Despite seven turnovers, the MUS varsity football team played hard and tried to fight back, yet they fell just short, losing 17-7 to the Baylor School in Chattanooga as the Owls suffered their first loss of the season.
However, MUS (6-1, 1-1) started strong against the Red Raiders (3-2, 1-1). The Owls took the opening kickoff at the MUS 20 and drove past midfield, using six plays. Yet the drive ultimately stalled, and Rob Park’s punt pinned Baylor at their own 14.
Looking to take advantage of Baylor’s poor field position, the Owl defense forced a quick punt at the Raider 25, but Garrett Cash’s 53-yard punt and an illegal-block penalty against the Owls turned the field position around.
From this point, the Owls moved the football well, yet penalties and turnovers continually negated scoring opportunities.
MUS suffered three turnovers in the first half as two interceptions and one fumble, all in MUS territory, put much pressure on the Owl defense. Yet Coach Bubba Burr’s defenders kept Baylor from scoring as the defense forced two punts and a turnover to keep the game even going into the half.
Statistically, MUS dominated the half as they tallied 11 first downs and 158 total yards, compared to only 4 Raider first downs and 65 total yards. However, three Owl turnovers and four penalties kept the game scoreless.
In the second half, Baylor began to take advantage of MUS missed opportunities to gain control.
The Red Raiders took the second-half kickoff and used seven plays to amass 62 yards and score the first points of the game as QB Cody Romans went in from 6 yards out. Philip Spitalny’s extra-point gave the Raiders the 7-0 lead just 2:15 into the third quarter.
The Owls tried to answer that touchdown. Yet on 2nd and 6 from the MUS 34-yard line, Mason Thomas picked off Park and returned the interception 36 yards for the score. Spitalny’s PAT again was good as Baylor doubled their advantage with 8:55 left in the third quarter.
Yet MUS refused to quit. With a nice balance of passes and runs, the Owls drove deep into Baylor territory as Park was 3 for 3 on the drive, including a 19-yard pass across the middle to TE Weller Drennon. However, Thomas once again stopped the drive with his second interception at the Baylor 16.
The defense once again kept the game within reach as linemen such as Joey Friend, Mason George, and Jesse Robinson, and linebackers like Hays Doan, Rob Heflin, Mason Mosby, Will Pickens, and John Stokes kept the vaunted Baylor rushing attack grounded for most of the night. However, even though the offense moved the ball well, mistakes prevented much scoring.
The start of the fourth quarter provided MUS with hope as the Owls began a drive following a Will Thornton interception. 14 plays and 82 yards later, Park scored from 1-yard out, and Ben Tacker’s PAT cut the lead to 14-7 with over 8 minutes left in the game.
However, Baylor put the game away with their next drive as they used 14 plays and 6:21 to go 65 yards and get deep into MUS territory. Facing a 4th and goal at the Owl 7, Spitalny’s 25-yard field-goal attempt was good as Baylor went up 17-7.
Sophomore Michael Park led the Owls’ next drive and played well, completing 6-12 for 77 yards. However, the drive ended with an interception, the team’s sixth of the evening, in the endzone as Baylor won their first conference game of the year.
Despite the mistakes, the offense piled up impressive numbers as they gained 409 total yards, including 251 passing yards and 158 rushing yards. Warren Grimm led the Owls in rushing as he gained 73 yards on 15 carries. MUS also tallied 23 first downs and ran 26 more plays than Baylor as the visitors held the ball nearly 5 minutes longer. Baylor tallied only 196 total yards, but their ability to take advantage of opportunities earned them the victory.
Next week is Homecoming week at MUS. Friday night, the Owls will look to culminate Homecoming festivities with a good performance against longtime rival Brentwood Academy. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. at Hull-Dobbs.