By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Reeds Spring football is going to the state semifinals for the first time since 1980 thanks to a strong defensive showing in a 21-7 quarterfinal win over Boonville.
“Forty-two years ago, the 1980 team made it to the semi-final, and they lost that game,” said head coach Andy McFarland. “There have been a lot of great Reeds Spring teams the past 42 years, especially in recent history, and they lost to some tough opponents. We are happy to take the banner forward and represent those guys that weren’t able to get to this point, even though they may have really deserved to be here.”
The Reeds Spring defense shut down the Pirates’ opening drive, then marched the ball down the field to be the first on the board. Senior Preston Blubaugh picked up a first down with his first two carries, and sophomore Jace Bolin got loose for another. Bolin picked up three more yards, and senior Caden Wiest contributed to his rushing stats for another big first down. Bolin once again gained for the Wolves, and junior Blandy Burall added 8 yards with a quarterback keeper. Bolin brought his team to the red zone, then Wiest found the end zone. Kicker Miguel Campos put up the extra point, and the Wolves led 7-0 with just under 4 minutes to go in the first quarter.
The Wolves held the Pirates to 10 yards on the ground in their next possession. When Boonville took to the air, Bolin intercepted, and Wiest picked up his second touchdown to start the second quarter, 14-0. Reeds would advance deep into Boonville territory again late in the second but were derailed by penalties.
“It was cold and very, very windy, so our pre-game conversations with our team were all about whoever could control the line of scrimmage would win the game,” said McFarland. “I think from the opening kickoff, we did that on both sides of the ball, and that reflects on the scoreboard. Our offensive and defensive lines dominated on both sides and took us home.”
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The Pirates’ defense held in the third as they stopped a Reeds’ drive, and the Wolves’ resulting field goal attempt was no good.
Reeds then opened the fourth with a blocked punt and a fast score to advance to 21-0.
“They do a little quick kick, and we worked it all week,” said McFarland. “We thought we would have an opportunity to do that, and the wind adds another element to that. It was so windy it was even impacting some of the longer snaps. A punt snap could get blown around a little bit. We had them backed up there and knew we were going to go after it. Josh Lowe (senior) came through and got a block. I thought Eben Crain (senior) fell on it in the end zone from where I was standing, and he thought so, too, and was bummed out. But that was a big moment that I felt sealed the game as we got the ball on the half yard line and got to punch it in with a fullback dive with Wiest again.”
The Pirates scored with under three minutes to play in the fourth, after the Wolves denied them the end zone in three consecutive plays.
Now, senior Caden Wiest said his team’s goal is to win state, and credited Reeds Spring’s defense with “being a brick wall” all year. “We’ve had three years of just struggling with our winning records, and we feel like we deserve this,” said the Missouri State commit.
“In the last two weeks, he has scored six touchdowns in two games,” said McFarland of his D1 recruit in Wiest. “When your best players are playing their best in the biggest games, you’re going to be successful.”
Next week, the Wolves will host Sullivan.
“With it being a holiday, it makes things a little bit easier,” said McFarland. “We don’t have to worry about traveling again. I was glad we got the travel under our belt, because the plan is to be playing two weeks from today back up here in Columbia. We got to deal with the hurdles that come with staying in a hotel overnight and doing all those things that are different than a normal week, and I am thankful we don’t have to do it for two weeks in a row. We get to play at home, and every time you get to play football after Thanksgiving, it is something special.”
“Our guys have been focused and dedicated to doing the little things right,” he added, “and when you have a whole group bought in to doing things that way and trusting the process, the results kind of speak for themselves. I’m really proud of all of them.”
