KINGDOM CITY - The North Callaway Thunderbirds turned the chase for the Eastern Missouri Conference title into chaos.
Junior running back Cody Cash gained 195 yards and scored two touchdowns, and the North Callaway defense harassed Montgomery County as the Thunderbirds handed the Wildcats their first Eastern Missouri Conference loss 28-22 on Friday night.
The victory was the third in a row for North Callaway, which improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the EMO. The Thunderbirds suffered their lone conference loss at home to Wright City 14-6 on Sept. 20.
Montgomery County - which had its five-game winning streak halted - is also 5-2 on the season and 4-1 in conference play after Friday night's setback. Wright City joined North Callaway and Montgomery County with identical 5-2 and 4-1 records after shutting out Bowling Green at home in a 6-0 EMO win Friday night.
Montgomery County is responsible for Wright City's lone conference loss, 34-12 at Montgomery City on Oct. 4.
The Thunderbirds close out the regular season with conference games at Mark Twain this week and at home against South Callaway in the annual Callaway Cup confrontation Oct. 25.
"We beat a hell of a football team tonight, we beat a hell of a team last week (22-21 EMO victory at Bowling Green), but we've got two more in front of us," North Callaway head coach Don Boulware said. " Our focus has to be on Mark Twain.
"The EMO is so balanced this year. That's just how this league is this year. It's a deep league in terms of good teams - anybody can beat anybody on a given night."
The Thunderbirds were forced to withstand a late rally by the Wildcats on Friday night to create the three-way tie atop the EMO.
Montgomery County junior quarterback Drake Deuser connected with senior tight end Carson Parker on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 3 minutes, 2 seconds to play in the game. Deuser then added the two-point conversion on a run to bring the Wildcats within 28-22.
Montgomery County was able to recover the ensuing onside kick, but the Wildcats were flagged for fair-catch interference. North Callaway took possession at Montgomery County's 48-yard line and picked up a pair of first downs to run out the clock.
"I'm just really proud of our kids," Boulware said. "Montgomery County is a very good team - they fought right till the end. If they had gotten that onside kick, there would have been a big lump in my throat, for sure.
"I thought it was a very good game, it wasn't chippy on either side. There's a lot of respect between these two teams."
Cash's huge night got off to a sloppy start when he fumbled on the first play of the game and the Wildcats recovered the ball at the Thunderbirds' 43. Deuser topped off a nine-play drive on a 4-yard touchdown run with 8:22 left in the first quarter to put Montgomery County in front.
Cash quickly atoned for his miscue on North Callaway's second offensive series, ripping off a 44-yard touchdown run at the 7:10 mark. Cash also ran in the two-point conversion to give the Thunderbirds an 8-6 edge.
The Wildcats set up their second score by intercepting a pass from North Callaway senior quarterback Jadon Henry late in the quarter. Three plays later, Deuser delivered a 36-yard touchdown pass to Parker with :20 to go.
Sophomore wide receiver Drake Smith ran for the two-point conversion to put Montgomery County up by six points entering the second quarter.
A 28-yard pass from Cash to sophomore fullback Payton Olsson on a fake punt helped lead to the Thunderbirds' game-tying score. Senior fullback Mason Wortman shoved his way into the end zone from 1 yard out on fourth down with 3:31 remaining in the first half.
North Callaway failed on the two-point conversion attempt, leaving the contest even at 14-all.
The Thunderbirds regained the lead on senior wide receiver Gabe Cash's 14-yard touchdown run on a sweep with 7:12 to play in the third quarter. Cody Cash tacked on the two-point conversion on a run.
Cody Cash then pulled off a phenomenal, highlight-reel run to give North Callaway a two-score advantage midway through the fourth quarter. Cash found himself hemmed in on a sweep near the Montgomery County sideline, reversed course back across the field and then darted through a seam in the middle for a 25-yard touchdown run that covered far more ground than that.
Cash was stopped on the two-point conversion attempt, but the Thunderbirds owned a 28-14 lead with 6:07 left in the game.
"That's exactly the way we drew that play up, you have to understand that - it's all coaching," Boulware said with a laugh when asked about Cash's lengthy scoring detour. "Athletes make plays and big-time athletes make big plays in big-time games."
Not to be overlooked Friday night was a punishing performance by the North Callaway defense. The Thunderbirds forced two turnovers, came up with three fourth-down stops, posted three sacks and limited Montgomery County to 201 yards of total offense, including a scant 28 yards rushing.
"(Defensive coordinator) Ronnie (Kimbley) does a great job scheming and he moves his personnel around," Boulware said. "(I liked) the intensity and the way we got after it."
North Callaway will square off this week against a Mark Twain team that is experiencing a little surge of its own. The Tigers (3-4, 2-3) captured their second straight EMO victory with a 14-7 triumph at Clopton/Elsberry on Friday night.
Boulware will also remind the Thunderbirds about their 24-22 home loss to Mark Twain last season.
"We've just got to have a great week of practice - you play like you practice," Boulware said. "The last two weeks we've practiced pretty well and it's carried over on the field.
"We can't have a hangover - we've had two big wins in a row."
Ryan Boland can be reached at (573) 826-2422, or on Twitter @FultonSunSports.