Kyle Poynter dove toward the pylon with an opportunity to tie the score in the Houston Tigers’ biggest came of the season.
But in a season full of disappointments, he came just short.
Poynter was stopped just short of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt with 25 seconds, and Willow Springs held on for a 14-12 victory Friday night in the district opener for both teams.
The Tigers (1-7) will likely need to beat Liberty – considered to easily be the top team in the district — this Friday to have an opportunity to make the playoffs for the second straight year.
“It’s overall disappointing,” coach Chris Edwards said, but you’ve got to be proud of the kids’ effort.”
Houston, which trailed 14-0 at the half, pulled within striking distance when Poynter hit Ridge Miller with a 3-yard pass. The Tigers, who missed an earlier PAT, were forced to go for two to tie it.
Edwards said he called a run-pass option for Poynter. But as he rolled to his right out of the pocket, the main receiver slipped. That eliminated the pass option, and Poynter took off for the pylon.
Poynter dove at the pylon with three defenders draped on him, and the ball was jarred loose right at the goal line. The referee ruled Poynter’s knee was down before the ball crossed the line.
“He looked like he was going to get in,” Edwards said. “We didn’t get the call.”
It was a sloppy game on a muddy field. There were eight combined fumbles — three interceptions by both teams and two Willow Springs fumbles.
Houston managed just 72 yards rushing on 25 attempts. Senior Justin Schmidt let the Tigers with 12 carries for 46 yards.
Poynter was 13-of-34 passing for 77 yards and a touchdown. He was picked off twice. Schmidt completed one of his four attempts and also had an interception.
The Bears, who had 168 rushing yards and 45 through the air, got a 4-yard touchdown reception and 3-yard scoring run from Allen Brasier.
Comparing common scores between his team and Willow Springs, Edwards figured it was going to be a tight game. He was right.
“It was everything that everyone believed it would be,” Edwards said. “It was hard-fought and a tough game. We saw a lot of good hitting and a lot of intensity, and unfortunately we came up on the losing end of it.”
Cole Johnson hit Brasier with a 4-yard pass in the first quarter, and Brasier scored from 3 yards out in the second. Johnson connected with Logan Wake on the conversion pass attempt to make it 14-0.
Those two scores were the lone points for the Bears.
“The defense as a whole played great,” Edwards said. “Just a couple miscues in the first half gave them a couple touchdowns.”
Poynter returned an interception 44 yards for a score in the third. A penalty moved the PAT attempt back 5 yards, and Poynter’s kick bounced off the uprights.
That missed point proved important when Miller’s touchdown reception with 25 seconds remaining pulled Houston within two instead of one.
The Tigers had more missed opportunities, though. They were inside Willow Springs territory six times and only scored once.
“We bogged down when we got the ball in their territory and struggled to score points,” Edwards said.