Cougars’ historic season comes up one play short of district championship

MARCELINE, Mo. — Dave Degarmo put his words on paper, knowing the day would come he would need to deliver them to his Highland football team.

Friday night felt too soon to share his thoughts, but he knew how to express them.

The Cougars, in Degarmo’s fifth season as head coach, nearly captured the first district title in program history, getting outscored by top-seeded Marceline 22-8 over the game’s final 20 minutes and suffering a 36-30 loss in the Class 1 District 6 championship.

“So honored to have coached this group,” Degarmo tweeted. “Most wins in school history. First winning season in over 30 years. Beat teams no one thought we could. I love these guys!”

The Cougars (8-4) nearly pulled off an improbable ending.

Down six with a little more than two minutes remaining in regulation, the Cougars stopped the Tigers on fourth and 1 from the Highland 35-yard line. With no timeouts remaining, the Cougars drove to the Tigers’ 7-yard line and spiked the ball to stop the clock with two-tenths of a second remaining.

Highland quarterback Drew Mallett’s pass on the ensuing play was incomplete, saddling the Cougars with the loss.

“We came up short tonight, but we turned the page with Highland football,” Degarmo told KRES radio following the game.

Trailing 14-0 early, Highland rallied to tie the game at 14 at halftime. To start the second half, the Cougars’ Robert Goehl scored on a short touchdown run and Highland made the two-point conversion for a 22-14 lead.

The momentum shifted suddenly moments later. Marceline recorded a safety on a Highland punt attempt and then returned the ensuing kick for a touchdown to tie the game at 22.  The Tigers recovered a pooch kick and took the lead for good on a long touchdown pass.

Wyatt Molloy’s 24-yard touchdown reception put the Tigers ahead 36-22 in the fourth quarter before Goehl ripped off a big kick return and scored with five minutes remaining in regulation to make it a one-possession game.