MOUND CITY, Mo. — Worth County doesn’t often play the underdog.

An 8-man power for more than two decades, the Tigers rack up state titles and wins almost as an afterthought. Worth County relished the role of a second-thought team in Friday night’s matchup with undefeated Mound City, winners of 16 straight.

“We’re a younger team. Yeah, we were definitely the underdogs,” Worth County veteran coach Chuck Borey said. “We liked to be called the underdogs, too. It helped pump my team up and get them to try and earn some respect.”

Respect? Earned.

Worth County went into Ceglinski Field and left with a 22-20 victory against the overwhelming favorites to repeat as state champions. Eli Mullock’s touchdown run with about 4 minutes left tied it and a tipped 2-point conversion pass landed in Cody Green’s hand for a late lead.

Mound City then faltered in its attempt to tie.

Worth County (5-0) used a pressure defense to fluster Mound City sophomore quarterback Lucas Schawang, who finished 6 of 16 with one interception. Alex Harmening recorded the interception, while linebacker Brian Hall forced another crucial turnover when he jarred the ball loose from all-state running back Gage Rosier, who was limited to just 118 yards.

Borey credited the defensive performance to a change in scheme. Mound City beat Worth County 56-6 last year in a game called at halftime.

“It’s just taken time for the players to get used to it, and I think it kind of gelled Friday night better than it had the first four weeks,” Borey said.

Worth County trailed 8-6 after the first quarter and went into halftime tied at 14. That score remained until the fourth quarter when Gage Rosier’s second touchdown run — third overall — gave Mound City a 20-14 lead. But the Panthers’ 2-point conversion attempt failed and left the door open.

Mullock — a sophomore backup to senior Barrett Baker — went around right end on a sweep, eluded two tackles and went in for a score to tie at 20.

On the 2-point try, quarterback Zach Harmening’s cadence caused a false start, and the Tigers were backed up to the 8-yard line. Mound City tipped Zach Harmening’s pass attempt after the infraction, but Green, a sophomore, cradled the catch just inside the goal line for the decisive two points.

Despite rainy conditions, Zach Harmening finished 7 of 10 for 81 yards passing and added two rushing scores. He is a 5-foot-7, 120-pound first-year senior starter under center.

“Zach has really stepped up well,” Borey said. “He was a question going into the season. There’s definitely no question marks now.”

Hamilton 34, South Harrison 9

The Hornets overcame a halftime deficit and tallied 27 unanswered points in a crucial Grand River Conference matchup.

Hamilton (5-0, 4-0 GRC) now stands as the only undefeated team in league play.

South Harrison (4-1, 4-1) took a 9-7 lead behind a Jared Stonecypher safety and a Tyler Pickren 16-yard touchdown run. Both scores came in the second quarter.

But Hamilton’s defense stood up from there.

The Hornets — ranked No. 2 in Class 1 — held Pickren to just 18 yards rushing on 17 attempts. They also picked off South Harrison quarterback T.J. Heitz three times.

Hamilton scored four rushing touchdowns in the second half — two for quarterback Keagan Prather, one from Trevor Dixon and Dylan Chadwick’s second of the game. Chadwick and Prather led the Hornets with 56 yards apiece on the ground.

Maryville 21, Cameron 8

MARYVILLE, Mo. — The Spoofhounds became the first team to shut down Cameron’s potent rushing attack and stayed unbeaten in Midland Empire Conference play.

Maryville (4-1, 4-0 MEC) led 21-0 before a late touchdown from Cameron avoided the shutout. Cameron fell to 4-1, 1-1 MEC with the loss.

The result sets up a showdown at Chillcothe next week between the Hornets (5-0, 2-0) and Maryville. Savannah is the only other team without a loss in the MEC.

Playing in a steady rain much of the way, Derek DeMott scored on an 8-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to give the Spoofhounds a 6-0 lead. It was one of only two completions for Maryville quarterback Marcus Grudzinski.

That score remained until DeMott added a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth. Tyler Peve followed that with a 46-yard interception return for a third score, one of three interceptions Cameron sophomore quarterback Zach Way threw.

Cameron managed only 70 yards rushing on 28 attempts, and Lincoln Greene (56 yards) was held under 100 for the first time this season.

Senior Evan Johnson led Maryville with 7 1/2 tackles — one for loss — in his return from a Week 1 knee injury.

King City 49, Princeton 28

KING CITY, Mo. — Three scores in a span of less than 10 first-quarter offensive plays fueled the Wildkats to an early lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

After a 9-minute opening drive stalled for Princeton deep in King City territory, the Wildkats struck first on an 85-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ethan Hall from Dalton Workman. Hall broke a tackle on a simple 3-yard out pattern and turned it into a score.

Princeton’s Vance Purdun fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and two plays later, Philip Eiberger scored the first of his four touchdowns on a 34-yard run. King City’s Trey Forward intercepted Brycen Stark’s tipped pass two plays later.

Shortly after, Eiberger scored from 17 out to make it 21-0.

Princeton scored back-to-back second quarter touchdowns and a pair of 2-point conversion to close within five, but King City added two more scores before halftime and led by at least 19 the rest of the way.

Purdun scored three touchdowns total, including runs of 71 and 54 in the second half.

Eiberger tallied 168 rushing yards and three touchdowns on only 15 carries and added a 25-yard touchdown reception. He scored from 72 yards out on the second half’s second play before Purdun answered on the next snap with his 71-yard score.

Workman completed 8 of 10 passes for 168 yards and two scores with Keaton Ebersold catching six passes for 68 yards.

Assistant sports editor Ross Martin can be

reached at rossmartin@npgco.com