MUS Sports News

Cross-Country Ready As Season Nears

            The MUS cross-country team has been the program to beat in West Tennessee for half a decade now. And coming off their fifth straight Division II West Region Championship, the Owls may still have one of their best seasons ahead of them this year.

            After having finished fifth at the State Championship Meet last season, the Owls have all of last year’s starting seven back to compete this season.  With last year’s starters and this year's senior leaders (Hunter Adams, David Deaderick, Philip DeBardeleben, Matt Dowling, Oliver Green, Aaron Khouri, and Donald McClure), the Owls have a more experienced look to them. 

            When asked about coaching a more mature team, head coach Joe Tyler said, “Our experienced runners are our best teachers and coaches, and they make my job easier.” 

            MUS has had high expectations put on them for a while now that they have become a powerhouse of the West Region.  However, Tyler stated, “Our team won’t be unnerved by high expectations.”

            The team along with the coaching staff has learned that success in varsity high-school cross-country comes from the hard work done during the months of June and July and once again will determine how well they perform at the state level. 

            The Owls will start their season Tuesday, August 30, at Shelby Farms with the annual Jamboree.   

Owls Win Convincingly Over Mississippi Foe

The varsity football team continued their incredible roll begun in 2004 as they routed the Jackson Prep (MS) Patriots, 41-9, last Friday night, their 13^th win in their last 14 games.

            

The Owls (2-0) pounded the 2004 Mississippi Private-School state runner-up from the outset. MUS had 4 first-half scoring drives and scored again on a fumble recovery to give themselves a comfortable 35-0 lead at the half over Prep (0-1).

QB Michael Park had an outstanding game as he went 8-13 for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns. Senior WR Max Prokell had an equally fine game as he caught all 3 touchdowns and finished with 6 catches for 160 yards, the fifth most single game receiving yards in MUS history.

RB Devin Owens started the scoring early in the game as he went in from 19 yards out to culminate a 3-play, 39-yard drive that began following a Duncan-Adrian interception. Chad Hazlehurst’s PAT was good to give the Owls an early advantage.

The defenses then took over for the remainder of the first quarter as neither team could garner a first down for five straight possessions.

The Owl offense finally got untracked early in the second quarter as Park struck on his first touchdown, a 30-yarder to Prokell to complete the 5-play, 54-yard drive. Hazlehurst’s PAT doubled the lead to 14.

The defense refused to be shown up by the offense as they too showed they could score quickly. On the second play of Prep’s ensuing drive, an errant pitch by QB Nick Schneeberger found its way into LB Hugh Francis’s hands, and he knew what to do, rumbling 6 yards for the score and giving the Owls a 21-0 lead following Hazlehurst’s kick.

Park wasted little time scoring again. Following the Owls 3^rd interception of the night, Park connected with Prokell from 21 yards out on the first play of the drive to extend the lead to 28 following Hazlehurst’s kick.

MUS scored one final time before the half as Park threw his final touchdown pass, this time 75 yards to Prokell following another defensive stop. Hazlehurst gave the Owls a comfortable 35-0 lead at the break.

The second half saw many Owl reserves starting on the second possession, and they played well and got valuable experience. Prep finally got on the scoreboard in the 3^rd quarter as Mark McVey kicked a 36-yard field goal, culminating an 8-play, 48-yard drive that took nearly three minutes.

MUS responded with a score of their own on their next possession. Taking over at their own 33, QB Tyler Massey began a drive that ate up time and yardage. Six runs and a 41-yard pass to TE Doug Boyer got the Owls to the Patriot 3, and Massey completed the drive on the next play with a run. Zach Scott’s kick sailed wide, but MUS still led 41-3.

Prep did score one meaningless touchdown late in the game as Schneeberger hit TE Wallace McLaurin for an 8-yard score. But Zach Warden’s PAT was no good to end the scoring.

The outcome was never in doubt as the Owls dominated throughout. MUS converted a respectable 5 of 9 3^rd downs and averaged 7.6 yards per play in amassing 340 total yards. This game allowed the Owls to play many players and make sure they are at full strength for next week’s game.

That game, the conference opener, will be large as the Owls travel to Nashville to take on the Big Red of MBA (1-1). Kickoff in Nashville is set for 7:00 p.m.

MUS 41 Jackson Prep 9

Commercial Appeal Dandy Dozen Roundup coverage

Owls Dominant in 2005 Opener

Led by an impenetrable defense and an opportunistic offense, the MUS varsity football team began their defense of their 2004 state title with a 47-0 trouncing of the Bolton Wildcats, their second consecutive Bridges Kickoff Classic victory.

The Owls (1-0) showed from the outset that they were in control as they took the opening kickoff and moved with ease down the field against the Wildcats (0-1). Though they did not score as Chad Hazlehurst missed a 25-yard field goal, MUS proved they could move the ball on the bigger Wildcats.

Bolton took over, hoping to take advantage of the Owls’ misfortune, but they soon realized that simply gaining positive yards would be a challenge on the experienced Owl defense.

Following their first defensive stand, MUS quickly got on the scoreboard through special teams as senior Max Prokell returned a Cameron-Midyett punt 49 yards for a score. Hazlehurst tacked on the extra-point to give the Owls the lead merely five minutes in.

MUS was never seriously threatened again.

Bolton amassed only 15 total yards in the first half as they could never get their rushing game started. And with their lack of offensive success, MUS took advantage of short fields to turn a 7-0 lead into a 30-0 halftime advantage.

Junior QB Michael Park lead two second-quarter scoring drives as he culminated each with one-yard plunges to give the Owls a 20-0 lead following a blocked PAT.

The special teams also contributed in the second quarter as Ben Stallworth recovered a blocked punt by Will Pickens for another score. And MUS finished the half with a field goal as Hazlehurst connected from 28 yards to end the dominant half.

The dominance on the field was evident on the stat sheet as well as MUS outgained Bolton by nearly 200 total yards. The Wildcats never crossed their own 42-yard line as they hoped to prevent embarrassment in the second half.

MUS’ complete control continued as they scored on their first three possessions in the second half while holding Bolton to –2 yards in the third quarter.

Senior RB Whit Cox scored his first career touchdown on the Owls' first second-half possession as he went in from 3 yards, culminating the two-play, 9-yard drive set up by another fine Prokell punt return. Hazlehurst’s extra-point extended the lead to 37.

Seven minutes later, Devin Owens refused to be left out as he too found the endzone from 4 yards out following a Rob Peeler interception. The eight-play, 55-yard drive all but decimated the Wildcats’ spirit. Zach Scott tacked on the extra-point for the 44-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

During the final period, many players saw action as the Owls worked on their depth. Bolton did gain some yardage as they continued to play their first string, but the Owl reserves maintained the shutout.

Scott finished the scoring midway through the fourth quarter as he boomed a 46-yard field goal that would have been good from 55 yards out. Despite the heat, MUS reveled in the final few minutes as they won their second straight opening game.

The defense shined in this contest, led by NG Mason George, who had 8 tackles, including 3 for  losses. The Wildcats had only 7 first downs and did not convert a third down.

MUS will look to continue to improve this Friday night as they take on Jackson (MS) Prep. Kickoff is set for 7 P.M. for the home opener.

MUS football Owls wise to ways of winning

from Memphis Commercial Appeal
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