MORAN — Marmaton Valley High may have found just the confidence boost it needed Friday night against the Elk Valley Lions. The Wildcats won the homecoming contest 56-6 in the third quarter.
“I’m happy for the kids, they’ve worked really hard,” Coach Dan Uhlrich said following the game.
Will a win like this lift the team’s spirits?
“It always does,” Uhlrich replied.
Both teams started slowly in the first. The Wildcats coughed up the ball while on their initial drive, but the defensive took a stand and the offense drove once again for a score from Micheal Genn — Marmaton Valley went on top 8-0 to start the second.
Things started to heat up on for the home team in the beginning of the second quarter.
“We won on the line of scrimmage,” Uhlrich said.
Brady Newman caught the only passing touchdown of the game, on the first play of the quarter with an 18-yard reception in the end zone from Chance Stevenson. From there, the Wildcats defense was stalwart, and their offense was unstoppable.
Genn skated by the Lion defense on nearly every run to the outside — he had four touchdowns in the second quarter alone. The scores piled up on the Lions until the half, with the Wildcats on top 42-0.
The Lions responded with what seemed to be their only gasp of fresh air during the game to start the second half, when the ran the kickoff back for a touchdown.
Other than that, the Lions only had two first downs for the game.
Michael Beggs put another one in the end zone for the Wildcats, and Stevenson had a one-yard run to end the game midway through the third quarter.
Genn led the team in rushing with 183 yards on 19 carries, followed by Beggs with 29 total yards. Defensively, Stevenson was on top in tackles with six, followed by Joey Jefferis and Austin Pinkerton with four.
Elk Valley 0-0-6-x—6
Marmaton Valley 8-34-14-x—56
MV — Genn 1 yd run (Genn run)
MV — Genn 2 yd run (Genn run)
MV — Genn 18 yd run (run failed)
MV — Genn 18 yd run (Stevenson run)
MV — Beggs 4 yd (run failed)
MV — Newman 18 yd pass from Stevenson (run failed)
Elk Valley — Gus Beaumont 66 yd kickoff return (run failed)
MV — Beggs 3 yd run (Beggs run)
MV — Stevenson 1 yd run (game ended)
Wildcats pummel Elk Valley, 56-6
