Mountain Grove Panthers open SCA play with big win over Ava

After starting the season 0-2 against two quality teams in Fair Grove and West Plains, the Panthers’ football team needed a big win over rival Ava to find the win column and start off South Central Association (SCA) Conference play undefeated.
They did just that as the Panthers had 323 rushing yards and nearly 400 total yards of offense while the defense held the Bears to just 165 total yards in a 32-10 victory.
Both team’s exchanged punts on each of their first two possessions.
Just before the end of the first quarter, Damien LaFranchise had a big 14-yard carry to push the ball past midfield.
Mountain Grove took the ball to the 8 before failing to convert a 4th-and-3 with an incomplete pass.
The Panthers took advantage later of an Ava punt by getting the ball near midfield.
LaFranchise had carries of 10 and 15 yards before the drive ended on quarterback Dalton Shannon’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Brody Bevan. A failed extra-point kick kept the score at 6-0.
Bret Gardner’s sack for a seven-yard loss ended the Bears’ next drive.
Shannon would get a 16-yard carry four plays later and LaFranchise scored from one yard out. A failed two-point conversion kept the score at 12-0 as the game entered halftime.
Mountain Grove had 62 yards passing and 117 on the ground for 179 total yards of offense in the first two quarters.
Meanwhile, Ava had just 48 total yards of offense as their quarterback was hit in the backfield five times for minus 20 yards.
In need of some momentum, Ava got some help after officials met for more than a minute before signaling that Mountain Grove had fumbled the ball away on Ava’s 39. This came just one play after Shannon’s 22-yard run.
Six plays later, the Bears scored on a four-yard touchdown run. A good extra-point kick cut the lead to 12-7.
The Panthers’ offense responded first with Shannon’s 16-yard gain. He nearly had a 40-yard touchdown run, but it was called back for a block in the back penalty.
Mountain Grove overcame the adversity eight plays later with Shannon’s 10-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-10. The failed kick kept the score at 18-7.
Five plays later, the Panthers’ defense caused a fumble to get the ball back near midfield.
In another five plays, LaFranchise scored from one yard out.
The failed two-point conversion moved the score to 24-7.
The Bears’ offense would put together a nice drive that went into the fourth quarter. Ryder Jones took away some momentum by crushing Ava’s quarterback with a sack and an eight-yard loss.
The Bears would still end the drive with a 41-yard field goal.
The Panthers responded two plays later with LaFranchise’s 44-yard touchdown run. Golden converted the two-point run for a 32-10 lead.
Mountain Grove’s defense would force a late four-and-out.
Bevan had a 22-yard run and Shannon added a 15-yard run as the Panthers ran out the clock for the win.
Mountain Grove finished with 72 yards passing and 323 on the ground for 395 total yards of offense.
Shannon completed four passes for 72 yards and one touchdown while also tallying 16 carriers for 110 yards and one touchdown.
LaFranchise had 24 carries for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
Bevan added three carries for 24 yards and one catch for 13 yards and one touchdown.
Ava’s offense had 49 yards passing and 116 on the ground for just 165 total yards of offense.