RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. - Right after the Russellville Indians took the momentum Friday night, the Hogan Prep Rams grabbed it right back.
Hogan Prep used its second-half momentum to build a 35-21 win against Russellville.
After going into halftime down 13-8, Russellville came out and attempted an onside kick to open the second half. Drake Armes dove on the ball and recovered it for the Indians at the Hogan Prep 31.
An encroachment flag and 17 yards combined from Josiah Herman and Chris Seaver brought the Indians to third and goal from the 9, where Jesse Daniel completed a pass to Alex Oligschlaeger on the seem in the end zone, floating the ball just over the outstretched hand of a Ram defensive back.
The Indians failed the 2-point conversion, but claimed their first lead since Week 1, leading 14-13 with 10:22 left in the third quarter.
"We felt (the onside kick) was there and we wanted to grab some momentum," Russellville coach Tim Rulo said. "(Hogan Prep) is a super-explosive team, they can score at will. We had to steal some possessions, whether that's takeaways or getting an onside kick.
"The guys were feeling good, in some ways I don't think they realized what was happening. It was exciting, but we knew there was a lot more game to play."
Russellville attempted another onside kick, but were unsuccessful, leaving the Rams to start a drive at their own 32.
Seaver broke into the backfield for a first-down tackle for loss, then Blake Burling jumped in front of a pass for the Indians' third interception to give Russellville the ball at the Rams' 36.
"The guys where flying around," Rulo said. "I can't guarantee that you'll always be the biggest or the strongest, but if you run as fast as you can to where you think the ball is going, decent things will happen."
Seaver turned a halfback dive into a 30-yard game to set the Indians up at the 6, then a facemask put them at the 3.
Herman took a fullback dive to the 1, then Daniel kept the ball on a QB sneak and shoved his way into the end zone before Simon Hartman kicked the extra point to put Russellville ahead 21-13 with 8:52 remaining in the quarter.
Then the momentum shifted.
Russellville attempted another onside kick, this one going out of bounds and leaving the Rams to start at their own 40.
On the first play of the drive, John Brown broke through the line and two tackles in the secondary for a 60-yard touchdown, then Xzavion Simmons scrambled into the end zone for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21 with 8:38 left.
After the run, the Rams were able to enforce their will on the ground, gaining 207 yards on 22 carries the rest of the way for a 9.4 average per attempt.
The Indians started to move again on their next drive, but consecutive penalties put them in a second-and-14, which they couldn't recover from.
The eventual punt left the Rams starting their drive at their own 7, but eight plays later, Steven Clark was making his way into the end zone on a 20-yard touchdown. Every play on the drive was a run. The score put the Rams ahead 29-21 after Clark ran in the two-point conversion.
"Our guys were just tired, physically and emotionally tired," Rulo said. "I'm proud of these guys, proud of their growth and we just continue to get better."
The Indians went four-and-out on the following drive, leaving the Rams to start at their own 43 after a turnover on downs.
Six runs later, Clark was crossing into the end zone again, this time on a 9-yard scamper. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, but the Rams had taken their final lead 35-21 with 9:27 left to play.
Hogan Prep took the first lead of the game when a pass tipped at the line of scrimmage on the Indians' opening drive fell into Jeremiah Orender's hands. Orender took it down to the Indians' 15.
After Landen Waggoner forced his way into the backfield for a tackle for loss on the next play, Simmons connected with Brown for a 16-yard score and Jabyron Hollis hit the extra point to put the Rams ahead 7-0.
That score would hold until the second quarter when the Rams put together a five-play, 55-yard drive ending in the first of Clark's three touchdowns. The extra point was blocked, putting Hogan Prep up 13-0 with 7:11 before the break.
The Indians scored their first points since Week 3 at the end of a 10-play, 65-yard drive. Seaver and Herman carried the load, combining for six carries and 17 yards, but on fourth-and-5 Daniel connected with Alex Oligschlaeger on a perfectly-thrown wheel route on the home sideline for a 36-yard touchdown.
Alex Oligschlaeger ran by his defensive back to get under the ball, then juked left at the goalline to get by the final Rams' tackle attempt. He then completed a pass to Seaver for the 2-point conversion.
Alex Oligschlaeger then kept the Rams off the scoreboard for the rest of the half, ending their next two drives with interceptions.
"We didn't win on the scoreboard, but there were a lot of wins we had today," Rulo said.
Russellville (1-3) will look to build on its momentum when it goes to Harrisburg at 7 p.m. Friday.