With just seconds to play the Wind River Cougars lined up for a final play with the ball just six inches from the goal line. With no time outs remaining and hustling to beat the clock the Cougars quickly lined up. Sophomore quarterback Tanner Walker spiked the ball with a fraction of a second remaining to stop the clock, but it didn’t matter. It was fourth down and the Cougars fell just inches short of tying the game at 28. Shoshoni held on for a 28-22 final score in one of the best games played in the 61-game series between the two schools.
After Thursday Night, the Wranglers hold a slim 31-30 advantage over their rivals from Pavillion.
The game was intense and featured a powerful performance by Wind River junior Jeffrey “Bubba” Rushing.
Rushing lived up to his last name, carrying the ball 42 times for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Wind River dominated the line of scrimmage and had 150 more total yards of offense than the Wranglers. It didn’t matter.
While Wind River powered on long drives running the ball, Shoshoni scored via the big play.
The Cougars took the opening kickoff and marched 72 yards on nine plays, capped by a 25-yard pass from Walker to a wide-open Kai Alatini for the game’s first score at 7:31. Holden Yeates added the conversion, and the Cougars led 8-0.
Shoshoni was hampered by a torn biceps injury to leading rusher, senior Carson Kisling. Kisling had a sleeve on his right arm and didn’t take any carries from scrimmage, but he did catch the ball and played tenacious defense.
Wind River forced the Wranglers to a pair of three-and-outs in the opening period, but Shoshoni found their way in the second quarter.
Quarterback Caden Kisling broke open on a broken pass play for a 22-yard touchdown. Kolbe Brink hit the conversion kick, and the Wranglers trailed 8-7.
The Cougars couldn’t move the ball and punted deep into Shoshoni’s end of the field. Kisling scrambled on a third-down play, dipping into the end zone while avoiding a furious pass rush. He threw the ball off one foot to his brother Carson, who caught it near the 50-yard line and turned upfield for a 91-yard touchdown.
Caden Kisling had a solid night punting the ball, with one sailing 59 yards and another 48, a remarkable performance after the beating he took from Cougar defenders Logan Jensen, Isaiah Remacle, and Rushing, who hampered or sacked him repeatedly throughout the game.
Holding a slim 13-8 lead at the half, the Wranglers lined up for the opening kick of the second half and turned in another huge play.
Carson Kisling took the ball at the 22, ran wide, cut back and it was off to the races on a 78-yard touchdown return. This time, the Wranglers went for two with Oakley Hicks catching the conversion pass from Kisling.
Trailing 21-8, the Cougars didn’t panic but stayed with their power running game. It paid off with Rushing bowling over tacklers inside the 10-yard line on a nine-yard scoring run with 5:24 remaining in the third period.
There were only two turnovers, one by each team, and both came late in the game.
Caden Kisling intercepted Walker near midfield with 1:24 left in the third, and the Wranglers capitalized six plays later.
Brodie Shepard kept the drive alive with a balanced spin move and limp leg run to set up a first down at the 16-yard line. Two plays later, Kisling found Hicks on a nine-yard touchdown pass.
Eli Hill took the kickoff from Brink back to the 46 and the Cougars began another long drive.
Wind River drove 54 yards on nine plays, aided by a personal foul on the Wranglers after a Shoshoni defender kicked a Wind River running back on the ground. Ben Synder, Walker, Rushing, and Yeates took turns running the ball, with Rushing crashing in on a four-yard power run while carrying Shoshoni defenders. Yeates’ conversion run cut the margin to 28-22 with 6:10 remaining.
Shoshoni’s only turnover came with 2:31 left in the game when Jensen rocked Shepard, knocking the ball loose. Rushing recovered, and a Hollywood finish looked likely.
The Cougars reeled off a dozen plays in the last two minutes, eight of them carries by Rushing. Snyder had a big run scampering out of bounds to pick up a first down at the seven.
The Cougars had no timeouts. Rushing powered to the four with 15 seconds left. Wind River quickly lined up and Rushing almost scored back came just inches short.
With four ticks on the clock the Cougars were again in formation but it was fourth down and the spike ended the game.
Both teams are at home this week with Shoshoni hosting Wyoming Indian on Thursday at 6 pm. The Cougars also play on Thursday, facing the conference-leading, third-ranked Big Piney Punchers at Pavillion at 5 p.m.
Shoshoni now leads Wind River 31-30 in the all-time series – h/t Randy Tucker
SHOSHONI 0 13 8 7 – 28
WIND RIVER 8 0 6 8 – 22
First Quarter
WR – Kai Alatini 25-pass from Tanner Walker (Holden Yeates run) 7:31
Second Quarter
SHO – Caden Kisling 22-run (Kolbe Brink kick) 6:37
SHO – Carson Kisling 91-pass from Caden Kisling (kick failed) 2:48
Third Quarter
SHO – Carson Kisling 78-kickoff return (Oakley Hicks pass from Kisling) 11:45
WR – Jeffrey Rushing 9-run (run failed) 5:24
Fourth Quarter
SHO – Hicks 9-pass from Kisling (Brink kick) 10:48
WR – Rushing 4-run (Yeates run) 6:10