Football Tigers come up short in mistake-filled game against Parkway South

Quarterback+Jacobi+Woods+%2812%29+loses+the+snap+from+center+on+this+play+late+in+the+fourth+quarter+of+Thursdays+%28Nov.+5%29+21-14+loss+to+Parkway+South.+The+Patriots+recovered+this+fumble+and+scored+the+game-winning+touchdown+on+the+very+next+play.

Davin Smith

Quarterback Jacobi Woods (12) loses the snap from center on this play late in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s (Nov. 5) 21-14 loss to Parkway South. The Patriots recovered this fumble and scored the game-winning touchdown on the very next play.

The varsity football Tigers came out of their “inflatable” helmet Thursday night (Nov. 5) and quickly grabbed momentum against the visiting Parkway South Patriots. 

Looking for their first win of the season, the Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead. However, a couple of mistakes allowed the Patriots to tie the score 14-14 late in the first half. Another mistake late in the game set up the Patriots for a game-winning touchdown and the Tigers dropped a heartbreaking 21-14 decision.

“People say winning is easy,” said OHS head coach Micheal Genge. “We have to push through that uncomfortableness and get to the wins.”

The Tigers took a two-touchdown lead in the first half on a 27-yard passing play from Jacobi Woods (12) to wide receiver Tyler Lanzarini (12) and then a 1-yard run by Grant Cracchiolo (12). Late in the first half, though, the Patriots scored after an interception and then tied the score a minute later after a blocked punt deep in OHS territory.

Both teams struggled to find points in the second half. But, with less than three minutes to go in the game, Parkway South recovered a botched snap at the OHS 25-yard line. One play later, quarterback Owen Veltrop hit Derrion Boyd with a perfect pass at the goal line and the Patriots escaped with a dramatic victory.

“We have to learn how to finish,” said Genge. ”We had too many self-inflicted mistakes to win a ball game.”

The game was similar to a 24-21 season-opening loss to Mehlville when the Tigers were knocking on the door of a win but surrendered a late touchdown. The loss to Parkway South dropped the team’s record to 0-5.

The Tigers are scheduled to play their final game of the season next Friday (Nov. 13) at home against Webster Groves. Kickoff is 6 p.m.