Tigers end season with loss to Cougars

Tuesday, November 2, 2004

Any hopes of ending the season with a win got washed away in the rain as the Caldwell Cougars scored twice in the fourth quarter to hand the Mountain Home Tigers a 23-13 SIC 4A conference football loss at Caldwell last Thursday night.

Kent Bradshaw returned the opening kickoff 70 yards to the Mountain Home 15-yard line as the Cougars threatened early. The Tigers held them off, and Michael Jakubowski's 29-yard field goal hit the right goal post and bounced off, as the field goal was no good.

Mountain Home's first series stalled at the Caldwell 45, where the Cougars took over on downs.

Caldwell then moved the ball from their 45 down to the Tiger 19 before the drive stalled, and this time Michael Jakubowski was good on a 36-yard field goal, and Caldwell led 3-0 with 2:30 left in the first quarter.

Mountain Home then engineered a 63-yard 13-play drive, Keith Yagues scoring from two yards out. With Kyle Clark's PAT, the Tigers led, 7-3, with 9:06 left in the first half.

Brandt Ruzicka then returned the kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, but it was called back by a penalty.

Mountain Home also had a touchdown called back in the second quarter, as a 27-yard touchdown pass from Keith Yagues to Brock Zamora was called back by a penalty.

Those two plays were the closest either team came to scoring the rest of the first half, which ended with the Tigers up, 7-3.

The Tigers received the ball to start the third quarter, and picked up one first down. On fourth and two from their own 40, the Tigers failed to pick up the first down, and Caldwell took over on downs there, and went the 40 yards in seven plays for a score, Trey Spath taking it the final yard. Michael Jakubowski booted the PAT to put the Cougars up, 10-7, with 7:04 left in the third quarter.

Mountain Home started its next drive at the Tiger 34, and on the first play, Matt Maurer ran 66 yards for a touchdown. Kyle Clark's PAT was no good, but the Tigers led, 13-10, with 6:44 left in the third quarter.

On Caldwell's next possession, the Cougars moved the ball down to the Mountain Home 15, where Michael Jakubowski missed a 32-yard field goal that would have tied the game.

On Caldwell's first possession of the fourth quarter, they took the ball 47 yards in six plays, Freddie Chavez scoring from a yard out. Michael Jakubowski's PAT made it 17-13, with 8:01 left in the ball game.

A fumble recovered by Caldwell stopped the Tigers next drive at the Cougar 39-yard line. The Cougars then marched down the field, Trey Spath passing to Brandt Ruzicka on fourth down for 23 yards and a score. The PAT was no good, but Caldwell had a 23-13 lead, with 2:47 left in the ball game.

The Tigers were unable to get a drive going, and turned the ball over on downs to the Cougars at the Mountain Home 36-yard line, with 1:23 left. Caldwell then ran out the clock for a 23-13 win.

The Tigers rushed the ball 43 times for 256 yards.

Matt Maurer topped the 1,000 yard mark for the season with 146 yards on 22 rushes. Tyson Sessions rushed for 55 yards on 11 carries.

Keith Yagues had 13 yards on seven rushes, Shawn Morin rushed twice for eight yards, and Georgio Sutton carried once for five yards.

Yagues completed just one pass, that good for 31 yards to Matt Maurer.

The Caldwell Cougars rushed the ball 34 times for 161 yards Trey Spath completed nine of 16 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. He had one pass picked off by Josh Reynolds.

The Tigers end the season, 5-4 overall, and 3-4 in conference play.

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