CHERRY TWP — Leave it to the Moniteau and Karns City football teams to have a game — and an ending — like this one.

Both defenses flexed their muscles, both teams turned in clutch offensive plays, and a controversial ending gave the Warriors a 20-14 win over their rivals at home Friday night.

“There are a lot of happy people in that locker room,” said Moniteau coach Bob Rottman.

And they had reason to be thrilled as the Warriors ended a six-game losing streak to Karns City.

“Our seniors wanted this one a lot,” Rottman said. “It's been awhile at the end of a football game against Karns City when it's even been close on the scoreboard. This one was huge for them to go out their senior season and beat Karns City. That was a team goal they accomplished. We have a lot more.”

It was by no means easy.

After building a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a pair of touchdown runs by quarterback Chance Nagy, Moniteau struggled against a Karns City defense that adjusted and stiffened.

Meanwhile, the Gremlins had trouble even getting out of their own way with four fumbles, a blocked punt and bad snap on a punt that ended drives and set the Warriors up in good field position.

“Our first half was just too many errors across the board,” said Karns City coach Joe Sherwin. “We can't come out and play like that and expect to win the game.”

Still, Moniteau led just 14-0 at the half and 14-6 after three quarters following a 7-yard touchdown run by Karns City's Devin Ryan.

Things got wild in the fourth quarter.

Hunter Jones scored on his own 7-yard run and Hunter Rowe caught a throw-back screen pass on the 2-point conversion and scampered into the end zone to tie the score at 14-14 early in the fourth quarter.

Moniteau quickly responded as Nagy hit his second big pass of the night, this one to a leaping Brayden Risinger at the 1.

Nagy plowed into the end zone on the next play, but the 2-point conversion run failed for a six-point Moniteau lead.

Then the controversy began with a little more than two minutes remaining.

Karns City punted the ball away from its own 47, and after the ball appeared to glance off a Moniteau player, the Gremlins hopped onto the football at the Warriors' 18 and were awarded possession.

But after a conference by the officials, who were a man short after an injury suffered by the side judge early in the game, it was ruled that the ball first hit a Karns City player and the Warriors retained possession.

Three plays later, Moniteau was forced to punt on a fourth-and-17 from its own 11, but the snap sailed away from Nagy and two yards into the end zone.

Nagy scooped it up, escaped the end zone as Karns City players converged. He attempted to punt the ball from his own 1, but it was blocked and rolled out of bounds inside the Warrior 20 with a little more than 30 seconds remaining.

But the officials called roughing the punter, to the great dismay of Sherwin and the Karns City coaching staff, marked off the 15-yard personal foul and awarded Moniteau a first down.

Two kneel-downs later and the Warriors escaped with a win.

“It was explained to me that even though the ball was on the ground and he established himself as a runner that you still can't run into the punter,” Sherwin said, his jaw clenching. “That's what was explained to me. Even if you got a hand on it.”

Sherwin clenched his jaw again when asked if he thought that was the correct interpretation of the rule.

Now Karns City (1-3) is in a deep hole just a month into the season after losing three games in which it led or was tied in the fourth quarter.

“I think we have to build off the way we played in the second half,” Sherwin said. “We have to regroup. It hurts. There's no two ways about it. Three close losses. But hopefully that builds some character. Hopefully we keep playing hard, keep believing in each other and good things can happen for this team, I still believe.”

For Moniteau (2-2), it is hoping this is the beginning of something special in Cherry Township.

Nagy rushed for 62 yards and also hit a 46-yard pass play to Isaac Blum to set up the first score.

The Warriors' defense also held Karns City's leading rusher Hunter Jones to just two yards on the ground in the first half and 59 in the game.

Jones' last four rushing attempts went for negative yardage.

“Our defense all year has stopped teams from moving the football,” Rottman said. “Our problem has been big plays against us. In my opinion, no one has really been able to drive the ball down the field on us. Our front seven is very stout and very disciplined.”

Sophomore linebacker J.D. Dessicino was all over the field with 15 tackles.

“I'm really happy with our team,” Rottman said. “I couldn't be prouder.”

Karns City 0 0 6 8 — 14Moniteau 14 0 0 6 — 20First QuarterM — Chance Nagy 7 run (pass failed), 9:09M — Nagy 4 run (Nick Martino pass from Nagy), 1:16Third QuarterKC — Devin Ryan 7 run (kick failed), 7:18Fourth QuarterKC — Hunter Jones 7 run (Hunter Rowe pass from Anthony Kamenski), 11:19M — Nagy 1 run (run failed), 8:17Individual StatisticsRushing:Karns City, Devin Ryan 9-70, Hunter Jones 15-59, Anthony Kamenski 6-13, Cole Coon 3-5, Josh Wimer 4-3, Hunter Rowe 1-(-1), TEAM 3-(-26). Moniteau, Chance Nagy 13-62, Nick Martino 13-31, Cody Wise 6-16, Austin Yeager 2-2, Trent Kelly 2-(-10)Passing:Karns City, Anthony Kamenski 4-11-44-0; Moniteau, Chance Nagy 3-9-76-1Receiving:Karns City, Hunter Jones 1-24, Devin Ryan 1-11, Josh Wimer 1-6, Erik Pfeifer 1-3; Moniteau, Isaac Blum 1-44, Brayden Risinger 1-26