Hounds hosting Warriors for Homecoming
By DAVID MERRILL Sports reporter
Maryville quarterback Trey Oglesby stands in the pocket and looks for a receiver while being protected by Ryan Owens (63) and Garret Sparks (53) against Benton on Friday. Oglesby threw four touchdown passes in the 48-6 win.
There are two undefeated football teams left in the Midland Empire Conference and they will do battle on Friday night in Maryville. The Spoofhounds and the Smithville Warriors are set for a 7 p.m. Homecoming kickoff at the Hound Pound.
Both sides have a tremendous amount of respect for the other.
“Every opponent we face presents provides us with enormous challenges,” Smithville head coach Jason Ambroson said. “Maryville is no different, but at the same time an even bigger challenge. They are physical, well-coached, prepared and prideful at every position. That translates to a very solid team with few weaknesses.”
Maryville coach Matt Webb was quick to praise Smithville’s efforts as well this season.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for coach Ambroson and his staff for the job they’ve done with that program,” Webb said. “It’s his second year there and he’s doing a great job.”
The Warriors have acquired a 6-0 record thanks in large part to their defense. Smithville has allowed just 20 points in the past four games combined.
Ambroson said his defense has been successful thanks to good teamwork on that side of the ball.
“Our defense has good overall team speed and they play well together with good effort,” he said.
Webb said his team is going to have to be very aware with what the Warrior defense is going to be throwing at it.
“Smithville is very multiple on defense,” Webb said. “They throw a lot of different things at you and use a lot of line stunts. They are solid in all three phases of the game.”
Smithville will be facing its toughest test on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Spoofhounds are putting up an average of 54.7 points per contest and allowing only 7.7 per game to be scored against them. Maryville has converted 62 percent of its third-down attempts and turned the ball over just twice.
Despite the task ahead, Ambroson said his team isn’t preparing for this game any differently than other games on the Warriors’ schedule.
“Our approach is always about one game and this one is the most important because it’s the next one,” Ambroson said. “Football is an emotional game without all the hoopla, media speculation and fuss. We try to focus on the two things we can control — our effort and attitudes about what we are trying to accomplish. Our approach is more about us than them.”
Ambroson said the key to his team having a chance to win is not turning the ball over and making sure it stays on the positive side of the first down markers. He said Maryville’s opportunistic play and physicality is going to be something to contend with.
Maryville just had its senior night last week in a 48-6 win over Benton. This will be another week of added ‘hoopla’ and excitement as it is Maryville’s homecoming contest.
Webb said the homecoming contest is one of the more enjoyable games on the schedule.
“Homecoming is a lot of fun,” he said. “A lot of alumni come back to watch the game and it’s nice for them to get back and watch the team. There’s always a lot of activities going on.”
As far as the activities on the field are concerned, Maryville is going to have to key on Smithville middle linebacker and running back Jacob Boyd. Boyd is a senior on a team that is filled with underclassmen.
“He’s a tremendous football player, competitor, teammate, and person,” Ambroson said. We are a young football team that only returns two starters from last year’s team. The only other returning position player was Jacob Perez (OLB, TE). We start five sophomores on each side of the ball. Our team has doe a great job of competing week after week. They have improved every week since Week 1 and have met every challenge that has been put before them thus far. This is another test, a huge test, and a challenge I know they are excited about.”
