Greene County fell to 1-6 on the season and 1-4 in Class 3A District 2 football with Friday night’s 37-31 loss in Gilbert. The Tigers improved to 2-5 and 2-3.

Starting time was moved up to 5 p.m. on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com due to the weather forecast and the only stoppage of play came with 2:15 remaining in the game, which resulted in a 54 minute delay for lightning and extremely heavy rain on the artificial turf field.

Penalties and turnovers were costly right off the bat for Greene County. The Rams received the opening kickoff and lost the ball on a fumble following a short pass completion. Gilbert went from the Rams 35 to the 17 and lined up to attempt a field goal of 35 yards on fourth down and four. Greene County jumped offside, giving the Tigers a first and 10, and they scored on the next play. The Rams jumped offside again on the PAT, so Gilbert opted to go for two points instead of kicking, which was successful, making it an 8-0 game with 6:15 to play in the first quarter.

Clint Dennhardt found a wide open Lance Hughes for 56 yards and a touchdown with 3:45 to play in quarter one, but the extra point was wide left and Gilbert led 8-6. The Tigers scored with 1:49 to go in the first period and kicked the extra point to go up 15-6, but a Greene County kickoff return touchdown covering 99 yards quickly closed the gap. Carter Morton received the kickoff and handed the ball to Xavier Hayes, who raced untouched the length of the field. Leo Marques kicked the extra point to make it 15-13.

The Rams out scored the Tigers 12-0 in the second quarter for a 25-15 halftime lead, their first lead at the half this season. An Austin Delp fumble recovery at the Greene County goal line prevented another Gilbert TD. Greene County then went 93 yards on 15 plays and scored on a Dennhardt run of 12 yards. A pass failed on the conversion and Greene County had a 19-15 lead with 4:45 to go in the half. It went to 25-15 with 1:23 before halftime on a Dennhardt run of 10 yards, and the PAT failed. That drive was 36 yards on three plays and was set up by the Rams holding the Tigers on downs. Will Hansen intercepted a pass on the final play of the opening half to preserve a 10 point lead.

Both teams scored once in the third quarter. The Tigers took the second half kickoff and scored quickly, going 64 yards on four plays in 1:47 of game time. The PAT made it 25-22. The Rams went 85 yards on four plays following a Joe Towers fumble recovery. Colby Kafer raced 71 yards for the score with 1:58 to play in the third to widen the lead to 31-22. A low snap on the PAT forced the Rams to run the ball and the try failed.

Gilbert would out score Greene County 15-0 in the last quarter with the final eight points coming with 2:15 left in the game. Before the Tigers could kick off, lightning temporarily knocked out the field lights and the delay began. When play resumed, the Rams started at their 43 and made it as far as Gilbert’s 45 before turning the ball over on downs. The Tigers ran out the clock for the victory.

Gilbert had 457 yards of offense to 392 for Greene County. The Tigers ran for 274 and passed for 183. The Rams ran for 306 and passed for 86. Greene County was one for eight passing in the second half for negative two yards. Kafer led the Rams on the ground with 167 yards on 22 carries.

It’s the Battle for the Cowbell next Friday as Greene County travels to Perry (2-5, 1-4).