Wildcats find success through the air
BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com
Early mistakes and losing the war in the trenches led to a loss in Cassville’s first football game of the season, falling to last year’s Class 3 runner-up Seneca on the road, 55-16.
Clay Weldy, Cassville football coach, said the team knew going into the contest that Seneca was a strong opponent.
“They’ve been good the last couple years and are very physical up front with their linemen,” he said. “They were more physical than us, but I’m proud of how the kids fought. There’s a chance we see them again in districts, and we will have to be more physical to make it a better game.
“Bodee played well after taking some shots early, and Colton had a good night and caught a lot of balls.”
Rose said the Wildcats did not come out as ready as they needed to be in the first half.
“It’s one of the things we harped on all week,” he said. “In the second half, we moved the ball better, but we still have a lot to improve on.”
The Indians scored on their first possession, driving 66 yards in 2:39 to score on an 8-yard run.
Cassville’s first possession resulted in a punt, and Seneca scored again on a short run to go up 14-0.
The Wildcats found some success on the next possession, with quarterback Bodee Rose breaking free for a big run ending in a horse collar. However, a holding penalty offset the horse collar, and the ball came back to the Cassville 40. Looking for a pass on the next play, Rose was hit and the ball came loose, leading to Seneca adding a third score on an 11-yard run.
The Indians kept the onslaught coming in the second quarter, scoring on runs of 7 yards and 5 yards to take a 35-0 lead.
“We were shocked early they were running the ball right at us,” Weldy said. “They tried to stuff us in the run game, and they won the battle up front. They are veterans and won the war on both sides of the ball in the trenches.”
Cassville found the scoreboard just before halftime. Benefitting from an offside call on fourth-and-short to keep the drive alive, the Wildcats went to the air. After the first pass was knocked out of his hands, Colton Roark caught three lobbed balls, the final catch good for an 8-yard touchdown.
“I loved [airing the ball out],” Rose said. “Against their man coverage, we knew we could pick on that side with Colton’s size difference and athleticism. I was throwing better as the night went on, but rolling out was tough because they are such a downhill team.”
Cassville then recovered a chopped kickoff that bounced off a Seneca player back to the Wildcats. Roark came down with another catch to put Cassville in the red zone, but Seneca changed coverage and a pass into triple coverage was picked off in the end zone.
Seneca then drove to the goal line, but the Wildcats held the Indians at bay to keep the score 35-6 at the half.
Cassville’s first possession in the second half ended with a 35-yard Diego Haros field goal, and Seneca added another score in the third to make it 49-9.
In the final frame, Roark added a second score, a 33-yard run, and the Indians chewed up the running clock with a 58-yard drive ending in a 6-yard touchdown run for the 55-16 final score.
“This showed us we have a long way to go toward our goal of being physical and playing clean,” Weldy said. “We played better as the game went on.”
Rose said as the season goes on, Cassville has to start games more prepared.
“We’ve go to be ready and win any way we can,” he said. “We have to bear down and have more grit.”
The win for Seneca was the fifth in a row dating back to 2020, and it was the first time in the last three contests the Wildcats were able to score after being shutout in two attempts last season.
This week, Cassville will face McDonald County in its home opener, also Alumni Night. The Mustangs, reigning Class 4, District 6 champions, have gotten the better of the Wildcats the last three years.
Kickoff at Wildcat Stadium is at 7 p.m.
