The Inter-Mountain photo by Joey Kittle Elkins’ Nick Bowers makes a cut in picking up positive yardage against Robert C. Byrd Friday night at Tiger Stadium. Bowers rushed for 241 yards and six touchdowns in the Tigers’ 41-40 loss.

ELKINS — Elkins High School’s Nick Bowers and Robert C. Byrd’s Junior Smith put on an offensive showcase Friday on Senior Night at Tiger Stadium.

But in the end, the Flying Eagle defense stopped the Tigers on a two-point conversion attempt with 1:23 left to play to escape with a 41-40 victory.

Elkins finished the regular season with a 5-5 record and were ninth in the latest Class AAA, WVSSAC playoff ratings. The Tigers will now have to play the waiting game in terms of the postseason.

Bowers rushed for 241 yards and scored six touchdowns on the night, including a 14-yard score with 1:23 left to make it 41-40. The drive was kept alive when quarterback Nate Sauerwein hit Quincy Miller for 31 yards on a third-and-11 play that moved the ball inside RCB’s 20-yard line.

The Tigers elected to take the lead but were stopped just short of the end zone.

The Flying Eagles then were able to run out the game clock after drawing Elkins offsides on a fourth-and-2 at the Tiger 44-yard line with a minute left in regulation.

Smith accounted for six touchdowns on the night, rushing for three and throwing for three.

He was 11 of 15 through the air for 214 yards and added an additional 111 yards on the ground.

Kobe Duarte had a pair of TD receptions for the Flying Eagles, while Camryn Newsaun had the other.

Latrell Jones added 65 rushing.

The contest was tied at 21-21 at halftime before RCB took the first possession of the third quarter 80 yards in nearly 8 minutes to go on top 27-21 on Smith’s 2-yard run.

On the first play of the final quarter, Bowers found the end zone from 1-yard out to give the Tigers a 28-27 lead after Lucas D’Angelo’s conversion kick.

The Flying Eagles responded in quick fashion, as Smith plowed in for another short TD run less than 2 minutes later to make it 35-28 as Smith also added the conversion run.

A 9-yard TD run by Bowers with 7 minutes left forged Elkins to within 35-34 after the failed two-point try.

Smith’s third TD pass of the night, another to Duarte, made it 41-40 after the two-point attempt failed.

Bowers scored on touchdown runs of 8, 6 and 5 yards in the first half.

Kaden Phillips and Dylan Fortney complimented Bowers’ big night with nearly 70 yards rushing apiece.

RCB, which was 16th in this week’s ratings, ended the regular season 4-6 to keep its playoff hopes alive.