The Houston Tigers will play their toughest opponent without two of their best players.
Cory Scheets and Drake Bell, both two-way starters, were ejected in the third quarter of Friday’s 40-0 district-opening loss at Willow Springs. Both will miss this week’s home finale against state-ranked Liberty.
Scheets and Bell were both tossed from the game following a third-quarter confrontation. MSHSAA rules state that any ejected player must sit out the team’s next game.
Houston coach David Williams wanted to appeal Bell’s suspension, but MSHSAA does not have a system in place.
Scheets, a senior lineman and the team’s leading tackler at linebacker, will be forced to watch from the sidelines at his final home game. Bell, a sophomore, starts at running back and safety.
The Tigers (0-8, 0-6 SCA) managed 108 yards of total offense as they lost their 13th consecutive conference game. The Tigers’ last SCA victory was against Willow Springs in October 2008.
Kaden Miller led Houston with 18 rushing yards on three carries. Bell had 11 rushes for 13 yards.
Quarterback Jacob Kelley was 8-of-16 passing for 62 yards and an interception. Dustin Wheeler had one reception for 18 yards.
Willow Springs racked up 514 total yards. The Bears rushed for 368 yards, and quarterback Cole Johnson was 9-of-11 passing for 140 yards and three touchdowns.
Clint Harper’s 15-yard run midway through the first quarter put the Bears ahead 7-0. Johnson’s first touchdown pass — 5 yards to Chris Miller — put Willow Springs ahead 14-0 after the first quarter.
Blayne Collins had a pair of 7-yard rushing scores in the second quarter. His second, which followed a 5-yard scoring pass from Johnson to Harper, made it 33-0 just before the half.
Johnson connected with Harper for a 24-yard score in the third quarter to complete the Bears’ scoring.
Willow Springs and Liberty, which defeated Cuba 54-22 on Friday, are both 1-0 in district play. The top two teams advance to the playoffs. The Bears travel to Cuba this week.
