Prep Football: Eldon to take on Owensville for district championship

Eldon quarterback Austin Kempker lofts a pass into the right corner of the end zone to Morgan Anderson for a 12-yard touchdown against Hallsville Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 during their Tri-County Conference game in Eldon.
Eldon quarterback Austin Kempker lofts a pass into the right corner of the end zone to Morgan Anderson for a 12-yard touchdown against Hallsville Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 during their Tri-County Conference game in Eldon.

OWENSVILLE, Mo. - Things went pretty well for the Eldon Mustangs in a do-over game last week.

They're hoping for similar success in another one tonight to keep the season alive.

For the second straight week, the sixth-seeded Mustangs (7-4) will be attempting to avenge an earlier defeat when they travel to top-seeded Owensville (11-0) tonight in the Class 3 District 3 championship game.

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

"This is Round Two (with Owensville) and it's a similar process to last week," Eldon coach Shannon Jolley said. "We have grown a lot over the past two weeks. Hopefully our chemistry will continue to grow."

Eldon got another shot at Owensville by holding off second-seeded Tri-County Conference rival School of the Osage in a wild 39-36 district semifinal a week ago.

The Dutchmen had a rematch of their own last week. After clipping Four Rivers Conference rival Sullivan by three points in one of their few tight games of the season a month earlier, the Dutchmen shut out the Eagles 26-0.

Eldon traveled to Owensville in a Week 2 marathon. After a 40-minute lightning delay, the Dutchmen clung to a 26-20 edge midway through three quarters before pulling away for a 48-27 victory.

However, when playing Owensville the first time the Mustangs were already ravaged by injuries. After the injury situation got even worse during the next couple of weeks, Eldon has slowly gotten more healthy and is now close to full-speed, having won six of its last seven games.

In Owensville, the Mustangs face the highest-scoring opponent on their schedule. Although unranked in the state poll all season long, the Dutchmen have won by double figures in all but three games this season.

"We're very happy," Owensville coach Dale Long said. "The biggest thing is everyone's healthy. The kids have responded well. We just want to keep everything polished."

The Dutchmen are averaging 46.0 points per game. Owensville has scored 63 or more points in a game three times and five other times in the 40s.

That dynamic offense is led by quarterback Wyatt Ellis, a dual threat who burned Eldon in the first meeting by rushing for 120 yards on 13 carries and a TD and completing 24-of-32 passes for 299 yards and four more touchdowns.

On the season Ellis has hit on 117-of-201 passes for 1,952 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for a team-high 901 yards on 124 attempts and nine TDs.

"He's a good kid and a student of the game," Long said. "He started in the second game of his freshman year for us and has learned ever since then. He's a talented kid and a smart football kid. He does a good job keeping the football moving; he lifts hard in the weight room. He's just a gifted, athletic kid."

"I haven't watched film on every Class 3 team but this young man probably compares to any quarterback in (Class 3)," Jolley said of Ellis. "He's a pretty special kid. He sees the field very well and has the ability to tuck the ball and run."

And Ellis has spread the wealth around in the Dutchman spread offense.

Devon Ridenhour leads the Dutchmen in receptions with 36 for 779 yards and 11 touchdowns while Dustin Faragher has 26 catches for 450 yards and six touchdowns.

Backing Ellis in the ground game are Tanner Rector with 779 yards on 124 carries and 14 touchdowns and Robert Weirich with 603 yards on 52 carries and six touchdowns.

Defensively, Owensville has allowed 21.3 points per game.

Logan Decker, a linebacker, paces the squad in tackles with 98 (75 solo) including 10 tackles for losses and four QB sacks. Faragher has six sacks, while Deric Rugen has 5.5 sacks as the Dutchmen have totaled 21 on the season.

As a team Owensville has 15 interceptions, led by Ridenhour with four.

"They truly spread things out," Jolley said. "A lot of teams line up in the spread but don't utilize all of it. Owensville's skill kids are track kids; their team speed is exceptional. Defensively they get to the ball. When you think you're in the open field you've got to keep your head on a swivel. They demonstrate great effort."

As for the Mustangs, their battle cry since the district action began has been 'One more win!' So far, so good.

Eldon got its top offensive weapon - senior fullback Trenton Kidwell (broken leg) - and top offensive lineman - senior guard Jasey Brandt (knee) - back on the field together last week after being sidelined most of the season.

And the production picked up immediately, as Kidwell rushed for 164 yards on 35 carries and five touchdowns, powering the Mustang wing-T offense to 331 total yards.

"You don't plan it this way, but the fullback and guard, in this offense, come back fully healthy," Jolley said. "They haven't taken the pounding of the season; plus they're hungry.

"I couldn't be more proud of what the players and staff have done. With so many injurieswe played one game with six offensive starters out. It's a tribute to the kids and their work ethic. The kids really bought into that."

In just three games Kidwell now has 424 rushing yards on 75 attempts and nine touchdowns. Also for the Mustangs Isaiah Merida has 776 yards on 137 carries and six touchdown while Isaiah Parsons has 617 yards on 134 carries and 10 touchdowns.

Quarterback Austin Kempker has attempted just 56 passes but has completed 25 for 569 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Jacob Whittle has 12 catches for 295 yards and five touchdowns and Morgan Anderson seven catches for 57 yards and four touchdowns.

The Mustang defense allows 20.9 points and has 20 sacks and nine interceptions.

Dawson Brandt, a sophomore defensive back, leads the team with 131 tackles (62 solo), including 11 tackles for losses.

Also for Eldon, Parsons, a linebacker, has 127 tackles (44 solo), including 18 for losses; junior linebacker Cole Walker 100 tackles (22 solo), including 8.5 for losses; Dillon, a linebacker, has 64 tackles, including 14.5 for losses, and 9.5 sacks, and junior lineman Tanner Myers has 52 tackles, including 7.5 for losses and 4.5 sacks.

"Eldon is well-coached and well disciplined," Long said. "They have their big running back back and the scheme they run offensively is tough to stop. Defensively they run the same defense as we do and fly to the football."

III

Notes: The Eldon/Owensville winner moves on to quarterfinal action next Saturday against the winner of tonight's District 4 title game matchup between second-seeded Monett (10-1) and fourth-seeded Mt. Vernon (7-4) at Monett. ... The Mustangs are trying to get back to the quarterfinals since making back-to-back appearances in 2012-13. In 2012, Eldon lost to Monett, and in 2013, fell to Seneca. ... Owensville is attempting to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since finishing 11-2 in 2010. In 2006, the Dutchmen got to Class 3 title game, falling to Harrisonville.

CLASS 3 BRACKET

Owensville hosts Eldon

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