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Maryville stands in Indians' path for state title
| Clark County running back Javis Vineyard tries to break out of a tackle and leap over a teammate during last week’s game with Maplewood-Richmond Heights. |
By Brad Cameron/Gate City Sports Editor
KAHOKA, Mo. - The Clark County Indians are one win away from the school's first state football title. Standing in the way in the final game of the season is Maryville.
Clark County will face the Spoofhounds in the Missouri Class 2 State Championship game at noon Saturday in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.
If Clark County is to win a state title, the Indians will have to beat the top two teams in the state in consecutive weeks.
Last week, Clark County traveled to Mehlville to face Maplewood-Richmond Heights. The Indians overcame a halftime deficit to defeat the top-ranked team in Class 2, 39-14.
Clark County Head Coach Matt Smith believes that Saturday's game against the second-ranked team in the final Class 2 poll will be a much tougher contest.
“I think if you poll the coaches they would have picked Maryville,” Smith said. “I felt at the start of the season they were the odds on favorite in Class 2. They were 9-1 last year, losing a tough district game to the eventual state champion.”
Maryville dropped the district game to Lawson 28-20 and missed the playoffs last season. Lawson went on to win every game in the Class 2 playoffs by 23 or more.
“They could have easily been a 12- or 13-win team last year, and they had a lot of kids returning off that team,” Smith said. “They are a great team, and they will be our biggest challenge to date.”
Maryville enters the game 13-1. The Spoofhounds' only loss was to the top-ranked team in Class 3. Chillicothe defeated Maryville 28-27 in the sixth week of the season.
The Spoofhounds have played a quality schedule. Maryville opened the season with wins over Class 4 opponents Hickman Mills, St. Joseph Lafayette and Benton. The next four games were against Class 3 opponents Smithville, Cameron, Chillicothe and Savannah.
Chillicothe advanced to the Class 3 semifinals before losing to Cassville 14-13 last week. Smithville lost to Chillicothe in the sectional, while Lafayette and Hickman Mills qualified for the playoffs in Class 4.
The Spoofhounds have made, for the most part, quick work of the teams they have faced in Class 2. Since the start of districts, Maryville has outscored its seven opponents 285-86. Most of Maryville's points allowed came when the game was already decided.
“They've played a lot of bigger schools,” Smith said. “They've played some great teams. When you play that kind of schedule it makes you battle-tested.”
Maryville runs a Wing-T offense, which features a strong offensive line and a good group of running backs.
Senior Adam Mattson, a returning first team all-state running back, holds the school rushing records for most yards in a game, season and career.
He broke the rushing record for a game that stood for more than three decades in the sectional win over Trenton. He gained 259 yards on just 14 carries. The previous record was 241 yards.
Senior running back John Farmer also has produced big games rushing the football. Farmer had a season-high 159 yards in the quarterfinal game against Carrollton.
Fullback Wyatt Maudlin has come up big for the Spoofhounds in the postseason. Maudlin has rushed for 411 yards and six touchdowns over the last four games. He scored three touchdowns in Maryville's 28-21 win over Carrollton.
“They have a three-headed attack running the ball,” Smith said. “Mattson is the halfback, and they will run the buck sweep with him. They will run the counter with Farmer and the trap with Maudlin. It's a very difficult offense to defense. We've only seen it a couple of times this season.”
Blocking for the Spoofhounds includes all-Midland Empire Conference first team linemen Spencer Twaddle and Clint Thompson.
“We've seen bigger teams,” Smith said. “They remind me of the kids we have on the offensive line. They have speed and can get out and lead block for the backs.”
Maryville quarterbackJoe Jasinski hasn't had to throw for a lot of yards. He did have 170 yards on five completions in the loss to Chillicothe.
“They are not going to drop back and have the quarterback make multiple reads,” Smith said. “They like to use the play-action with the run to set up the pass. The key is to stop the running game and force them to throw when they don't want to.”
The Spoofhounds defense is built around their line, led by Zach Sherry, an all-state selection at defensive end last season.
“He is one of the most active kids I've seen on film,” Smith said.
Teams haven't had a lot of success running the football against Maryville.
“They are a physical group up front,” Smith said. “They control the line of scrimmage.”
Smith, however, was quick to mention the Spoofhounds haven't seen a running back like Clark County's Javis Vineyard, who has rushed for 2,405 yards and 41 touchdowns this season.
Quarterback Ethan Allen has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,727 yards. Seniors Bryan Plenge, Matt Morrow and Ethan Horton junior Mason Owen have been his primary targets.
Carrollton was able to throw for three long touchdowns against Maryville, but Smith said the defense against the pass wasn't as bad as it seemed.
“It was one of those deals where Carrollton was able to get two or three big pass plays and that allowed them to rack up some big numbers,” Smith said. “On one of those touchdowns, the defender was running with the receiver. If he moves his hand another six inches, that pass doesn't get completed.”
Despite what is on the line Saturday, it has been business as usual for the Indians.
“Practices have been going well,” Smith said. “We have great leadership on this team and it starts with the seniors. The kids are enjoying the attention they are getting, but this is a very focused group.”
Clark County practiced at the University of Iowa facility Wednesday and left for St. Louis today. The Indians will watch some football in the dome today.
“We felt like the best thing to do was get them in the facility and let them watch the end of the Class 1 game and the beginning of the Class 3 game,” Smith said. “We felt it was more important to get them in the facility and let them experience it than to go through another walk-through.”
Clark County will face the Spoofhounds in the Missouri Class 2 State Championship game at noon Saturday in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.
If Clark County is to win a state title, the Indians will have to beat the top two teams in the state in consecutive weeks.
Last week, Clark County traveled to Mehlville to face Maplewood-Richmond Heights. The Indians overcame a halftime deficit to defeat the top-ranked team in Class 2, 39-14.
Clark County Head Coach Matt Smith believes that Saturday's game against the second-ranked team in the final Class 2 poll will be a much tougher contest.
“I think if you poll the coaches they would have picked Maryville,” Smith said. “I felt at the start of the season they were the odds on favorite in Class 2. They were 9-1 last year, losing a tough district game to the eventual state champion.”
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“They could have easily been a 12- or 13-win team last year, and they had a lot of kids returning off that team,” Smith said. “They are a great team, and they will be our biggest challenge to date.”
Maryville enters the game 13-1. The Spoofhounds' only loss was to the top-ranked team in Class 3. Chillicothe defeated Maryville 28-27 in the sixth week of the season.
The Spoofhounds have played a quality schedule. Maryville opened the season with wins over Class 4 opponents Hickman Mills, St. Joseph Lafayette and Benton. The next four games were against Class 3 opponents Smithville, Cameron, Chillicothe and Savannah.
Chillicothe advanced to the Class 3 semifinals before losing to Cassville 14-13 last week. Smithville lost to Chillicothe in the sectional, while Lafayette and Hickman Mills qualified for the playoffs in Class 4.
The Spoofhounds have made, for the most part, quick work of the teams they have faced in Class 2. Since the start of districts, Maryville has outscored its seven opponents 285-86. Most of Maryville's points allowed came when the game was already decided.
“They've played a lot of bigger schools,” Smith said. “They've played some great teams. When you play that kind of schedule it makes you battle-tested.”
Maryville runs a Wing-T offense, which features a strong offensive line and a good group of running backs.
Senior Adam Mattson, a returning first team all-state running back, holds the school rushing records for most yards in a game, season and career.
He broke the rushing record for a game that stood for more than three decades in the sectional win over Trenton. He gained 259 yards on just 14 carries. The previous record was 241 yards.
Senior running back John Farmer also has produced big games rushing the football. Farmer had a season-high 159 yards in the quarterfinal game against Carrollton.
Fullback Wyatt Maudlin has come up big for the Spoofhounds in the postseason. Maudlin has rushed for 411 yards and six touchdowns over the last four games. He scored three touchdowns in Maryville's 28-21 win over Carrollton.
“They have a three-headed attack running the ball,” Smith said. “Mattson is the halfback, and they will run the buck sweep with him. They will run the counter with Farmer and the trap with Maudlin. It's a very difficult offense to defense. We've only seen it a couple of times this season.”
Blocking for the Spoofhounds includes all-Midland Empire Conference first team linemen Spencer Twaddle and Clint Thompson.
“We've seen bigger teams,” Smith said. “They remind me of the kids we have on the offensive line. They have speed and can get out and lead block for the backs.”
Maryville quarterbackJoe Jasinski hasn't had to throw for a lot of yards. He did have 170 yards on five completions in the loss to Chillicothe.
“They are not going to drop back and have the quarterback make multiple reads,” Smith said. “They like to use the play-action with the run to set up the pass. The key is to stop the running game and force them to throw when they don't want to.”
The Spoofhounds defense is built around their line, led by Zach Sherry, an all-state selection at defensive end last season.
“He is one of the most active kids I've seen on film,” Smith said.
Teams haven't had a lot of success running the football against Maryville.
“They are a physical group up front,” Smith said. “They control the line of scrimmage.”
Smith, however, was quick to mention the Spoofhounds haven't seen a running back like Clark County's Javis Vineyard, who has rushed for 2,405 yards and 41 touchdowns this season.
Quarterback Ethan Allen has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,727 yards. Seniors Bryan Plenge, Matt Morrow and Ethan Horton junior Mason Owen have been his primary targets.
Carrollton was able to throw for three long touchdowns against Maryville, but Smith said the defense against the pass wasn't as bad as it seemed.
“It was one of those deals where Carrollton was able to get two or three big pass plays and that allowed them to rack up some big numbers,” Smith said. “On one of those touchdowns, the defender was running with the receiver. If he moves his hand another six inches, that pass doesn't get completed.”
Despite what is on the line Saturday, it has been business as usual for the Indians.
“Practices have been going well,” Smith said. “We have great leadership on this team and it starts with the seniors. The kids are enjoying the attention they are getting, but this is a very focused group.”
Clark County practiced at the University of Iowa facility Wednesday and left for St. Louis today. The Indians will watch some football in the dome today.
“We felt like the best thing to do was get them in the facility and let them watch the end of the Class 1 game and the beginning of the Class 3 game,” Smith said. “We felt it was more important to get them in the facility and let them experience it than to go through another walk-through.”
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