REEDS SPRING, Mo. — Perry Phillips has seen his share of Reeds Spring footblall. The Wolves play-by-play man has been reporting on the program since 1991.
2016 has been a landmark campaign: earning their first win over Bolivar since 2002, breaking in a new turf field, and a potential COC-Small Championship on the horizon.
He can't help but look ahead.
"You're a little nervous going into each game seeing if they can just take care of business," Phillips said. "We've been close before."
His words carried weight as Reeds Spring slowly built up their lead on Marshfield, earning a 36-8 win to stay undefeated in conference play. The victory keeps the Wolves in the driver's seat of the COC-Small with Buffalo and Springfield Catholic left on the schedule. It also maintains their hold of the top seed in their district.
Having not lost in the regular season on their new turf, once owned by the University of Cincinnati, the Wolves wanted to make sure that Senior Night was not their last time on it this year.
"We talked to the underclassmen about doing everything in their power to make sure that did not happen," head coach Lance Gosch said. "Hopefully we continue to take care of business and get another opportunity to play here."
Reeds Spring (6-1) produced five touchdowns from five different players, building a 21-0 lead on Marshfield by halftime. Blake Gronvold hit Ransom Allphin over the top for a 51-yard touchdown pass to start things in the first quarter.
Gronvold and Seth Stamps added one-yard touchdown plunges before the end of the half.
Marshfield managed to stifle Reeds Spring early in the first quarter, forcing mistakes against a similar style of offense. Daryl Van Norstrand got the Blue Jays in scoring position when he scooped up a Gronvold fumble and took it deep into Reeds Spring territory.
Korey Robinette snuffed out the threat by intercepting Brock Utecht in the end zone. He added a 24-yard touchdown run to put Reeds Spring up 29-0 with 3:02 left in the third quarter.
"We've gone through a lot of players," Robinette said. "Everyone steps up and it's just great to see how much athleticism we have on our team."
The senior finished with a team-high 97 yards on 11 carries while the Wolves picked up 340 total yards on the ground.
The lone Marshfield score came on a 72-yard Garrett Nunnally scramble with just over three minutes to go.
Gosch admitted his team has put together better efforts, citing a practice earlier this week where his players were not focused. He caleld tonight a wakeup call, and a well-time one at that.
"I told that if we don't focus and take care of business, you can't expect have things go right. You've got to earn that during the week," he saidl "We didn't do what we needed to so hopefully we'll learn that lesson and have a better showing next Friday."
"We need to make sure we understand that opportunity we have. No one's going to give it to us."
Was his team looking past a two-win Marshfield bunch?
"If I knew that, I think I'd be a millionaire."
Still, a 28-yard win is a find springboard into the last two contests of the regular season. It represents more history on the line for this senior class, who have compiled the most wins (35) of any in program history.
"It's the legacy I'm going to leave behind and I'm really proud of it," Robinette said.
There is plenty more to add to it. For folks like Phillips, even the possibility of finishing this conference championship drought brings a smile.
"To see that happen and to think back to where the program was and how far it's come, that would be special," he said. "Not just to me as an announcer but more to all the kids who've gone through this program and have helped build it."
Marshfield 8, Reeds Spring 36
Marshfield 0 0 0 8 — 8
Reeds Spring 14 7 8 7 — 36
First quarter
Reeds Spring – Gronvold 51-yard pass to Allphin
Reeds Spring – Stamps 1-yard run
Second quarter
Reeds Spring – Gronvold 1-yard run
Third quarter
Reeds Spring – Robinette 24-yard run
Fourth quarter
Reeds Spring – Helms 1-yard run
Marshfield – Nunnally 72-yard run
