Turnover bug bites Cassville in district semi

By Kyle Troutman ktroutman@cherryroad.com

A momentum swing Cassville’s way at the restart of the rain-postponed district semifinal on Saturday gave the Wildcats a steady boost for three quarters of play, but the turnover bug bit hard and ended the team’s season with a 14-7 loss to Reeds Spring.

The game started at 5 p.m. Friday and was halted with 8:50 left in the second quarter and Cassville just gaining to the 2-yard line, down 7-0 and threatening to score.

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, play resumed, and two quarterback sneaks later, the game was tied. The Wildcats put together drives in the second half that reached the Wolves’ 38 and 17, but instead of points, Cassville had an interception and turnover on downs. A punt on the next two drives, with the winning Reeds Score in between, and the game was down to its final legs.

The bug bit again after a fumble recovery, and a bobbled handoff resulted in a fumble turnover at the Wolves’ 20. A final bite came at the last gasp. Following a big third-and-2 stop by DJ Glidewell and Ethan Lamborn, Cassville got the ball back with 1:22 to play and a timeout to spare. Two plays later, quarterback Bodee Rose scrambled and took aim at an open Garrett Ewing, but the off-balance throw fell short and was picked off.

“I’m really proud of how our kids played,” said Clay Weldy, Cassville football coach. “They were locked in and focused as much as any game they’ve played this season. In the end, we made mistakes with penalties and turnovers, and we got in our own way. But, the boys battled to the end, and I’m proud of how hard they played.”

The game was one of the most physical of the season, getting chippy at times in the third quarter, so much so the white cap huddled both sets of 11 for a chat, presumably involving sportsmanship.

It was after that talk Reeds’ running back broke free to the right and rolled over a pair of Cassville tacklers to stay on his feet and put the Wolves in the red zone. The same back scored a few plays later on a 6-yard rush.

“This was the most physical we’ve been all year,” Weldy said. “We’ve talked every week bout getting more physical as the season goes on, and we did that today. Turnovers and penalties have haunted us all year, and that happened again. Those things happen.

“We gave ourselves a chance. We played a really good team, and we came really close.”

Riley Ruark, senior receiver and linebacker, played significant time for the first game in over a month, injured in the McDonald County contest on Sept. 23. Fighting back his emotion, what the game meant to him was clear.

“It meant everything,” he said. “I missed them. I don’t think the score was right. I think the [calls] had to do with it, but that’s football.”

For Senior Keaton Shellenberger, and for Ruark, the two days of play was no bother.

“We played our hearts out the whole game,” Shellenberger said. “And, we got to play two days. This is the longest football game I’ve ever played.”

Shellenberger said the highlight of the game was the Wildcats’ score, giving them the momentum early in Saturday play.

“It was huge to get that score within the first few seconds,” he said. “It gave us the momentum right off the bat.”

Though he had about 19-and-a-half to think about it, Weldy said the quarterback sneak play call never changed.

“I had that play already in my mind, and I didn’t change it,” he said. “I didn’t want to overthink things. we talked about having the opportunity to gain some momentum and tie the game up, and we battled and battled.”

While turnovers plagued the attack, the Wildcats’ defense was in pure postseason form.

“That was the best defense we’ve played all year,” he said. “Coach [Ben] Glidewell and his staff did an unbelievable job getting the kids prepared. We took away what they wanted to do and made them grind it out. They had to play at our tempo. We wanted a low-scoring game, and we did that.”

Ruark said through the season, playing games early then being sidelined before returning to the district semi, the feeling with his teammates never wavered.

“I loved seeing everyone be excited, even if I wasn’t playing,” he said. “Even if I didn’t play, they did their jobs. We know we were the best team today.”

On Friday, play ended after Ewing caught a Rose pass and jetted up the home sideline and seemingly into the end zone, but was ruled out of bounds at the 2.

Before the line was set again, the stadium was being cleared for a lightning delay. After about 30 minutes and multiple heavy lightning strikes in the area, officials elected to move the remainder of the game to Saturday at 1 p.m.

Cassville started the game Friday with a thunderous play of its own. After a touchback by Peter Littlefield, Cassville made a tackle at the line, then after a roll of thunder, Ewing picked off a floating pass near the Wildcats’ sideline, returning it to the 17.

However, on third-and-goal from the 7, Rose was picked off at the goal line and the Wolves went 40 yards the other way.

A Shellenberger tackle forced a punt on that drive, and on Cassville’s second, Rose was picked again. This time, Reeds moved to the 50, then a runner cut through the middle and 50 yards to paydirt for a 7-0 lead that held through the opening frame.

Cassville’s next drive saw Trey Wilson pick up a first down to the 39 as the rain began moving in. A few plays later, Ewing caught the pass to the 2.