If statistics told the full story it would be Kimball heading home from Gothenburg last Friday with a hard fought win. After all, the Longhorns notched 12 first downs to the home side’s eight. They dominated time of possession, holding onto the ball for almost 29 minutes. Chauncey Pedersen’s team lost only 15 yards to infractions, beat them in the air and just about evened the Swedes in most other categories, including fumbles lost.

But that all important ‘points off of turnovers’ column turned into a real plot twister.

Gothenburg turned a busted hook and lateral and an interception into 12 points on their way to a 19-7 win over the Longhorns that was much more dramatic than the final score indicates.

Down 7-0 as the fourth quarter got underway, Longhorns quarterback Trevan Hinton tossed to Brent Bussinger, who appeared to square up, ready to pitch to a passing teammate. Instead, he was hit by a Gothenburg corner. The ball popped loose and the Swedes Blake Ristine recovered on Kimball’s 21.

Given a break and great field position, Gothenburg running back Logan Sheets punched the ball over after a short five play drive.

Moments later Hinton’s pass, intended for Jeff Greenwood, was plucked from the air by a leaping Ristine, making a fingertip grab. This time it took just one snap for the home squad to capitalize, thanks to a 40 yard burst by Sheets through a momentarily disorganized Kimball defense.

“It takes a few big plays to win any game,” said Longhorns lineman Jake Reader, “and they got the big plays.”

For much of the game, however, it appeared as if Pedersen’s clock chewing, ground churning game plan would pay dividends. They parried the first threat when Bussinger covered a Tyler Aden fumble inside the red zone. Gothenburg’s next drive ended when Sheets bobbled a hand off and Kimball’s Lance Winters recovered. Hinton and the offensive unit consumed almost 7:30 on their first two possessions and 8:29 in the second quarter.

Midway through the period, Reader sacked Swedes signal caller Jackson Graham. On the next play Greenwood’s textbook tackle of Aden cost Gothenburg another yard and forced a punt.

Kimball offense responded with a well conceived, time consuming drive. Consecutive carries by Dalton Lockwood, Greenwood, Bernie Bridge and Greenwood again moved the ball inside the five. On third and goal, however, Lockwood’s attempt to force the left side ended in a swarm of maroon jerseys. Henry Heeg’s field goal attempt from a sharp and difficult angle fluttered wide left.

The teams hit their locker rooms for halftime with the score knotted at 0-0.

“We had a good game plan,” Pedersen said. “That first half was great to watch.”

But fortunes turned quickly once play resumed. After two short gains, Gothenburg’s Aden broke free for 59 yards, dragged down at the five in a touchdown saving lunge by Hinton.

“We were in a veer option,” explained Swedes head coach Craig Haake. “Graham made a nice read.”

The next snap, Graham kept the ball himself, waltzing across the goal line for the game’s first score.

Kimball responded with a 13 play, 6:49 drive—kept alive at one point by a fourth and two call at midfield that sent Lockwood pounding off tackle—that fizzled on the Gothenburg 33. In fact, Longhorn backs found the going much tougher in the second half. Lockwood, 15-60 on the night, managed only 15 rushing yards after halftime. He entered the game averaging 10.1 per carry, but reportedly suffered an injury to his thumb. Bridge carried four times for nine yards. Greenwood, who saw extensive action in the second half after Lockwood was banged up, gained 18 on six plays and O’Hare, last week’s feature back, rushed four times for negative yardage.

“They got the edge a couple times and that got us in trouble,” Haake said of Kimball’s first half success. “Our outside backers started coming up and forcing the plays inside.”

The game changed on those two successive turnovers at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

“I don’t know if the boys second guessed themselves,” Pedersen said, pondering the contest’s sudden turn.

If so, they recovered quickly. In a 19-0 hole with only 8:17 remaining in the game, Hinton and the Longhorns engineered a 15 play drive. Their most impressive effort of the night began badly, however. O’Hare lost a yard. Bridge ran into a wall of Swedes for no gain and Greenwood’s sweep to the left fell a yard short.

On fourth and one from their own 41, Bussinger dropped back to punt. But Pedersen had other things in mind. The snap went instead to Lockwood, who fought his way for five yards and a first down. It was the same fake punt Pedersen called in the opener against Bayard. In that game Lockwood passed to Hinton. This time around, uncertain of his ability to throw thanks to his damaged thumb, the running back tucked the ball and buried his head.

Kimball faced another fourth moments later. From the Gothenburg 46, Hinton fired long to Greenwood for 27 yards.  After three straight incompletions, Hinton saved the drive again, finding Bridge for the necessary yardage, plus a few inches. From inside the ten, they returned to the more familiar ground game. Greenwood raced left, spotted a gap and sprinted into the zone.

“I think that was really big,” Pedersen said, looking ahead to this week’s return home. The score builds momentum and proves the Longhorns will stay in the fight, even when a few breaks turn against them.

“We just need to keep our heads high and win against Mitchell,” he added.

There was one more moment for Kimball. Damian Rutledge bounded a near perfect onside kick to the right sideline, but one of his teammates touched it a yard too soon.

Kimball, now 2-1, faces Mitchell Friday in a conference matchup.