ELDON, Mo. - Despite losing the all-district fullback/guard combo which helps power their wing-T offense - as well as suffering their first defeat of the season - the Eldon Mustangs see no reason to panic.
Wipe the slate clean to start league play.
The Mustangs will attempt to regroup for their Tri-County Conference opener tonight at Southern Boone. Kickoff in Ashland is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Eldon enters the league opener 1-1 overall while the Southern Boone Eagles are 2-0. Last week the Mustangs, after a lightning delay to start the game, fell at Owensville 48-27. Southern Boone is coming off a 35-6 victory against Wright City.
The Mustangs played without their leading rusher, senior fullback Trenton Kidwell (broken ankle), and perhaps their top blocker, senior guard Jasey Brandt (knee strain). And those two will likely be sidelined for several more weeks.
"We're going to be fine," Eldon coach Shannon Jolley said. "We lost a good player and good leader in Kidwell, who does all the right things, and Brandt will be out a few more weeks. So two of your best players will be out five or six weeks. But we have good players in there for them; it's just a matter of getting them ready on the fly."
Eldon and Southern Boone have been evenly-matched in recent years. The two squads have split their last two league games, with the Mustangs winning 23-12 last year.
"Both games have been really close the last two years," Southern Boone coach Trent Tracy said of the Eagle-Mustang rivalry. "You always expect a physical game with Eldon. I'm always impressed with the physicality Coach Jolley's team brings. Obviously in the first game of the conference you want to get off to a good start. We've never won conference. Last year was the first year we beat Osage and California, and we split with Eldon the last two years."
"It's the start of the conference," Jolley said. "We opened with Boonville and then Owensville - two new teams on the schedule. It's nice playing someone in the conference. And Southern Boone is as good, if not better, than last year."
The Eagles have had an explosive offensive attack after two weeks, outscoring their opponents 83-26.
Senior quarterback Spencer Taggart has completed 29-of-43 passes for 386 yards, no interceptions and five touchdowns so far this season. His top targets have been sophomore wideout Sam Stichnote with seven receptions for 138 yards and a TD; senior wideout Kolton Schupp with eight catches for 123 yards and a TD, and senior Clay Jeffrey with five catches for 54 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Balancing out the offense is the running attack, led by junior running back Cooper Mange with 144 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns; senior fullback Tanner Smith with 66 yards on 12 carries and two TDs, and sophomore running back Colby Phillips with 76 yards on 19 attempts.
Another offensive weapon for the Eagles has been sophomore placekicker Parker Boyce, who has converted 11-of-11 extra points and is 2-for-2 in field goals.
The Eagle defense has been led by senior outside linebacker Cole Morris, who has a team-high 16 tackles, while Stichnote, a safety, has three interceptions - returning one for a TD.
"They have a strong running attack with two extreme running backs who do a good job, especially running inside," Jolley said of Southern Boone. "And their quarterback is a good player; I think he's improved tremendously from last year. But to me it's their running attack that stands out.
"On defense, they have good size up front. And their two running backs also play linebacker and are good players. They come up with a five-man front, depending on who they play. And we usually expect to see five- or six-man fronts against us."
Eldon sophomore fullback Isaiah Persons replaced Kidwell in the lineup and had a big game last week. He has rushed for 124 yards on 19 carries and has scored a pair of touchdowns while junior running back Isaiah Merida has 164 yards on 29 carries and a TD.
Senior quarterback Austin Kempker has hit on 6-of-13 passes for 156 yards, one interception and three TDs for Eldon. Senior tight end Jacob Whittle has caught four passes for 105 yards and a TD.
Sophomore back Dawson Brandt has 29 tackles - 11 solo - for the Mustang defense while Parsons has 18 tackles; junior linebacker Trenton Dillon 17 tackles and one sack; junior linebacker Cole Walker 17 tackles, and Whittle, a lineman, has 14 tackles.
"The first guy who stands out on defense for them is the Walker kid," Tracy said. "I like the way he plays, he comes downhill at you. And (Dillon) gets off the ball real well.
"Offensively their big right tackle (junior Riley Pope) does a good job, and their guards always have to be good for the schemes they play. In the backfield they have a lot of tough runners. You've got to be disciplined against them; keep your gap responsibilities."