Tigers lose tough game to Bishop Kelly

The Mountain Home Tigers will have to wait for another game to end their losing streak with the Bishop Kelly Knights, but Friday night at Tiger Field the Bishop Kelly magic carried the Knights past Mountain Home, 28-24, for their 10th straight win over the Tigers.

After Bishop Kelly went three-and-out on their first series, the Tigers went on a 75-yard, six-play scoring drive, Tallon Pauley running it in for a score from 15 yards out. John Deal's PAT attempt bounced off the goal post, no good, but the Tigers led 6-0, with 7:47 left in the first half.

The two teams exchanged punts before the Knights got their offense moving. Justice Mariscal, who had been stopped for negative yards by the Tigers on their first two possession, broke loose on their third series, carrying four times for 55 yards on their 62-yard drive, the big play a 38-yard run for a score. Michael Thomas booted the PAT to put the Knights ahead 7-6 with 2:12 left to go in the first quarter.

Mountain Home came down the field quickly, a 49-yard pass from Jake Posey to Chris Knudson putting the ball on the Bishop Kelly one yard-line. Posey took it in for the score. The Tigers then faked the PAT kick and their pass for two failed, but Mountain Home was back in the lead, 12-7, with 35 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Knights then went 61 yards in nine plays, Marcus Wood finding Matt Sato all alone for a 31-yard touchdown pass. Wood then passed to Brock Hyder for two, to put Bishop Kelly up 15-12 with 8:26 left in the half.

In the closing minutes of the first half, the Tigers moved the ball from their own 18 down to the Bishop Kelly 11 before time ran out, the Knights up 15-12 at halftime.

Mountain Home turned the ball over on downs to the Knights at the Bishop Kelly 43 in their opening drive of the third quarter.

Bishop Kelly went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half, but Tony Casiano's 51-yard punt put the Tigers on their own two-yard line to start their next series.

Mountain Home managed just seven yards in three plays, and had to punt from their nine, but the snap was bad, and Jesse Donez could not get a punt off and tried to run for the first down, but was tackled at the six, the Knights starting from there.

Three plays later, Justice Mariscal ran it in from two yards out.

The snap was bad on the PAT attempt, and the holder attempted to run it in, but was stopped short of the goal. The Knights led 21-12 with 5:24 left in the third quarter.

Jesse Donez then ran back the kickoff 84 yards to the Bishop Kelly 12-yard line. Two plays later, Matt Ward scored from six yards out. John Deal's PAT was no good, and the Knights led, 21-18, with 4:37 left in the third quarter.

The Knights then went 56 yards in eight plays, Nick Buich taking it in from nine yards out for the score. Michael Thomas added the PAT to give Bishop Kelly their biggest lead of the night, 28-18, with 1:11 left in the third quarter.

After the two teams exchanged punts a couple times, the Tigers took advantage of a seven-yard punt by Bishop Kelly and started at the Knights' 46. Jake Posey then connected with Chris Maholick on a pass to the Bishop Kelly five yard-line. Posey ran it in from the two-yard line two plays later. The pass for two points failed, and it was 28-24, Bishop Kelly, with 4:40 left in the ball game.

The Tiger defense forced Bishop Kelly to punt, and Mountain Home got the ball back on the Knights' 47, with 2:50 left in the ball game.

Mountain Home managed just two yards in four downs, as three passes fell incomplete, and Bishop Kelly took the ball back on downs with 1:57 left, and managed to run out the clock for the victory.

"We knew that our kicking game has needed work and we've been working on it, but obviously, not hard enough," said Tiger football coach Brian Floyd. "They score four touchdowns, we score four touchdowns, and we lose by four. It's my job to get the job done, and we didn't get it done, and I take responsibility for that. That's my fault."

Mountain Home rushed for 123 yards and passed for 181 for 304 total yards, while Bishop Kelly rushed for 104 and passed for 126 for 230 total yards.

Jake Posey rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Tallon Pauley had 49 yards rushing. Matt Ward rushed for 12 yards and a touchdown, and Jesse Donez carried twice for two yards.

Jake Posey completed eight of 22 passes for 181 yards. Chris Maholick caught two passes for 74 yards, Jesse Donez had two receptions for 49 yards, Chris Knudson had one catch for 49 yards, Tallon Pauley had two for seven, and Kyle Kerfoot had one catch for two yards.

Defensively, Matt Ward led the Tigers with 15 tackles. Chris Knudson had six with 1.5 sacks, Cameron Spaulding had five tackles and a half-a-sack, and Billy Derome also had a sack.

The Tigers dropped to 2-2 overall, and 2-1 in conference play. They host the Nampa Bulldogs for Homecoming this Friday night. The Bulldogs improved to 3-0 in conference with a 39-29 win over Kuna last week.

"They're a good team, and I knew they were going to be a good team," said Coach Floyd of the Bulldogs. "If we play the way we can, we'll be fine, but it seems like our team's turning into a Jekyll and Hyde for some reason, and I've got to get it straightened out. It's Homecoming and always good to have an undefeated conference team coming in for Homecoming. If we play the way we can, I still think we're the best team in the conference, but I've just got to do a better job getting them prepared."

Kickoff for the Nampa game is at 7 p.m. Friday night at Tiger Field, with the crowning of the Homecoming Queen at halftime.