a punt, Butler got down to the Fort Scott six with the aid of a 34-yard strike from Garrison to Wayne Bonner. But 'Hound linebacker Justin Jenkins forced a fumble and Todd Adkins recovered for Fort Scott.

However, the Greyhound offense couldn't take advantage of the turnovers. J.D. Douglas made the first of two interceptions midway through the opening quarter to give the Grizzlies the ball at the Fort Scott 33.

Although it needed 11 plays and 6:39 of game time, Butler finally got into the end zone when Garrison snuck the ball over from one yard out with 1:56 remaining.

The 'Hounds scored on the next possession when Jared Oshel kicked a 35-yard field goal with 32 seconds left in the period.

Butler backup tailback Randall Bell scored from 81 yards out on the first play of the second quarter to make it a 14-3 lead. A short time later, a fumble recovery set up a 24-yard touchdown pass from Garrison to Brice Vignery with 13:18 to go in the half.

Garrison threw his second touchdown pass with 6:42 left in the half, hitting Andre Jones from 22 yards out. That made it 28-3.

Johnson, who had 99 yards in the first quarter alone, scored on a 24-yard run with 3:15 left in the half to make it 35-3.

Butler outgained Fort Scott 341 yards to 149 in the first half. Garrison was completing passes despite tight coverage by the secondary. But the defensive front seven, usually a strength, was neutralized for the most part in the first half.

"People are probably going to read (this) and think our defense didn't play very well," Fort Scott head coach Jeff Sims said. "Could our defense have played better? Yes. But I think our defense played well and played hard.

"Butler's a good football team and they play hard. The reason I think they won today is that they played like a champion. They made catches over our really good coverage."

The Grizzlies never scored again. But the Greyhounds scored 19 points in the third quarter to give the faithful some hope.

Quarterback Greg Cross, who had an up-and-down game, scored the first touchdown on a three-yard run to the right with 6:33 to go in the period. The 'Hounds went for two points and failed.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Garrison's pass bounced off his intended receiver and linebacker Antonio Charles grabbed it in the air and returned it 18 yards for the second score. A pass for two points failed but the Greyhounds were within 35-15.

Late in the period, the 'Hounds lined up to punt from their own eight. But instead, punter Derek Helton threw a pass to Charles -- who began his FSCC career as a running back -- who then ran for 67 yards to Butler's 25. Four plays later, Cross scored on a draw play from the shotgun and Oshel's PAT capped an eight-play, 93-yard drive and cut the deficit to 35-22 with 1:43 left in the period.

But that was it for the scoring in the game. The Greyhounds had a couple of more good drives but were faced with fourth-and-long situations near Butler's 35 on both and were held by the Grizzlies.

"Butler's a very good team. I think we gave them too many opportunities in the first half," Sims said.

"I don't think anyone can say our kids quit. They played their butts off. I just think right now, for the whole league in general, you have to beat Butler; you can't just come to play with Butler. We played with Butler but we didn't beat them today."

The Grizzlies finished with 483 total yards to Fort Scott's 446. The 'Hounds passed for 303 yards while Butler rushed for 298, the most Fort Scott has allowed this season by 78 yards.

Garrison completed seven of his first 11 passes for 133 yards before fading and finishing nine of 23 for 185 yards. Cross had two different stretches where he completed four of six passes --one in the first half for 36 yards and another in the second for 71 yards. But overall, he was just 19 of 48 for 236 yards and three interceptions. He was also sacked six times.

Anthony Riley caught seven passes for 79 yards for the 'Hounds. Rodney Lovett caught four for 36 yards.

Johnson finished as the game's leading rusher with 211 yards on 41 carries. Bell added 97 on just five totes for Butler. Lovett gained 81 yards on 16 carries while Cross had 62 on 21 rushes for Fort Scott.

Official stats compiled by the KJCCC staff showed Glades as Fort Scott's leading tackler in the game with 12 while Lucien Antoine and Horace Hubbard each had 11.

FORT SCOTT....... 3 0 19 0 -- 22

BUTLER........... 7 28 0 0 -- 35

Scoring

First quarter

B -- Garrison 1 run (Fowler kick), 1:56 [11, 33, 6:09]

FS -- FG Oshel 35, 0:33 [9, 49, 1:19]

Second quarter

B -- Bell 81 run (Fowler kick), 14:47 [2, 80, 0:46]

B -- Vignery 24 pass from Garrison (Fowler kick), 13:18 [1, 19, 0:06]

B -- Jones 22 pass from Garrison (Fowler kick), 6:42 [4, 46, 1:16]

B -- Johnson 24 run (Fowler kick), 3:15 [6, 46, 1:58]

Third quarter

FS -- Cross 3 run (run failed), 6:33 [10, 69, 2:51]

FS -- Charles 18 interception return (pass failed), 6:28

FS -- Cross 10 run (Oshel kick), 1:43 [8, 93, 2:03]

Individual statistics

RUSHING: Fort Scott -- Lovett 16-81, Cross 21-62. Butler -- Johnson 41-211, Bell 5-97, team 3-minus 3, Garrison 6-minus 7.

PASSING: Fort Scott -- Cross 19-48-3-236, Helton 1-1-0-67. Butler -- Garrison 9-23-2-185.

RECEIVING: Fort Scott -- Riley 7-79, Lovett 4-36, Judie 3-36, Adams 2-52, Knaup 2-22, Charles 1-67, Sexton 1-11. Butler -- Jones 2-68, Gaines 2-31, Vignery 2-26, Bonner 1-34, Bachamp 1-19, Cummings 1-7.

MISSED FIELD GOALS: none.