Versailles football team loses by 1 to Delphos St. John’s

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VERSAILLES – When two evenly matched team battle, someone has to come out on the losing end.

On Friday it was the Versailles Tigers who fell to the Delphos St. John’s Blue Jays 19-18 in a game that on paper looked as even as the score showed.

The teams were within two first downs of each other, and the teams’ total yardage also was within 2 yards of each other. Versailles had 243 yards to Delphos’ 245 yards.

“Delphos had the best offense in the (Midwest Athletic Conference) coming into this game,” Versailles football coach Adam Miller said. “I thought the defense played great.”

Missed extra points doomed the Tigers. Versailles took a 6-0 lead and missed its first kick.

On the next score the Tigers tried for two and were turned away.

“It’s (extra points) such a scary play in high school football,” Miller said. “Some days it’s great, some days it’s like it is tonight.”

With 2:34 seconds left in the game, Versailles scored to make the score 19-18 and once again the kick was missed.

The Tigers scored on their first possession of the game, taking a 6-0 lead. The Blue Jays answered with a score and a made extra point to take a 7-6 lead.

Versailles took its next possession 58 yards to take a 12-7 lead. The drive was capped by a 30-yard touchdown run by Kyle Subler.

St. John’s answered back with an Aaron Reindel 30-yard touchdown run to take a 13-12 lead. That would close out the scoring in the first half.

The Blue Jays scored late in the third quarter on a 4-yard Reindel run but missed the extra point. That set up the drama at the end of the game.

“There wasn’t any conversation to go for two,” Miller said. “We thought we were going to punch it in and take it to overtime if we have to.”

The missed extra point forced the Tigers to attempt an onside kick. The Blue Jays recovered and ended the game with a first down.

Things don’t get any easier for the Tigers. They play Marion Local on Friday night.

https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_DSC_5268.jpgChuck Runner|For The Daily Advocate

https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_DSC_5273.jpgChuck Runner|For The Daily Advocate

Versailles’ Noah Grisez (10) follows the block of Eric Knapke (51) during a football game against Delphos St. John’s on Friday in Versailles.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Noah-Grisez-WEB.jpgVersailles’ Noah Grisez (10) follows the block of Eric Knapke (51) during a football game against Delphos St. John’s on Friday in Versailles. Chuck Runner|For The Daily Advocate

By Chuck Runner

For The Daily Advocate

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