Marceline Takes Conference Football Contest From Eagles

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By David Sharp

   Marceline (2-1, 2-0) played very good defense, holding winless Knox County to a single score in weather delayed Saturday, September 12, 2020 varsity football play at Ella Campbell field. Marceline finished the game with an unofficial 27-5 advantage in first downs and a 43-8 win.

   The Eagles (0-3, 0-2) had their moments against one of the better small school Missouri High School high school football programs. Knox County stopped the potent Tiger offense twice on downs inside their ten yard line in the first half.

   The Tigers recovered two fumbles, including a Wyatt Malloy pick up in the end zone for a Marceline touchdown with 3:29 to play in the first quarter. Will Heller ran 14 yards for a score after Marceline caused a fumble on the game’s opening drive.

   Marceline defensive play gave their offense great field position most of the contest. The Tigers led 15-0 after the first quarter. Jason Schmidt recovered an onside kick for Marceline near midfield.

   Knox County stopped the Tigers on downs on the next two defensive sets. Marceline defensive line dominance helped the Tigers block a punt on the Eagle 25 yard line. Knox County stopped the Tiger offense again on the KCHS eight yard line.

   The Eagles could not move the football and punted. Eliott Ogden intercepted a Jacob Stallo pass. The Eagles blocked a Tiger punt setting Knox County up on the Marceline 41 yard line.

   Conner Hayes heaved a 41 yard touchdown pass to Colton Morrow with 2:15 remaining in the first half.  Branson Miller ran in the two point conversion, pulling Knox County within a 15-8 deficit.

   Marceline answered with a 60 yard touchdown drive executed in about two minutes of game clock time. Sam Gilliam caught a 14 yard pass from Jacob Stallo for a touchdown with 17.3 seconds to play in the first half.

   The two point kick failed, leaving Marceline up 21-8 at the half. Marceline held a 13-4 advantage in first half first downs. The Tigers rushed for a 102-16 advantage in the opening two quarters.

   Knox County held a 100-80 first half passing edge. The teams turned the ball two times each in the first half.

   Marceline came out and scored on their first two third quarter possessions. The Tigers drove 90 yards on a six first down scoring march. Hunter Nelson ran eight yards with 4:01 showing on the third quarter clock for a 36-8 Marceline lead.

   “Defensively we had a great night,” Marceline coach Mark Ross said. “We got a lot of stops. It’s not like we didn’t do a lot of great things offensively, we just had a lot of drives that stalled out.”

   “We didn’t finish. I think we had six drives in the first half that started on their side of the 50 that we didn’t end up scoring on,” Mark Ross said. “It was our defense that put us in position to do that.”

   Marceline blocked a punt on the KCHS six yard line. Brendon Catron scored on a two yard run for a 43-8 lead with 7:38 to play in the game. Sam Gillman kicked the extra point for Marceline.

   Knox County was held to 21 carries for 37 yards rushing. Keaton Strange led the Eagles with nine attempts for 31 yards. Conner Hayes was 5-12 passing for 100 yards and a touchdown.

   Branson Miller and Elliott Ogden had two pass receptions each The Eagles were held to 137 total yards from scrimmage. Knox County had five unofficial penalties for 30 yards.

   Marceline rushed 51 times for 328 yards as a team. Hunter Nelson was the game’s leading ground gainer with 20 carries for 144 yards and a touchdown. Sam Gilliam had six pass catches for 65 yards and a score. Jacob Stallo was 17-30 passing for 140 yards. Stallo had an interception against and a touchdown pass.

   Marceline gained 468 total yards from scrimmage unofficially. The Tigers had 15 penalties for 95 yards unofficially.

   Knox County hosts Paris in Week four area high school football action on Friday, September 18, 2020. The contest will be Knox County’s Homecoming Football Game.

   “We weren’t able to sustain anything,” Knox County coach Bruce Vannoy said. “We knew they were a very good team coming in. We could pick up a few plays here and there, but as far as putting a drive together and making it work, they were able to stuff us out most of the time.”

   “They brought pressure on us. That wasn’t surprising with the defense that they run,” Bruce Vannoy said. “I thought we handled it better than last week. At the end, we got to the point where we couldn’t move the ball a whole lot in the second half.”

   “Our defense played lights out. They were given short fields several times,” Coach Vannoy said. “We got the two turnovers. I was very impressed with the way they played.”

   “We should have been within one score at halftime. To be within a two scores of Marceline at halftime, with two goal line stops and another stop, that was pretty impressive with a young group like we have,” Bruce Vannoy said.