Horton 14, Riverside 8

A 50-yard pass play from Derrick Stone to Derek Richardson with 3:38 left in game, gave the Horton Chargers their first win against Riverside in four years and a spot in the post-season for the first time since 2008.  It was a punt-fest and battle of defenses most of the night as Horton overcame an early 8-0 defecit and held the Cyclones to only 59 total yards in the second half to improve to 7-1 on the season.  

There was 17 total punts in the game, including 10 by Riverside, and both teams went without a first down on their opening two possessions.  However, the Cyclones slowly won the field position battle and after starting their third drive at the Horton 40 yard line, a 37 yard run by quarterback, Andrae McGaughy led to his one-yard touchdown run and a Colton Munger two-point conversion had Riverside in front 8-0.  The Cyclones (Sean Wardlow) then recovered the ensuing squib kick at the Charger 39 but went backwards on offense and failed to capatalize.  Horton had one successful drive in the second quarter which marched 53 yards on 8 plays and after a pair of short third-down conversion runs by Trey Dishon, Richardson ran in a two-yard score. The conversion run failed and Riverside led 8-6 at halftime.  The only turnover of the game came late in the third quarter as Riverside's, Quenton Munger intercepted a Stone pass, but the Cyclones couldn't move the ball after starting their fourth drive in Charger territory.

In the fourth quarter, Horton marched from their own three-yard line across midfield with a 11-play drive but stalled after Wardlow busted up a third and long play.  A punt pinned Riverside at their own eight-yard-line and the Horton defense quickly got the ball back with 4:32 to go, still trailing 8-6.  That is when Derrick hit a wide-open Derek on a third down pass play for 50 yards to win the game as Horton held Riverside without a first-down on their final possession and ran the clock out for the 14-8 win.     

The Horton defense made eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage and surrendered only 137 total yards and 6 first downs.  They held McGaughy in check with 68 yards rushing on 17 carries and Riverside was only 7 of 22 passing for 51 yards.  The Cyclones finish the year 5-4 and went 4-3 their first year in the Big 7 League with losses by one and three points earlier this season.  

Horton had 260 total yards with Stone running for 66 of 16 carries.  Richardson had 52 yards before his 50 yard touchdown catch and Dishon finished with 45 yards on 9 carries while catching a pass for 22 yards.  Horton was only 2 of 10 passing and Stone has missed 6 straight before the big play to win the game.  Cole Wolf and Brandon Lewis were picked as the Denison State Bank Lineman of the game with seniors Dishon and Stone named Citizens State "Players to Bank On."  

Horton will play at Centralia-Wetmore (8-1) on Tuesday in a Bi-District game with live coverage on KNZA 103.9 FM.