Tigers beat Vallivue 20-14

The Mountain Home Tigers ended their football season on a winning note last Friday night, scoring in -- the final 30 seconds -- for a 20-14 win over the Vallivue

Neither team was able to make it in the end zone in the first quarter, although Mountain Home looked like they were, as a 13-play 62-yard drive had them with a fourth and goal from the Falcon four-yard line. But Keith Yagues was tackled inches from the goal-line.

That ended the Tigers' scoring drive, but started a 13-play 99-yard drive by Vallivue, capped off with a 14-yard run by Tyler Brown. Andrew Feller booted the PAT to put the Falcons up, 7-0, with 7:14 left in the first half.

That score seemed to ignite the Tigers' offense, as three plays and 61 yards later, Kieth Yagues took the ball on the option 35 yards for a score. Stephen Reinschmidt's PAT tied the game at 7-7, with 6:09 left in the half.

Mountain Home looked like they might get on the scoreboard again, after Caom Hansen and Billy O'Brien blocked a Falcon punt and the Tigers had it on the Vallivue 31, but after getting it down to the Falcon 17, Mountain Home fumbled, and the Falcons recovered on their 19.

The first half ended with the score tied at 7-7, but Mountain Home found themselves down quickly in the third quarter, after the kickoff return was fumbled, and recovered by Jacob Fannin, who snatched it up and took it into the end zone for a Vallivue score.

Andrew Feller booted the PAT to make it 14-7, Vallivue, just nine seconds in to the third quarter.

The Tigers answered, going 73 yards in 11 plays, Anthony Pomerlee getting 56 of those yards, including the final three for the score. But Stephen Reinschmidt's PAT was low and no good, so the Falcons led 14-13, with 6:45 left in the third quarter.

The score stayed that way until late in the fourth quarter. Vallivue got the ball back with 3:24 left, with the ball on the Tiger 39 yard-line, and hoped to pick up a first down or two and run out the clock, if not get another score, but Falcon quarterback Kyle Christoffersen was run out of bounds at the Tiger 30 on fourth down.

With 2:12 left on the clock, Mountain Home took over on their 30, hoping to at least move the ball down the field into Stephen Reinschmidt's range for a field goal.

After the first two plays netted just three yards, Tiger quarterback Keith Yagues, who stepped up to play quarterback for Brock Zamora, who had separated a shoulder in the Caldwell game, connected with Mike Thornsberry for a first down at the Vallivue 47.

Yagues then threw to Andrew Grodi at the Falcon 39, and the Tigers used their final timeout with 38 seconds left.

After an incompletion used up four seconds, Keith Yagues connected with Mike Thornsberry again, and Thornsberry used his speed to make a beeline for the goal-line, getting in for the score.

With Stephen Reinschmidt's PAT, Mountain Home led, 20-14, with 24 seconds left on the clock.

Tyler Brown returned the Tiger kickoff to the Vallivue 47, where the Falcons had it first and 10, with 16 seconds left. On first down, Shawn Morin picked off Kyle Christophersen's pass and ran it back to the Mountain Home 49 with six seconds left. The Tigers were able to run out the clock, and end the up-and-down season with a 20-14 victory.

Tiger head football coach Tony Kerfoot was happy and relieved to come away with the win.

"I think that just kind of ended the season a little bit better for us. We kind of had a frustrating year at times, but I think this kind of helps the seniors go out with a win, and maybe sparked a little bit of enthusiasm for next year, too."

The Tigers rushed the ball 41 times for 220 yards, led by Anthony Pomerlee, who had 16 rushes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Keith Yagues picked up 67 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Matt Maurer rushed the ball nine times for 34 yards, and Billy O'Brien rushed twice for one yard.

Through the air, Keith Yagues was six of 10 for 92 yards and a touchdown. Mike Thornsberry caught three passes for 65 yards and a score. Andrew Grodi had two catches for 11 yards, and Matt Maurer had one catch for 18 yards.

Vallivue rushed the ball 43 times for 248 yards, and passed for 31 yards.

Defensively, five Tigers ended in double figures in tackles. Matt Maurer had 18 stops, including five solo tackles and a pass deflection. Kole Spaulding had 16 tackles and a pass deflection. Caom Hansen had 13 tackles, a pass deflection and a blocked punt. Tyson Sessions had 11 tackles and a pass deflection, and Shawn Morin had 10 tackles, including three solos and picked off a pass, his second pick of the season.

The season now ends for the Tigers, who finished 4-5 overall, and went 2-3 in league play, a fourth-place finish.

Coach Kerfoot will lose some seniors, but is feeling good about the nucleus he has returning.

"We'll have a really good nucleus coming back. We hate to see the seniors go, but I tell you what, I'd a lot rather see eight of them gone than what we had a year ago with 22, and we did have a lot of underclassmen filling roles this year, and it'll be nice to welcome them back next year and have some guys that have some experience at positions."