It was a wild, back-and-forth home opener for the Dubois Rams in a 54-42 loss to the visiting Meeteetse Longhorns. Dubois trailed early but rallied with 28 second period points to take a 34-27 lead at the half. The Rams sputtered in the second half scoring just once and allowing 20 points in the third period.
“We just made too many mistakes today,” Dubois head coach Dan O’Brien said.
Those mistakes came early with the game tied at 6-6.
Meeteetse scored first on a 32-yard run by Jacob Moody but the Rams answered on the next possession when Siler Hess hit Payson Pluhar on a 34-yard pass to knot the game.
The Longhorns marched to the six-yard line for a first down on their next drive. Dubois had their best defensive series of the game holding Meeteetse on four runs, with the final one at the one-yard line in an outstanding goal line defense.
On first down, Hess handed off to Cooper Kintzler on a jet sweep but he was surrounded in the end zone. Trying to avoid a safety he flipped the ball underhanded toward Pluhar but Moody intercepted it for a one yard “pick six.”
Meeteetse jumped to a 19-6 lead on a Remington Harris run from the three, but Pluhar answered on a 28-yard scoring run.
Moody scored again, this time on a 65-yard catch and run on a pass from Max Potas for a 27-12 Longhorn lead with just 4:26 remaining in the opening half.
Kintzler came to life on the next three series.
Meeteetse began to kick the ball short. Kintzler scooped up the ensuing kickoff at the Rams 38 and raced 42 yards for the score.
With less than a minute to play, Kintzler scored again on a three-yard run with 49 seconds on the clock. Meeteetse had a 48-yard return to the two-yard line by Gordon Justice but Moody fumbled and Hess recovered the ball for the Rams at the seven. Kintzler raced around the end on a 73-yard scamper then added the point after kick to lift the Rams to a 34-27 lead at the half with just 25 seconds left in the second period.
The second half wasn’t pretty for the Rams.
Kintzler was cornered at the eight and tried to lateral as he was hit but missed and Potas scooped up the fumble at the one for an easy score.
Meeteetse deployed an onside kick the entire second half and recovered three of their four kicks.
Potas scored on a 30-yard run but Pluhar answered with one from 20-yards out and the Rams regained the lead for the final time 42-21 with 1:31 remaining in the third period.
On the first play of the final period Pluhar and Hess hammered Moody but in the process, Hess hit Pluhar in the nose. Pluhar dropped with blood flowing heavily from his nose and didn’t return to the game.
Siler Hess forces a fumble by Jacob Moody – h/t Randy Tucker 
The Longhorns tallied two more scores in the final period for the 54-42 final score.
DUBOIS 6 28 8 0 – 42
MEETEETSE 12 15 20 7 – 54
First Quarter
MEET – Jacob Moody 32-run (kick failed) 9:25
DUB – Payson Pluhar 34-pass from Siler Hess (kick failed) 7:42
MEET – Moody 1-interception (run failed) 4:59
Second Quarter
MEET – Remington Harris 3-run (Harris run) 7:16
DUB – Pluhar 28-run (kick failed) 5:52
MEET – Moody 65-pass from Max Potas (Johnathan Ogden kick) 4:26
DUB – Cooper Kintzler 42-kick return (kick failed) 4:17
DUB – Kintzler 3-run (Kintzler kick) :49
DUB – Kintzler 73-run (Kintzler kick) :25
Third Quarter
MEET – Potas 1-fumble return (Ogden kick) 3:47
MEET – Potas 30-run (kick failed) 2:24
DUB – Pluhar 20-run (Kintzler kick) 1:31
MEET – Aiden Elliot 15-pass from Potas (kick failed)
Fourth Quarter
MEET – Harris 8-run (Tyler Ross pass from Potas) 1:50