Rock Port (7-1) traveled to Mound City to take on the Panthers (who are 6-2) for the last game of the regular season. Depending on the outcome of the game, Rock Port was in the running to be apart of the 275 Conference Championship.
Mound City won the toss and elected to receive the ball. Following a good return by the Panthers, they would start at their own 39 yard line. The Jays defense came to play, as Mound City’s offense made little or no progress, forcing a punt. With a punt out of bounds and no return the Blue Jays started on their own 11 yard line.On a 14 play series the Jays marched the ball down the field using about every arsenal they had hitting end #80 Ryan Dewhirst to start the game for a six yard gain. Running back Caden Linthicum would take the next handoffs on a jet sweep. Back #37 Gavin Abbott gained yards up the middle. Receiver #21 Tyler Jones got into the action with a quick pass. The Jays tried three different plays for little or no gain before quarterback #15 Jase Hughes hit Linthicum on an out pattern for a 14 yard gain. Hughes ran a quarterback keeper for 6. With the ball on the 17 yard line, Abbott took the handoff up the middle, bouncing outside to take the ball down to the 1 yard line before being brought down. On a quick dive, Abbott put the Jays on the board first. Jones’s two point conversion was good, making the score 8-0.
A squib kick gave the Panthers great field position, but the Blue Jays defense held strong forcing the Panthers to a three and out. Rock Port was unable to get a return all night as Mound City punted the ball away from Linthicum. Wasting no time the Jays marched the ball back down the field with a nice run by back #24 Quentin Carder who moved the ball past midfield. On the next play Hughes would hit Jones in the end zone for the second touchdown, but the officials ruled it no good. Too bad we don’t have a review process, photographer Ken Miller got a perfect shot and it was good by a mile. With the ball at the 25, running back Carder would go up the middle and with a second effort fumble, giving the Panthers the ball. This would end the first quarter.
The defense came through forcing Mound City to punt once again. With the ball at mid-field, the Jays went to work with Abbott followed by a 35 yard pass to Linthicum for the second TD on the night. The two point attempt was good, making the score 16-0. Mound City would see some success for the first time moving the ball down to the Jays’ 11 yard line before Rock Port took over on downs. On the next play, Carder would go off left guard Noah Makings and take the ball back to mid-field. The Jays would move the ball all the way down to Mound City’s two before turning the ball over on downs as the Panther defense came up big. Mound City would run two plays before ending the first half.
Getting the ball to start the second half, Rock Port would move just past mid-field before turning it over on downs. Mound City would take advantage and put their first and only points on the board with a screen pass. The two point attempt was no good, making the score 16-6.
With a good return by Abbott, three plays later quarterback Jase Hughes would scramble 39 yards adding to the Jays’ lead. The two point attempt was no good, making the score 22-6. The Blue Jay defense would hold once again, forcing a short punt. On the next play from 45 yards out, running back Gavin Abbott would take it to the house with some good down field blocking and a nice cutback. This would make the score 28-6 after missing the two point conversion. Both Rock Port and Mound City would run one series of plays each before the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was a defensive showdown as neither team was able to reach the end zone, ending the game 28 to 6- Rock Port.
Leading tacklers were: Dalton Brake 10, Tyler Jones 9, Quentin Carder 9, Ryan Dewhirst 9, Trenton Oswald 8, Carter Ottmann 6, Noah Makings 5, and Caden Linthicum.
With that win Rock Port now shares in the 275 conference championship and also received a number one seat for District play giving them a bye for the first round.
Rock Port will play the winners of the East Atchison /Albany game at home on October 28.
With the win, Rock Port now shares in a three way tie for the 275 Conference Championship and receives a number one seed for District play. This will give the Blue Jays a bye for the first round. Rock Port will play the winner of the East Atchison /Albany game at home on October 28. Good Luck Jays!