VERSAILLES, Mo. - A football team that scores 51 points - and loses - is probably going to play with some anger the following week.
That's the opponent the Versailles Tigers has coming in for their Homecoming tonight.
Versailles will host School of the Osage in Tri-County Conference action tonight for the Tiger Homecoming game (7 p.m. kickoff).
Both teams are coming off tough-to-take losses.
The Tigers had a 96-yard drive in the final seconds fall short as they literally ran out of time and lost to Warsaw 28-21. The Osage Indians had their biggest offensive eruption of the season last week but defensively couldn't stop an equally potent Southern Boone attack and - also missing a chance at the end - lost a 55-51 road game.
Osage is now 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the conference while Versailles is 2-3 and 1-2.
"They played pretty well," Versailles head coach Broc Silvers of Warsaw. "They ran the ball well and didn't turn it over. We had a pass intercepted to set them up at the 30 (yard line) for a touchdown and looking back that was kind of the turning point. But we did have some other things in the first half that hurt us; we started the game a little too slow.
"With 1:38 left and with one timeout we drove it 96 yards and had one play left at the end of the game but didn't score. It was one of the hardest losses I've had. We needed to win it for the conference and district standings. But my hat's off to Warsaw. We didn't play terrible; they just outplayed us up front."
Osage head coach Devin Johnson had similar mixed feelings from a week ago because half his team was terrific, as the Indian offense rolled up 611 yards.
"Give them credit," Johnson said of Southern Boone. "They did what they needed to do. (Junior receiver Sam Stichnote, subbing at quarterback due to injury) was still playing quarterback and he played really well and ran the ball very well. They have three running backs who run well. Unfortunately we missed a lot of tackles and allowed big plays. We made three or four defensive adjustments to try something different but never really got in a rhythm. We gave up a lot of big plays. Then we were down to their 22 with one last play and we overthrew the receiver a little."
Now Silvers and Johnson have attempted this week to get their respective teams to regroup.
"We've got four more games left in the Tri-County and there are no easy teams," Johnson said. "Versailles has some very good skill kids. (Junior running back/defensive back Grant) Hutchison has started since he was a freshman. (Senior running back/defensive back Taylor) Dobbins is a good player. Their quarterback (Coby Williams) is a sophomore and has played better every week."
"Osage's offense is pretty good," Silvers said. "They're diverse and spread the ball around. And they throw to two really good receivers and running backs. They have no real weakness. It will be tough-sledding for us, with our 10 guys going both ways."
Versailles' offense has picked up dramatically from a year ago and the Tigers are now averaging 24.4 points per game. Big losses to Fulton and Blair Oaks has the Versailles' points-allowed average at 29.0.
Williams has completed 52-of-81 passes for 741 yards, six interceptions and six touchdowns while rushing for 209 yards on 62 carries and five TDs. His favorite target is junior wideout Kooper Wilson, who has caught 23 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns.
Dobbins paces the ground game with 447 yards on 56 carries and five TDs and has caught nine passes for 90 yards. Also for the Tigers Hutchison has rushed for 104 yards on 19 attempts.
Junior linebacker Michael Trotter continues to drive the Versailles defense with 60 tackles - including 39 solo - with two sacks and an interception.
Also for the Tiger defense Wilson and Williams, both defensive backs, have 43 and 33 tackles respectively. Senior lineman Jonathan Geier has 7.5 tackles for loss.
Trotter and Co. will certainly be tested.
The Indians' senior quarterback Zach Wheeler leads the area in passing, having hit on 77-of-128 passes for 1,032 yards, nine interceptions and 11 touchdowns.
Senior wideout Drake Gaines has caught 25 passes for 363 yards and four TDs while junior wideout Dalton Depee has 25 catches for 250 yards and three TDs, senior running back Nick Riley has 14 catches for 219 yards and three TDs and senior fullback Austin Magnuson has 10 receptions for 187 yards and two TDs.
Riley has 480 rushing yards on 68 attempts (7.1 yards per carry) and eight TDs while Magnuson has 297 yards on 59 carries and three TDs.
Magnuson, a middle linebacker, has 77 tackles - 53 solo - while linebackers N. Riley has 53 tackles, Depee 47 and junior Traygen Whittle 43.
Whittle and senior Josh McCubbin each have six tackles for loss. McCubbin and junior Garrett Sutherland each have three sacks.
"I think their running backs run as hard as anyone we've seen so far," Silvers said of Riley and Magnuson. "They do a little of everything and they do it well. Our defense is going to really have to play well to have a chance. Defensively Southern Boone got them on a couple of big runs up the middle. Southern Boone is so big; we won't have the success in the running game they did."
"Last week was one of our most complete games offensively," Johnson said. "I felt both defenses struggled; it was an offensive shootout."