Two constants for the varsity football team in its past two games: Antwan Banks (12) and a second-half struggle.

The Tigers lost 34-21 to Hazelwood East at home on Friday, Sept. 4. The score was tied at 21 at the end of the third quarter, but two Hazelwood touchdowns in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter put the game out of reach for OHS.

“We had mis-assignments, penalties here and there that hurt us,” head coach Arlee Conners said. “We had some chances to score and we didn’t, so we can’t blame anybody but ourselves.”

Wide receiver Antwan Banks (12) had two touchdowns against Hazelwood East. The first, a 16-yard pass from co-quarterback Bailey Vuylsteke (12) came at the end of the first half to give OHS the lead. The second, a 61-yard passing play also from Vuylsteke, tied the score. Banks also had an interception and took the opening kickoff to the 11-yard line, leading to senior co-quarterback Kobe Allen’s touchdown.

The game comes a week after another close match against Eureka. OHS experienced what Coach Conners called “a tough loss” to the Wildcats, 18-14, after leading 14-3 at halftime. Banks had a 94 yard touchdown and a 93 yard kickoff return, but bad snaps and missed opportunities contributed to the blown lead.

“For the most part, we played hard,” Conners said after the Eureka game. “The effort was good, [but] the concentration on some plays just wasn’t good enough. That lack of concentration–it cost us.”

The Tigers are now 1-2 and will play next at Fox on Friday, Sept. 11.

“It looks bad right now, but we’ll get ’em picked up and get some confidence going again and get these guys back on track,” Conners concluded.