No. 2 Platte County subdues Owls, 41-14

An interception by senior Kodi Phillips gave the Owls a chance to cut into Platte County's lead in the first half.
(Chris Allen/Democrat-News)

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Talent, though, does not overcome inconsistent blocking, missed tackles and blown coverages -- as Platte County proved Friday with a 41-14 non-conference victory over the visiting Owls.

Senior Jake Crawford threw for 175 yards and four touchdowns, three to senior Kyle Knox, as the Pirates rolled up 434 yards of total offense on Marshall.

"They're a good football team," remarked MHS head coach Paul Thomas. "You can't take anything away from them."

If Platte County, ranked second in Class 3, is "a good football team" -- as Thomas asserted -- what does the point difference say about the Owls?

Knox beat his defender for a 61-yard touchdown reception on the second snap from scrimmage and Marshall managed only one first down on its first three possessions.

"That's not a good way to start out the game," Thomas said. "But those things are going to happen."

A 21-yard TD catch by senior Eric Barmann ended the first quarter with the Pirates in front, 14-0.

The Owls got good field possession on senior Kodi Phillips' interception, but couldn't do anything with it until senior Cody Dusenberry deflected a punt which gave them to ball at the Platte County 35-yard line.

Senior Anthony Thompson pushed off a cornerback to make a 30-yard catch and ran the remaining 5 yards on the next play to put Marshall on the board with 4:21 left in the half, but the Pirates answered with a seven-play, 72-yard series capped by a 25-yard scoring strike to Knox to take a 21-7 lead into intermission.

"We felt like we were right back in it," Thomas asserted. "They're a good running team and did what they had to do at the end of the half."

Platte County went 47 yards on six plays on its first drive after the break, junior Marccus Spearman following a 27-yard dash -- in which he escaped from between two would-be tacklers -- with a 1-yard TD run.

The Owls put together their longest series of the season to date -- 11 plays for 80 yards -- to set up Thompson's 8-yard touchdown run with 3:38 remaining in the third period.

Once more, the Pirates responded with a score -- Spearman carrying 30 yards to the MHS 12 and Knox catching a 24-yard pass in the end zone after a holding penalty pushed them back. Crawford added a 12-yard touchdown run midway through the final frame.

Marshall came back with another 11-play drive, but its last scoring opportunity was foiled by a fumble at the PC 12.

"I thought we played hard," Thomas said, and credit should be given for the Owls' refusal to roll over and die. Marshall also didn't back down from the Pirates (3-0), whose penchant for extracurricular activity after the whistle -- leg-twisting, shoving and gouging -- made the visitors chippy.

However, what's clear is that the Owls (2-1) will have to focus on execution on every play -- not merely most of them -- if they are going to reach their potential.

It's first home game, Friday in an NCMC debut against unbeaten Fulton, may tell a lot about the direction Marshall is headed.

"If you told me in the summer we'd come out 2-1 on the road, I'd be happy," Thomas declared. "We'll get better from this."