ROCK SPRINGS – It was everything fans expect when Cheyenne East and the Rock Springs Tigers face off on the football field. A wild finish would again decide the game.
The game was close throughout and it looked like the Tigers would escape with the win late. With the game tied at 14, the Tigers were able to move the ball deep into Thunderbird territory. Behind the running of Matt Fowler, Mason Randall and a helmet-to-helmet hit on Oaklan Jenkins the Tigers moved into the red-zone.
With 2:56 left in the game, Fowler would punch it in for his second score of the game to give the Tigers a 21-14 lead. On the following kick-off, East started with good field position. A facemask penalty would move the ball deep into Tiger territory. The defense of Rock Springs would step up and force a fourth down. East would go for it and a pass in the end zone would be picked off by Jenkins.
With only 1:44 left, the Tigers kept the ball on the ground. East used its timeouts and forced a punt. The punt was partially blocked giving the Thunderbirds one final chance. East moved within scoring distance and faced a fourth down with seven seconds left. A throw for the score found its mark as Cheyenne struck with no time left.
Instead of going for the extra point and the tie, the Thunderbirds lined up for two. The Tigers defense was able to spread the play out and stop the two-point conversion short.
Both Fowler and Jenkins finished with over 100 yards on the ground for Rock Springs. Fowler scored the first touchdown of the game back in the first quarter. The Tigers capped a long, 11 play, 94-yard drive to open the game. They held the ball for over 11 minutes in that first quarter.
East would answer in the second to tie the game at seven before the half. Tiger Marcus Kalista would score the second TD of the game for Rock Springs on an 11-yard run in the third. East would quickly respond with a 66-yard pass play to tie the game at 14 heading into the final quarter of play.
Rock Springs will hit the road for the first time next weekend as the face Laramie on Sept. 2
