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The 2007 football season is turning out to be a lot longer than the Wildcats expected.

South lost to Greenville 21-13 on Friday at Evans Stadium, the second time in as many weeks it lost by that score.

South High School is competing in its final season of football before it is merged with North in the fall of 2008. The year-long celebration of the final season continued Friday when a parade of former players had one more chance to gather as Wildcats.

A fitting tribute, but no Wildcats celebrated after the Green Wave handed South (1-4) its fourth loss in a row.

After a season-opening win against Hamilton and then a pasting by Troy, South has lost its past three games by seven, eight and eight points.

On Friday, the South offense had two drives fall apart inside the Greenville 15-yard line. Quarterback Zack Burks passed for 193 yards, but he also tossed two interceptions.

The Wildcats also had a game-tying touchdown pass from Burks nullified for an ineligible player downfield.

"We're not capitalizing," South head coach Aaron Shaffer said. "A deflection that they return for six, we take points off the board for an ineligible player downfield. That's a missed opportunity. You have to capitalize when you give yourself chances. We have to be able to stick it in when we're down in there."

Greenville (2-3) had no such problem converting big plays. Zachary Melling was a one-man highlight reel — he scored on a 6-yard run, a 50-yard interception return and a 59-yard run.

His final score came after South cut the lead to 14-13 on a 6-yard run by Keyon Belle.

After South spotted Greenville a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, Kent Scott (110 yards rushing) scored on a 4-yard run to cut the score to 14-7. Although Wildcats kicker Trey DePriest was a foot short on a 32-yard field goal at the end of the half, South had turned the momentum in its favor.

In the third quarter, South lost drives to an interception, a stall on the 15-yard line, and then another stall on the 7. A score at any point would have tied the game.

The South defense did well in surrendering just two TDs, nine first downs and no passing yards, but Greenville rushed for 266.

Shaffer acknowledged that the defense played well most of the night, but "there was a breakdown in there somewhere. Whether they make a good call or not, we still have to be able to defend it," he said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0366 or bplasters@coxohio.com.