Spoofhounds Extend Home Win Streak Against Harrisonville

By Anthony Madrigal

The Maryville football team dominated Harrisonville from kickoff to the last snap on

Friday night for a 36-0 victory. The Spoofhound defense established early in the game that it had

improved from last week after giving up 38 points in a loss to Blair Oaks.

The defense forced six turnovers during the game and three came on demoralizing fourth

and short situations for the Harrisonville offense. The Harrisonville offense was held from

crossing into the Maryville red zone until late into the second quarter on a drive, which resulted

in one of the six turnovers. The defense clinic continued in the second half when the defense

forced two fumbles and three punts on their way to the first shutout of the season.

After giving up 38 points to Blair Oaks last week, defense and execution became a large

point of emphasis in practice leading up to the Harrisonville game. Head Coach Matt Webb was

pleased with the teams’ effort on defense after the game.

“We had much better execution as a defense; we had guys flying to the ball tonight.

Good football teams win the line of scrimmage and that’s what we did,” Coach Webb said.

The line of scrimmage was dominated both defensively and offensively by the

Spoofhounds all night. The offense failed to deliver any big plays with the exception of a 37-

yard pass by Spoofhound quarterback Ben Walker down inside the Harrisonville 20 early in the

second quarter, which would later set up a Maryville touchdown. Instead, the offense relied on

long and methodical drives featuring senior running backs Eli Dowis and Tyler Houchin to set

themselves up for touchdowns. The backfield duo of Dowis and Houchin were responsible for

four of Maryville’s five rushing touchdowns, which all came from inside nine yards. Dowis
rushed for two touchdowns and also scored on two 2-point conversions, one of which he showed

off his arm and threw for in a trick play by the Spoofhounds.

Houchin was responsible for two rushing touchdowns and a recovered fumble on the

defensive side in the game. Houchin received a large amount of the workload offensively in the

game in which he punished the smaller Harrisonville defenders as he ran plowed his way through

the defense like battering ram.

It was clear that the offensive tactic was to wear them down with Houchin and then

attempt to let the faster Dowis run by the worn down defense. The two All-State running if

utilized properly make a dangerous combination.

“We complement each other very well. You have the inside and then you pound them with

outside,’” Houchin said. “Credit to the offensive line because they did a heck of a job out there.

Hopefully coach gives them popsicles Monday at practice because they did a really good job,”

Houchin said.

Maryville will play host to Chillicothe next Friday in a rematch from last years’ state

playoffs at 7 p.m.. The game has been moved from Maryville High school to Bearcat Stadium on

Northwest Missouri State’s campus.