Boonville, Osage look to be similar on defense for Class 3 Sectional game

If there is one given for Monday night’s Class 3 Sectional Playoff game at Osage, it’s that both defenses will give the offenses fits for 48 minutes.

While the Boonville Pirates football team surrendered 63 points during the 10-game schedule while finishing 9-1, the Osage Indians were just as opportunistic on the defensive side of the ball while giving up 75 points to closeout the 2011 campaign undefeated at 11-0.

Boonville and Osage also opened the state playoffs last year, with the Indians winning in overtime 21-14.
Of course in the Class 3 Regional playoffs on Wednesday, the Indians shut out the Eldon Mustangs 35-0 while the Pirates rolled to a 52-14 thrashing of the Owensville Dutchmen.

One thing is for certain, the winner will move on to face the winner of Southern Boone or North Callaway in the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 12 starting at 1:30 p.m.

In the game on Wednesday against Eldon, the Indians jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead on runs of 3 and 11 yards and passes for 37 and 29 yards. Meanwhile, in the only score in the second half, Osage senior quarterback Dylan McNerney scored on a 1-yard run to make it 35-0.

Osage coach Dan Henderson said his team came out and played pretty well early and pretty much did about whatever they wanted in the first half. “We got into a running clock in the second but didn’t play as well. But the kids came out focused. That’s a tough game for us. We are 10 miles apart and it’s a rivalry game and it’s one of those games we have had the upperhand in. It’s just hard.”

While racking up 350 yards in total offense against Eldon, the Indians were also balanced with 190 yards passing and 160 running. Osage also had three touchdowns passing the ball and three touchdowns on the ground.

Senior running back Cody Maher, a 5-11, 196-pound senior, led the way offensively in the game against Eldon with 15 carries for 104 yards and 1 touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Bo Dean, meanwhile, completed 8 of 16 passes for 153 yards and two touchdown while McNerney was 1 for 1 for 37 yards and one touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Indians were just as stingy with four players with eight tackles or more in the game. Senior linebacker Cody Maher led Osage on defense with eight solo stops, five assisted tackles and three tackles for losses. Zach Edwards, another senior linebacker, had 10 solo stops, one assisted tackle and six tackles for losses, while senior linebacker Christian Williams had six solo stops, six assisted tackles and three tackles for losses and senior outside linebacker Alex Berger with three solo stops, five assisted tackles and one tackle for a loss.

Boonville Pirates football coach Devin Brown said obviously Osage has speed and are good up front with a lot of size.

“The quarterback can run and the running backs are good,” Brown said. “The defense is also very sound. The front three get after it and they get off the ball, and the linebackers flow to the ball so they are a good football team.”

In the game Wednesday against Owensville in which the Pirates had 430 yards rushing and 22 passing for a total of 452, Brown said he thought the team came out and executed well in the first half.

“I was happy about that obviously,” Brown said. “We had those two fumbles in the first half but we addressed that and played pretty well for the rest of the game.”

The Pirates also spread the wealth in the win over the Dutchmen. Senior quarterback Wes Davis led all rushers with 12 carries for 210 yards and three touchdowns. But also having good games rushing the ball were senior Kelsey Callaway with six carries for 109 yards and one score and senior Josh Webb with seven carries for 57 yards and two touchdowns.

Davis also completed his only pass for a touchdown on a 22-yard scoring strike in the second quarter to junior Gus Kemp.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, the Pirates didn’t get the shutout but held Owensville scoreless for three quarters of play while leading 52-0.

Senior defensive end Dyllan Crowley led the charge for the Pirates on defense with a total of 10 tackles with four solo stops, three assisted tackles, three sacks and three tackles for losses. Jalen Poindexter and Jared Oser each had nine tackles while Wes Davis finished the game with eight tackles.

Boonville and Osage are also similar in that respect on defense. While the Pirates have five shutouts for the season, the Indians have recorded four shutouts by beating Fulton 54-0, Owensville 55-0, Salem 42-0 and Eldon 35-0.

Boonville, meanwhile, posted four straight shutouts to closeout the regular season by beating Moberly 7-0, California 7-0, Eldon 36-0 and Versailles 27-0. The Pirates also shutout Marshall during the regular season 41-0.

Brown said he feels like both teams are evenly matched. “Both teams have really good defenses and good offenses,” Brown said. “We just play two different styles so it’s going to be whoever has the fewer penalties and least amount of turnovers.  That will be the two big keys.”

Coach Henderson said the key for the Indians is the same as any week: take care of the ball and take advantage of what’s given to them.

“It’s the two defenses that don’t give up mutch and two offenses that can be very explosive,” Henderson said. “I really think it’s going to be a really close game. I don’t see a lot of points being scored by either team and it will come down to whoever makes the fewest mistakes. Honestly, I think it’s two teams who kind of mirror each other in a lot of ways. I just think both teams have a lot of great athletes.”

Henderson also agrees that in order to stop Boonville, it goes through No. 15 (Wes Davis). He said that’s a pretty easy assessment after watching film on Thursday.

“From what little I have seen watching film this morning, we will have our hands full,” Henderson said. “Of course you don’t get to be 10-1 without being able to play offense and defense. Those kids are playing well and do a great job. We will have to play awful well to give ourselves a chance. We will have to have a plan to stop them in their sets and know where No. 15 is.”

Henderson said as far as Boonville’s defense, they are athletic.

“They are very quick and haven’t given up a lot of points,” Henderson said. “I was looking it up this morning and I think both teams have given up the fewest points in Class 3 at this point. Boonville is very good and gets after the football.”

With 5-6 starters returning on both sides of the ball this year for Osage, Henderson said the kids have played well and have done some great things this season.

“We returned a good core group of kids from a year ago from a 8-4 team,” Henderson said. “We just been blessed with skilled kids and they have been very unselfish and that’s been one of the main keys to our success.”

Both coaches also feel like their special teams have played well this season. Henderson said his special teams have returned 6-7 kicks for scores this season. “Our special teams have been pretty solid for us all year,” Henderson said.

Brown said Osage has a good special teams but so do the Pirates.

“You have to take pride in something like that and special teams can be a game changer in a game like this,” stated Brown. “Again, turnovers and penalties will be the big thing. You also have to have positive plays. That’s what it comes down to in games like this. Who is fundamentally sound.”

As for the 10-1 season, Brown said these kids have really bonded well and enjoy playing and learning how to play as a team. “They are not worried about individual accomplishments and goals,” Brown said. “They realize that if we play as a team, good things can happen.”

Henderson said in Week 12 of the season there are not too many secrets out there.

“You go with what got you there,” Henderson said. “We have been successful on taking advantage of what people give us and we will look and see what Boonville is going to do and make it into a chess match and see what happens.”

For the Indians this season, McNerney leads the team in rushing with 150 carries for 689 yards but senior Jared Edwards is not far behind with 107 rushes for 684 yards. Cody Maher also has 113 carries for 653 yards.

Edwards also has 397 yards receiving this season with a team-leading 22 touchdowns.

As for the passing game, McNerney is 45 of 89 for 747 yards with seven touchdowns while Dean has completed 33 of 63 passes for 551 yards with six touchdowns.

Berger leads the charge on defense for Osage with a total of 128 tackles with 55 solo stops and 73 assisted tackles. He also has 16 tackles for losses, 11 sacks, three caused fumbles and five fumble recoveries.

Zach Edwards, meanwhile, has 101 total tackles on the season with 46 solos, 55 assists, 14 tackles for losses, one sack, one caused fumble and one fumble recovery.

As for Boonville, Davis leads the Pirates with 1,730 yards rushing on 218 carries with 24 touchdowns while completing 28 of 81 passes for 408 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions.

Senior Holden Hinkle is the leading receiver for the Pirates with 13 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

As for the defense for Boonville, Davis has 145 total tackles with 89 solo stops, 54 assisted tackles, 14 tackles for losses, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Junior linebacker Jalen Poindexter has also had a stellar season with 120 total tackles with 72 solos, 45 assists, 17 tackles for losses, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, one interception and one forced fumble.
For the season, the Pirates are also averaging 332.2 yards per game and 28.5 ppg while holding opponents to 184.7 yards per game and 7.0 ppg.