In spite of having their opponent changed in the middle of the week two weeks before game day, Mountain Grove moved past the adversity, found a new opponent and cruised their way to a first victory on their new turf football field.
On Friday night, the Panthers crushed the Agape Boarding School Rhinos, 56-21.
Mountain Grove head football coach Brandon Rodgers said Caruthersville had to back out due to low player numbers and personnel issues. He said the district was told of the decision at noon on Wednesday, Sep. 1.
Fortunately, Rodgers was able to get the Rhinos from Stockton, a team that lost to Poplar Bluff, 48-10, one week earlier.
Though Mountain Grove’s staff did not know a whole lot about the Rhinos, they opened the game running the ball and controlling the clock effectively. Trenton Bevan had two straight 10-yard runs. The Panthers would march 79 yards on just nine plays, most of them being on the ground. Bevan scored from two yards out. Hoyt Mathews’ kick was blocked, keeping the score at 6-0.
After the defense held the Rhinos to negative two yards on a three-and-out, quarterback Tyson Elliott connected with Drew Vaughan on a deep sideline route for a 45-yard touchdown pass.
The failed two-point conversion kept the score at 12-0l.
Mountain Grove’s defense joined in on the fun three plays later when Wes Drew caused the Agape quarterback to fumble the ball. Gaven Moore scooped up the fumble and returned it 12 yards for the defensive touchdown. Mathews’ kick pushed the lead to 19-0. Defensive tackle James Maynard came up big on the Rhinos’ next possession as he made a tackle for a five yard loss and added another after a one yard gain.
With the ball on their own 36, the Panthers first picked up a big 22-yard Hollen Glenn scramble. Then Elliott connected with Glenn, who made a one-handed catch, before scoring on a 39-yard touchdown pass. Mathews’ kick gave Mountain Grove a 26-0 edge.
Mountain Grove’s defense didn’t give the Rhinos’ offense much space to work with on their next drive.
With the ball near midfield, Elliott first hit Vaughan for a 22-yard gain. Four plays later, they scored on Brendan Rogers’ two yard plunge.
Brett Vandiver’s interception quickly ended the Rhinos on their following drive.
Mountain Grove’s offense took over the ball on the Rhinos’ 35.
Elliott first connected with Bryce Stenzel for nine yards.
Four plays later, Elliott found Jace Dowden and connected for a 24-yard touchdown. Mathews’ kick pushed the lead to 40-0.
Agape finally found the break they were looking for in the second quarter when they hit on a 56-yard passing play. Rhinos’ quarterback Isaac McKenna’s pass found Mikenley Donaldson.
The Panthers’ offense was near flawless on their following drive that started on their own 20 yard line.
Glenn had a big 33-yard run on the drive. Elliott hit Dowden for a 15-yard passing play before the drive eventually ended with Elliott’s two yard touchdown pass to Gus MacPherson.
In the first half with a 48-7 halftime lead, the Panthers had 188 yards passing and 138 yards on the ground for 326 total yards in the first half. Agape had just 63 yards passing and minus 24 yards when it comes to rushing.
Mountain Grove started the third quarter with both their JV offense and defense. Two bad three yard punts kept Agape on the Mountain Grove side of the field for most of the third quarter. Though Deveyn Martin had a big interception, the Panthers’ offense didn’t do much with the turnover.
Starting with the ball on the Panthers’ 21 early in the fourth quarter, the Rhinos managed to complete a drive with a one yard touchdown run. The successful kick closed the gap to 4814.
At the 7:34 mark, a Rhinos’ drive was stopped with an interception by Alex Kumpula.
Neither team scored again until Martin made the most his limited carries. He first had. 29 yard run that was followed by a 36-yard touchdown run.
A good kick pushed the score to 56-21.
Elliott had another big game for the Panthers as he completed 11-of-12 passes for 188 yards and four touchdowns.
Vaughan finished with four catches for 78 yards and one touchdown. Dowden had three catches for 61 yards and one touchdown. Glenn tallied thee carries for 59 yards. He also hauled in one catch for 39 yards and one touchdown. Bevan had nine carries for 56 yards and one touchdown.
Martin came off the bench to have eight carries for 63 yards.
As a team, Mountain Grove’s offense had 188 yards in the air and 220 yards on the ground for 408 total yards of offense. The Rhinos finished with 64 yards in the air and nine on the ground for 73 total yards.
The Panthers will next host rival Ava on Friday, Sep. 10 at 7 p.m. The Bears won their opener with Buffalo, 28-14.
They then knocked off a team from Humboldt, Kan., 45-0. The Bears also had find a Week 2 opponent.
