BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@cherryroad.com

A rain delay did not dampen the Week 1 excitement, as the Cassville football team used a dynamic offense to sour Hollister’s home opener with a 35-26 win.

The Wildcats started the contest by forcing a punt on the Tigers’ first drive, and Hernan Hernandez returned the ball from his own 40 to Hollister’s 32. 

Sophomore quarterback Bodee Rose picked up a 10-yard first down, then Trey Wilson moved the ball down to the 10-yard line. The back finished the drive with a cutting run through the middle to start the season with a 7-0 lead.

Hollister answered with poise, going 74 yards in 9 plays to tie the game at 7-7.

Wilson hit a big return on the ensuing kickoff, taking the ball up to the Tigers’ 40-yard line. Rose then hit receiver Garrett Ewing for a 20-yard gain, and after a penalty, Ewing took a pass in the flat and juked his way to a 35-yard dive across the pylon for a 14-7 lead.

Again, Hollister answered, with Blake Russell cutting through the middle to go 65 yards untouched for his second touchdown of the night.

On the next kickoff, Wilson broke another big return, but a fumble resulted in Russell scoring on a 38-yard run to tie the game at 14.

The next score was a turning point in the game.

Forced to punt, Hernandez employed the Wildcats’ rugby style and found an open lane right to get the first down. With a big first down by Rose on a sweep, the Wildcats used multiple plays to inch their way in from the 10 to take a 21-20 lead.

Hollister threatened as the second-quarter clock wound down, but a missed pass and an 11-second scramble led to the Wildcats taking the lead into the half.

Midway into the third, Cassville began driving hard, ultimately hitting a 46-yard pass to Ewing to take a 28-20 lead.

After some possession changes, a punt by the Wildcats pinned Hollister at its own 11, but shortly after, the Tigers produced a 76-yard touchdown run from a freshman to bring the score back to one possession.

Cassville minted the game by capitalizing on another big special teams play, a Rose kickoff return to midfield.

Converting a fourth-and-1 with a Jacobson plunge, the Wildcats capitalized on the risk with a 29-yard Rose gain on the next play, then a blocker-led 29-yard touchdown for Wilson, his third of the night, also providing the 35-26 final scoreline.

Cassville forced Hollister to punt on its next drive, with Hernandez fair catching the ball in space to maximize field position. The Wildcats milked the clock but were eventually forced to punt.

A Hollister touchdown with under 3 minutes to play was taken off the board for a penalty, and after a sack and incomplete pass on fourth down, the Wildcats took the ball in victory formation.

Cassville returns home Friday to host Aurora at 7 p.m.