MORAN – Marmaton Valley High School suffered their first loss of the season by a score of 58-20 against Greenfield (Mo.) in a battle of Wildcats. They fall to 2-1 on the season as district play begins next week.
“It should’ve been closer than that,” senior tight end Korbin Smith said after the game. “We had a couple mental mistakes. We came out after halftime and a couple plays set us back and we couldn’t catch up after that.”
With the score being 22-12 at halftime, MVHS scored on the opening possession of the third quarter with a three-yard quarterback keeper from senior Justice Pugh. Greenfield stormed back and responded with a quick drive of their own as a six-yard touchdown run from QB Bailey Baker.
The wheels began to fall off for the home Wildcats, as they fumbled the ensuing kickoff and it led to an immediate 30-yard touchdown pass to Slaighter Cahill. MVHS fumbled the next kickoff again and Greenfield scored a second touchdown after a kickoff fumble with a 14-yard touchdown run by Gage Burns to put it away at 44-20 after three quarters.
The fourth quarter had two more touchdowns from Greenfield with 24 and 22 yard touchdown runs by Burns to complete a hat trick of TDs.
I’m completely fine with the fact that all of these different things happen because we had to face adversity,” MVHS head coach Gavin Cole said. “At the end of the day, you want to be prepared for district games. When districts come around, it’s going to be tough. I think this game is going to go along way in preparing us and figuring out a better way to rebound after some bad things happened.”
In the first half, Marmaton Valley forced a fumble on Greenfield’s opening possession and even had a goal line stand forcing a turnover on downs.
Greenfield scored first with a short touchdown pass to Colin White near the end of the first quarter. A controversial spotting of the ball would go against MVHS where it was initially a 4th and 3 at the end of the first quarter. When the second quarter began, it became a 4th and 8 where was moved back further with a false start penalty.
MVHS would turnover the ball on downs and Greenfield scored again with a 42 yard touchdown run by Cahill. They scored their first points on the board late in the second quarter as Trevor Wilson would set up his own touchdown run with a 45-yard rushing play.
Both teams traded another set of touchdowns with MVHS scoring with three seconds left at the end of the first half. It would be a 17-yard touchdown reception from Korbin Smith that would make it a 10-point game at halftime.
“It went a lot better than last year,” senior running back Trevor Wilson said. “I think we really stepped up this year. We don’t have a lot of size, but all of our kids are really scrappy and they went to come out and play.”
Greenfield lost several seniors that gave them a size advantage during their 2016 54-0 matchup with MVHS, but went with spreading out their offense and utilizing their speed and skill players instead.
This time around, Cole said he can be proud this team fought through the tough times.
“There’s no doubt we didn’t get embarrassed tonight like last year,” Cole said. “If anything, I’m coming out a little more confident because I’ve got a tough group of guys that are willing to fight, willing to play hard and willing to do what it takes to win, which is what you want as a coach. You can’t ask for too much more.”
Despite losing to Greenfield again, Cole said it doesn’t sting like district a district. He says there are learning opportunities to move forward from.
“Instead of holding our heads down, it’s important you bounce back and keep believing and keep fighting for the things that got you to this point in the first place,” Cole said. “We’re going to have to lick our wounds this weekend and rejuvenate.”
