Change the oil, check the tires and book the hotel rooms, Fort Osage is going to St. Louis to play for the Class 5 state championship.
The Indians used a stifling, swarming defense and a ball-control offense to defeat Raytown South 13-6 in Friday’s state semifinal at Fort Osage. The win clinched Fort Osage’s first appearance in the Show-Me Bowl state championship football game, where they will take on undefeated and No. 1-ranked Webster Groves at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28 at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.
“Actually, I don’t even think I’m going to go home,” Fort Osage head coach Ryan Schartz said. “I think I’m going to just stay here (at the stadium). We have a lot of work to do, obviously, to prepare for Webster Groves. I haven’t seen a lot of film on them. The coaching staff has got to put together a plan to bring that trophy back to Kansas City where it belongs.”
Fort Osage came out Friday against Raytown South determined to contain Cardinals quarterback Dennis Tanner, a three-year varsity starter who led his team to the Class 5 state championship game last season and a runner-up finish.
“I’m very proud of our kids,” Schartz said. “Playing a great South team, you’ve got to prepare for a dangerous player like Dennis Tanner. I’m telling you what, that kid is a player.”
So much so that Schartz and his defensive staff game-planned all week to shut down Tanner. Consider the mission accomplished. Tanner completed 9 of 19 passes for 64 yards and was held to just 67 yards rushing on 18 attempts.
“Their quarterback Dennis Tanner is a great player,” Fort Osage two-way standout E.J. Gaines said. “That’s who we were going after. We had someone scrambling around all week so we could practice getting to the quarterback.”
Gaines, who rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries, said Fort Osage’s defense has been under the radar all season compared to its explosive offense. After shutting down the high-flying Cardinals, that stigma should change.
“We just went in knowing that we couldn’t have any letdowns,” Gaines said. “We knew we had to come out here and do what we had to do.”
The Indians scored first on a 3-yard touchdown run by Gaines at the 11:48 mark of the second quarter. Tucker Hickey’s extra point made it 7-0.
It didn’t take Raytown South long to answer. A three-play, 75-yard drive was capped off by Dennis Turner’s 57-yard touchdown run with 10:58 left in the second quarter. Raytown South kicker Tate Thissen’s extra-point kick missed, though.
Fort Osage quarterback Edward Pearl’s 7-yard touchdown run with 4:06 left in the half put the Indians up 13-6. Hickey’s extra-point attempt was no good, leaving it up to the Indian defense to hold the Fort for the rest of the game. The game wasn’t decided until Nathan Hancock’s interception with 17 seconds left on the clock.
“It feels amazing,” Hancock said of his game-clincher. “I have never felt like this in my entire life. I can’t explain it.”
Hancock and Gaines both had a bead on Tanner’s final pass, but Hancock, a senior, beat his classmate – a Division I recruit at cornerback – to the ball.
“Nathan Hancock is a great ballplayer,” said Gaines, who has verbally committed to the University of Missouri. “He made a great play on the ball.”
Hancock, who relieved Gaines at running back for a few plays early in the third quarter, said the Indians are going to enjoy their win over Raytown South for a day or two, then immediately turn their attention to top-ranked Webster Groves.
“We need to bring the state championship home,” Hancock said. “We’re not done.”
Raytown South head coach David Allie said his team fought a good fight, but squandered opportunities in the red zone cost them a chance to advance to St. Louis for the second straight year.
“Absolutely,” Allie said. “In that first quarter, we got inside the 20-yard line twice and couldn’t put it in the end zone. That’s all the difference right there. We score there, and that makes it a different climate.”
Instead, it will be Fort Osage with the opportunity to play for the state championship. The Class 5 Show-Me Bowl championship game is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
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Change the oil, check the tires and book the hotel rooms, Fort Osage is going to St. Louis to play for the Class 5 state championship.
The Indians used a stifling, swarming defense and a ball-control offense to defeat Raytown South 13-6 in Friday’s state semifinal at Fort Osage. The win clinched Fort Osage’s first appearance in the Show-Me Bowl state championship football game, where they will take on undefeated and No. 1-ranked Webster Groves at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28 at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.
“Actually, I don’t even think I’m going to go home,” Fort Osage head coach Ryan Schartz said. “I think I’m going to just stay here (at the stadium). We have a lot of work to do, obviously, to prepare for Webster Groves. I haven’t seen a lot of film on them. The coaching staff has got to put together a plan to bring that trophy back to Kansas City where it belongs.”
Fort Osage came out Friday against Raytown South determined to contain Cardinals quarterback Dennis Tanner, a three-year varsity starter who led his team to the Class 5 state championship game last season and a runner-up finish.
“I’m very proud of our kids,” Schartz said. “Playing a great South team, you’ve got to prepare for a dangerous player like Dennis Tanner. I’m telling you what, that kid is a player.”
So much so that Schartz and his defensive staff game-planned all week to shut down Tanner. Consider the mission accomplished. Tanner completed 9 of 19 passes for 64 yards and was held to just 67 yards rushing on 18 attempts.
“Their quarterback Dennis Tanner is a great player,” Fort Osage two-way standout E.J. Gaines said. “That’s who we were going after. We had someone scrambling around all week so we could practice getting to the quarterback.”
Gaines, who rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries, said Fort Osage’s defense has been under the radar all season compared to its explosive offense. After shutting down the high-flying Cardinals, that stigma should change.
“We just went in knowing that we couldn’t have any letdowns,” Gaines said. “We knew we had to come out here and do what we had to do.”
The Indians scored first on a 3-yard touchdown run by Gaines at the 11:48 mark of the second quarter. Tucker Hickey’s extra point made it 7-0.
It didn’t take Raytown South long to answer. A three-play, 75-yard drive was capped off by Dennis Turner’s 57-yard touchdown run with 10:58 left in the second quarter. Raytown South kicker Tate Thissen’s extra-point kick missed, though.
Fort Osage quarterback Edward Pearl’s 7-yard touchdown run with 4:06 left in the half put the Indians up 13-6. Hickey’s extra-point attempt was no good, leaving it up to the Indian defense to hold the Fort for the rest of the game. The game wasn’t decided until Nathan Hancock’s interception with 17 seconds left on the clock.
“It feels amazing,” Hancock said of his game-clincher. “I have never felt like this in my entire life. I can’t explain it.”
Hancock and Gaines both had a bead on Tanner’s final pass, but Hancock, a senior, beat his classmate – a Division I recruit at cornerback – to the ball.
“Nathan Hancock is a great ballplayer,” said Gaines, who has verbally committed to the University of Missouri. “He made a great play on the ball.”
Hancock, who relieved Gaines at running back for a few plays early in the third quarter, said the Indians are going to enjoy their win over Raytown South for a day or two, then immediately turn their attention to top-ranked Webster Groves.
“We need to bring the state championship home,” Hancock said. “We’re not done.”
Raytown South head coach David Allie said his team fought a good fight, but squandered opportunities in the red zone cost them a chance to advance to St. Louis for the second straight year.
“Absolutely,” Allie said. “In that first quarter, we got inside the 20-yard line twice and couldn’t put it in the end zone. That’s all the difference right there. We score there, and that makes it a different climate.”
Instead, it will be Fort Osage with the opportunity to play for the state championship. The Class 5 Show-Me Bowl championship game is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
YOUR TAKE
How does it feel to clinch Fort Osage’s first ever berth in the Class 5 state championship game?
TUCKER HICKEY, Senior kicker: “It’s a feeling I can’t describe basically. I’m so full of emotion. I’m so happy.”
ISAAC ANKROM, Senior linebacker: “It feels amazing man. Webster Groves is a good team, though, so we have to focus on them. They’re undefeated too, but we ought to take it."
EDWARD PEARL, Senior quarterback: “I feel really good. This team has a lot of unity to it. We want to go out there and bring that (state championship) trophy back to Kansas City.”
CLASS 5 STATE SEMIFINAL SUMMARY
At Fort Osage High School
FORT OSAGE 13, RAYTOWN SOUTH 6
Fort Osage Raytown South
11 First downs 10
46-195 Attempts-Yards Rushing 34-168
45 Yards Passing 64
9 Passes Attempted 19
3 Passes Completed 9
1 Passes Intercepted 1
4-41 Punts-Average 7-34.5
4-1 Fumbles-Lost 1-1
5-25 Penalties-Yards 8-61
RAY-SOUTH 0 6 0 0 — 6
FORT OSAGE 0 13 0 0 — 13
Scoring
Second quarter
FO — E.J. Gaines 3 run (Hunter Hickey kick ), 11:48.
RS — Dennis Turner 57 run (kick failed), 10:27.
FO — Edward Pearl 7 run (kick failed), 4:06.
