The Cassville football team extended its win streak over Aurora to 21 in the last 19 years with a 24-14 victory over the Houn’ Dawgs in Friday’s Class 3, District 6 quarterfinals, and the biggest test of the season now awaits the Wildcats in the semifinals.
Friday’s contest mirrored Cassville’s Week 2 win over Aurora in many ways, with the Wildcats jumping ahead in the first half and fighting through adversity in the second to secure the win.
“I’m really proud of how we played in the first half,” said Clay Weldy, Cassville football coach. “In all three phases, we did a great job. We created turnovers and played physical. The second half was like how we’ve played all year. We are a young team, and those silly mistakes make life harder on ourselves. One time this year, we will play a full game. Also, credit to Aurora for playing a good second half.”
Joseph Reuter, senior lineman, said Cassville was raring and ready to go at the first whistle.
“We came out with a fury in the first half,” he said. “In the second half, we lost some momentum, but we played a gritty third and fourth quarter to pull through. Aurora is a good team that had a good stretch of games, so it feels go to stop them.”
Turnovers were the key to the game, especially in the first half, as the Wildcats capitalized on the ones they created and prevented scores on the ones they gave up.
After Cassville threw an interception on the opening drive, Hunter Morse got the ball back at the Houn’ Dawgs’ 38, recovering a fumble on an errant pitch.
Runs by Bodee Rose and Kyle Bailey set up Bryson Jacobson for a 1-yard score.
Colton Roark turned the ball around on the next drive again, intercepting a pass down the Aurora sideline. The Wildcats capitalized again on the turnover, digging deep into the playbook for a Statue of Liberty-esque run on the ensuing snap to send Bailey all 46 yards to paydirt untouched.
“That’s an old play we’ve had for a long time, and it worked out,” Weldy said. “Kyle sold it. We’ve run it a couple times, but this was the best we’d run it all year.”
A third turnover was converted into a score on the next Aurora drive, with a sack resulting in a fumble, bouncing directly into the hands of Cosmo Rhoads for a 12-yard return and 21-0 lead.
Aurora went to the air as the second half ended, but Cassville’s defense did enough to hold the scoreline until the break.
Momentum changed immediately in the second half, as Aurora returned the kickoff 99 yards to find the scoreboard.
In response, the Wildcats embarked on a drive chewing up 60 yards and 7:51 off the clock, resulting in a 23-yard Ashton Wheeler field goal and 24-7 lead.
“That field goal was huge,” Weldy said. “I told Ashton, ‘It wasn’t pretty, but it went in.’ It was a good drive after they scored, which was not something we wanted them to do.”
With 7:58 left in the game, Aurora added to its score with a 7-yard pass to an open receiver in the end zone.
Aurora recovered an onside kick and a Cassville fumble, but the Wildcats held the Houn’ Dawgs on downs on both drives to secure the victory.
“We were flying around and playing quick, and the like to line up and run at people,” Weldy said. “We did a good job rallying to the ball. Our defense was on the field a bunch in the second half and played a lot. They did a great job keeping the ball out of the end zone as much as they did.
“Overall, we had one big mistake that led to a touchdown, but we did a great job. At times, they were going four and five wide, and we did a good job covering and applying pressure on the quarterback with our defensive line.”
Reuter said he was proud of his team’s play up front, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
“The defense played great when they were in the spread, and the line pressed their quarterback a lot,” he said. “You can see that in the results. This was just two Big 8 football teams trying to get a win, and we had the mindset coming in we knew it would be a battle and turnovers would be a part of it. We’re glad to have come out on top.”
The Wildcats (6-4) will take a Barry County Brawl victory and a playoff win into the district semifinals, facing a big challenge in another Big 8 foe — Class 3 No. 2-ranked Seneca (9-0).
Cassville fell to the Indians on the road in Week 3 by a score of 44-0. Seneca this season is averaging 45.4 points per game while allowing only 11, and it shut out four of its regular-season opponents, Cassville included.
The Wildcats come into the game putting up 23 points per game and allowing 20.9.
“We have to learn from the first time we played them and come out and play like we did in the first half these last two weeks,” Reuter said. “We are worthy of anything if we play good football.”
Cassville’s biggest challenge in Seneca will be the Indians’ athleticism and big play ability, exemplified in the first game with its 212 yards passing and 239 rushing. Defensively, the skills translate, with the Wildcats managing 22 yards passing and 44 rushing in Week 3.
“They have a lot of athleticism in the backfield, and they have a quick offensive line,” Reuter said. “It will be a gritty game where we have to play good defense and move the ball on offense.”
Weldy said to find a better result this week, preparation and discipline will be keys.
“It will be all about our preparation this week,” he said. “We did not do a good enough job preparing our team for them back in Week 3. We will have to be disciplined and take away the big plays in the passing game. They have a lot of speed and athletes, so it will be easier said than done.”
Weldy said a piece to that puzzle will be leadership on the field, which has become more vocal with wins and confidence.
“Our seniors and our juniors have done a great job of leading our team, especially the last half of the season,” Weldy said. “They are starting to be more vocal as a group and have done a good job holding each other accountable.”
Reuter said no matter the size of the challenge, the Wildcats all have the same mindset.
“One more week — that is the mentality, and we believe in ourselves,” he said.
