CHERRY TWP - Redbank Valley coach Ed Wasilowski let his team know he wasn't happy with its first-half performance.

The coach's assessment of his football squad changed quickly in the third quarter, but it did take some time.

The Bulldogs opened the second half with an 18-play touchdown drive that took 9 minutes, 4 seconds off the clock to break a 9-all tie and to help the Bulldogs grab a 23-9 victory over Moniteau in a KSAC contest Friday.

Mistakes, coupled with a strong Moniteau defensive effort, kept the Bulldogs from putting some distance between themselves and the Warriors.

"I told them in the second half to stop screwing around," said Wasilowski. "We were going to come out and ride Skylar (Smith) until he stops."

Smith carried 10 times on the drive for 38 yards and capped the 67-yard march with a 1-yard run with 2:56 left in the quarter.

The Bulldogs (5-2, 4-1) converted three third-down and two fourth-down opportunities. There was only one pass attempted on the drive, which fell incomplete.

"Our offensive line was so big for us. The right guys were getting a hat on a hat," said Wasilowski.

Despite the drive, Moniteau coach Steve Wilson said there was no need for panic.

"We still felt at that point that we were fine," said Wilson. "We have played with or outplayed every team in the second half this year."

On the ensuing drive, however, Redbank's Bryce Miller intercepted Moniteau quarterback Garth Kohlmeyer at the Warriors' 39.

Redbank drove down to the 24 before Moniteau's Greg Kepple knocked away a pass in the end zone on a fourth-and 17.

Moniteau, however, fumbled on its next two possessions, the latter of which gave Redbank the ball at the Moniteau 19.

Five plays later, Smith scored his third touchdown of the night on a 4-yard run.

In the first half, the Bulldogs scored on their first possession, a 1-yard run by Smith set up by a 54-yard run by Brandon Johnston the play before.

Redbank had a chance to score another touchdown when a fumbled snap by Moniteau (4-3, 3-2) gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Warriors' 29.

They drove to the 11, but an illegal procedure on a third-and-6 pushed the ball back to the 16. The Bulldogs had to settle for a Brock Shaffer 30-yard field goal and a 9-0 lead with 11:05 left until halftime.

The Warriors came right back, needing just four plays to get into the scoring column.

Adam Cousins had runs of 25 and 1 yards, and Kohlmeyer completed a 3-yard pass to Greg Kepple before Matt Schandelmeier cut to the sideline, broke a tackle and scampered away for a 41-yard score.

After holding the Bulldogs to three plays and a punt on the next series, Moniteau went on a 12-play drive, capped by Cousins' 30-yard field goal with 14 seconds left in the half to tie the game.

Smith finished with 92 yards on 25 carries and Johnston added 75 yards on just five carries for Redbank. Schandelmeier led all rushers with 109 yards on 17 carries.

"Redbank has a high-powered offense and we kept them penned in," said Wilson. "They got the third downs when they had to.

"What bothers me from a coach's standpoint is when these kids play good enough to win and don't. "That concerns me because I have to figure out how to win those. The kids have been staying right in it," he added.