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Independence, MO —
As his Fort Osage High School football team headed into its Class 5 District 7 contest against Raytown, Indians coach Ryan Schartz had a nagging doubt in the back of his mind.
“We're used to the playoff format, where we play on Wednesday, instead of Friday,” Schartz said, “but we’re not used to getting 10 days off before the playoffs begin because of a bye.”
That bye affected his team the first eight minutes of the first period Wednesday night, but a 60-yard touchdown run by quarterback Steven McBee set the stage for another impressive Indians win as they claimed their seventh shutout of the season by blanking the visiting Blue Jays 36-0 at Fort Osage High School.
Fourth-ranked Fort Osage will play host to Winnetonka at 7 p.m. next Monday in the district final and a berth in the state quarterfinals.
“You know how you have a finely tuned car that's been sitting in the garage for a while?” Schartz asked. “That's how I felt watching our guys the first quarter. We had to knock off the dust and the cobwebs. Once Steven got the offense going with that big run, I knew things were going to be OK.”
McBee was the man offensively, as he carried the ball 16 times for a game-high 158 yards and one touchdown. He was also 7 of 14 for 140 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to D'Vante Mosby.
“Steven McBee is a winner – in every phase of his life – he is a winner,” Schartz said. “He's just a great team leader. And what about D'Vante tonight? He had some big catches and played a great game.
“And what can you say about our defense? That’s our seventh shutout. I’m going to have to check with MSHSAA to see if that’s a record. When you play the type of competition we play and have seven shutouts that tells you your guys are getting after it.
“Coach (Jon) Oyler has those guys playing like a well-oiled machine. Nothing they do surprises me.”
While the Indians were marching up and down the field, the Blue Jays enjoyed an occasional big play, but could not find the end zone.
“I'm proud of how our kids played tonight,” Raytown coach Kevin Page said after the Blue Jays wrapped up a 5-6 season. “We were 2-5 early and put together a nice streak at the end.
As his Fort Osage High School football team headed into its Class 5 District 7 contest against Raytown, Indians coach Ryan Schartz had a nagging doubt in the back of his mind.
“We're used to the playoff format, where we play on Wednesday, instead of Friday,” Schartz said, “but we’re not used to getting 10 days off before the playoffs begin because of a bye.”
That bye affected his team the first eight minutes of the first period Wednesday night, but a 60-yard touchdown run by quarterback Steven McBee set the stage for another impressive Indians win as they claimed their seventh shutout of the season by blanking the visiting Blue Jays 36-0 at Fort Osage High School.
Fourth-ranked Fort Osage will play host to Winnetonka at 7 p.m. next Monday in the district final and a berth in the state quarterfinals.
“You know how you have a finely tuned car that's been sitting in the garage for a while?” Schartz asked. “That's how I felt watching our guys the first quarter. We had to knock off the dust and the cobwebs. Once Steven got the offense going with that big run, I knew things were going to be OK.”
McBee was the man offensively, as he carried the ball 16 times for a game-high 158 yards and one touchdown. He was also 7 of 14 for 140 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to D'Vante Mosby.
“Steven McBee is a winner – in every phase of his life – he is a winner,” Schartz said. “He's just a great team leader. And what about D'Vante tonight? He had some big catches and played a great game.
“And what can you say about our defense? That’s our seventh shutout. I’m going to have to check with MSHSAA to see if that’s a record. When you play the type of competition we play and have seven shutouts that tells you your guys are getting after it.
“Coach (Jon) Oyler has those guys playing like a well-oiled machine. Nothing they do surprises me.”
While the Indians were marching up and down the field, the Blue Jays enjoyed an occasional big play, but could not find the end zone.
“I'm proud of how our kids played tonight,” Raytown coach Kevin Page said after the Blue Jays wrapped up a 5-6 season. “We were 2-5 early and put together a nice streak at the end.
“Hats off to Fort Osage. That is a very good team.”
After Fort Osage did nothing its first two possessions of the first half, McBee broke free on the 60-yard scoring run to provide the spark.
After McBee’s two-point run made it 8-0 at the 3:44 mark of the first quarter, the Indians added two touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 22-0 lead into the half. Ezra Vaoifi scored on a 1-yard run, and McBee and Mosby hooked up on the 19-yard scoring play and the rout was on.
“Everything clicked tonight on offense, once we got going,” McBee said. “When we play like we did offensively and the defense plays like it has all season, it’s like a perfect storm. I played Pop Warner Football with a lot of those guys and I played a little defense back then.
“It's just so much fun to watch our defense because the guys are just relentless.”
McBee’s 59-yard run in the third period set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Vaoifi, and Jesse McBee – Steven's younger brother – helped the Indians get the running mercy clock rolling when he scored on a 4-yard run with 6:03 left in the fourth quarter.
The Indians recorded six sacks on and held Raytown to just 139 yards of total offense.
“It's very exciting to get a district win and know that we are going to play another game,” defensive lineman Tauai Tuala said after recording two sacks of Raytown quarterback Joe Straws.
“We play so well as a unit because we see each other as brothers, instead of teammates. And you would do anything for a brother. We need to keep improving because our competition is going to get tougher and tougher as the season goes on.”
The 10-1 Indians have one goal – and just one goal.
“That goal is state,” Mosby said, “and if it's not the goal of any player on this team, I'm going to have to have a little talk with them.”
