Despite an explosive comeback to give itself a chance to win, the MUS varsity football team came up just short as they fell to powerful Olive Branch, 25-22, to fall to 3-2 on the season.
The Conquistadors (2-2) jumped out to a 25-0 lead by the third quarter as they took advantage of two MUS turnovers and controlled the line of scrimmage.
Olive Branch began the game with an impressive drive as they used thirteen plays, all runs, to go 67 yards for a touchdown as Jalen Miller went in from one-yard out for the score. A missed PAT kept the score at 6-0 following the 6:40 drive.
QB Todd Mays added a second touchdown on the Conquistadors’ second possession as he went in from 19-yards out to complete the 6-play, 60-yard drive. The Owls turned back a two-point conversion attempt to hold the score at 12-0 going into the second quarter.
The MUS offense began to get untracked in the second stanza, but miscues would ultimately stymie their success. Two turnovers, both in Olive Branch territory, turned back promising drives as the Owls failed to score in the second quarter.
And the Conquistadors ultimately took advantage as on the final play of the first half, Mays found De’Arthur Cowan from 39-yards out on 4th-and-14 for the touchdown reception. John Pittman’s kick gave OB the 19-0 halftime lead.
Olive Branch continued their offensive success in the second half as on their first drive of the third quarter, they scored a fourth touchdown as Mays went in from 3-yards out for the score. The drive consumed 5:04 as OB used 9 plays to go 66 yards. A bad snap prevented the visitors from adding the PAT, so the score remained at 25-0 with 4:55 left in the third quarter.
But just when the Owls might have quit, they came back and gave themselves a chance to win in the end.
First, QB Toby Baker completed a 13-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard keeper for the score. Gary Wunderlich’s PAT closed the gap to 25-7 with 59 seconds left in the quarter. The big play of the possession was a pitch Baker made to William Cross. After having picked up one yard around the right end, Baker pitched to Cross, who scampered an additional 19 yards to get to the OB 32-yard line. The Owls completed the drive seven plays later to begin to build some momentum.
MUS looked as if they were in excellent position to score again early in the fourth quarter as they threatened inside the Conquistador 5-yard line, yet a fumble on the 1-yard line ended that drive.
However, the Owl defense, which had been controlled by the physical OB front for much of the game, began to make some plays as they started to stop OB and give the offense additional opportunities.
And the Owls finally began to take advantage.
First, following a defensive stop, Forrest Baty fielded the Pittman punt, slipped several tackles, and went into the endzone from 40-yards out for the score. Wunderlich’s extra-point brought the Owls within 11 at 25-14 with 5:35 left in the game.
Then, after having recovered an onside kick, MUS scored again as Baker sneaked in from 1-yard out to complete the 6-play, 49-yard drive that amassed 1:11. Baker found Baty in the flat for the two-point conversion as well as the Owls now trailed just 25-22 with 4:24 left.
The defense did their part on the next possession as they stopped OB, and after a punt, MUS started on their own 20-yard line with 3:01 left in the game.
Baker hit 5 of his next 7 passes to advance MUS quickly into Olive Branch territory as he used the clock well. The big play in that sequence was a 29-yard pass to Fernando Van Hook to get the ball to the OB 39. Another pass to Van Hook got the Owls to the Conquistador 10-yard line with under a minute to go.
But Baker missed his next two passes to bring up 4th-and-6 with 26 seconds to go. Electing to go for the win, the Owls attempted to find Cross in the endzone, but a good defensive play prevented the score as the Conquistadors held on.
Despite the loss, the fact that MUS came back from 25-points down and gave itself a chance to win in the end was encouraging and showed that they could play with one of the best teams in the area.
Next week is Homecoming at MUS as the Owls take on East. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. at Stokes Stadium.
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