FULTON, Mo. - Fulton coach Pat Kelley does not doubt his players will pick themselves up off the deck after a humbling loss.
The Hornets - looking to move on from last week's 75-22 throttling at home at the hands of state-ranked Hannibal - will try to get back on track in North Central Missouri Conference play when they visit Boonville tonight to square off against the Pirates. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Kelley's confidence has nothing to do with Boonville's 1-5 overall record or its 0-3 mark in the NCMC. Fulton (3-3, 1-2) has not bowed in consecutive games since 2014 and are 2-0 this season following a loss.
"It says a lot about the kids we've had and says a lot about these kids," Kelley said. "Last year we didn't lose back-to-back games and so far this year we haven't. We talked about it briefly on Friday night.
"We generally play well coming out after a loss and I'm expecting we'll do the same this time as well."
That doesn't mean Kelley is expecting Boonville to be a pushover. The Pirates are coming off a 35-13 loss at Kirksville last week.
"I told the kids for some reason we be must not be well-liked," Kelley said. "It seems like we get everybody's best game. Two weeks ago, we got Marshall's best game (in a 26-14 Fulton win). That was the best game they've played by far all year - that's what their coaches said.
"We usually get a good game from Boonville, especially going there. They've been tight, so we have to prepare for their best ball game, execute and try to play well."
Kelley stressed the Hornets' defense has to be much better against the run. In its last three games, Fulton has allowed Hannibal to rush for 423 yards, Marshall for 240 and Moberly 308 (in a 33-22 loss).
"We have to slow down the rush. I'm sure they're going to try to run the ball on us until we stop it," Kelley said. "We just have to do a better job of filling gaps and playing assignment football. I don't know if we've done that well the past couple of weeks."
The Pirates operate out of the I-formation and are led by senior running back Keon Johnson (5-foot-9, 195 pounds) and junior running back Ben Eichelberger (5-10, 172). Johnson has rushed for 377 yards and four touchdowns this season, while Eichelberger has 307 yards and three scores.
"They give you multiple looks and their running backs are very tough, hard-nosed runners," Kelley said.
Boonville senior quarterback Nick Zeitlow (6-5, 190) has completed 54 percent of his passes (52-of-96) for 642 yards, but has been intercepted nine times and has not thrown for any touchdowns. The Hornets' defense has come up with 12 interceptions so far this season and is allowing just 115.2 yards passing per game.
While Fulton managed to gain just 77 yards on the ground against Hannibal, senior quarterback Devin Masek finished 20-of-31 passing for 238 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Masek and junior running back Ammod Davis both left the game after enduring hard hits in the third quarter.
Kelley said both players are expected to play tonight.
"Taking them out was more precautionary than anything else," Kelley said. "Ammod twisted his back, he's sore. Devin took a helmet to the ribs, he was sore. But other than that, they're fine."
Kelley explained opposing defenses have been tweaking their schemes to counter the Hornets' success in throwing the ball. He's not sure what the Pirates - who are giving up 30 points per game - will concoct tonight.
"Boonville plays in a 3-3/3-4 look, but we don't know what we'll see," Kelley said. "Hannibal went into a three-man front last week and I have never seen them in that in 20 years, so people are playing us differently.
"I think people are trying to guard against our pass and make us run because we haven't done that as effectively as we'd like to, so I don't know what we'll see."
Last week marked the fourth time this season Fulton has rushed for less than 100 yards as a team.
"We have to try to make sure we execute on offense," Kelley said. "We obviously want to run the ball better, but if we have to throw it, we'll throw it because we have done a good job there."
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