Late rally leads Cimarron past Scott City

Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–For the first three quarters, Cimarron and Scott City would be deadlocked in a knockout, drag out game. While points were a minimal for the first 43 minutes of the game, the final five minutes made up for it. In a back and forth game in the final quarter, Cimarron would come up with two touchdowns in 34 seconds to upset Scott City 22-13 on Friday night in Cimarron.

The game would be scoreless in the first half, with both teams committing one turnover. Scott City made the most movement, getting as far as the Bluejay 26 yard line late in the first half. 

In the third quarter, Cimarron got a hand on the punt, and would take over at the Beaver 46 yard line. The Blujays would convert two third downs, and would get the first points of the game on a 34-yard field goal by Emmanuel Aguilar with 3:15 left in the third quarter to lead 3-0. That would be the score heading into the fourth quarter. 

Cimarron would start their first drive of the fourth quarter near midfield with 10:32 left in the game. They would benefit from a pass interference call, and convert a third and long that set up a four-yard touchdown run by Mason Eskam with 5:13 left to put the Bluejays up 9-0, after the misses two-point conversion. Scott City would get a 48-yard kickoff return by Jace Thomas to the Cimarron 41. And on third and short, Thomas would put the Beavers on the board with a 20-yard touchdown run to pull to within 9-6 with 3:06 left. The extra point was no good. 

That would begin the stretch of points put on the board. 

Scott City forced a three-and-out on the ensuing Bluejay drive, and returned the punt to their own 49. On the first play of the drive, Harrison King found an open Jace Thomas down the seam for a 51-yard touchdown pass with 2:31 left to give the Beavers their first lead of the night at 13-6 with the Brady Welker PAT. 

Cimarron converted a fourth and 10 at their 37 yard line to the Scott City 47, on a Braxton Harrison quarterback scramble. Two plays later, the Bluejays took the lead back with a Harrison to Seth Ridenour on a 47-yard touchdown pass to put them up 15-13. Ridenour found himself wide open after a Beaver defender slipped on the play. They missed the two point conversion with 1:30 left in the game.  

Scott City had one chance left. They would get a first down, but two plays later, Braxton Harrison picked off the pass and weaved his way for a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown with 56 seconds left to go up 21-13. Cimarron took a delay of game, and Emmanuel Aguilar kicked in the extra point to give the Bluejays a two possession lead at 22-13. 

The Beavers would run two plays and get intercepted, and Cimarron ran out the clock to complete the upset.

Cimarron would see Braxton Harrison lead them in rushing, with 73 yards on nine carries, with most coming on quarterback scrambles. Mason Eskam came in the third quarter for an injured Tate Seabolt and ran for 53 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. Braxton Harrison was 1-15 passing for 47 yards and a touchdown pass to Seth Ridenour. The Bluejays rushed for 147 yards and had 194 yards of offense. They were 6-13 on third down, and 1-1 on fourth down. 

Scott City finished with more yards, as they saw Harrison King pass for 121 yards on 11-21 passing with a touchdown and two interceptions. Jace Thomas led the Beavers in receiving with 51 yards on his touchdown catch. Thomas led the Beavers on the ground with 45 yards on six carries and a touchdown, while Sawyer Stevens had 43 yards on 10 carries. Scott City finished with 119 yards on the ground and 248 yards of offense. 

With the win, Cimarron snapped a seven game losing streak to Scott City. It was their first win since 1941 in the series, as the Beavers lead the all-time series 14-6. Scott City has scored in 146 games, a streak that started in week one of the 2008 season. It’s the first 1-2 start for the Beavers since 2016, and the first 1-2 start for Cimarron since 2017. 

Cimarron will stay at home as they host Southwestern Heights next Friday night to begin district play. The Mustangs are 1-2 after a 38-12 loss to Holcomb on Friday. Scott City will host 2-1 Goodland for homecoming next Friday night. The Cowboys knocked off Lakin 23-17 at home on Friday.