In its final non-conference game of the 2011 season, the MUS varsity football team shed a sluggish start offensively and ultimately tallied two fourth-quarter touchdowns to overcome a talented White Station squad, 20-0, on Senior Night at Stokes Stadium.
QB Toby Baker played a role in both touchdowns as he rushed for one score and threw for another as the Owls took advantage of another great defensive effort to extend a 6-0 halftime advantage.
Baker’s rushing touchdown followed a Spartan turnover, their third of the game. LB Heath Wilder appeared to have recovered a fumble and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown, yet a illegal-blocking penalty on the return negated that score and gave MUS possession at the White Station 35-yard line. From there, the Owls needed only 3 plays to score as Shane Tucker carried twice to get the ball to the Spartan 8-yard line, and Baker took it in from there.
Baker followed up that score with a touchdown pass on the next drive as he found RB Fernando Van Hook down the middle for a 23-yard touchdown. That play completed a time-consuming, 11-play possession that traveled 45 yards and took up 5:43. The completion was Baker’s first of the game but salted away the hard-fought victory.
Gary Wunderlich was responsible for the only points of the first half as he connected on two field goals. First, the sophomore was true from 48-yards out as the Owls took advantage of good field position and a Matt Bolton punt return. However, the drive stalled at the White Station 30-yard line, so Wunderlich was called on, and he delivered to give MUS the lead with 9:41 left in the second quarter.
His second field goal came early in the third quarter following a Spartan turnover. Trey Moore’s fumble recovery set the hosts at the White Station 14-yard line, yet the Owls went backwards. Facing a 4th-and-16 at the Spartan 20-yard line, Wunderlich connected again, his sixth field goal of the season, from 37-yards out to give MUS the 6-0 advantage with 10:19 left in the third quarter, and the game stayed that way until the Owls’ two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Despite the offensive struggles, the defense continued to play very well as they limited the Spartans to only 137 total yards and forced three turnovers. The Owls now have not given up a touchdown for four consecutive games and have recorded five shutouts on the season.
The win improves MUS to 6-3, 2-0, and White Station falls to 5-4.
Next week is the regular-season finale for MUS as they head east to take on Briarcrest. The Saints, the four seed in the West in next-week’s playoffs, will be looking for their first division win of the year and be trying to avenge last-year’s 45-14 loss at MUS. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm in Eads.
