By Nolan Epstein (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It was a banner evening for Ash Grove quarterback Chase White as he swiftly picked apart the Skyline (3-3) defense on Friday – collecting a remarkable 259 yards on the ground to lead his Pirates (5-1) to a 32-20 home victory over the Tigers in Mid-Lakes Conference play.
The senior signal-caller also added four total touchdowns, three of which were of the rushing variety, to energize the Ash Grove faithful that came to see the Pirates avenge a 36-12 defeat at the hands of Skyline nearly one year ago.
“We were at home in front of our home crowd and they were awesome tonight,” White said after the game. “I just didn’t want to disappoint, so I just had to go off.”
White’s offensive success was likely due to senior teammate and running back Spencer Eagleburger, who constructed his own 200-yard performance in the team’s win over Butler last week.
With the athletic running back’s impressive showing from seven days prior under his belt, the Tigers locked their eyes on Eagleburger – opening plenty of room and opportunity for White to ultimately collect a pair of touchdown runs that were over 40 yards each, including an 86-yard trek in the second quarter.
“We knew Skyline was going to key in on (Eagleburger),” Ash Grove head coach Ryan Long said. “We ran a lot of speed option with Spencer and (Skyline) took Spencer away, and Chase capitalized on it a ton. Chase played well.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM THE GAME
While White was having his way with the football early on, Ash Grove’s defense was doing its job as well by holding Skyline scoreless until just before halftime. The Tigers had a chance to cut into Ash Grove’s 14-0 advantage with 10:30 to go in the half, but the Pirate defensive unit forced and recovered a fumble at the goal line to keep the road squad off the board.
“That probably was the turning point of the game,” said Long of the fumble recovery. “We started off so strong and we just continued through the first half.”
However, a Trevor Russell touchdown pass to Bobby Williams in the final minute of the second period got Skyline within 20-6, sparking a sudden rally that carried through the third. Forcing back-to-back punts by Ash Grove to start the second half, the Tigers posted two more unanswered scores to tie the game at the quarter’s 4:54 mark.
“We came out a little flat (in the second half),” said Long. “I honestly thought we were in trouble.”
But White was determined to not let the win – and the luster of his outstanding effort – slip out of his team’s hands. Ash Grove responded with a 10-yard TD run to take back a 26-20 lead.
Then, with just 3:47 to go in regulation, White had his biggest moment of the contest. On 3rd-and-9 and the Pirates set up on the Skyline 48-yard line, White managed to take advantage of a teammate’s mistake and scamper all the way to paydirt to extend the lead, and eventual final, to 32-20.
“We were running counter on that play and, actually, our fullback went the wrong way,” White said, chuckling. “So, I ran through his hole, made a guy miss and got in there. I was just hungry to get into that end zone.”
It’s no mystery that White and the Pirates will carry that hunger into next week’s matchup at home against Pleasant Hope. While there’s certainly no guarantee there will be another standout rushing performance by the senior QB, he’s staying mentally focused as another pack of Pirates come calling.
“You can never overlook a team,” White added. “You just have to go into it ready to get another ‘W’, work hard in practice, look forward to them and just take it one game at a time.”
Skyline comes home to host Strafford next week.
Ash Grove 32, Skyline 20
Skyline – 0-6-14-0 – 20
Ash Grove – 14-6-6-6 – 32
First quarter
Ash Grove – Steeley 49 interception return (kick good)
Ash Grove – Branham 78 catch from White (two-point conversion no good)
Second quarter
Ash Grove – White 86 run (kick no good)
Skyline – Williams 4 catch from Russell (kick no good)
Third quarter
Skyline – Russell 1 run (two-point conversion no good)
Skyline – Gunter 8 run (two-point conversion good)
Ash Grove – White 10 run (kick no good)
Fourth quarter
Ash Grove – White 48 run (two-point conversion no good)
