Hornets steamroll into showdown with Hounds
JON DYKSTRA/DAILY FORUM
Maryville junior running back Mark Zahnd makes a cut around St. Pius X senior defensive lineman David Kelliher during last Friday’s 40-20 victory in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Maryville Spoofhounds and the Chillicothe Hornets may need to do a double-take when they look across the sidelines at each other on Friday night.
“We know each other well,” Maryville coach Matt Webb said. “It is rivalry week.”
The two teams have very similar traits that go beyond just having a 2-0 record and not being challenged as of yet. Chillicothe beat Marshall 30-0 in the first game of the season, which was shortened due to weather, then beat Kirksville 49-8 last week.
“It is extremely exciting,” Webb said. “That is why you play the game. It is the opening week of MEC play and you want to start off on a good note if you want to be there in the end. We have a tough draw opening up with Chillicothe. They are an excellent football team and that is a rivalry and matchup that goes back a lot of years.”
The offensive attacks are mirror-images of each other with each team preferring to run the ball right at the opponent rather than put it in the air.
“It is two very good football teams,” Webb said. “When you watch Chillicothe on tape, they are a dominating football team. They have an offensive line that is the biggest one we’ve played so far. … It is one of those games where you need to realize what they want to do offensively and try to take away what you can.”
Like the Spoofhounds, the Hornets have a trio of experienced running backs, who coach Phil Willard trusts with the ball at any point.
Senior Josh Kille (No. 25) sets the tone among these backs and is the power option. He ran for 105 yards last week on 16 carries and scored four touchdowns.
Senior Brett Shaffer (No. 1) is the team’s speediest option at running back and had a huge game last week against Kirksville. The running back had three catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. He accounted for all but eight of the teams receiving yards.
Shaffer is also a big-play threat on direct hand-offs, scoring 31- and 54-yard touchdowns last week.
He is also a threat in the return game and already has one punt return touchdown.
The third head of the Chillicothe running attack is another senior with Dylan Munson (No. 24).
Munson is another inside-outside threat and is capable of big plays, as evidenced by a big 33-yard carry he had last week that nearly scored him.
At quarterback, Chillicothe has a very similar situation to what the Spoofhounds have with senior Will Walker.
Webb references the fact that Walker has grown up in the program and although he is a first-year starter, he has grown up in the system and was ready to step into the spotlight this year.
If Walker grew up in the program, then Chillicothe first-year starter Jack Willard (No. 14) — coach Phil Willard’s son — certainly has as well and with a target like Shaffer to throw to, Willard is capable of hurting the Hounds.
Coach Willard is more concerned about how his defense will match up with the Maryville offense. The Hornet front-seven is led by senior defensive tackle Walker Graves (No. 62) — who stands 6’3” and weighs 305 pounds.
“It is going to take all the guys up front and we are going to have to have a good effort up front,” Willard said. “Our linebackers are going to need to play well. With the type of offense that Maryville runs, it can’t just be one or two guys leading the effort. Everybody is going to have to do their job to slow them down.”
The match up between the Chillicothe defensive line and the Maryville offensive line is a key for the Chillicothe coach, who specifically mentioned senior Jalen Sundell as someone who creates problems for them, but also referenced the strong play he has seen on tape from sophomore Jackson Bram.
Friday night’s tilt should be the toughest game that either the Spoofhounds or the Hornets have had this season and Webb encourages everybody to make the road trip and follow the team to Chillicothe for a game that could have huge ramifications in the MEC standings at the end of the year.
“You have two communities that are very proud of their football tradition,” Webb said. “They are very similar to Maryville. It will be a great environment on Friday night.”
JON DYKSTRA/DAILY FORUM
Maryville junior running back Tyler Houchin runs the ball during last Friday’s 40-20 victory over St. Pius X in Kansas City, Missouri.
