Through 22 minutes of last week’s rivalry match-up with undefeated Ava, the Mountain Grove Panthers football team kept pace with a Bears offense that outscored their first two opponents, 73-14.
Unfortunately, a questionable call by officials late in the first half proved too costly as Mountain Grove ended up falling to the Bears, 35-19.
Trailing 21-13 with 2:10 left before halftime, Mountain Grove’s offense had a fourth down on the 3 yard line. Panthers’ quarterback Tyson Elliott had an incomplete pass in the end zone. Ava was called for defensive holding and not defensive pass interference.
Officials did not give Mountain Grove’s offense a new set of downs.
Elliott then scrambled and appeared to cross the goal line with the ball for a two yard touchdown run.
Officials; however, ruled that he did not and rewarded Ava’s offense the ball. Two plays later, the Bears scored on an 80-yard touchdown run and never looked back in the 16-point victory.
The Panthers’ offense opened the game with a solid first scoring drive after Drew Vaughan had a solid kick return to midfield that was extended with a late hit call out of bounds on the Bears.
Four minutes later, Vaughan caught a pass from Elliott and kept his feet inside the back of the end zone for a 12-yard score. Hoyt Mathews’ kick gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead.
Ava would respond with a 42-yard run on their first play. Two minutes later, they scored on a 19-yard scramble and tied the game with an extra-point kick.
Mountain Grove then turned the ball over two plays later as Elliott had a pass intercepted at his own 36 and returned to the 6 yard line.
Ava quickly plugged it in from two yards out to go up 14-7.
The Panthers’ offense received a little help after going three-and-out on their next drive. The Bears’ defense was charged with a roughing the kicker penalty as a player ran into punter Brendan Rogers as he kicked the ball.
Elliott hit Jace Dowden for a 37-yard passing play and completed the drive as time expired in the first quarter connecting with Vaughan from 36 yards out for the touchdown. The extra-point kick was blocked, keeping the Bears in front, 14-13.
Ava’s offense, who did not pass once in the entire game, controlled their ground game to start the second quarter.
They marched 53 yards on 10 straight rushing plays. The two-yard touchdown run and converted kick gave Ava a 21-13 lead.
Before the questionable call near the end of the first half, Elliott did pick up a 19-yard run.
At halftime, Ava’s offense had 210 total yards of offense, all coming on the ground. Mountain Grove had 122 yards passing and 42 yards rushing for 164 total yards.
Ava opened the second half with the ball and ate up more than eight minutes on the clock. They missed a 38-yard field goal though to keep the score at 28-13.
One play later, Elliott had his pass picked off near midfield.
Fortunately, the Panthers’ defense held the Bears to just three yards on their next possession and forced a three-and-out.
After Ava’s defense returned the favor on a three-and-out, the Bears scored on a 37-yard touchdown run to go up 35-13.
Mountain Grove’s offense put together their final scoring drive starting with 6:59 left in the game.
Elliott hit Bryce Stenzel for a 35-yard passing play. Isiah Hellbusch, in his return from an injury, added a six yard carry. Elliott then connected with Hellbusch for a 15-yard touchdown pass. A failed kick kept the score at 35-19.
Mountain Grove finished the game with 193 yards passing and 18 on the ground for 211 total yards. Ava had 308 yards rushing. Individually, Elliott completed 15-of-27 passes for 193 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Vaughan hauled in four passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Hellbusch had nine carries for 30 yards and two catches for nine yards and one touchdown. Dowden had three catches for 53 yards while Stenzel caught two passes for 43 yards.
Mountain Grove will travel to Willow Springs on Friday, Sep. 17 to take on a 1-2 Bears’ squad at 7 p.m. The Bears lost to Cabool last week, 15-13, and were shutout by Marionville in Week 2, 38-0.
They won their lone game in Week 1 against Clever, 49-0.
