The California Pintos traveled to Knob Noster Friday for their last football game before district play, where the Panthers ultimately scratched the Pintos 7-6 to achieve their first win of the season from a very physical game.
"It seemed like we couldn't get a break," California Coach Lance Johnston said. "Our kids battled hard, but Knob Noster made plays when they had to."
The Panthers took advantage of a Pinto fumble to put the first score of the night on the board with 1:45 remaining in the second quarter. Knob Noster's Tyler Whisenhunt recovered the fumble and the Panthers started their drive at the California 37-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Orie Sahlfeld hit Shaq Williams with a 37-yard pass play for the touchdown. After Niko Schwenneker's kick scored the PAT, Knob Noster led 7-0.
California's final drive of the third quarter included a 52-yard pass play from quarterback Grant Burger to Adam Burger, followed by an 18-yard pass to Anthony Price that left the Pintos at Knob Noster's 1-yard line at the end of the fourth quarter. The first play of the fourth quarter resulted in a 1-yard TD by Cody Schnieders. The attempt at the two-point conversion failed and the Pintos trailed 7-6 with 11:58 left to play.
Unfortunately for California, this was the last scoring play of the night and Knob Noster came away with a 7-6 win at the Panthers' Homecoming.
Knob Noster had 24 carries for a total of 31 yards and completed 8 of 17 passes for 84 yards.
Grant Burger completed 12 of 20 passes for a total of 128 yards. California had 32 carries for 143 yards, led by Mitchell Cox with seven carries for 44 yards. Price followed with six carries for 27 yards, while Brad Fairchild had 10 carries for a total of 26 yards.
The Pintos will travel to Boonville for their first round of Class 3 District 8 action Friday at 7 p.m.
"Boonville is a good football team," Johnston said. "They are good athletes and they have a good running back, #24. We're going to have to work hard this week and get after them Friday night."
District play will continue the following Friday, Oct. 22, at Versailles.