Mistakes costly for HHS in opener

ASH GROVE – Houston had possession of the ball, momentum and 52 yards to go to tie the season opener.

Coach Eric Sloan called the same play the led to a touchdown on the Tigers’ last drive: a swing pass to senior Evan Richardson.

It was another big play, only this time not in Houston’s favor.

Richardson and quarterback Paydon Dixon couldn’t connect on the pass, and it fell to the ground for a fumble. Ash Grove recovered and scored four plays later to begin pulling away for a 36-14 victory Friday night.

The final score wasn’t indicative of the many good things the Tigers did in their opener. But the costly mistake – one of four turnovers leading to 14 points for the Pirates – was one of several miscues that proved too much for HHS (0-1) to overcome.

“It’s little things that we’ll have to correct,” Tigers coach Eric Sloan said.

{{tncms-inline alignment=”right” content=”<p>Houston 0 0 6 8 –– 14</p> <p>Ash Grove 0 14 8 14 –– 36</p> <p><strong>Second Quarter</strong></p> <p>AG –– Eagleburger 1 run (kick failed), 10:19.</p> <p>AG –– White 4 run (Eagleburger run), 7:29.</p> <p><strong>Third Quarter</strong></p> <p>HOU –– Dixon 5 run (kick failed), 9:08.</p> <p>AG –– White 3 run (White run), 3:57.</p> <p><strong>Fourth Quarter</strong></p> <p>HOU –– Richardson 50 pass from Dixon (Dixon run), 11:42.</p> <p>AG –– Eagleburger 4 run (White run), 8:47.</p> <p>AG –– Trammell 49 interception return (run failed), 7:28.</p> <p>––––––</p> <p>HOU AG</p> <p>First downs 8 15</p> <p>Total yards 150 309</p> <p>Rushes-yards 32-80 49-178</p> <p>Passing 70 131</p> <p>Punt returns 22 0</p> <p>Kickoff returns 54 9</p> <p>Comp-att-int 3-8-2 11-18-1</p> <p>Sacked-yards lost 2-16 2-18</p> <p>Punts 4-39.0 4-30.3</p> <p>Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-0</p> <p>Penalties-yards 5-35 8-65</p> <p>––––––</p> <p><strong>INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS</strong></p> <p>RUSHING –– Houston, Richardson 13-46, Sawyer 5-26, Alston 3-7, Martin 2-4, Dixon 9-(minus 3). Ash Grove, Eagleburger 25-117, White 20-60, Squibb 4-1.</p> <p>PASSING –– Houston, Dixon 3-7-2 70, Burchett 0-1-0 0. Ash Grove, White 11-18-1 131.</p> <p>RECEIVING –– Houston, Richardson 1-50, Alston 2-20. Ash Grove, Trammell 5-116, Eagleburger 4-11, Branham 2-4.</p>” id=”08a9ed1e-01fa-44be-a715-3d520cee2642″ style-type=”bio” title=”BOX SCORE” type=”relcontent” width=”half”}}

Houston managed to stay close in the fourth quarter despite an awful first half. The Tigers had just three total yards offense and one first down – via a penalty – as they fell behind 14-0.

HHS twice got within a single score in the second half but never erased the deficit.

“We just weren’t willing to fight,” Sloan said. “We wanted to make excuses. I don’t know how to get that mentality changed.”

Richardson had 13 carries for 46 yards and the 50-yard touchdown reception to lead the Tigers’ offense. Dixon, who was 3-of-7 passing for 70 yards, had a rushing score and two-point conversion run.

HHS senior Michael Clayton had a pair of sacks and freshman Daniel Hutcheson, who started at linebacker, had a first-half interception. Dixon led the defense with 15 tackles. Clayton had 11.

Spencer Eagleburger and Chance White had two rushing touchdowns apiece for Ash Grove (1-0). The duo accounted for 45 of the team’s 49 carries and 177 rushing yards.

White was 11-of-18 passing for 131 yards. Five of those completions went to Braden Trammell for 116 yards.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff of the second half 69 yards for their first points. Dixon capped the nine-play drive with a 5-yard run at the 9:08 mark.

“We told them at halftime they had to believe and know something positive would happen,” Sloan said. “We came out and marched right down the field. It was like the light came on.”

HHS trailed 22-6 early in the third when Richardson took a short pass, followed a lead block from fullback Aiden Sawyer and sprinted 50 yards untouched to paydirt.

The Tigers got a defensive stop on Ash Grove’s next series before committing the turnover attempting to run the play to Richardson again.

Eagleburger’s 4-yard run made it 30-14 to all but put the game away.

The deficit grew three plays later when Trammell returned a Dixon interception 49 yards for a score.

The late mistakes were costly, but Sloan was just as concerned about the poor start.

“We can’t wait until it is 14-0,” he said. “We have to be self motivators and hungry. At times we showed that.”

Houston 0 0 6 8 –– 14

Ash Grove 0 14 8 14 –– 36

Second Quarter

AG –– Eagleburger 1 run (kick failed), 10:19.

AG –– White 4 run (Eagleburger run), 7:29.

Third Quarter

HOU –– Dixon 5 run (kick failed), 9:08.

AG –– White 3 run (White run), 3:57.

Fourth Quarter

HOU –– Richardson 50 pass from Dixon (Dixon run), 11:42.

AG –– Eagleburger 4 run (White run), 8:47.

AG –– Trammell 49 interception return (run failed), 7:28.

––––––

HOU AG

First downs 8 15

Total yards 150 309

Rushes-yards 32-80 49-178

Passing 70 131

Punt returns 22 0

Kickoff returns 54 9

Comp-att-int 3-8-2 11-18-1

Sacked-yards lost 2-16 2-18

Punts 4-39.0 4-30.3

Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-0

Penalties-yards 5-35 8-65

––––––

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING –– Houston, Richardson 13-46, Sawyer 5-26, Alston 3-7, Martin 2-4, Dixon 9-(minus 3). Ash Grove, Eagleburger 25-117, White 20-60, Squibb 4-1.

PASSING –– Houston, Dixon 3-7-2 70, Burchett 0-1-0 0. Ash Grove, White 11-18-1 131.

RECEIVING –– Houston, Richardson 1-50, Alston 2-20. Ash Grove, Trammell 5-116, Eagleburger 4-11, Branham 2-4.