Spoofhounds set to take on Phoenix
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Maryville’s Cole Phillips gets pressure on Kansas City Center’s Amaun Ryan during the Spoofhounds’ 23-15 win over the Yellowjackets on Saturday.
By DAVID MERRILL
Sports reporter
Every time a challenge has come across the Maryville football team’s way this season, they’ve found a way to rise above it. The Spoofhounds overcame their first deficit of the season against St. Pius X during the District tournament; then they were challenged all the way until mid way through the fourth quarter against Richmond; then it took a potentially game-saving forced turnover against Kansas City Center in the final two minutes to stay alive.
This week, Maryville faces a different kind of adversity — a longer-than-normal travel time to play a State playoff game.
The Spoofhounds will take on St. Louis-area powerhouse Miller Career Academy at 1 p.m. on Saturday at St. Mary’s High School.
The only two games the Phoenix have lost have been to Class 6 and Class 4 schools.
Maryville head coach Matt Webb knows what lies ahead of his team.
“Miller Career Academy is a great football team,” he said. “They are well coached and balanced on both sides of the ball. Just like with Kansas City Center, their quarterback is a dual threat. It’s going to take a great effort to be able to move on.”
With an undefeated team in Maryville coming into its territory and a chance at a State
Championship appearance, MCA doesn’t need any extra motivation.
“We are a pretty motivated team, even without so much at stake,” Phoenix head coach Sorrell Harvey said. “We are motivated to play well and reach our goals we established early this season.”
One of the main keys to Maryville’s success in the postseason has been its ability to create turnovers. The Spoofhounds have won the turnover battle in three of the team’s past four contests.
They are coming off a game in which they lined up and ran the ball down the throats of Kansas City Center and are going against another opponent that is skilled at stopping or slowing down the run.
“If you watch tape on their game against Park Hills Central, they really stacked the box and made it hard for them to run,” Webb said. “We are going to have to be aware of that and also the fact that we have lots of guys that contribute in the run game.”
Harvey said that is the way his defense has played all season.
“Our philosophy on defense is to stop the run and tackle better than anyone else,” he said. “On offense, we like to spread the ball around to our playmakers. This week’s message is going to be play hard, smart football like we have played the entire season and do your job.”
The Phoenix have plenty of playmakers on their team.
MCA running back Kerel Barnett and quarterback Brandon Harris have both been on a tear this season. Barnett has racked up more than 1,200 yards rushing. Harris has completed 74 of 147 passes for 1,324 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has also rushed for nine touchdowns while gaining 721 yards on 102 carries.
On defense, MCA has linebacker Joe Stevenson, who is second in his area in tackles, while linebacker Robert Collins is fourth in sacks.
Over the course of its playoff run, Maryville has racked up 1,599 yards of offense and has played bend-but-don’t-break defense the past two games, allowing 414 yards against Center and 418 against Richmond.
The Spoofhounds will also get a lift from John Zimmerman, who played against Center after sitting out with an injury against Richmond.
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Maryville quarterback Trey Oglesby attempts to deliver a pass with two Kansas City Center defenders closing in on him Saturday. The Spoofhounds beat the Yellowjackets 23-15 as Oglesby had one touchdown pass and one rushing touchdown.
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Maryville’s Elijah Green (5) and Matt Twaddle (44) help keep a Kansas City Center ballcarrier out of the end zone near the goal line during a 23-15 Quarterfinal victory for the Spoofhounds on Saturday.
