Gridiron Showdown: Russellville Indians Seek Redemption Against Affton Cougars

The Russellville Indians are set to conclude their non-conference schedule with a road matchup against the Affton Cougars. The game promises to be an exciting clash as both teams look to bounce back from recent setbacks and establish their dominance on the field.

Russellville Indians Aim to Rebound After Tough Loss

Russellville Indians Seek Redemption on the Road

The Russellville Indians will be looking to bounce back from a tough 36-14 loss to Midway last Friday. Despite taking an early 8-0 lead, the Indians were unable to hold off the Vikings' relentless offensive onslaught, allowing 36 unanswered points before scoring a late touchdown in the fourth quarter. Justin Seaver was a bright spot for the Indians, scoring both of their touchdowns and rushing for 117 yards on 22 carries. Seaver has been the driving force behind Russellville's run game, leading the team with 174 yards and four touchdowns through the first three games. Matthew Carlton and Keaton Schrimpf also contributed to the Indians' 246-yard rushing performance, adding 52 and 35 yards, respectively.On the defensive side, Jonathan Witt led the way with 15 total tackles, followed by Corbin Johnson with nine. Witt has been a standout for the Indians this season, recording a team-high 27 tackles, including five for a loss. Maddox Plate's interception was the team's fifth takeaway of the season, showcasing the defense's ability to create turnovers.

Affton Cougars Look to Build on Overtime Victory

The Affton Cougars, on the other hand, are coming off a thrilling 32-26 overtime victory against the Principia Panthers on Monday night. Nino Muyco was the hero for the Cougars, rushing for 174 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 1-yard score in overtime. Brendan Mitchell also had a standout performance, rushing for 151 yards and one touchdown.Muyco's versatility was on full display, as he also completed 3-of-13 passes for 81 yards and a 71-yard touchdown throw. The Cougars' defense also played a crucial role, with Nate Davis leading the way with 17 total tackles. Muyco's two fumble recoveries, along with Patrick Hopfinger and Charley Tucker-Riggs' fumble recoveries, and Mason Wilhelm's interception, contributed to the Cougars' four takeaways on the night.

Linn Wildcats and Missouri Military Academy Colonels Seek First Wins

In another matchup, the Linn Wildcats and the Missouri Military Academy Colonels will both be searching for their first win of the season. The Wildcats were shut out for the third consecutive game, falling 53-0 to then-Class 1 No. 6 Windsor last Friday. Craig Laughlin led the Linn offense with 57 rushing yards on 22 carries, while Cameron Hoelscher added 38 yards on four rushes. Joe Brandt, Gus Peters, and Jake Bish were standouts on the defensive end, with Trevor Brandt recovering two fumbles.The Colonels, on the other hand, dropped a 19-12 decision to Veritas Christian (formerly O'Fallon Christian) last Friday. Tyler Isbell caught a touchdown pass from Latting Latting, and Luke Wolf added a rushing touchdown for M.M.A.'s points. The Colonels have now lost 18 consecutive games, with their last victory coming on September 24, 2021, against Confluence Prep. Tonight's game will be M.M.A.'s final varsity game of the season, as they will not participate in postseason football this fall.

South Callaway Bulldogs Look to Build on First Win

The South Callaway Bulldogs will wrap up their non-conference schedule with a matchup against former Eastern Missouri Conference foe Montgomery County. The Bulldogs (1-2) earned their first win of the season last Friday, defeating the Lexington Minutemen 28-13 on the road.Graden Pontius led the Bulldog offense with three rushing touchdowns and 85 yards on 16 carries. Kolton Adrian caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Pontius, who completed 7-of-10 passes for 107 yards. Ethan Munford and Nathan Hecktor also contributed to the Bulldogs' ground game, rushing for 68 and 65 yards, respectively.On the defensive side, Caden Bohnert led the way with 12 total tackles and a sack, followed by Alex Kraft with 11 tackles. Pontius also made his presence felt on defense, recording 10.5 tackles. The Bulldogs will look to continue their recent dominance over Montgomery County, having won 14 of the past 16 matchups, including last year's 44-15 victory.

Tipton Cardinals Face Tough Test Against Windsor Greyhounds

The Tipton Cardinals will host the Windsor Greyhounds, a team ranked No. 4 in Class 1. Tipton (2-1) is currently tied for the No. 5 ranking in the state, but they are coming off a 44-0 shutout loss to Class 2 No. 1 Lamar last Friday.Despite the lopsided defeat, the Cardinals have been scoring an average of 24.7 points per game and allowing 19.7 points on average. The Greyhounds, on the other hand, have been dominant, averaging 52.7 points per game and giving up just 5.0 points per game. Tipton will be looking to avenge last year's 48-22 loss to Windsor and snap a seven-game losing streak against the Greyhounds.

Eldon Mustangs Seek to Carry Momentum into Tri-County Conference Play

The Eldon Mustangs, who have won all three of their non-conference games, will look to carry that momentum into their Tri-County Conference opener against the School of the Osage Indians. Eldon (3-0) finished non-conference play with a 28-8 victory over Owensville last Friday, led by Evan Beanland's three rushing touchdowns and a touchdown pass to Devin Hardy.The Mustang defense has been stifling, allowing an average of just 9.0 points per game during non-conference play. Osage (2-1), which is receiving votes in the Class 4 state rankings, is coming off a 42-0 loss to Class 3 No. 1 Blair Oaks in their conference opener. The Indians will be looking to bounce back and avenge last season's 37-12 loss to Eldon.

Southern Boone Eagles Aim to Remain Undefeated Against Boonville Pirates

The Southern Boone Eagles, ranked No. 5 in Class 3, will travel to Boonville to take on the Pirates. The Eagles (3-0) are seeking their first 4-0 start since 2019 after shutting out their last two opponents, including a 40-0 victory over California in their Tri-County Conference opener last Friday.Hudson Talley, Logan Bishop, Mason Shearer, Travers Hunolt, and Jace Wren all found the end zone for the Eagles, who have not allowed a point in their last two games. The Southern Boone defense has been stifling, and the team will look to continue its dominance against a Boonville (3-0) squad that is also undefeated.The Pirates, led by Landon Conz's four-catch, 149-yard, three-touchdown performance, edged Hallsville 34-32 in their conference opener last Friday. Boonville will be looking to avenge last year's 44-26 loss to Southern Boone and continue their strong start to the season.

Versailles Tigers Seek Second Ozark Highlands Conference Win

The Versailles Tigers will travel to El Dorado Springs in search of their second Ozark Highlands Conference win of the season. The Tigers (1-2) earned a 22-14 victory over the Butler Bears in their conference opener last Friday, with Fletcher Bias and Tyler Morrison finding the end zone.The Tigers' defense also played a crucial role, recording a safety in the final seconds to secure the win. Versailles will be looking to build on this performance against an El Dorado Springs (2-1) squad that is averaging 30.7 points per game and allowing just 6.7 points on average.The Bulldogs are coming off a dominant 52-6 road win over Pleasant Hope, led by Blake Esparza's 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Versailles will need to find a way to slow down the Bulldogs' potent offense if they hope to come away with another conference victory.