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By Tyler Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD — The Kickapoo Chiefs (2-4) and the Glendale Falcons (4-2) had met on the gridiron a total of 50 times over their long, storied rivalry.
The all-time series record was tied 25-25, until Thursday evening, when the Falcons tipped the scale in their 26-21 win — tossing a wrench into Kickapoo’s homecoming celebration — one week after routing Parkview, 52-8, at their homecoming.
“It has been a rivalry for a long time. We love the hype; we love the hype,” said Falcons senior signal-caller Gavin Watts, who attended Kickapoo as a freshman. “I grew up playing with those guys, and coming here and playing on my home turf, it really was something else.”
For those in attendance, the first half mirrored a prize fight, with both teams swapping blows, as the Chiefs led 7-6 at intermission after senior bell cow Michael Maugans scored from four-yards out.
But Glendale made the necessary offensive adjustments at halftime, and senior signal-caller Gavin Watts hit his receivers along the perimeter, and the Falcons found their rhythm.
But, on this night, it was the defense that truly stepped up, holding the Chiefs out of the end zone in the waning seconds for the win.
The Chiefs were unable to convert a 4th-and-6 — their third fourth down of the drive.
“They definitely won the game for us there at the end,” Watts said. “I was getting a little bit nervous but they came out with the stop.”
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Offensively, the Falcons knew they’d get the Chiefs’ best defensive shot.
“They were going more of a zone look, and we have been seeing a lot more man this year,” Watts said of the Kickapoo defensive unit. “There were a lot of openings, but we couldn’t put in the end zone. We made some mistakes but ended up pulling it off in the second half.”
The second half commenced with Kickapoo’s Chandler Taylor hauling the rock 90 yards for the kickoff return touchdown down the Glendale sideline.
Watts and company then went to work, as receivers Derek Horton, Jack Clinkenbeard, and Ben Shoemaker began hitting the open holes in the defense.
Watts called his own number from 11-yards out as the Falcons tied it at 14.
“We have been waiting, been training for games like tonight,” Watts said. “We just knew we had to come out with the ‘W.’”
Watts said serving as the spoilers is nice, but more hard work awaits.
Added Watts: “It gives us a lot of momentum, but we have some big games to play.”
The Falcons meet Camdenton next week followed by Waynesville and West Plains.
“Still have a lot of work to do,” Watts said.
On the Falcons’ ensuing drive, being a beneficiary of a 25-yard punt was welcomed.
Watts and company went to work, orchestrating a 5-yard drive that culminated with a Shoemaker 21-yard touchdown reception, as the Falcons took their first lead of the second half with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter.
But the Chiefs responded as Maugans kept his feet churning up the middle, and Kickapoo authored a 17-play drive, as quarterback Cross Elmquist scored on the keeper, and Kickapoo took the lead once again, 21-20, less than two minutes into the fourth.
Minutes later, the final offensive drive of the night for the Falcons took center stage, as they marched the ball downfield on nine plays, as Shoemaker came up with the touchdown snag in front of the back left pylon.
The resolve and character of both sides of the ball is a large reason for the 4-2 record, and the second-half play by both units was addressed by Glendale’s veteran head coach.
“I thought both teams played exceptionally hard,” said Falcons head coach Mike Mauk. “We just knew that we had to stay close. I thought they were going to pull away after getting that big play to start the second half, but our guys came right back down the field and scored and put a little pressure back on them. This was a great high school football game.”
For the Falcons, it’s another step forward toward their ultimate goal: playing well into November.
“We are still trying to improve and get better. I thought we got better [tonight]. They may be the best team we have played all year,” Mauk said. “I felt we were very fortunate to win the game.”
For Glendale, Watts accounted for 437 yards and had a hand in three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing).
Shoemaker finished with 99 yards receiving and two scores.
Clinkenbeard added 109 yards receiving and one score (1-yd touchdown run in the first quarter).
For Kickapoo, senior bell cow Michael Maugans tallied 126 all-purpose yards and one touchdown.
