Cowboys Stumble On The Road

The Cowboys entered week two of the season coming off of a huge week one Homecoming win.  That big win combined with Shoshone’s week one loss to a 2A JV team had North Gem feeling confident in their ability to grab their second win of the season.  Meanwhile the Indians were determined to not start the season with two losses.  A season ago these two teams met up at North Gem with the Cowboys winning that game 50-14.  This year’s game took place in Shoshone with a much different outcome.

North Gem received the opening kickoff and started with good field position on their own forty-three yard line.  The good position would not help as the Cowboys were forced to punt after a pair of false start penalties.  On the ensuing possession the Indians put together a good drive setting up in a good scoring position.  North Gem would stiffen on defense and end up causing a turnover.  The good times wouldn't last however as on the very next play the Cowboys fumbled the ball themselves and Shoshone would take advantage by punching in a score taking the lead 6-0.  Rusty Hatch returned the kickoff across midfield setting up the Cowboys with good field position again.  This time North Gem would take advantage of the short field and score a touchdown themselves followed by a successful two point conversion taking an 8-6 lead.  The first quarter ended with that same score and Shoshone on the move.  

It didn't take the Indians long to score in the second as they retook the lead 14-8.  Once again the Cowboys would get a good starting field position around midfield.  The larger, more experienced line of the Indians began giving the Cowboys problems.  On a fourth and short Hatch attempted to sneak the ball for a first down but would fail turning the ball over on downs.  The Shoshone offense kept the Cowboys on their heels by using a balanced attack of up the middle runs combined with down field passes.  The Indians scored once again on one of those passes and converted the two point conversion extending the lead to 22-8.  The Cowboys struggled in the closing seconds of the half with a bad pitch followed by a sack forcing another punt.

Shoshone then controlled the ball for much of the third quarter while adding another score pushing the lead to twenty points at 28-8.  Every yard for the Cowboys had to be fought for as the large Shoshone defense kept the dynamic running of Hatch and Yost in check for much of the game.  After yet another good starting field position the Cowboys would cause more self injury by turning the ball over with a fumble.  The defense did make a stand and responded by forcing a punt.  The Cowboys would be pinned deep with that punt but with a combination of no huddle and mixing of plays moved the ball down the field with Yost finally finding the endzone for six more points for the Cowboys.  The long drive did use a lot of clock, leaving only 2:29 left in the game.  North Gem would attempt and nearly recover the onside kick.  With the clock on the side of the Indians, Shoshone only needed to get one first down before going to the victory formation handing North Gem their first loss of the season with a final score of 28-14.  

The Cowboys will regroup and look to get back into the win column when they host Watersprings on Friday with a 4 o’clock kickoff time.