Panthers keep SCA hopes alive with win at Liberty

To give themselves at least a chance at earning a share of the South Central Association (SCA) Conference title, the Mountain Grove Panthers’ football team knew they would need to find a way to do the near impossible; beat Liberty (Mountain View) on the Eagles’ home field.
After forcing five turnovers, blocking a punt and amassing 490 total yards of offense on Friday, Oct. 4, the Panthers not only defeated their rival, they pulled away and dominated an early season SCA favorite in a 44-24 victory.
Quarterback Aiden Estep finished with 22 carries for 238 yards and five touchdowns. He was also 3-for-3 passing for 100 yards and one touchdown.
Meanwhile, running back Braydon Curtiss was tough to bring down as he finished with 23 carries for 125 yards and one touchdown.
The game opened with Liberty in control as they took their opening drive 80 yards scoring on the fourth play of the game with a post route pass down the sideline for a 66-yard touchdown. They completed a two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
Estep did not give the Eagles a lot of time to celebrate as less than a minute later he scored on the Panthers’ second offensive play with a 65-yard touchdown run. A bad snap on the extra-point attempt kept the Eagles’ lead at 8-6.
Liberty’s offense began their second drive of the game on their own 28. They would take the ball all the way down to the Panthers’ 4 when on fourth and short, an Eagles’ running back fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Destin Unger.
Unger helped two plays later on the offensive side of the ball when he caught an Estep pass and picked up 30 yards.
Estep then connected with Eli Golden for 37 yards on a play down the middle of the field. Two plays later, Estep’s quarterback sneak was good for a on- yard touchdown run. He then ran the ball in for a two-point conversion, giving the Panthers a 14-8 edge.
Liberty’s next offensive drive ended quickly as pressure on the quarterback led to a diving interception made by Kale Gardner near midfield.
After the Eagles’ defense forced a three-and-out, Liberty regained the momentum with a long 78-yard run for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion pass in the end zone then gave the Eagles a 16-14 lead.
Mountain Grove’s rushing attack began to take its toll on the Eagles’ defense on the Panthers next drive.
Curtiss had a carry for 13 and 14 yards while Cooper Hoerning added a 10-yard carry.
A pair of solid Estep runs was then followed by his two-yard touchdown run. The two-point attempt failed, but the Panthers regained the lead at 20-16.
The Eagles’ offense picked up a big 45-yard passing play on the following drive where no apparent block in the back was called.
Then Hoerning provided tight coverage on an Eagles’ receiver in the end zone, but a late flag charged him with a questionable passing interference penalty.
Four plays later, Liberty had a one-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion with a little trickery gave the Eagles a 24-20 lead.
Needing yet another answer, Estep delivered once again three plays later with a long 53-yard touchdown run. A failed two-point attempt kept the Panthers lead at 26-24.
Mountain Grove’s defense then had a solid series, though a Liberty receiver did drop a pass on a route in the middle of the field that could have ended in a touchdown.Then in punting the ball away with 51 seconds remaining in the first half, Aiden Barbe managed to break through the line and block a punt that was caught in the air by Kayden Murphy.
Three plays later, Estep connected with Golden for a 33-yard touchdown connection.
The Eagles’ short field goal posts did not help officials as they said both of Brayden Haughey’s extra-point kick attempts were no good though a side view showed both kicks going high, but in between the posts.
Mountain Grove entered halftime with an eight point edge after having 100 yards passing and 235 yards on the ground for 335 total yards of offense. Meanwhile, Liberty tallied 231 yards passing and 124 yards rushing for 355 total yards.
Though the Panthers failed to score on the opening drive of the third quarter, they did take three minutes off the clock before failing to convert a fourth down attempt on the Eagles’ 40.
Three plays later, they got the ball back when Dameon Martin picked off a pass and returned it to Liberty’s 25.
Curtiss then totaled 21 yards in three straight carries before Estep eventually scored from five yards out. A failed extra-point kick kept the score at 38-24.
The Eagles were unable to do much on their next drive as it stalled on fourth down after Murphy helped to tackle a receiver just short of the first down marker.
Estep would break multiple tackles for a 53-yard run on the Panthers’ drive that was followed by Curtiss’ one-yard touchdown plunge. A failed two-point attempt put the Panthers up 44-24.
On defense, Unger had a big stick tackle on a short passing play keeping the Eagles’ receiver to a short gain.
That was followed a few plays later by Brody Emery intercepting a pass near midfield.
This time, the Panthers’ offense would turn the ball over for the first time in the game with a fumble near the red zone.
Liberty was putting together a nice drive in response before Estep intercepted a pass in the end zone to end the threat.
Haughey iced the victory with a booming punt that traveled off his foot and came to a stop 68 yards later on the Eagles’ 5.
In the win, the Panthers’ offense had 100 yards passing and 490 yards rushing for 490 total yards of offense.
Liberty compiled 294 yards passing and 175 yards rushing for 469 total yards.
Golden had two catches for 70 yards and one touchdown while Hoerning tallied three carries for 19 yards.
Mountain Grove will host Salem (1-5)  Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. The Tigers picked up their first win last week by defeating Willow Springs, 28-14.