Natoma Rolls Past Pawnee Heights, Advances to Semifinals
NATOMA-Derek George scored three touchdowns including one on defense and Trey Bright tossed two touchdown passes as the second-ranked Natoma Tigers made short work of Pawnee Heights 58-7 in the 6-Man State Quarterfinals Tuesday evening at Tiger Field.
After Kayden Martinez stripped Pawnee Heights' Braden Colglaizer of the ball on their first possession, Natoma was set up on the opponent's 11-yard line. Three plays later, Derek George scored from one yard out and the two-point kick made the score 8-0. Natoma drove 43 yards in four plays during their second time with the ball with Martinez capping things off with a 15-yard scamper and a 16-0 lead.
After Pawnee Heights failed to convert on fourth down, Natoma's next possession began in Pawnee Heights territory on the 30-yard line and George scored from three-yards out on a fourth and goal, stretching the Football across the plane of the goal line. The conversion was no good and Natoma held a 22-0 advantage after one quarter.
A 17-yard touchdown pass from Bright to Ricky Mayberry early in the second quarter swelled the lead to 28-0 after the missed conversion. 50 seconds later, Mayberry's brother Ian picked off a Colglaizer pass and returned it 55 yards for a score to put Natoma up 34-0. The Tiger defense wasn't done scoring. On a fourth down play during Pawnee Heights' ensuing possession when it appeared Natoma was just going to take over on downs, Colglazier fumbled and George scooped up the ball and rumbled 65 yards for a score to make it 42-0 in favor of the home team.
Martinez' 13-yard touchdown run with 39 seconds left appeared to ice the game as Natoma led 50-0 which was more than enough of a margin for the game to end at halftime but the visiting Tigers weren't going to go down without a fight. Alec Carlson completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Adam Hands with 12 seconds left to complete a drive aided by two Natoma penalties and the conversion made the score 50-7 and it appeared likely the game would head into the third quarter.
Natoma however, wasn't interested in stretching out the game longer than they had to as Bright uncorked a bomb to Tracen Frye who got wide open and scampered 58-yards for the final touchdown of the night with three seconds to play and the game ended at halftime.
Thanks to short drives and the defensive scores, Natoma only tallied 170 yards of total offense including 95 yards on the ground, but the Natoma defense despite giving up the late touchdown held Pawnee Heights (3-5) to just 115 yards of total offense.
Natoma (7-0) advances to its first Football State Semifinal of any kind since playing in the Class 1A State Championship Game in 1974 where they fell to St. Mary's-Colgan 28-14. Natoma's seven wins are also the most since their their playoff season of 2007.
The Tigers will face the Ashland Blue Jays in the Semifinals on Saturday, October 23 at Tiger Field. Ashland rallied from behind to knock off Weskan 61-48 on Tuesday. In other quarterfinal action, top-ranked Cunningham defeated 2020 State Champion Cheylin 44-15 and Northern Valley, playing their second season of 6-Man Football trounced 2019 Champion Moscow 59-14.
The Natoma-Ashland game will kick off Saturday, at 3 p.m. The winner advances to the State Championship game at the Wild West Bowl in Dodge City on October 30 while the loser will play for third place.
Saturday's game will air on KRSL 95.9 FM and online at krsl.com.
