Cowboys Bounce Back With Big Win

After a disappointing loss on the road, the North Gem Cowboys returned home to host the co-op team of Watersprings Christian and Clark County known as the Warcats.  This was a must win game for the Cowboys as it was their conference opener.  With the playoff selection being what it is now, every game is important, especially conference opponents.  As if a potential playoff spot wasn't enough to motivate the Cowboys, there was also the revenge factor as Watersprings handed the Cowboys a late season loss last year to help prevent them from making the playoffs.  The Cowboys would end up getting their revenge and make a statement that they are still a team to be reckoned with.

The game started with the Cowboys on defense.  After a couple of Warcat plays they fumbled the snap and Frandsen recovered the ball, setting up the Cowboys with great field position.  North Gem ran the ball right at the Warcats and scored from two yards out with a Welker run.  With a rare pass the two point conversion was good to Ryver Hayden.  After forcing a punt on the next series the Cowboys once again pounded the ball right at the Warcats, with birthday boy Craig Yost finishing off the drive with a touchdown and the conversion extending the Cowboy lead to 16-0 with 4:32 still left in the first quarter.  North Gem was not finished scoring in the quarter.  On the next defensive series, Frandsen pounced on another loose ball, getting his second turnover of the game. The Cowboys went to the air again with a scoring pass to Welker followed by a Hatch run for the conversion.  Still in the first quarter and on the very next series, Frandsen earned the hat trick by recovering his third fumble for the Cowboys.  With yet another short field the Cowboys finished the quarter with six more points from Yost leading the game 30-0.  

The second quarter saw the scoring slow down for North Gem but their dominance continued.  After a couple of long drives by each team, Yost added six more with Hatch running in one of his four two point conversions on the day.  North Gem finished the half with a pitch to Welker on a fourth and a goal that scored and put the Cowboys up 46-0 at the half.  

North Gem continued to keep their foot on the throttle in the third quarter.  After a thirty yard pass play to Ryver Hayden quarterback Rustin Hatch finally got a touchdown of his own with a run up the middle.  Just a couple of defensive plays later the birthday boy would strike again this time on defense by getting a pick six.  After the interception the Warcats finally put together a drive getting down inside the ten yard line before the third quarter ran out.  

The fourth quarter started with the Warcats having a third and goal, but the Cowboy defense was defiant and turned the ball over on downs at the twelve yard line.  With a running clock already helping end the game faster, North Gem would use all of the play clock on each down.  North Gem then took the ball the full eighty-eight yards for one more score.  The Cowboys made one of their only mistakes on the next series allowing a long pass play on a broken coverage allowing the Warcats to get their only score of the game with just eight seconds left.  Following a quick kneel down the Cowboys walked away with a 70-6 victory.  

The Cowboys scored nine touchdowns on the day.  Two from Hatch, three from Welker and four from Yost.  North Gem will be home this week as they host Garden Valley from district three.  This should be an exciting match up and a good test for the Cowboys.