MHS football: Owls put up fight against No. 2 Helias

Even a Helias blocker's unpenalized fistful of jersey couldn't prevent Owls senior Nathan Cato (76) from closing in on a ballcarrier. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The Marshall football team proved Friday that when it was emotionally wired to play, it could compete with the top teams in the state.

The Owls never let second-ranked Helias get on a roll during a 21-6 Homecoming loss to begin the Class 4, District 8 campaign. If Marshall had capitalized on a couple of more opportunities, the Crusaders may have left town with their first loss of the season.

"They were ready to play football," remarked Owls head coach Paul Thomas. "I'm proud of them, and disappointed for them."

Marshall's loss didn't remove it from playoff contention, although once-beaten NCMC rival Hannibal looms large in front them. If the Owls can clean up a couple of things, one of them being consistently blocking to the whistle, there is time enough left in the season for good things to happen.

Helias ran off 13 plays before it was stopped on downs during its first possession, but then went 85 yards on five snaps the next time it got the ball -- senior Brad Wilson dashing 35 yards for a touchdown -- after the Owls couldn't take advantage of senior Chase Kempf's 41-yard catch which put them at the visitors' 24-yard line.

"They changed schemes on us," Thomas said of Helias' speed-option. "We saw on film where they left the ends alone, but against us they blocked down on them."

Marshall answered quickly. Senior Matt Jacobs' first kick return of the season was good for 51 yards and on the first snap senior Lucas Hart connected with senior Matt Buford for the remaining 34 yards, although a missed extra-point kick left the Owls a point behind.

The Crusaders used a 43-yard reception by senior Connor White to get into the "red zone," but a holding penalty on third down and a yard to go from the Marshall 7-yard line was followed by a fumble forced by junior John Lozano and recovered by junior Tanner Dillon.

Senior Chris Wilson intercepted a Hart bomb, but Helias couldn't get out of its own end until Dillon fumbled a punt at the Owls' 16. However, Marshall got the ball back without damage when junior Jonathon Phillips picked off a pass he had deflected at the line of scrimmage.

Senior Taylor Bax caught a 34-yard pass from senior Clint Distler, Wilson taking the ball in from two yards out two plays later for a 14-6 lead.

The Owls had only 1:15 left in the half, but staged an eight-play, 44-yard drive -- Jacobs gaining 36 yards on three carries -- to at least give them a shot at a field goal. But 38 yards was too much distance for sophomore Aaron Skinner to cover.

"We talked at halftime about how we were a second-half team," Thomas said about Marshall's momentum.

The Crusaders moved the ball before running out of downs at the MHS 31. The Owls pounded the ground behind Jacobs and Lozano to get to the Helias 26 before a holding call sent them backwards.

"It seems like we do it down in the red zone," Thomas described Marshall's penalty propensity. "A holding penalty here or there just kills us. We can't afford it."

Senior Taylor Heislen picked off a pass at the Helias 5, but the Owls got the ball back when senior Canaan Crawford corralled a fumble at the 18. Again, Helias held firm, then got a 46-yard Wilson run to set up a 7-yard dash into the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter.

"We just didn't get the job done when we had the opportunities," Thomas admitted.

The teams scrapped in the middle of the field the rest of the way, the only scoring chance being a 47-yard Heislen field-goal attempt which fell short.

Wilson rushed for 191 yards on 21 carries to lead the Crusaders (8-0), who can secure a playoff bid Saturday with a win over visiting Kirksville.

Jacobs ran for 131 yards, but Marshall (2-6) came up short on all five fourth-down attempts, having converted 48 percent of them previously this season.

Still, the Owls have only lost to three state-ranked Class 4 opponents by a combined 22 points, and gave Helias its stiffest test of a season in which it had not won by fewer than 19 points. That should give Marshall encouragement heading into its clash with the Pirates, who had to stage a furious drive in the closing seconds of last year's tilt to pull out a 20-18 decision.

"We're a lot better football team than we were last year at this time," Thomas declared. "There's no reason we can't go up to Hannibal and go toe-to-toe with them."