Nathan Perryman couldn't be found to share a post-game interview with Logan Ayers on Friday. But Ayers made it a point to give plenty of deserving praise so the lineman's efforts wouldn't be lost in obscurity.

 Ayers' block of an extra-point attempt that dictated the final minutes in Nixa's 17-13 triumph over Republic never would have happened, he insists, without an assist from Perryman.

With Republic looking to tie the score at 14-all at the 2:27 mark of the third quarter in the Ozark Chevrolet Game of The Week, Ayers broke through the Tigers' defensive line untouched to smother the kick.

"I got up in Nathan's ear before the play to make sure he would knock their guard over and get me in there," Ayers said. "We'd been working on that and I'd gotten close to a block. He made it happen. Me and him make a good team.

"Linemen do all the dirty work and I know how it is. I play tight end, so I get both a little glory and I do the dirty work."

Perryman had a hunch the play would prove pivotal and that Ayers might be talking to media types after the game about the block. He asked that perhaps Ayers could throw his name into the conversation.

"He came to me and said I want some credit for that," Ayers said. "I said, 'I'll make sure you do.'"

Ayer's block not only kept Republic from tying things up, but forced the Tigers' hand on fourth-and-one from the Nixa six-yard line with 1:17 to play.

Trailing by four, Republic botched a handoff and the ball fell to the turf. The Tigers recovered their fumble, but were tackled for a loss of two yards by several Nixa defenders.

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