Minico takes turnovers to triumph over Tigers

When asked earlier in the week by the Twin Falls media about the Mountain Home Tigers, Minico Spartan head football coach Tim Perrigot replied: "Sporadic is the way I describe them. At times, explosive, and at times, they make a lot of mistakes."

Friday night, the Mountain Home Tigers definitely made a lot of mistake, turning the ball over eight times in a 59-24 con-conference loss to the Minico Spartans at Minico.

Both teams went three-and-out their first possessions, but Minico put together an eight-play, 60-yard drive, scoring on a 13-yard run. A bad snap on the point-after try made the extra-point unsuccessful, as the Spartans took a 6-0 lead with 7:17 left in the first quarter.

The Tigers fumbled the ball away on their next possession, but got it back when Minico fumbled.

Mountain Home went three-and-out their next possession and the Spartans found the end zone again, this time on a 44-yard pass play. Again, a bad snap made the PAT unsuccessful, but Minico led 12-0 with 4:17 left in the first quarter.

The Tigers finally got some offense going and scored on a 62-yard, six-play drive, Jesse Cobos passing to Tyler Park for a four-yard score. Back-to-back procedure penalties against the Tigers put the ball at the 13 on the extra point attempt and Mountain Home went for two butfailed, making the score 12-6, Minico, with 1:39 left in the quarter.

Minico returned the kickoff to the Tiger 45 yard-line and five plays later found the end zone again, taking an 18-6 lead into the second quarter.

Mountain Home fumbled the ball on its next possession and Minico recovered on the Tiger 34-yard line. The Spartans then scored on a 24-yard pass play and booted the PAT to go up 25-6 just 18 seconds into the second quarter.

The Tigers turned the ball over on an interception the next possession and Minco turned it into another score to go up 32-6 with 9:23 left in the half.

Mountain Home then took the ball 65 yards in eight plays, Jesse Cobos hitting Chris Smith in the end zone on a 15-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was no good, but the Tigers had cut the lead to 32-12 with 6:24 left in the half.

Minico found the end zone again in the closing seconds of the half to go into the locker room up 38-12 at halftime

Mountain Home turned the ball over to the Spartans on their second possession of the third quarter on a pass interception, which Minico was able to convert into another score to up its lead to 45-12 with 6:33 left in the third quarter.

Mountain Home fumbled the ball back to the Spartans on its first play from scrimmage on its next possession, and 10 plays later Minico scored again to up their lead to 52-12 with 2:32 left in the quarter.

The Tigers then managed to overcome a couple major penalties, including one that called back a touchdown, and went on a 65-yard scoring drive, Jesse Cobos taking it in from six yards out. The two-point conversion try failed and Minico led 52-18, with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.

Mountain Home stopped Minico and forced a punt on their next possession, but Mountain Home had an interception returned to the Tiger six-yard line. Two plays later the Spartans scored what would be their final touchdown of the night to go up 59-18 with 7:37 left in the game.

Mountain Home had its next drive stop inside the Spartan 20-yard line on an interception, but Minico could not move the ball and punted it back to the Tigers.

Mountain Home then closed out the scoring on the night, going 43 yards in six plays, Tanner Sessions taking it the final yard for the score to make it a 59-24 final.

"We didn't play up to the high standards we set for ourselves," said Tigers head coach Aaron Rodney regarding the Minico loss. "We have to be more consistent and disciplined with the things we do. We will have to push through and work harder so we can meet our goals. My hat goes off to Minico. They were able to do some things that flustered us and we were not able to overcome the adversity."

Tanner Sessions led the Tiger running game with 93 yards and a touchdown off 11 carries. Jacob Ryan had 16 carries for 87 yards rushing.

Through the air, Jesse Cobos completed eight of 16 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He had four interceptions, however.

Defensively, the Tiger leaders were Tanner Sessions with nine tackles, Jacob Ryan with six tackles, and Taylor Ogaard had five tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss.

The Tigers host the Jerome Tigers Friday night for Homecoming. Coach Rodney expects a tough battle.

"We have a talented Jerome team coming to town for homecoming this week," the coach said. "Jerome has been very similar to us this season. They play well one week, and not so well the next.

"It should be a great matchup and a great game," he added. "We are excited for the opportunity to take the field again this Friday and put on a good show for our community."

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday night at Tiger Field.