CLAY CENTER — Heading to nearby Clay Center in a crucial battle after picking up a much-needed victory over Smoky Valley, the Concordia High School football team defeated the Tigers 24-17 to spoil their senior night and take third place in the district standings.
Concordia’s defense came out hot early, forcing a punt on the opening Tiger drive, but Concordia was forced to punt the ball right back. The Tigers made their way deep into Panther territory, but Landen Jorgensen forced a fumble that Jerrik Williams recovered to give the ball to the Panthers. Concordia made their way into Clay Center territory, but a bad pitch gave the ball to the Tigers to end the first quarter with the game tied 0-0.
A Liam McNutt interception to start the second quarter gave the ball back to the Panthers, but they were unfortunately forced to punt the ball. After a Tiger punt, a 27-yard run by Braytin Hake put the Panthers in prime territory, and Hake punched the ball in from two yards out to break the drought and make it 7-0 Concordia. A 13-yard sack by Jorgensen nearly killed the Tiger drive, with a Hake interception on the next play officially killing it and putting Concordia inside the Tiger 30-yard line. With time winding down in the half, Boedy Chavey kicked a field goal to send the Panthers into the locker room up 10-0.
A Panther fumble on the first play of the second half gave the ball to Clay Center; the Tigers scored shortly after to make it 10-7 Panthers. The Panthers responded with a solid drive of their own, with Jett Flax finding Kale Schroeder in the corner of the end zone to put Concordia up 17-7.
After a time-consuming Clay Center drive that expanded into the fourth quarter, the Tigers scored on the first play of the quarter to make it 17-14 Panthers. A great return by Brooks Kindscher put the Panthers on the Tiger 47-yard line, but the Panthers couldn't capitalize and were forced to punt, but forced a Tiger punt right back. After a referee-assisted tackle forced a third down, which led to a critical fourth and two, the Panthers couldn't convert and gave the ball back to Clay Center.
On the first play of the following drive, the Tigers picked up a 49-yard run to put the pressure on Concordia, but McNutt would intercept the ball in the end zone on a 50/50 pass to give the Panthers the ball. A Panther miscommunication led to a fumble that the Tigers recovered, but the Panthers only surrendered a field goal that made it 17-17 with 1:50 to go. An amazing return by McNutt put the Panthers at the Tiger 49, and Flax found Schroeder once again, who weaved and made three Tigers miss to put the Panthers up 24-17 with 91 seconds to go. After forcing a TOD, the Panthers were able to hand their NCKL rivals the 24-17 loss in the final regular season game.
Flax went 11-of-19 passing for 223 yards with two touchdowns; Schroeder had 139 yards receiving on six catches with two touchdowns; Ryker Wildeman had 23 yards on one catch; Matthew Naillieux had one catch for 22 yards; Jerrik Williams had two catches for 21 yards; and McNutt had one catch for 18 yards. Hake had 99 yards rushing on 18 carries and a touchdown; Wildeman had five rushes for 17 yards.
Jerrik led in tackles with 14; Schroeder had 11; Koehn Williams had 10 with 1.5 tackles for losses; Jorgensen had eight tackles, three for losses; Hake had eight with an interception; Caden Stein and Zackarie Stovall each had four, 1.5 for losses; Naillieu had four; McNutt had three with two interceptions; Wildeman and Grayson Palmgren had two; Martin Lesslie and Kindscher had one.
