ALTAMONT — Trent Brock scored on a 10-yard run on the first play of overtime here Friday night to give Labette County a 26-20 victory over Fort Scott in Southeast Kansas League play.
The win keeps the Grizzlies (3-0 SEK, 3-2 overall) in contention for the SEK championship while the Tigers’ hopes were dashed. Fort Scott (1-2, 1-4) now has to work on getting the best seed it can when the Class 4A playoffs begin in a month.
Fort Scott was unable to respond on its possession in overtime. A penalty moved the Tigers back to their own 20 after a first-down loss and three consecutive passes went incomplete.
LCHS quarterback Austin Jones returned from injury to complete 22-of 34 passes for 241 yards and two early touchdowns. But he also threw four interceptions, one of which was returned by the Tigers for a fourth-quarter score.
The Grizzlies led 14-0 after one period as Jones threw touchdown passes to Nathan Smith from 28 and four yards out. Jones also connected with Smith on a 2-point conversion following the second score.
Fort Scott rallied to tie the game before halftime. Brody Bowles connected with C.J. Horton for a 7-yard scoring pass with 8:29 on the clock. Andrew Reed carried the ball over from 35 yards away with 2:56 remaining. Connor Fess converted PAT kicks each time.
Brock scored the first of his two touchdowns late in the third quarter to put LCHS up 20-14 after a failed extra point.
Jacob Stinnett returned an interception 40 yards with 9:59 left in regulation for the game-tying score. The extra point was unsuccessful.
Both teams had 13 first downs. Labette County had the advantage in total offense, gaining 241 of its 289 yards in the air. Fort Scott finished with 203 total yards, 124 of them on the ground.
Brock led LCHS rushers with 50 yards on 11 carries while Fess paced the Tiger attack with 69 yards on 17 rushes.
Kooper Peak caught 7 of Jones’ passes for 24 yards while Smith gained 113 yards on 5 receptions.
Bowles completed 7 of 22 passes for Fort Scott for 79 yards. Horton hauled in 5 of them for 74 yards.
Labette County will look for its first victory outside the league this season on Friday, Oct. 11 when they host winless Wellington. Fort Scott will be at home against Chanute (1-0, 4-1) in a league game. The Blue Comets beat Independence Friday night.
NOTES — This was Labette County’s first overtime game since 2001, when the Grizzles lost to Coffeyville, 29-23. The Grizzlies are 8-4 all-time in overtime games….
This was Fort Scott’s first overtime loss since 1987, when they fell to LCHS in a game that went to extra play scoreless before the Grizzlies won 8-0. The Tigers are 8-3 in OT contests….
LCHS has the same record as Louisburg, Kansas City-Piper, Bonner Springs, and Basehor-Linwood. But its minus-12 point total under the 21-point tie-breaker system puts in 10th place in Class 4A East playoff standings. Each of the other teams have a positive point total led by Louisburg’s plus-20….
Fort Scott is in 13th place in 4A East as its minus-16 point total puts the Tigers ahead of Eudora (minus-31) and Ottawa (minus-40), which are also 1-4. Fort Scott plays at Eudora in the final game of the regular season….
FORT SCOTT….….….. 00 14 00 06 00 — 20
LABETTE COUNTY…. 14 00 06 00 06 — 26
Team stats Fort Scott Labette County
First downs 13 13
Rushes-yards 39-124 21-48
Passing yards 79 241
Total offense 203 289
Passing (com-att-int). 7-23-1 22-34-4
Penalties-yards 11-96 14-146
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Scoring plays
First quarter
LC — Smith 28 pass from A.Jones (kick blocked), 7:09
LC — Smith 4 pass from A.Jones (Smith pass from Jones), :02
Second quarter
FS — Horton 7 pass from Bowles (Fess kick), 8:29
FS — Reed 35 run (Fess kick), 2:56
Third quarter
LC — Brock 2 run (run failed), 1:45
Fourth quarter
FS — Stinnett 40 interception return (kick failed), 9:59
Overtime
LC — Brock 10 run (run failed)
Indvidual statistics
RUSHING — Fort Scott: Fess 17-69, Reed 4-49, Bowles 5-8, Stinnett 1-1, Franks 12-minus 3. Labette County: Brock 11-50, Evans 5-5, D.Jones 1-5, A.Jones 4-minus 12.
PASSING — Fort Scott: Bowles 7-23-1-79. Labette County — Jones 22-34-4-241.
RECEIVING — Fort Scott: Horton 5-74, Reed 2-5. Labette County — Peak 7-24, Smith 5-113, Brock 5-41, Evans 4-35, D.Jones 1-28.
(Statistics provided by the Fort Scott coaching staff.)