MOUNTAIN VIEW, Mo. — No matchup on the Week 6 slate looks more enticing than the de facto South Central Association Championship game in Mountain View.
MV-BT/Liberty, ranked No. 2 in Class 2, hosts Mountain Grove, ranked fourth in Class 2, in our KSPR Game of the Week as the Eagles try to secure their fourth straight conference championship. MV-BT/Liberty has dominated the meeting, winning every contest since 2012, but with both parties sitting at 5-0, the anticipation has entrenched itself in both communities.
"I think we're all the duck on the pond,” Acklin said. "On the top of the water, we're calm, but underneath the feet are going fast.”
The Eagles and Panthers share a district now that Mountain Grove has dropped to Class 2. Because of that, Acklin said this week is not the be-all and end-all.
“These guys have been in these games before. They’ve been in quarterfinals and district championships. We’re going to try to keep them what we call ‘blue’. We’re not going to try to get too high or too low.
Much of that mentality stems from a string of injuries that has befallen the Eagles. Acklin wants to avoid any more if his team will make another postseason run. Still, Mountain Grove represents their stiffest test left on the schedule, having outscored opponents 211-41 with a pair of shutouts.
The effort to feed a team that represents two towns is just that: a total-community effort. Acklin delegated food-wrangling responsibilities to Kevin Antrim, whose son, Marcus, is a sophomore receiver and linebacker. Every week, he tracks down a new spot to feed the varsity and junior varsity.
He said it’s never too hard, just a quick blast on social media. Not much arm-twisting necessary, especially on a week like this.
On Wednesday, a handful of those restaurants (Blimpie Subs, Godfather’s Pizza, CJ’s Diner, barbecue provided by Landmark Bank) came together for a midweek meal at the football field.
The Eagles will need them to come together again on Friday as Mountain Grove comes to town. Catch a live report from the KSPR Game of the Week Friday at 10:20 and later at 11:30 on the Ozarks CW.
