Quinton Buchanan attempts to haul down Osceola Quarterback Tyler Masters. (Democrat Photo/Mark Randall)

The Trumann Wildkittens held perennial conference powerhouse Osceola to just eight points for two and a half quarters of football. But then they unraveled late in the game as costly turnovers ultimately derailed their effort in a 30-0 loss last Thursday at Wildcats Field.

"One of these days we are going to believe we can beat them," said head coach Nick Richardson. "We kept it close in the first half and that's pretty much what I wanted us to do. Unfortunately, it got away from us in the second half and we couldn't recover."

The Wildkittens got an early break to start the game when Tyler Renshaw picked off a pass and ran it back to the Osceola 45 yard line on the Seminoles first possession.

The offense managed to bring the ball down to the Osceola 35 but gave it back when Osceola recovered a fumble on their own 41 yard line.

The two sides ended the first quarter scoreless, but in the second period Osceola running back Zack Brooks scored on a 25 yard run with 7:50 remaining. Korliss Marshall then ran it in for the two point conversion to take an 8-0 lead.

Trumann couldn't get much going on offense and failed to take advantage of some big Osceola turnovers.

With Osceola driving downfield, Trumann recovered a fumble on their own 18 with 2:38 to go in the half, but were forced to punt.

A bad punt gave Osceola the ball back at midfield and the Seminoles threatened to extend their lead, but failed to score to end the half.

In the third quarter, Osceola gambled and went for it on fourth and 25 but lost 40 yards on a flubbed reverse.

Trumann took over on downs on the Osceola 30 yard line but their drive was killed when Jimmy Creecy's pass was intercepted and taken back to the Trumann 12 yard line.

Brooks would take it in for the touchdown with 7:52 to play in the third and Jemal Jackson successfully converted for 2 points. The play was called back though on a holding penalty and the second attempt for two was no good to make it 14-0.

"I think that was the turning point for us in the game," Richardson said. "We got the bal and threw an interception right back to them. Jimmy (Creecy) threw it in to double coverage and that is just something that happens. I think that our kids got their heads down after that a little bit and it was tough to get much going after that."

The Wildkittens woes continued when they lost the ball on a bad snap on their next possession which got away and rolled to their own three yard line.

Trumann was forced to punt and Osceola got another shot at offense starting at the Kitten 19.

Korliss Marshall scored on a 19 yard run and Brooks added the two points to make it 22-0 with 5:35 remaining.

Trumann didn't fare any better on its next possession. Creecy's pass was intercepted by Roy Wells who ran it back 55 yards to the Trumann one yard line with 1:46 left in the game.

Wells then ran it in for the touchdown second later and the two point attempt by Donnie Scott was good to make it 30-0.

Richardson said he thought the team played well again but they weren't as physical as they needed to be against Osceola.

"Osceola has a really good football team and my hat goes off to them," Richardson said. "Our kids are playing hard and I love them. But the thing about junior high football is that you have got to be able to block and you have got to be able to tackle. We're trying to get our kids to be physical.

"I thought Osceola did a good job of that. Obviously, Osceola was bigger and faster than us. They attacked us and got us back on our heels. We were in the game against Osceola and just being able to be in the game early showed we can play. We just need to move the ball better. They just shut us down on everything we tried to do. And it was hard to get anything going against them."

Richardson said the good news for the Wildkittens though is that their toughest game of the season is over with and their chances of getting that elusive first win look good in the next three weeks.

The Wildkittens travel to take on undefeated Pocahontas this week.

"I told our boys that I think we have the best 0-5 team there is," Richardson said. "It sounds kind of funny but I believe we have a pretty god team. We're just coming up short. But we have Pocahontas, Westside and Valley View coming up and those are three teams we can beat -- and Newport too. We can do it. We've just got to get up and bring this together."

Richardson said the team is going to have their work cut out for them against a good Pocahontas team.

"They have a real good quarterback. They have a good receiver. They have good running backs. They have a good line," Richardson said. "We're going to have to establish a running game and move the ball. Our line has got to do a better job protecting our quarterback. And of course, we have to just keep playing tough on defense.

"We had a real good practice on Monday. Everybody was here. And this week we have everybody healthy and everybody ready. We're going to keep battling. Our kids aren't going to quit. And the coaching staff isn't going to quit. We're going to keep working and get better and try and pull out a win."