Gremlins earn style points with 41-0 win
KARNS CITY — Senior center Reese Barger wanted to feel like the Karns City offensive line's movement was as pretty as the final result on the scoreboard.
The Gremlins, who were unhappy with a lackluster performance the week before, opened up gaping holes in the first half of a 41-0 win over KSAC Large School rival Moniteau Friday night at Diehl Stadium.
Karns City finished with 300 yards on the ground, including four carries of 30-plus yards.
Barger thinks the film will show a better look then it did during the Gremlins' 48-6 win over Clarion last week.
“It should,” Barger said. “It seemed liked we were fixing most of the mistakes.”
The Gremlins (5-0, 3-0) also didn't have to worry about sustaining many long drives.
Karns City started its first two offensive possession inside Moniteau territory.
Chandler Turner set the Gremlins up at the Warrior 1 when he intercepted Derek Boben.
Eric Dodd scored on the next play, giving Karns City a 7-0 lead with 11 minutes, 19 seconds left in the first quarter.
Following a three-and-out from Moniteau, Aaron Hutchinson scored on a 9-yard run four minutes later to double the lead.
Turner would score on a 55-yard run three minutes later and Maverick Kelsea on a 24-yard run with 1 second left in the quarter to put Karns City ahead 27-0.
“They did great, they were moving everybody and making holes wide open,” said Turner, who finished 89 yards on five carries. “It was fun to run behind them.”
Gremlins coach Ed Conto said he was rotating four tackles and three guards in and out. While the chemistry wasn't perfect, they got Karns City moving.
“It seemed like they did a good job,” Conto said. “(Moniteau) jumped in and out of a couple different fronts and we picked those up. We had a couple of new lineman come back and a couple other ones out. It was a hodgepodge of guys.”
Boben got Moniteau (1-4, 1-1) to the Karns City side of the field when he returned an interception 40 yards to the Gremlins' 33-yard line in the second quarter.
The Warriors, who finished with 132 yards of total offense, had the drive stall out.“They are fundamentally sound and their technique is unbelievable,” Warriors coach Wade Vogan said. “The kids play four quarters of football and their defensive line put it to our line.”Karns City stretched its lead to 41-0 at the half with two second quarter touchdowns.Evan Stitt caught a 4-yard pass from Cullen Williams.Williams, who finished with a game-high 149 yards rushing, also scored on a 80-yard run as time expired for the half.“We were moving the front four or front five or whatever they had up there,” Barger said. “We were getting the initial movement up there and that made it easy to get to the linebackers up there.”Moniteau's best chance to score came late in the fourth quarter.Boben, who passed for 113 yards, found Nick Pflugh for a 13-yard completion to the 2-yard line. On the next play, Boben tried to sneak the ball in and he fumbled.It was recovered by Karns City, which sealed its first shutout since a 10-0 win over the Warriors since Oct. 4, 2005.
