Tribe downs Tigers in home opener

Photo by Steve Frey/Special to the DDD Kennett's Jimmy Gooden (2) returns a kickoff 78 yards for the go-ahead touchdown during the first half of Friday's SEMO Central Conference game against Caruthersville at Metz Cherry Stadium. [Click to enlarge]

A week after shredding the defense with an aerial assault, the Kennett Indians used a balanced attack to defeat the visiting Caruthersville Tigers 24-21 Friday night at Metz Cherry Stadium.

The Indians used its passing attack to take a healthy halftime advantage and grinded it out on the ground in the second half to hold on to the victory.

"We'll take a 'W' any way we can get it," Kennett coach Kirk Welch said after the game. "We didn't play very well at times but we were able to get a win."

Photo by Steve Frey/Special to the DDD Kennett's Jarvis Finley (right) goes for the tackle on a Caruthersville ballcarrier during Friday's SEMO Central Conference game at Metz Cherry Stadium. [Click to enlarge]

Despite passing for more than 150 yards in the first half alone, the Indians turned to the running game and senior tailback Tevin Hampton after the intermission to keep the chains moving.

"We put in a lot of defensive coverages because Kennett does a lot of positive things on offense," Caruthersville coach Brad Gerling said. "They slowed the game down (in the second half) and were effective running the ball and moved the chains when they needed to."

The win improves the Indians to 2-0 on the young season, and also 2-0 in the SEMO Central Conference.

"Been a long time coming at Kennett," said Welch of his team's start. "Two years in a row now. Now we need to take the momentum and carry it over into next week."

Most of the scoring game in the first half and often it didn't take many plays to put points on the scoreboard.

After Antonio Hopkins four-yard touchdown run, gave Caruthersville (0-2, 0-1) a 7-6 advantage with 2:24 to play in the first quarter, the Indians excited the crowd with a handful of big plays.

Jimmy Gooden took the following kickoff 78 yards to give Kennett the lead right back. A few possessions later Gooden caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from senior Blake Parr, increasing the margin to 11 points (18-7) with 9:55 to play in the first half.

Jeremy Williams then fumbled the next kickoff for Caruthersville but was able to pick up the ball and run 80 yards for the score. But on the first play on Kennett's next possession, Parr found Cameron Conder for a 63-yard touchdown strike. The two-point conversion failed as Kennett led 24-13 at the intermission.

"That's the way we play," Welch said of the Indians big plays. "We try to get big plays and take advantage of it."

Caruthersville had many chances in the second half but penalties and mistakes kept the Tigers from coming back.

Several times, the Tigers picked up a first down in the second half only to have it negated from false start or holding penalties.

"We need to cut out our little mistakes," Gerling said. "Need to have a killer instinct at your goal line -got to punch it in. That's an issue we're having."

Parr threw two first half touchdowns and finished the game with two TDs and two interceptions. Hampton carried the Indians on his back in the second half, carrying the ball 8 times in nine snaps at one point.

The Tigers added a 43-yard touchdown from Navel Johnson with a second to play. A two-point conversion cut the margin to 24-21. Kennett was able to fall on the ensuing onside kick as time expired.

Kennett hosts state-ranked Hayti next week while Caruthersville plays Piggott, Ark. Each game will be at 7 p.m. next Friday night.

Notes: Parr has thrown for five TDs and four interceptions this season. …. The Tribe will be trying to snap a two-game losing streak against Hayti next week, having been outscored 67-21 in the last two meetings. Hayti defeated Malden 27-0 on Friday night.