[wpbvideo id=’301495′]
By John Miller
Cassville, MO – With just over four seconds remaining on the clock, the game hung in the balance.
With the football on the Cassville 5 yard-line, trailing 30-29, Mount Vernon was preparing for the game-winning field goal. Cassville coach Lance Parnell burned all three of his timeouts in an effort to “ice the kicker,” but a high snap never allowed for the kick as Cassville hung on for the 30-29 win on Senior Night at Cassville High School.
“You see it on Saturdays and Sundays all the time,” Parnell said of his timeout usage, “and you don’t get too many opportunities in high school to execute it, but our kids just fought and persevered, and we’re happy to come away with a win.”
Cassville (7-2, 5-2 Big 8 Conference) led 17-15 at halftime, thanks to a 37-yard field goal from senior River Phelps as the second quarter expired. But the Wildcats never could shake Mount Vernon (5-4, 4-3 Big 8 Conference).
The Mountaineers got the football to open the third quarter, and after a fantastic kickoff return by Andrew Montemayor gave them the football at the Wildcats’ 49 yard-line, Mount Vernon converted. Garrett Hadlock found Montemayor in the left flat, and the wideout turned the corner, sprinting 31 yards for a go-ahead score.
Cassville countered, churning out a 6-minute, 31-second drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown plunge from Shannon Haney. It was the second drive of six or more minutes for Cassville in the game.
“Our offensive line had the attitude today to say, ‘We’re going to line up and put it down your throat,” said Phelps, who rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. “They stepped up in a big way.”
Mount Vernon responded, again. Facing a third and 11 from its own 17 yard-line, Hadlock connected with Montemayor for an 83-yard bomb. After Hadlock converted a 2-point conversion, the Mountaineers led 29-23 with 11:40 remaining in the game. Montemayor had 12 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
“Hats off to (Mount Vernon coach Tom Cox) and his team,” Parnell said. “They played an outstanding football game. He’s got a great group of young men. He’s done a great job with their football program. They’ve come a long, long way and that’s a good football team over there. They’re going to be reckoned with in districts.”
Once again, Casville answered. Haney led his team on a 92-yard drive that chewed up four minutes of clock. Haney’s 1-yard touchdown run, followed by Phelps’ extra-point, put Cassville back in front 30-29 with just over seven minutes remaining. Haney rushed for 86 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
After both teams exchanged three-and-outs, Mount Vernon got the football back with just over two minutes remaining. Hadlock delivered to his playmakers, Jarrett Massie and Montemayor, as the Mountaineers drove down the field. Unfortunately, they couldn’t punch it in.
“That was a crazy game,” Phelps said.
Massie finished with seven catches for 54 yards and a touchdown for Mount Vernon.
Mt. Vernon 7 8 6 8 29
Cassville    7 10 6 7 30
1Q
7:56 — MVHS — Buttram 87-yd fumble recovery (Buttram PAT)
1:13 — CHS — Medinal 10-yd run (Phelps PAT)
2Q
7:19 — CHS — Phelps 15-yd run (Phelps PAT)
3:14 — MVHS — Hadlock 12-yd pass to Massie (Robinson 2-pt run)
0:00 — CHS — Phelps 37-yd FG
3Q
10:10 — MVHS — Hadlock 31-yd pass to Montemayor (2-pt fail)
3:33 — CHS — Haney 2-yd run (2-pt fail)
4Q
11:40 — MVHS — Hadlock 83-yd pass to Montemayor (Hadlock 2-pt run)
7:16 — CHS — Haney 1-yd run (Phelps PAT)
