Featured photo by Kelsey Chanler
Judging by the 26-11 score, you might think the Minden Crimson Tide’s loss to the Wossman Wildcats in the first round of the non-select Division II playoffs Friday night at The Pit wasn’t that close.
That was not the case.
Minden rallied from a 12-3 deficit to get within one in the third quarter. After Wossman took an 18-11 lead, the Tide got inside the Wildcats 10. But on fourth-and-goal from the 5, the Wossman defense stuffed a run around the left side.
“We had a chance right there to win it,” Minden Head Coach Spencer Heard said. “They played it well.”
But that play alone obviously didn’t decide the game. The Wossman defense made things difficult for the Tide offense.
“They had a couple of linebackers that were some of the better ones we’ve seen this season,” Heard said. “Other than that drive right there we had so many missed opportunities on top of that. We were in the red zone a bunch of times. Turned the ball over. Didn’t finish drives. That’s how the night went for whatever reason.”
Minden had one more chance after forcing a punt. The Tide drove to the Wossman 37 but a fourth-down pass after a handoff fell incomplete.
Wossman scored its last touchdown in the final minute.
Minden, the No. 12 seed, finished 8-3 a year after going 3-8. Wossman (6-5), the No. 21 seed, will visit No. 5 Iowa in the second round.
The game was the final one for 16 seniors.
“I told the seniors I’m very proud of them, the effort they put in to help turn the season around,” Heard said. “It was a big turnaround from last year. Something to be proud of. This one didn’t turn out like we wanted it to. But overall it was a very good season. I was very proud of them.”
As Heard mentioned, missed opportunities and turnovers were factors in Minden’s loss. The Tide lost three fumbles, including one that was returned 80 yards by Prestavion Washington for a touchdown on Minden’s first possession.
Wossman’s Richard Wilson Jr. also scored on a 38-yard run on the first play after the Wildcats recovered a fumble in the first half. The Tide stopped both two-point conversion attempts.
Minden senior Bryson Ranger kicked a 37-yard field goal late in the first quarter to get the Tide within three. The Tide also got a safety on a quarterback sack in the end zone and trailed 12-5 at the half.
Minden forced a punt from deep in Wossman territory early in the second half. The Tide took over at the Wildcats 10 after the punter tried to run after a bad snap.
Denarious Crowe scored on the next play. But the PAT was no good and Minden trailed 12-11.
Wossman answered with a touchdown drive. Minden had only four penalties in the game, but the Tide had two major ones on the drive.
The Tide again stopped the two-point conversion attempt and Wossman led 18-11.
Wossman limited Minden to 150 yards total offense, per stats kept for the KASO/KBEF radio/web broadcast.That was well below their season average.
The Wildcats rushed for 234 yards. Michael Henderson led the Wildcats with 118 yards on 20 carries. Wilson had 86 on 12.
Caylien Aubrey led Minden with 40 yards on 12 carries. Denarious Crowe had 40 on nine.