The second week of the football season is in the books and there were many big performances and interesting developments.
Below are some of the things that stood out to me.
TOP PHOTOS OF WEEK 2 – CLICK HERE
STATE FOOTBALL RANKINGS – CLICK HERE
FAN PHOTOS OF WEEK 2 – CLICK HERE
TEAMS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE IN WEEK 1
There are many teams that had great weeks. I am picking 10 to focus on here.
Branson
Branson got its first win of the season over Camdenton by a 42-13 margin. It was a nice win for the Pirates coming off a season-opening loss to Harrison (Ark.). The good sign for Branson was being able to run the ball effectively against a Camdenton team that is geared towards playing its second season in a physical CMAC. The Pirates also got a kickoff return for a touchdown in the win.
Carl Junction
Carl Junction has impressed me through two weeks. In Week 1, the Bulldogs beat Capital City 35-21 after falling to the Cavaliers 45-7 to open the season in 2024. This past week, the Bulldogs followed up their season-opening win with a 45-7 victory over Heritage (Ark.). Marcus Lopez-Durman wreaked havoc on the Heritage defense with 23 carries for 144 yards and five touchdowns. Mason Gilbert was efficient through the air completing 11 of his 14 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown. The defense recovered three fumbles and held Heritage to 118 yards of total offense with 4.3 yards per play.
Carthage
Carthage is a program in every sense of the word. The Tigers graduated all but two offensive starters from last season’s team and they continue to roll. Two weeks in Carthage owns a 2-0 record with wins over Waynesville (50-8) and Ozark on the road (49-21). Zane Browning has taken over under center and he is the dual-threat quarterback the area has come to expect out of head coach Jon Guidie’s offense. On Friday, Browning rushed 16 times for 110 yards and three touchdowns while completing eight passes for 102 more yards and three more touchdowns. Carthage still leans heavily on the run, which opens things up for Browning. Jett Dalton was a workhorse running the ball against Ozark. Dalton, a first-team all-conference linebacker as a sophomore, carried 27 times for 204 yards and three touchdowns against Ozark.
Clever
Clever is off to a 2-0 start for the second straight year. The Blue Jays used two quarterbacks in a 50-0 win over Cuba on Friday. Sophomore Brecken Vestal completed 11 passes for 216 yards and four touchdowns while senior Brayden Baker had three completions for 114 yards and one touchdown. Trenton Allen was a star at wide receiver in the game with eight catches for 234 yards and four touchdowns including an 84-yard touchdown reception from Baker. Tavis Lemmer carried six times for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Lemmer had nine tackles (one tackle for a loss) to lead the way. Brayden Flood recovered two fumbles and recorded eight tackles (one TFL). Quintin Lemmer recorded two tackles for a loss with seven total tackles. Malach Crawford recovered one fumble with six tackles. Clever tries for the program’s first 3-0 start in program history on Friday at Reeds Spring.
Glendale
Glendale’s offense has been explosive through two weeks with 38 points in an overtime loss in week one followed by a 44 in a Week 2 win over Willard by a 44-12 margin. Cash Newberry threw the ball with incredible efficiency in Week 2, completing 18 passes for 410 yards including a long of 76 yards to Joelle Rover for a touchdown. If Newberry was efficient, then Rover was surgical. He took his three receptions for 134 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Trevor Heman was not to be outdone with five catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns with a long of 71 yards. The offensive line is an improved unit that has given the skill players the time they need for plays to develop. Defensively, the defensive line has brough more physicality so far this season, which is needed in the gauntlet that is the COC.
Lebanon
Lebanon head coach Will Christian said in the preseason that his team was respected in its first season in the COC but was too inconsistent on the field and had more respect to earn. Through two weeks, the COC is on notice about Lebanon. After an eight-point road loss to Webb City to open the season, Lebanon picked up a 38-33 win over Joplin in Week 2. Six different players split 36 carries in the game on the way to 232 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Sophomore Elisha Simmonds had seven carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns. He got 77 of those yards on one carry. Josiah Simmonds had an explosive play of his own with a kickoff return for a touchdown. Beckett York had a touchdown rushing and passing. Defensively, sophomore Brett Gard brought the heat with two sacks.
Lincoln
Lincoln made its return to 8-man football, and the initial results were promising. The Cardinals beat Braymer 64-34. Riley Sanders threw for 111 yards and three touchdowns with nine carries for 132 yards and another touchdown. All three of Dawson Parrott’s receptions went for touchdowns and 93 yards receiving. On the ground, Parrott added six carries for 100 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Ashton Wolfe was everywhere with 15.5 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. Parrott had five tackles and an interception on defense. Braeden Ferguson was effective on defense playing the run from his corner spot multiple times while adding two pass breakups and playing every offensive snap. The Cardinals faced some adversity when their center went out with injury in the first quarter. Ben Eckhoff moved to center from guard and was perfect snapping the ball. Eckhoff also helped stifle the Braymer run game. Lincoln has another bye week before taking on Concordia in Week 4.
Marshfield
Marshfield has been defensively dominant through two weeks giving up six points in each of the first two games. The Blue Jays beat Reeds Spring at home 28-6 on Friday. Caleb Bull was everywhere defensively with 24 tackles and one sack on Friday. Josh Lambeth caused havoc with six tackles for a loss (15 total) and two sacks in the win. Aidyen Cobb also had 15 total tackles with three tackles for a loss and a sack. Trenton Rosenthal was another Marshfield defender living in the Reeds Spring backfield with three tackles for a loss (13 total) and one each of a sack and a pass breakup. Takoda Gritts brought explosive plays to the defense with an interception and a touchdown. Offensively, Carson Adams went 5-for-7 for 84 yards and a touchdown. Anthony Macrelli had 16 carries for 119 yards. Rosenthal was a two-way force, adding 10 carries for 68 yards and two touchdowns with another touchdown receiving. Leighton Callaway had five offensive touches for 62 yards.
Mountain Grove
Mountain Grove bounced back from a tough loss to Fair Grove with a 42-28 win over Class 3 No. 8 St. Michael. It was a three-headed rushing attack featuring Eli Golden (14 carries, 178 yards, two touchdowns), Braydon Curtiss (20 carries, 141 yards, one touchdown) and Aden Estep (13 carries, 117 yards) that got it done for the Panthers. As a team, Mountain Grove carried 41 times for 465 yards averaging 9.1 yards per carry. Estep didn’t throw much, but when he did, it was explosive. He completed both of his passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Mountain Grove forced two turnovers with four sacks.
Warsaw
Warsaw has now won 13 regular season games dating back to the 2023 season. The latest victory was an impressive 26-0 shutout of the defending Class 1 state champion Adrian Blackhawks. The thing that stood out for me from this game was quarterback Ryan Fajen completing 10-for-16 of his passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. According to MaxPreps, that was the first time a quarterback completed 10 passes in a single game for Warsaw since Week 2 of the 2017 season. Fajen brings a dual threat element to the game with 16 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown in the win over Adrian. Josh Harvath added in 11 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown.
WEEK 3 GAMES TO WATCH
Lebanon at Neosho
For me, this is the most intriguing matchup of the week, and I don’t know how I will pick it. Neosho won this matchup 28-14 on the road last season. Neosho head coach Brandon Taute has been a master at developing quarterbacks and he has another good one in junior Blayne Patterson who has thrown for 414 yards and three touchdowns with 166 yards rushing through two weeks. Senior Keisean Rhone is the next man up in the backfield and he has not disappointed with 50 carries for 313 yards and four touchdowns through two games. A difference this season for Lebanon is quarterback Beckett York. This time last year, York was in just his third game as a sophomore starter after assuming the position when the starting quarterback was injured before Week 1. In the preseason, Lebanon head coach Will Christian said this of York: “Perhaps in our 21 years here at Lebanon we have never had a kid improve from game 1 to game 12 more than Beckett did last year.” York has the potential to be a difference-maker in this season’s game coming in with more experience commanding the offense. In last season’s matchup with Neosho, Lebanon outgained the Wildcats 282-201 on the ground with Lebanon averaging 5.1 yards per carry to 5.3 for Neosho. The difference in the game was the passing attacks. Neosho threw for 218 yards and three touchdowns to 84 yards and one touchdown for Lebanon.
Carl Junction at Marshfield
This is a big one in the Ozark Mountain Conference. Both teams are off to 2-0 starts. Marshfield has gotten it done with defense holding its first two opponents to six points each. They will face a different offensive challenge in the Bulldogs led by one of the best running backs in the conference in Marcus Lopez-Durman. Carl Junction won this game 36-0 at home last season.
Nevada at Seneca
It is Class 3 No. 1 (Seneca) against Class 4 No. 7 (Nevada). Nevada has been great both ways in the first two weeks. Against Monett in Week 1, the offense tallied 469 yards while the defense forced five turnovers in a 63-34 win. In Week 2 against Aurora, the defense shut out the Houn’ Dawgs and forced three turnovers while the offense rolled up 453 yards in a 49-0 win. They face a Seneca team that beat Cassville by six in the opening week before scoring 42 unanswered points in a 42-3 road win over Mt. Vernon last week. The teams have split the past four matchups with Seneca winning the last two in the series including a 42-0 victory last year.
Liberty at Thayer
Here are a pair of teams we are going to learn a lot about this week. Both are off to 2-0 starts in dominant fashion. Thayer outscored its first two opponents 90-38 while Liberty outscored its first two opponents 90-0. Liberty will have to stop a rushing attack featuring a pair of returning 1,000-yard rushers. Thayer will be focused on containing one of the best athletes in the SCA in quarterback Parker Tune. This will be the KY3 Game of the Week and go a long way in deciding the SCA title.
Ava at Mountain Grove
If I had to bet on the first game to end on Friday night, it would be this one. Not because it will be a blowout, but because there may not be 10 passes thrown all night. Both teams want to establish the run early and often. This is a tone-setter in the SCA. Both teams come in with 1-1 records. Mountain Grove lost to state-ranked Fair Grove by one score in Week 1 while Ava lost by 11 points to Class 4 Logan-Rogersville in Week 2. I think this game ultimately turns on who can turn their limited passing attempts into explosive plays. Mountain Grove showed in Week 2 it can hit the home run when Aden Estep drops back to pass. Ava has won five straight in this series. Mountain Grove last beat the Bears on Nov. 6, 2020, in the district playoffs.
FULL WEEK 3 SCHEDULE
THURSDAY
Logan-Rogersville at Parkview
FRIDAY
Monett at Aurora
Bolivar at Branson
Glendale at Carthage
East Newton at Cassville
Reeds Spring at Clever
Sherwood at Cole Camp
Pleasant Hope at El Dorado Springs
Buffalo at Fair Grove
New Heights Christian at Greenfield
Forsyth at Hollister
Salem at Houston
Lockwood at Jasper
Nixa at Joplin
Warsaw at Lafayette County
Osceola at Liberal
Carl Junction at Marshfield
Mt. Vernon at McDonald County
Ava at Mountain Grove
Lebanon at Neosho
Sarcoxie at Pierce City
Miller at Plattsburg
Ozark at Republic
Nevada at Seneca
Marionville at Skyline
Camdenton at Smith-Cotton
Southeast (Kan.) at Diamond
Ash Grove at Stockton
Springfield Catholic at Strafford
Liberty at Thayer
Lamar at Tipton
Kickapoo at Webb City
Hillcrest at West Plains
Waynesville at Willard
Cabool at Willow Springs
