Junior Matt Jacobs (36) punished eight-ranked Moberly with 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns during the Owls' 28-13 NCMC victory. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Could the Marshall football team permanently adopt Pink and Black as its official colors?

"We might as well," joked head coach Paul Thomas after watching the Owls show none of the powderpuff tendencies the pink jersey numerals, worn to commemorate Cancer Awareness Week at Fitzgibbon Hospital, might imply during Friday's solid 28-13 victory over eighth-ranked defending NCMC champion Moberly.

For a Marshall team which began the season with four straight losses, three to state-ranked opponents, having put together three strong efforts signified continued progress.

"When we started the year, we didn't have many kids who had played on Friday night," Thomas explained. "They're now starting to understand."

If not for penalties, the margin could have been greater. However, the Owls showed that they could contain, if not completely stop, a strong passing attack -- something they hadn't done while allowing opponents to complete 62.9 percent of their attempts going into the game.

Spartans quarterback Kris Cupp had been completing 59.5 percent of his throws, but the junior was only 13 of 35 -- with nine passes broken up, four by junior Matt Buford -- against the Owls.

Marshall's staff "came up with a good game plan," Thomas said. "We mixed up our coverage -- man-to-man, cover two, cover three -- and put some pressure on the quarterback."

The Owls bent a bit, though, including on Moberly's second drive -- a 14-play, 52-yard march which was stopped on downs at the Marshall 7-yard line.

On their next series, the Owls also went for it on fourth down -- at their own 42! -- with a 14-yard bootleg by senior Marty Kays converting it. Kays capped that possession with a 23-yard scoring strike to senior Cody Hodges.

The teams exchanged punts, but Marshall came out ahead when senior David Tooley flubbed an over-the-head catch and sophomore Carter Austin recovered at the Spartans' 20.

Four plays later, junior Matt Jacobs ran in from 8 yards out and Hodges caught Kays' toss for two points for a 14-0 lead with 3:54 left in the first half.

The Owls had another chance when senior Emmanuel Reeders fell on a loose ball, but a 40-yard Jacobs run was called back for illegal procedure and Tooley returned the ensuing punt 19 yards before catching a 29-yard pass to reach the MHS 14.

Moberly had difficulty punching the ball in, especially with less than a minute left in the half, and appeared to have failed when a fourth down pass fell incomplete. However, a roughing the passer penalty on Marshall gave the Spartans a second chance, and they took it with junior Trenton Snodgrass' 9-yard touchdown catch.

"We've got to cut down on penalties," Thomas declared. "They come at the wrong time and bite you in the heinie."

Buford blocked the extra-point attempt and then answered the score on the third play of the second half, when he caught Kays' pass in traffic, spun and -- with a key downfield block by Reeders -- scampered into the end zone with a 70-yard reception.

"We saw some things on film and we wanted to exploit it," Thomas said. "That turned the game a little bit."

The Spartans, aided by a pass interference penalty on a third-down incompletion, moved 72 yards on nine plays to close the margin to 20-13 on senior Brock Sisco's 1-yard dive.

The Owls wouldn't let that stand, going 70 yards on seven plays -- including a 31-yard pass to Hodges -- to rebuild their two-score lead on Jacobs' 10-yard dash.

The rest of the game fell into a predictable pattern. Moberly would throw the ball, mostly to Tooley -- who caught seven of the 21 passes directed at him -- with only minimal success. On their next-to-last possession, the Spartans (5-2, 3-2 NCMC) reached the Marshall 32, only to run out of downs when senior Mike Klinge recorded his third sack of the game.

For their part, the Owls were content on feeding the ball to Jacobs, their workaholic halfback who logged a career-high 38 carries for 165 yards -- his third straight 100-yard game. Kays' interception with 2:34 to go in the game ended Moberly's hopes.

Having finally beaten a ranked team, Marshall (2-5, 2-2) will get another chance Saturday when they head to No. 10 Helias to begin the Class 4, District 9 campaign.

"This was a must-win game going into districts, giving the kids some hope," Thomas remarked. "I think they understand that we believe in them, and maybe they believe in us."