The MUS Owls jumped out to an early lead after only the third play of the game and did not look back as they recorded their first shutout of the year with a 33-0 victory over Bartlett last Friday night at Hull-Dobbs Field.
The Owls (3-3, 0-1) proved inhospitable hosts from the outset to the 5-A Panthers (1-4, 1-1).
On only the third play of the game, CB Derek Clenin intercepted QB Brett Wilcutt's first pass and returned it 29 yards for the score. Ben Tacker hammered home the PAT to give MUS an early 7-0 lead as well as some vital momentum in this important game.
MUS did not let up on the visitors either.
After forcing a punt on the ensuing possession, QB John Conrad McCrary led a 6-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with a touchdown as McCrary found WR Mikell Hazlehurst for 43 yards. The drive, comprised of four passes and two runs, kept Bartlett off-balance as the Owls moved down the field. Tacker missed the extra-point, his first miss of the year, but MUS still maintained a 13-0 lead.
The Owls extended their advantage to 19 points midway through the 2nd quarter.
After forcing Bartlett on another 3 downs and out, MUS took over at their own 44 and began a long drive. Another good balance of plays allowed McCrary, who finished 14-22 for 181 yards, to complete four passes on the drive. Clenin finished the score off with his second touchdown of the game, a 1-yard plunge, to give MUS their 19-0 lead, an advantage they took into the break.
The staff had to feel confident at the half because of the Owl defense, which had stymied Bartlett all night, took advantage of their one-dimensional offense and held them to only 78 first-half yards.
In the second half, MUS just played solid football and cruised to victory as they got all the varsity players and even some JV guys into the game.
On the Owls' first second-half possession, they increased their lead as McCrary hit WR John David Lawhorn on a 26-yard pass for the score. Clenin put MUS into scoring position as he ripped off 14 of his 120 rushing yards on one play, and a Bartlett personal-foul penalty got the Owls well into Panther territory for the Lawhorn reception. Freshman Chad Hazlehurst booted the PAT to extend the lead to 26.
MUS completed the scoring later that quarter.
After recovering a fumble at the Bartlett 26, Clenin recorded his 3rd touchdown of the game and 13th of the season as he rumbled the 26 yards on one play for the touchdown. The Hazlehurst PAT completed the scoring as MUS won 33-0.
The fourth quarter saw many young guys get some good experience against a physical team. As a whole, the game was just what MUS needed as they prepare for their last four games.
The final statistics were just as lopsided as the score. The Owls outgained Bartlett, 414-129, in total yardage as MUS had a very balanced 202 yards rushing and 212 yards passing. The Owls also had 22 first downs compared to Bartlett's 7, and MUS ran 26 more plays in a dominating performance.
The Owls hope for a similar outcome this Friday night as they travel to MBA in Nashville. Last year, MUS shut out the Big Red, 14-0, and will need an equal effort to pull out this vital game. Kickoff is slated for 7:30PM.