The Mid-County Cougars get another crack at becoming playoff eligible in their home finale Friday night.
The Mid-County Cougars get another crack at becoming playoff eligible in their home finale Friday night.
The Cougars, now 4-3 on the season, play host to Stark County for Senior Night at the GHS football field. The Senior Night introductions begin at 5:45 p.m. with the kickoff set for 7 p.m.
More than half of this year’s football roster is made up of seniors, and M-C head coach Gary Denhart appreciates how this group has bonded.
“As the season has gone along and this team has met adversity, these guys have done a really good job of coming together as a team,” Denhart said.
When the ball goes in the air, the Cougars will be trying to snap a mini two-game skid against the top two teams in the Lincoln Trail Conference — Princeville (27-0) in Week 6 and last Friday’s 38-19 road loss to Annawan-Wethersfield.
“We just need to bring everything together,” Denhart said. “We’re still trying to get that complete game.”
At Wethersfield Friday, the Cougars fell in an early 14-0 hole against the Titans.
Mid-County trimmed the deficit to 14-7 in the second quarter as Isaac Cordle scored on a 16-yard touchdown toss from Jacob Varner.
A-W stretched its lead to 30-7 after three quarters, but Mid-County made things interesting in the final frame as a 20-yard run by Varner and 4-yard run by Cooper Hoxworth pulled the Cougars within 30-19.
M-C by the numbers
The Mid-County offense rushed for 183 yards in the loss to A-W, led by Jacob Varner with 104 yards on 15 attempts.
Through the air, Varner was 7 of 12 for 60 yards and one score. Raige Ballard had two catches for 28 yards and Gunner Spivey added two catches for 17 yards.
On the defensive charts, Tucker Sams was M-C’s leading tackler with six stops and three assists. Varner and Parker Taylor added five tackles each, while Payton Haynes and Spivey each recorded a fumble recovery.
Around the LTC
Elsewhere in the LTC last Friday, Ridgewood defeated West Central 42-14, Mercer County blanked United 42-0 and Princeville rolled over Stark County 49-0.
Princeville remains alone in first place at 5-0, followed by Annawan-Wethersfield and Mercer County 4-1, Mid-County 3-2, Stark County and Ridgewood 2-3, United and West Central 0-5.
This Friday’s schedule finds Stark County at Mid-County, Ridgewood at United, Mercer County at Princeville and West Central at Annawan-Wethersfield.
LTC F-S results, standings
In Monday’s fresh-soph football action, Annawan-Wethersfield blanked Mid-County 22-0, Princeville handled Stark County 40-16, Mercer County topped United 28-8 and West Central defeated Ridgewood 35-12.
Just like the varsity standings, Princeville is alone in first place at 5-0 in the fresh-soph race.
Mercer County and Ridgewood check in at 4-1, West Central 3-2, United 2-3, Stark County and Annawan-Wethersfield 1-4, and Mid-County 0-5.