Cougars score 58 in win over Unity

By Editor | October 22, 2025 |

By KENT COULTAS

Tucker Arnold scored four touchdowns, and Ryker Ford made a touchdown saving tackle in the final seconds as West Central beat Mendon Unity 58-50 in football Oct. 17 at Winchester.
The Cougars, who improved to 4-4 and kept their playoff hopes alive, finish the regular season Friday at Beardstown (1-7) at 7 p.m. Unity fell to 4-4.
Unity tied the game with 4:17 remaining in the game after Sawyer Allen and Konner Kendall connected on a 22-yard pass play. Allen ran for the conversion, and the two teams were tied at 50.
Ford returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards to the Unity 34-yard and set up the winning drive.
Arnold finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 46.8 seconds remaining in the game. Lane Clayton ran for the conversion, and the Cougars led 58-50.
Arnold carried the ball four times during the winning, including the last three plays, for 25 yards.
Unity reached the West Central 45-yard line with 0.9 seconds remaining. Allen completed a pass to Kendall at the 32-yard line. Kendall lateraled the ball to David Arnsman, who reached the West Central 17-yard line before he was tackled by Ford to end the game.
West Central trailed 34-30 after three quarters but outscored Unity 28-16 in the fourth.
Ford scored on a 1-yard run, and West Central led 36-34 with 9:34 remaining in the game. Arnold had runs of 21 and 16 yards in the drive.
Lane Clayton forced a fumble on Unity’s next possession, and he recovered the fumble at the Unity 38-yard line.
The Cougars drove 38 yards in seven plays before Crain scored on a 12-yard run. Arnold ran for the conversion, and West Central led 44-34 with 6:51 remaining in the game.
West Central converted a third down-and-17 in the possession as Ford completed a 24-yard pass to Crain.
Unity scored just 23 seconds later on a 20-yard pass play. They added the conversion to cut the margin to 44-42.
Arnold scored on 61-yard run on the second play on West Central’s ensuing possession. Unity stopped the conversion, and West Central led 50-42 with 5:29 remaining in the game.
The Cougars led 24-20 at halftime after Unity grabbed an early 6-0 lead.
Anthony Hance caught a 35-yard pass from Ford for West Central’s first touchdown of the game. Crain ran for the conversion to give West Central an 8-6 lead.
Hance and Ford connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Crain again ran for the conversion, and the Cougars led 16-6 with 6:54 remaining before halftime.
Arnold scored on a 5-yard run after Unity had cut the deficit to 16-12. Crain ran for the conversion to give West Central a 24-12 lead.
Unity closed out the scoring when Allen scored on a 9-yard run with 37 seconds remaining. He also ran for the conversion, and the Cougars led 24-20 at halftime.
Kendall caught a 42-yard pass from Allen early in the third quarter. Allen ran for the conversion, and Unity led 28-24.
West Central was forced to punt on its next possession, but Clayton’s 55-yard punt was downed at the 2-yard line.
Cooper Eddinger intercepted pass at the Unity 24-yard line and returned it to the 14-yard line.
Arnold scored on a 7-yard on fourth down and 3 as West Central went back on top 30-28.
Allen scored on a 22-yard run later in the quarter, and the Mustangs led 34-30 after three quarters.
The two teams combined for 40 first downs and 1,047 yards of offense in the game.
Unity finished 548 yards and 21 first downs. They rushed 209 yards rushing on 30 attempts and they passed for 329 yards. Allen rushed for 174 yards and passed for 292 yards. He scored four touchdowns and passed for three.
West Central had 19 first downs and 499 yards. They gained 423 yards on the ground on 47 attempts and passed for 76 yards.
Arnold finished with 185 yards rushing on 16 attempts, and Crain rushed for 165 yards on 17 attempts. Ford rushed for 70 yards on 11 attempts.
Ford completed three of 13 passes for 76 yards. Hance caught two passes for 52 yards, and Crain caught one pass for 24 yards.
Arnold also led the defense with 10 tackles. Andrew Coker and Jeffrey McIntire each had six. Anthony Baird had a tackle for loss.
Clayton recovered a fumble, and Eddinger intercepted a pass.