Last week against a powerful Whitehaven squad at the Liberty Bowl, the varsity football team found themselves in an enviable position. They had just scored another touchdown, their third in four possessions, to go up 21-7 in the second quarter and looked poised to open the season victoriously. However, Whitehaven eventually turned momentum around and beat MUS going away.
Last Friday night, the Owls found themselves in a very similar situation. MUS had just scored right before the half against Jackson (MS) Prep to increase their lead to 21-7, and they had opportunities to take over the game. But unlike in the first game, the Owls were able to withstand a Prep comeback and pulled out a hard-fought, relieving 21-16 victory over the Mississippi visitors.
Just like in game one, MUS (1-1) looked impressive on their opening drive against Jackson Prep (0-1). After having won the toss and elected to receive, the Owls needed only seven plays to jump out on top as John David Lawhorn hauled in a 22-yard pass from QB John Conrad McCrary to score. Ben Tacker's PAT gave MUS the early 7-0 lead just four minutes into the game.
The Owls added to that advantage exactly five minutes later.
Set up by a blocked punt by junior Preston Dennis, giving MUS control at the Jackson Prep 17-yard line, the Buzzards needed only two plays to double the lead. On 2nd-and-10 from the Patriot 17, McCrary found Lawhorn again on a slant for the score. Tacker hammered home the PAT for an impressive 14-0 lead.
However, Prep would not fold.
After having exchanged turnovers and punts, the Patriots did not allow MUS to put them away as they put together an essential drive to get back into the game.
Jackson Prep drove 65 yards on five runs to cut the lead as RB Gib Bowden took a toss and cut back to go 55 yards for a touchdown. Hunter Owen's extra point trimmed the lead to 14-7.
But the Owls grabbed some important momentum heading into the half.
McCrary found JP Zdancewicz on a 3rd-and-9 behind the defense for a 61-yard reception to get MUS close, and then McCrary finished the drive with a 1-yard dive with 12 seconds remaining in the second quarter to give the Owls the 21-7 halftime lead.
At the half, MUS hoped to avoid a repeat performance from week one as they wanted to put the visitors away early after the break.
Yet the offense sputtered much of the second stanza to keep Prep in the game. The Owls never found a running game, gaining only 13 net yards on 22 carries, and Jackson Prep shut down the one-dimensional offense in the last half.
The Patriots cut two points off the lead as McCrary ran out of the back of the endzone following a bad snap at the MUS 5-yard line. Snapping had been a problem throughout the game, and the miscues finally caused the Owls points.
But even as the Patriots were gaining momentum, the MUS defense contained the powerful Prep running game and did not allow them to put together long drives. The defense also avoided many big plays as Jackson Prep had only six plays of 15 yards or more.
But without an effective running game, the Owls still allowed the visitors to hang around.
The Patriots closed the gap late in the game following a McCrary fumble near midfield. Needing eight plays, Prep went 55 yards to score as Chase Thompson went in from 1-yard out with 3:15 left in the game.
But a Zdancewicz recovery of the onside kick and one final defensive stand salted away victory #1 for the Owls in 2003.
Though MUS struggled offensively much of the final three quarters, several players put up some outstanding numbers. Lawhorn's 12 catches for 107 yards set a MUS team record for number of catches in a game, breaking the 11 passes Estes Folk hauled in against Father Ryan in 2001.
Also, McCrary had a good evening passing, going 23-33 for 212 yards. The 33 attempts is the third most all-time in a game, while the 23 completions was second only to John Phillips' 24 against Father Ryan in 2001.
But even with these outstanding passing and catching numbers, MUS must become more balanced to be successful.
The Owls get another opportunity as they go on the road for the first time next Friday night against longtime rival ECS (2-0), a 47-0 winner last week against Overton. MUS leads the series 8-4, but the two teams have not played since 2000. Kickoff at ECS is set for 7:30 p.m.