By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
KANSAS CITY — By shutting down Nixa’s vaunted running game Friday, Rockhurst did what nobody else had come close to doing all season and nobody had done since a year ago in the same Class 6 Quarterfinal round.
The Eagles’ streak of at least one rushing touchdown ended at 11 games in their 38-14 defeat at the hands of the Hawklets.
A year ago in the Quarterfinals/District finals, Lee’s Summit North also kept Nixa from running for a touchdown.
Prior to Friday, the Eagles’ running game this season had produced 46 touchdowns, or an average of more than four scores a night.
Running backs Malachi Rider and Dylan Rebura never even had a carry inside the red zone.
“We couldn’t run the football on them consistently,” coach John Perry said. “When that happens, you’re probably not going to win the game.”
Nixa’s opening drive certainly wasn’t a sign of things to come. The Eagles marched downfield with relative ease, setting up a 31-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nate Uber to wide receiver Keivon Flint.
“It was kind of a false sense of security on that first drive,” Perry said. “We were thinking, ‘We might beat them by 100.’ Nah, we knew it was going to be a good game and they got the best of us.”
Both of Nixa’s touchdowns were through the air. In the third quarter, Uber and wideout Wyatt Vincent teamed for a 50-yard scoring strike.
But Nixa’s passing game was guilty of three interceptions, or three times as many picks as the Eagles had thrown all season.
“I think it was just guys being there who we didn’t think would be there,” Vincent said of Rockhurst’s zone pass coverage. “They were dropping back where we didn’t think they would drop at. They were there and we didn’t think they would be there.”
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“We threw several interceptions when we were trying to push it down the field,” Perry said. “They didn’t make any mistakes and we made mistakes that helped them out and they didn’t need any help.”
After falling behind 7-0, Rockhurst (11-1) reeled off 28 straight points to close out the first half.
Hawklets quarterback Ethan Hansen deftly threw on the run all night. He had a pair of touchdown passes to complement Rockhurst’s three rushing touchdowns.
Michigan commit Andrew Sprague, a senior left tackle, helped the Hawklets win the line of scrimmage.
“They were really good as a group along the offensive line,” Perry said. “We left the defense on the field too much. Our defense played their butts off. But they wore down.”
Rockhurst’s only turnover came on the Nixa eight-yard line at the start of the second half. Linebacker Parker Mann forced a fumble and linebacker Eli Frazier pounced on the pigskin.
Only a few plays later, Vincent hauled in his touchdown catch to make it 28-14.
But the Eagles didn’t threaten to score again.
A 45-yard field goal by Rockhurst’s Logan Kuechler with 3:45 to play made it a three-score game, 31-14, all but clinching the outcome.
The Eagles (11-1) were quick to acknowledge Rockhurst earned their respect.
“They’re a good football team, plain and simple,” Mann said. “We played our hearts out. Everyone left it on the field. They were just the better team tonight.”
“The team that played better tonight definitely won,” Frazier said. “They’re a great team.”
“We played as hard as we could every play. I guess it just wasn’t enough,” safety Spencer Ward added. “We weren’t making plays at the right time and they were.”
“They put together a good game,” defensive end Jayden Antonelli said. “All props to them. They’re legit.”
“They were exactly what I thought they were, a really good well-coached team,” Perry said. “They outplayed us.”
Perry and his seniors voiced their support for each other.
“They have set us to be successful for a long time,” Perry said. “Our first core value as a team has been family and this group has been awesome about that. They have rooted for each other, they have worked hard and played hard. It has been fun to go to practice with them every single day.”
“We were the first group of freshmen on through that had Perry as our coach,” Antonelli said. “We bought in, kept our heads down and worked hard. It got us as far as Nixa has come in a long time.”
Rockhurst 38, Nixa 14
Nixa 7 0 7 0 – 14
Rockhurst 13 15 0 10 – 38
Scoring
N – Keivon Flint 31 pass from Nate Uber (Jordan Cribbs kick)
R – Maeson Tunley 8 pass from Ethan Hansen (Logan Kuechler kick)
R – Aidan Ryan 4 run (kick blocked)
R – Thomas Coppinger 1 run (Ryan pass from Hansen)
R – Ryan 6 pass from Hansen (Kuechler kick)
N – Wyatt Vincent 50 pass from Uber (Cribbs kick)
R – Kuechler field goal
R – Ryan 8 run (Kuechler kick)
