By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
The Wichita-based Kansas Cougars provided the Joplin Crusaders with their usual stern test on Saturday night.
But the Crusaders, as they’ve done frequently in the rivalry, posted a narrow non-pro Central Football League victory against the Cougars at Junge Field.
Joplin rallied to triumph 22-19 in the clash of 1-0 teams.
“This was a huge win,” Joplin coach Dave Pitts said on Sunday. “It basically puts us in good shape for the postseason.
“Still, we have to play the Enid Enforcers (also 2-0) this week,” Pitts said. “It will be another tough game.”
Joplin, in its third straight home game but last of the regular season, is scheduled to entertain Enid at 7 p.m. at Junge.
Enid, which defeated Joplin in an opener last season but wound up losing to the Crusaders in the postseason playoffs, moved to 2-0 by beating the Paris (Ark.) Golden Eagles 39-0.
Joplin trailed the Cougars 19-7 entering the fourth quarter on Saturday night.
The Crusaders pared the deficit to 19-13 at 5:35 of the fourth on Michael Swalley’s 6-yard scoring pass to running back Heath Baker and Aaron Doll’s conversion kick.
Swalley, with 3:11 left, scored on a 50-yard run and then passed to wide receiver Danny Knighten for the conversion.
Joplin free safety Tony Russell intercepted a pass at 2:45 to halt the Cougars’ drive on their ensuing possession.
Said Pitts: “I thought the play of our offensive line was the key in the second half. We also had a strong defensive effort.
“We actually started moving the ball better in the second quarter,” Pitts said. “But we were stalled by penalties.
“We struggled early in the game,” Pitts said. “We couldn’t do much of anything.”
The second touchdown for the Cougars, who led 12-0 at halftime, was a run of some 60 yards with only 56 seconds left before intermission.
The Crusaders broke through at 9:04 in the third on a 2-yard run by Swalley. Doll added the extra point.
