Mountain Grove Panthers cruise past Willow Springs

After starting the 2024 fall season winless against three straight state-ranked opponents, the Mountain Grove Panthers’ football team was looking to find the win column last Friday night when they hosted an improved 2-1 Willow Springs Bears’ squad.
With a 28-point first half and opening the third quarter with a fifth touchdown, the Panthers did find that elusive win as they crushed the Bears, 37-0. The victory also moves their South Central Association (SCA) Conference record to .500 at 1-1. The defense set the tone on the first series of the game as Jacob Crosco was credited with a sack for a nine-yard loss to force an early punt.
With the ball on their own 35, the Panthers’ offense would march 65 yards on eight plays with Braydon Curtiss taking all of the carries. He scored on a seven yard touchdown run that was followed by Brayden Haughey’s extra-point kick, making the score at 7-0. After the defense forced a quick three-and-out, Curtiss started the second Panthers’ drive with a 12-yard carry. Eli Golden added a 14-yard carry near the end of a quick first quarter.
Then just under two minutes into the second, quarterback Aden Estep scored on an 18-yard touchdown run. Haughey’s kick pushed the lead to 14-0.
Golden would go on to follow that score with a sack for an eight-yard loss one play later.
With a punt giving the Panthers back the ball near midfield, Destin Unger would pick up 42 yards on a rushing play.
One play later, Estep scored on a 21-yard touchdown run. Haughey’s kick put the Panthers in front, 21-0.
Just before halftime, Golden had a 19-yard gain to get another drive near the red zone. Three plays later, Curtiss added a seven-yard touchdown run. Haughey’s kick gave Mountain Grove a 28-0 edge at halftime.
In the first half, the Panthers had all 228 yards of offense on the ground. Willow Springs had just five yards passing and 30 yards rushing for 35 total yards of offense.
In getting the ball to start the second half, the Panthers struck first on their third play as Estep scrambled for a 53-yard touchdown run. Haughey’s kick pushed the lead to 35-0.
On Willow Springs’ following possession, Golden was credited with a sack for a 10-yard loss. Then after a substitution foul, Golden took down the Bears’ quarterback in the end zone for a safety, making the score 37-0.
Things became a little sloppy late in the game with several JV players getting some time on the field. Both teams exchanged fumbles on back-to-back plays. Kale Gardner picked up an interception to end the Bears’ best offensive drive of the game.
Mountain Grove finished the contest with 374 total yards of offense, all coming on the ground.
Estep finished with five carries for 96 yards and three touchdowns. Curtiss had 12 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Unger tallied four carries for 61 yards, Golden added seven carries for 37 yards, Kayden Murphy tallied 10 carries for 55 yards, Ethan Haacke tallied five carries for 16 yards, Brody Emery had three carries for 17 yards and Christopher Fry picked up one carry for four yards.
This Friday, the Panthers will travel just down the road to take on a winless Cabool team at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs lost to Willow Springs in week three, 14-13, and were crushed last week by Houston, 56-0.