Teague's Tackle Preserves Win

Mustangs Drop Cubs In Close Game

Photo by Rick Peck McDonald County’s David Roark (11), Caleb Curtis (10) and Trey Black (64) bring down Monett’s Patrick Valentine during the Mustangs 21-18 win on Sept. 29 at MCHS.
Photo by Rick Peck McDonald County’s David Roark (11), Caleb Curtis (10) and Trey Black (64) bring down Monett’s Patrick Valentine during the Mustangs 21-18 win on Sept. 29 at MCHS.

Linebacker Timber Teague finished the McDonald County Mustangs' Sept. 30 game against Monett with 12 tackles, but none was more important than his last, a fourth down stop of Monett's Karter Brink to preserve the Mustangs' 21-18 win over the Cubs at MCHS.

Trailing 21-18 late in the fourth quarter, Monett marched from its own 39-yard line to the McDonald County 31 before the Mustangs defense stiffened.

Cub running back Patrick Valentine was held to three yards on two carries before an incomplete pass forced Monett into a fourth and seven from the McDonald County 29-yard line with 3:06 left in the game.

Brink dropped back to pass, but could not find an open receiver before he broke the pocket around the right side of the Mustangs defense. It appeared Brink had room to run, but Teague cut off the Monett quarterback and brought him down for a two-yard loss.

The Mustangs offense took over with 2:59 left and picked up its just third and fourth first downs of the second half to run out the clock.

"We had a huge stop when we had to have it," said coach Kellen Hoover. "You could see the game unfolding and the result was right in front of us. It was the last drive of the game and defense came up with a huge stop when we had to have it. The offense responded by putting together a drive that took some time off the clock and made them use their time outs. We told the offensive line we are leaning on you like we did in those first couple of wins and they took it and ran with it."

To start the game, the teams traded possessions for most of the first quarter before McDonald County used a fumble recovery by Kennedy Hodson to set up the Mustangs' first score.

Starting on the Monett 43-yard line, quarterback Peyton Barton ran for 13 yards on first down, but the play was called back because of a holding penalty. Isrrael De Santiago ran for a yard on first down before Barton hit Oakley Roessler with a short swing pass that Roessler turned into a 52-yard gain to the one-yard line. De Santiago scored on the next play and Dylan Allison's extra point gave McDonald County a 7-0 lead with 2:18 left in the first half.

The usual methodical grind-it-out Mustangs again used the passing game to score its second touchdown. Facing a third and eight from their own 26-yard line, Barton found Hodson behind the Monett defense for a 74-yard touchdown. Allison's second PAT gave McDonald County a 14-0 lead with 11:10 left in the first half.

Midway through the quarter, Monett put together a 14-play, 82-yard drive, capped by an eight-yard pass from Brink to Cody Thompson for the touchdown. In what proved to be the difference in the game, the Cubs' kick for the extra point was wide left, leaving the Mustangs with a 14-6 lead with 35.9 seconds left in the first half.

Monett elected to squib the ensuing kickoff, setting up the Mustangs at midfield. On first down, the Barton to Hodson connection hooked up again, this time for 39 yards to the Cub 11-yard line. On the next play, Barton hit Cole DelosSantos on a quick slant for the touchdown. Allison's third extra point stretched the Mustangs' lead to 21-6 at halftime.

"We got some big plays that we have been looking for all year," Hoover said. "We are starting to kind of figure some things out -- what our kids do best. We are trying to put them in the best position for them. We are still trying to feel each other out and you hate that because it is week seven. I think we are finally making strides on offense on what particular kids do well and we have put quite a bit or work on our down-field passing game both during and after practice."

Monett used great field position to cut the lead to 21-12 early in the second quarter. Taking over on the McDonald County 16-yard line after a 20-yard punt return and a 15-yard personal-foul penalty, the Cubs need just four plays to score. Valentine covered the last five yards, but Monett's attempt for a two-point conversion was stopped short, leaving the Mustangs with a 21-12 lead with 6:20 left in the third quarter.

The teams traded possession before Monett marched 51 yards in 10 plays, capped by Valentine's one-yard run, for its third touchdown. The Cubs kick again was wide, leaving McDonald County with a 21-18 lead with 8:20 left in the game.

McDonald County then went three and out, leaving it up to the defense to secure the win with its late stop.

"One thing that kind of gets forgotten a lot is our extra-point team," Hoover said. "Honestly, that was the difference in the game. They didn't get their first one and had to chase a little while we stayed right on schedule. The PAT team is blocking, the snap from Grant (Grant Cooper), the hold by Reese (Reese Cooper) and the kick from Dylan (Dylan Allison). That was the true difference in the game."

McDonald County finished with 299 yards, including a season high 230 passing yards. Barton finished by hitting nine of 15 passes, including two for touchdowns. Hodson had three catches for 152 yards and Roessler had three catches for 66 yards. DelosSantos, De Santiago and Rustan Lett all had one catch.

De Santiago had 19 carries for 58 yards, while Teague had three carries for 12 yards and Roessler had two for 12 yards.

"Offensively it was a tale of two halves," Hoover said. "We played really well in the first half and in the second half, they made some adjustments at halftime and we kind of got a stop behind. I have to do a better job of staying ahead of the defense. They made some adjustments that hurt us."

Monett was held to 239 yards, 131 on the ground, led by Valentine with 98 yards on 21 carries.

DelosSantos led the tackle charts with 14 stops while Teague had 12, David Roark 11, De Santiago nine and Trey Black eight.

"I am really proud of the boys on just how hard they played," Hoover said. "That's probably the overwhelming response from anybody we have played all year and that was the case tonight. People just are really impressed how hard our kids play -- and they do. A lot of times playing hard can overcome a lot of other errors."

McDonald County improves to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big 8 Conference heading into its Oct. 6 game against East Newton at MCHS. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with Senior Night recognition ceremonies scheduled prior to the game.

Sports on 10/05/2017