Panthers come up short against Eagles, 21-14

Needing just a yard to continue a fourth quarter comeback against the Colby Eagles, the Concordia Panthers came up short.
Concordia trailed Colby 21-7 midway through the final period when it marched 64 yards in seven plays.
Wyatt Trost threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Aidan Poore and Hunter Schroeder kicked the extra point to pull the Panthers within seven points, 21-14, with 4:16 to play in the game.
The Panthers would then recover an onsides kick at the 50-yard line.
Following an incomplete Trost pass, Schroeder had runs of three and six yards to set up the fourth down and one.
Concordia again went to Schroeder, its leading rusher of the season, but he was thrown for  a 2-yard loss, and Colby took over on its own 43-yard line.
The Eagles were able to pick up three first downs and run out the clock on a 21-14 Class 3A District 8 play Friday night at Harold M. Clark Stadium.
“We missed a block,” Concordia coach Jordan Echer said of the fourth down play, “I think it was probably miscommunication between players. That middle linebacker came through untouched, a clean shot.”
Concordia, now 2-3 overall, falls to 1-1 in district play after opening with a road win over Russell.
Unbeaten Colby, 5-0, improves to 2-0 in the district.
Scott City is also 2-0 in district play after thumping Russell, 41-0.
In the other District 8 game, Beloit defeated Goodland, 46-12.
Concordia will play at Goodland Friday night.
The Panthers and the Eagles spent the first quarter and a half marching up and down the field, but neither team was able to put points on the board.
Concordia stopped a Colby drive at its own 18-yard line.
The Panthers moved to the Eagles 11, but turned the ball over on downs.
Only one of the first five offensive possessions ended with a punt.
Colby was finally able to take advantage of a short field.
Getting the ball on the Concordia 36-yard line following a punt, the Eagles needed just three plays to score.
Calvin Stapp was able to turn the corner and got 30 yards for a touchdown on a third-down and four play with 4:37 remaining in the second quarter.
“That is what we talked about all week. We have got to be able to wrap up, we have got to be able to keep him (Stapp) inside. He was able to get the edge on us, and that is all he needs. He has got next level speed,” Echer said.
Concordia would punt on its first possession of the second half.
Colby ran 10 plays, but had a drive stall at the Panthers’ 10-yard line.
Schroeder, who rushed for 125 yards on 13 carries, broke a 57-yard run on first down.
Concordia was facing a fourth down and six when Trost, who missed on his first seven pass attempts in the game, connected with Chas Carlgren over the middle.
Carlgren was able to shake off one tackler, avoid two others, and go 19 yards for a touchdown with 1:43 to play in the third quarter.
“They actually tipped the ball and Chas was able to come up with it, and from there do his thing,” Echer said, “We are trying to find ways to get the ball in his hands more.”
Schroeder kicked the extra point to tie the game at 7-7.
A short Concordia kick was recovered by Colby’s Aden Basgall on the Eagles’ 46-yard line.
Colby would go 54-yards in eight plays.
Ryan Meyers had a 22-yard completion to Stapp during the drive.
Stapp scored three plays later on a 17-yard run with 9:10 to play in the game.
Colby, leading 14-7, then attempted an onsides kick.
Concordia would recover on its own 48-yard line.
Three plays picked up four yards.
On a fourth down and six play, Trost was sacked.
Colby got the ball on the Panther 42-yard line.
Four plays later, Stapp scored his third touchdown of the game on a 29-yard run with 6:01 left on the clock.
Concordia, trailing 21-7, got the ball on its own 36-yard line following the ensuing kickoff.
Trost was sacked on first down, and lost seven yards. He then completed a 6-yard pass to Keyan Miller.
On third down and 11, Trost hit Dylan Thoman with a 39-yard pass.
Trost then ripped off a 19-yard run.
Facing a third down and seven, Trost fired a 7-yard touchdown pass to Poore.
The extra point pulled Concordia within seven points, 21-14.
Stryker Hake would then recover the onsides kick, but the Panthers were stopped on the fourth down and one.
Concordia finished with 183 yards rushing.
Trost completed 4 of 16 passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Carlgren finished with 17 tackles.
Ivon Owen had 12 tackles for the Panthers and Hake had nine.