MORAN — Marmaton Valley Junior High broke open a close game before halftime and cruised from there to wrap up the 2024 season with a 40-28 win over visiting Crest Middle School.
“The Wildcats won the last three ballgames of the season to end the season at 3-4,” MV head coach Dan Uhlrich said. “I put a tough schedule in front of them and we got better each week. It was fun seeing the team come together and compete.”
The Wildcats’ Lane Lord scored on a 6-yard run, then tossed a 47-yard touchdown pass to Kooper Welch before Jay Henry scored on a 45-yard run to push the Wildcats ahead, 18-8.
Crest’s Andrew Donovan, who scored on a 6-yard run in the early going, connected with TJ Beckmon on a 37-yard pass to close the gap to 18-14.
But Lord followed with a 38-yard touchdown run and a 36-yard scoring pass to Truett Blevins to push the lead to 32-14 by halftime.
Donovan kept things close in the second half, scoring on a 30-yard pass to Kory Walter to open the third quarter,, but Welch returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards for a score to keep the Wildcats in control.
Donovan scored on a 2-yard plunge in the waning minutes, but that was as close as the Lancers could get.
“Crest played a very tough ball game against us,” Uhlrich said. “Hats off to them. We look forward to watching our eighth-graders next year in high school,” he continued. “The seventh-graders have big shoes to fill in providing leadership to our youngsters.”
