Tigers lose to Henrietta

BOWIE – It’s been said the third time is the charm. Henrietta was counting on that after the first two playoff meetings had gone Jacksboro’s way.

The two teams had locked into a battle Friday night here, the Tigers going up 21-14 here entering the fourth quarter. Jacksboro needed an insurance score but a turnover, which ultimately led to Henrietta tying the score, a punt and a turnover on downs hurt that.

After tying the game with 8:24 left the Bearcats scored on their final drives to post a harder than it looked 35-21 win in a Class 3A Division II Region II game at Jackrabbit Stadium.

Jacksboro ends its year at 6-5 with Henrietta going to face Gunter at 4-6.

Jacksboro needed some time to get its offense going with a punt and a lost fumble ending its first two drives with one first down and 12 total yards. After the Tigers forced a turnover on downs at the ‘Cat 11, Jacksboro marched 89 yards. With the ground game, the Tigers’ bell cow for most of the season, it was the Purple’s passing game that helped put the squad on the board.

A 14-yard pass on second down to Rylan Chalmers moved the ball into Henrietta territory. On third-and-long at midfield, quarterback Lando Belcher found Jordan Yount who beat defenders to pay dirt and a 6-0 lead. Edwin Salazar tacked on the extra point with just 19 seconds left.

Henrietta got on the board in the second quarter, culminating a 75-yard drive with a one-yard run by Cutter Freeland. Jacksboro would be stuck with a pair of turnover on downs the rest of the half. The first Turnover on downs ended at the Henrietta 23.

Henrietta got to the Tiger 46 before scoring on a long pass with 1:12 left. Jacksboro had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds after a Rylan Chalmers interception but the drive stalled with just a single first down.

Jacksboro forced a punt on its first defensive series. After Landon Davenport had just 38 yards rushing on 11 totes in the first half, he picked up nearly that on his first four carries of the third quarter.

It was Trey Laake who scored from one yard out and Salazar tacked n his second extra point for a 14-all tie.

Jacksboro went off on another sustained drive with Davenport, who ended with 166 yards. The senior went all of the 70 yards in the drive sans 2, scoring on a two-yard run. Jacksboro went up 21-14 late in the third.

Yount then recovered an onside kick but a punt was forced. Henrietta was aided by a pass interference call and scored on an Essler TD run with 8:24 left early in the fourth.

Carson Cody added an insurance score, a 23-yard jaunt with 22 ticks left, to seal the deal.