Tigers stumble as Middleton stages comeback win

Middleton put up 34-unanswered points against the Mountain Home Tigers Friday night to claim a come-from-behind 56-34 conference football win at Tiger Field in Mountain Home.

Mountain Home scored first on its opening drive, going 62 yards in seven plays, with Taner Sessions running it in from nine yards out. Mariano Areco's point-after try made it 7-0 Mountain Home with 9:17 left in the first quarter.

After the Vikings turned the ball over on downs on their own 46-yard line. A holding penalty moved the ball back to the Tigers' 44-yard line where Jesse Cobos connected with AJ Daniels on a 56-yard touchdown. With Mariano Areco's PAT, the Tigers led 14-0 with 5:39 left in the first quarter.

Middleton got on the scoreboard with its next possession, Hayden Bennett's 41-yard pass to Travis White good for six points. Bennett ran in the two-point conversion to cut the Tiger lead to 14-8 with 4:05 left in the first quarter.

Mountain Home was forced to punt on its next possession but the Vikings fumbled the punt and the Tigers had the ball at the Middleton 29-yard line. Jesse Cobos hooked up with Tyler Park for a 29-yard score and the Tigers led 20-8 in the closing minute of the opening quarter.

Middleton then went on a 69-yard, nine-play drive, Caleb Harrel taking it in from a yard out to cut the Tiger lead to 20-14 with 9:54 left in the first half.

An unsuccessful fake punt by Mountain Home on its next possession gave the Vikings the ball at the Tiger 44. Three plays later, Nick Cordell ran it in from 20 yards out, and with the successful two-point conversion, Middleton led for the first time, 22-20, with 6:24 left in the half.

Mountain Home answered with a score of its own, Jesse Cobos hitting Chris Wright on a 14-yard pass. The two-point conversion try failed, but the Tigers had the lead back, 26-22, with 4:37 left in the half.

Unfortunately, Mountain Home would not score again for nearly 26 and a half minutes, as the Viking running game got going and Middleton, which had over 400 yards rushing in the game, ran off 34-unanswered points before the Tigers would score again.

After Jesse Cobos capped off a 64-yard, nine-play drive with a one-yard score, Tyler Park's two-point conversion run made it 56-34, Middleton, with 2:08 left in the game.

Middleton's final drive of the night ended on the Mountain Home 12 yard-line when time ran out.

"We played well for three and a half quarters," said Mountain Home head football coach Aaron Rodney. "The offense did a nice job of moving the ball up and down the field and was able to put the ball in the end zone.

Once again, the Tigers' Achilles heel was stopping the run, the coach said.

"We were able to keep Middleton in check for a half, but we got run down by a bigger and more physical football team," he said. "Our kids showed great character by giving great effort and not quitting."

Tanner Sessions took the majority of the carries again this week with Jake Ryan missing his second game due to an injury.

Sessions carried nine times for 49 yards and a touchdown. Jonathan Deese rushed for 54 yards. Justin Lawrence had two rushes for 25 yards.

Jesse Cobos completed 17 of 21 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns, had two passes picked off, and also rushed for a touchdown.

AJ Daniels caught five passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, Justin Lawrence had five catches for 72 yards, Chris Wright had four catches for 46 yards and a score and Tyler Park caught three passes for 72 yards and a score.

Defensively, Tanner Sessions led the way with 17 tackles. Justin Lawrence and Jonathan Deese both had four tackles.

The Tigers fell to 0-2 in conference and 1-5 on the season.

Mountain Home hosts Skyview Friday night in conference football. It will be Senior Night for 18 Tiger seniors, who will be honored prior to the game.