Tigers lose 7-0 battle to Mustangs

SHENANDOAH — The Red Oak Tigers lost to the Shenandoah Mustangs on Friday night, 7-0, in Red Oak’s last game before starting district play this week.

The only score of the game came with 20 seconds left in the first half when Kyle Sparks ran 80 yards for a score.

There were 10 men on the field for Red Oak during the play, according to Head Coach Jeff Spotts.

“We had three down linemen and they hit the place where the fourth should have been,” Spotts said. “We had opportunities to tackle him, but it made it easier for them.”

The Mustangs had several opportunities in the first half to score, prior to the touchdown. On their first drive, which took up more than half of the first quarter, Shenandoah made it into the Red Oak red zone, only to turn the ball over on downs.

Red Oak used the rest of the quarter to move into Mustang territory, with big runs from running backs Nick Leinen and Seth Esaias.

“We did a nice job of running the ball,” Spotts said.

Quarterback Tanner Johnson was sacked on fourth down at the beginning of the second quarter, to halt the Tigers first drive.

The Mustangs drove down the field again, making it to the Red Oak 17-yard line. Shenandoah missed a field goal on fourth down, which kept the game scoreless.

Leinen and Esaias broke off more big runs in the second quarter, but the drive for Red Oak stalled, forcing them to punt.

With the touchdown coming on the next drive, Shenandoah took a 7-0 lead at halftime.

Both teams had opportunities in the second half to score, but neither were able to capitalize, either through fumbing the football or turning over possession.

Red Oak’s final opportunity came with 4:10 left in the game.
Johnson ran twice to get the first down, but the drive halted at the Red Oak 32-yard line after an incomplete pass on fourth down.

Leinen led the team in rushing with 113 yards on 17 carries. His counterpart Esaias finished with 55 yards on 14 carries.
Esaias led the team in tackles with 15 (10 solo).

Leinen, Shae Lewis, and Jose Perez each recorded at least 10 total tackles.

The last time Shenandoah beat Red Oak was in 2007.
The win also marked Shenandoah’s P.J. Hedrington’s first as a head coach.

The Tigers hit the road this Friday night and open up district play against the Carroll Tigers.