By MATT PIKE
Redemption. That’s a word to highlight Worth County’s 56-46 win over the Rock Port Blue Jays in the 8-man championship game at Spratt Stadium.
The Tigers redeemed not only a week one loss to the Blue Jays, but also redeemed for a group of six seniors and 11 juniors, a heartreaking loss in the 2023 championship game.
Head Coach Jon Adwell credits his group for being gritty, and says it feels good to win this after being so close the last four years
“They’ve been right on the cusp of being able to break through to get this, and they want it, they want it and they want it bad, and it’s good to be on the other side isn’t it Bo?” Adwell says during the postgame press conference, joking with Junior tight end Bo Collins.
“That’s right,” Collins adds.
Senior Lucas Frisch, who was a sophomore the last time Worth County competed for a championship, says winning this means everything
“To work since fourth grade, work your butt off, try your hardest, and finally get it done especially on your last game, it means a lot,” Frisch says.
Collins, a freshman on that same team. shared the sentiment after the Tigers lost the championship on costly mistakes, which Collins says was heartbreaking for him and the team.
“I think that was represented, and man I think you’ve seen how hard we worked after having lost that state game, and we got another chance and we got it done this time,” Collins says.
The state championship is the first since 2017 for Worth County and the eighth in program history, tying them for the most in 8-man football with Mound City.
The game started off the weekend of state championships in St. Joseph at Spratt Stadium with a bang. After a turnover on downs to start the game by Worth County, Rock Port scored the opening touchdown on a one yard run by Brock Holmes. The Tigers answered immediately though, Frisch rushing for a 14 yard touchdown, and quarterback Hayden Sanders converting the two point try to put Worth County ahead 8-6.
The Tigers held that lead into the second quarter, but the Blue Jays took the lead back early in the frame as Jack Meyerkorth rushed for an eight yard score. Worth County answered with a drive that took nearly five minutes, Sanders connecting with Caleb New for a touchdown, but failing the two point conversion. It looked like the Tigers would take a lead into halftime, but Meyerkorth hauled in a pass on the right sideline, cut all the way across the field, and with no time remaining scored, with Holmes converting the two point try, for a 20-14 Rock Port lead at halftime.
Then came a wild third quarter. After a miskick, the Blue Jays started the second half in Worth County territory. Rock Port took a two possession lead as Meyerkorth leaped over his defender to bring in a 29 yard touchdown, Holmes again converting the two point try. One play after the ensuing kickoff, Jude Archer made it a one possession game running for a 59 yard touchdown for Worth Countym converting the two point pass to New.
An apparent missed fumble, turned into a 42 yard touchdown run from Holmes for Rock Port, the two point conversion failed. But again, one play after the kickoff, Archer broke free through the middle, this time for a 53 yard touchdown run, this time Sanders pass to New on the two point try falling incomplete. Holmes found the endzone one more time in the quarter, on a three yard run, again failing the two point try, again the score was answered by the Tigers, Frisch scoring on a five yard run. The Tigers took the lead to end the quarter, Brayden Stevens scoring in one play on a 16 yard run, with the two point pass to Collins good, for a 42-40 lead.
After the 48 point third quarter, the fourth was a little more tame, starting first with Worth County extending the lead to two possessions for the first time in their favor, a two yard run by Archer, converting the two point pass to Frisch. The Blue Jays cut back into the lead to stay close Holmes scoring on an 18 yard run, the two point pass good to Jadyn Geib. Late in the quarter though, after a 10 play drive that used just over four minutes, Sanders threw a touchdown to New for the 56-46 lead.
At the end of the game, with Rock Port needing to score to stay in striking distance, the kickoff by Frisch would be recovered by Archer at the Rock Port 20 yard line. Sanders knelt out the remaining time and the Tigers celebrated with big hugs from Adwell.
For Worth County, Sanders was an efficient 6 of 6 passing for 107 yards with two touchdowns. Archer ran 13 times for 152 yards with three scores, while Sanders ran 17 times for 56 yards. New had three catches for 40 yards and the two touchdowns.
On the other side for Rock Port, Westyn Amthor was 8 of 10 for 120 yards with two touchdowns. Holmes ran 36 times for 165 yards with four touchdowns, bringing his season total to 2,943 yards with 61 touchdowns. Meyerkorth hauled in every pass, with nine catches for 124 yards and two scores.
Both teams finish the season with a 13-1 record. Rock Port graduates four seniors, while Worth County graduates six. They meet again in week one of the 2026 season at Rock Port on August 28th.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
