EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (Sept. 13, 2024) – On Friday the 13th, the Excelsior Springs Tigers faced the North Kansas City Hornets in a matchup that turned into a real horror show. Despite their best effort, the Tigers could not get on the scoreboard, falling 38-0 in front of their home crowd.
The Hornets’ defense wasted no time in making their presence felt. Just minutes into the game, Kobe Rhymes intercepted a pass from Tigers quarterback Marquez McCant and took it 82 yards for a touchdown, putting North Kansas City ahead 6-0. From that point on, the Hornets took control of the game. Before the first quarter ended, quarterback Stephen Thomas Jr. connected with Zhaion Hampton for a 69-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 12-0.
The Excelsior Citizen tried an exciting experiment Friday night by livestreaming the Tigers’ football game for the first time. Recent ESHS alum Kane Marker took the mic for his debut as a broadcaster, bringing a fresh voice to the action. We hope to continue this new tradition and bring you many more games in the future.
The Tigers’ defense worked hard to contain the Hornets, with Justin Wright coming up big in the first quarter by sacking Thomas Jr. and recovering a fumble on the next play. Wright, along with defensive contributors like Dawson Claypole, who led the team with six tackles, did their best to hold the line. However, the Hornets’ offense proved difficult to stop. In the second quarter, Thomas Jr. found Gionni McBride for a 58-yard touchdown, followed by a 14-yard rushing touchdown from Rhymes to widen the gap to 25-0 by halftime.
Offensively, Excelsior Springs fought for every yard. Running back Claypole carried the load on the ground with 19 rushes for 60 yards, consistently working to break through the Hornets’ swarming defense. He found small openings but struggled to gain momentum with the Hornets locking down the running lanes. Gaige Carr and McCant also contributed to the run game, with Carr rushing for 16 yards and McCant adding 11. Try as they might, the Tigers were limited to just 89 total rushing yards on the night.
Through the air, the Tigers were completely stymied. McCant completed just 2 of 6 passes, finishing the game with only one passing yard and two interceptions. North Kansas City’s secondary, led by Rhymes and Jesiah Morris, who each grabbed an interception, kept the Tigers’ passing game in check throughout the night.
In the third quarter, the Hornets continued to capitalize on their opportunities, with Rhymes adding another touchdown on an 18-yard rush and Hampton scoring on a 22-yard scamper, extending the lead to 38-0. Though Excelsior Springs’ defense forced a few key turnovers, including a fumble recovery by Owen O’Dell in the fourth quarter, the Tigers were unable to convert turnovers into points.
The Tigers’ kicker, Carson Gholson, had a busy night, launching eight punts and seven kickoffs.
Moving forward, the Tigers will look to regroup and work on both sides of the ball. Head Coach Jake Danneman and his staff will no doubt focus on tightening up the offense and converting defensive stops into scoring opportunities in their upcoming games.
Final Score:
North Kansas City Hornets 38, Excelsior Springs Tigers 0
Game Statistics:
Rushing Yards: Tigers 89 (Claypole 60, Carr 16, McCant 11) | Hornets 307 (Jamison 112, Rhymes 74)
Passing Yards: Tigers 1 | Hornets 129 (Thomas Jr. 129 yards, 2 TDs)
Total Yards: Tigers 90 | Hornets 436
First Downs: Tigers 6 | Hornets 15
Turnovers: Tigers 2 (2 INTs) | Hornets 3 (3 fumbles)
Time of Possession: Tigers 23:34 | Hornets 24:17
The Tigers move to 1-2 on the season and head to Raytown this Friday (Sept. 20) to face off against the Bluejays (1-2)
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