The Mountain Grove Panthers football team drew a tough season opening match-up last Friday night on the road against a good Fair Grove team led by All-State quarterback Kody Stacye.
Though the Panthers allowed a special teams touchdown, their score just before the end of the third quarter kept them within striking distance down just nine points.
Unfortunately, costly turnovers and a wave of momentum for the Eagles helped them to score 20 unanswered points in their 48-19 victory.
Mountain Grove kept their composure in the first half as Fair Grove opened the contest with an eight play, 77 yard touchdown drive that ended with a 33-yard touchdown pass.
After the Panthers went three-and-out on their first possession, Fair Grove returned a Brendan Rogers’ punt 40 yards for the touchdown for a 14-0 edge just a little more than five minutes into the game.
Trenton Bevan picked up a big 16-yard run on the Panthers’ next play before Mountain Grove was forced to punt.
This time, Rogers’ kick bounced before the end zone and was in the air when Bryce Stenzel leaped to slap the ball while back in front of the goa line. This resulted in Fair Grove starting with the ball on their own one yard line.
With the Eagles going three-and-out, Mountain Grove started their next drive on Fair Grove’s 33.
Panthers’ quarterback Tyson Elliott first hit Stenzel on a 19-yard pass. Five plays later, he found Drew Vaughan for a seven yard touchdown pass. Hoyt Mathews’ kick cut the lead to 14-7.
Fair Grove didn’t waste time to respond as they marched 69 yards on six plays, scoring on a 31-yard touchdown pass for a 21-7 edge.
The Panthers returned the favor as Elliott first connected with Vaughan from 12 yards out and again for 14 yards.
He capped off the 53-yard drive with a five yard pass to tight end Jace Dowden in the end zone. Dowden adjusted his body to make a solid catch for the score.
Officials ruled Mathews’ kick was no good though it appeared his ball went over the inside left of the right field goal post.
The Eagles’ offense would not be denied as they had yet another response to a Panthers’ score. They answered with a 11 play, 68-yard touchdown drive. Fair Grove led 28-13 at halftime.
Fair Grove’s offense had 95 yards in the air and 111 on the ground in the half while the Panthers tallied 139 yards in the air and 28 on the ground.
In the third quarter, one Fair Grove drive stopped near midfield when Colton Allen appeared to knock the ball loose from Stacye’s hands and it was recovered by Hunter Means.
This led to the Panthers taking 12 plays to march 49 yards. Elliott connected with Hollen Glenn for a 17-yard passing play and connected with Vaughan for nine yards during the drive. Bevan eventually scored on a two-yard touchdown run after running over an Eagles’ defender. A failed two-point conversion kept the score at 28-19 with 38.4 seconds left in the third.
The Eagles would answer yet again with a score on their next drive.
Dowden snagged an incredible catch for a 20-yard gain as the Panthers tried to put some points back on the board.
Then with 6:17 left, Elliott had a fourth down pass intercepted and returned some 60 yards for a touchdown.
A questionable fumble two plays later helped Fair Grove score their final touchdown with 4:40 left in the game.
In the loss, the Panthers won the yardage battle, 364-228, as they had 243 in the air and 121 on the ground.
Fair Grove finished with 103 yards passing and 121 on the ground. The Eagles tallied 103 in the air and 125 yards rushing.
Elliott had a solid passing game for Mountain Grove as he completed 21-of-23 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Vaughan finished with seven catches for 88 yards and one touchdown. Bevan had 15 carries for 65 yards and one touchdown. Glenn had nine carries for 40 yards and three catches for 13 yards. Gus MacPherson hauled in two late passes for 20 yards.
Mountain Grove will play their first regular season game on their new home turf field on Friday, Sep. 3 against Caruthersville starting at 7 p.m. The Tigers lost their season opener in week one to Sikeston, 48-14.
