Blue Springs South makes itself at home

Friday September 14, 2007 7:00 PM
Team (Record)	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
Blue Springs South (9 - 1)	10	7	0	7	24
Blue Springs (8 - 3)	7	7	0	0	14

This is our house! This is our house!

Thing was, it was coming from the visitors’ side. Again. Blue Springs South proved Friday night that, for now at least, it owns the battle of Blue Springs. The Jaguars won the war up front — especially with their offensive line — got nice games from their veteran leaders and defeated Blue Springs 24-14.

Blue Springs South, ranked No. 1 in the Missouri Class 6 poll, improved to 3-0 and, tacked onto last year’s 13-0 state championship season and the final two games of 2005, is now on an 18-game win streak.

Blue Springs, which came into the game ranked fourth in the state, lost for the second straight week (last Friday to Rockhurst) and slipped to 1-2.

“We certainly didn’t do what we needed to do against their offense,” said South coach Greg Oder, who actually appeared a bit miffed at that after the game. “But the offensive line did a nice job. They executed, did what they had to do.”

On its first play from scrimmage, Blue Springs South sent a message it had come to play. Quarterback Blaine Dalton hit Steven Brooks over the middle for 35 yards. Five plays later, Dalton plunged over from the 1, and the Jaguars were on the scoreboard.

“I couldn’t believe I caught it,” Brooks said. “I had to reach up for it. I liked that for a first play. It set the tone.”

Oder said, “There was no message (behind the play). We just thought we might catch them overpursuing.”

The Wildcats, however, answered on their first offensive possession, aided greatly by a Jaguars roughing-the-punter penalty that kept the drive alive. The big play of their six-play, 80-yard scoring drive occurred when sophomore quarterback Jared Lanpher hit Keeston Terry over the middle for 45 yards. Tailback Carlos Anderson scored when he ran it in from 14 yards out.

But the Blue Springs defense, which had trouble penetrating a bigger-looking and more physical South offensive line, couldn’t stop the Jaguars.

“(The line has) never gotten any press or anything like that,” said senior lineman Zach Wilson. “It doesn’t bother us, but it gives us fuel. We just want to come out and block for these guys.

“Tonight, we showed how much heart we have.”

The Wildcats did stiffen enough to stop the Jags on the 1, but Brian Geraghty kicked a 19-yard field goal.

South appeared ready to blow the game open when Dalton hit Donte Strickland on a 69-yard scoring pass. But Blue Springs put together a 12-play, 67-yard drive capped by Lanpher’s 1-yard run. The Wildcats, behind two huge pass plays, then drove the ball deep into South territory with time running out in the half, but Anderson was stopped at the 2 as time expired.

That would prove to be the Wildcats’ last offensive gasp as the South defense shut them out in the second half while adding to its score on Dalton’s second 1-yard scoring run.

“They’ve got some really good players over there,” said Anderson, who led all rushers with 141 yards in 29 carries. “But I don’t think they’re better than us. We’ll see them again.”

Dalton carried 17 times for 88 yards and completed two of four passes for 101 yards.

submitted by Bob Luder - 2007-09-15 00:20:00

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