Last-minute score lifts Scott City football team past Portageville

SCOTT CITY -- There was not an obstacle the Scott City Rams couldn't run through Friday night.

A knee injury to a key offensive player, five turnovers, a first-half kickoff return for a touchdown by Portageville's Dominique Walker and three second-half touchdown runs by Daniel Allen could not withstand the might of the Rams' running game.

The Rams countered adversity with 300 yards rushing and five touchdown runs. The last one was a 2-yard plunge by senior Jacob Underwood with 48 seconds left in the game that lifted Scott City to a 31-30 victory.

Underwood's dramatic touchdown capped the second of two consecutive fourth-quarter scoring drives that extricated the Rams from a 30-19 hole.

"We couldn't do nothing without the line," Underwood said. "They were making holes anybody could run through."

Underwood's winning score, as well as a crucial fourth-and-1 run moments earlier, came over the left side behind senior left tackle Patrick Thomas, listed at 6 foot 2 and 315 pounds, and senior left guard Zach Estes, listed at 6-0 and 268 pounds.

"We just kept pounding it down their throats, and it worked about every play," Estes said.

The Rams ran the ball on eight of nine plays on their winning drive, which started at the Portageville 47 after the Bulldogs' only punt of the game went 12 yards.

Underwood carried on seven of the plays, including on the fourth-down play at the Bulldogs' 15. Underwood carried behind Thomas and Estes to pick up 4 yards.

"It feels pretty good. It boosts your confidence a lot that coach puts his trust in you to go out there and just make holes for the fullbacks and running backs," Thomas said.

Thomas' left-side linemate took it a step further.

"It makes me feel like a stud," Estes said.

An offsides penalty and another Underwood carry over the left side and a face mask penalty put the Rams at the 2, and Underwood covered that distance with a run and lunge over the left side on second down.

"The adrenaline was rushing," Underwood said. "I was just wanting to get in the end zone. I was stretching out for it and trying to dive for it. It was close. I don't know if I got in or not, but they called it in."

Scott City had pooched its kickoffs after getting burned by Walker in the second quarter, but the Rams surprised a drawn in Bulldogs return team by kicking deep, and Scott City was able to pin Portageville at the 4 on its final possession.

Four passes fell incomplete, and the Rams clinched the win that improved their record to 4-2. The four wins match the total posted in the previous two 2-8 seasons under third-year coach Jim May.

"There at the end there was no doubt," May said. "They knew what play we were running, and we knew what play we were running, and it was just going to be a battle of wills.

"And you run behind big Tomcat, and big Frank [Estes], [Kyler] Gettings, [Hunter] Cox and [Caleb] Miles, I'll take my chances. They're a good line. They were working hard and they were just blowing people off the ball there that last drive and weren't going to be denied."

The teams played to a 12-12 draw in the first half despite a giant first half by Scott City junior running back Travis Phillips, who had 194 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the half.

Phillips carried the ball 28 times in the opening half, but he carried just one time after intermission.

Phillips went down in pain after making a cut on a 14-yard run on Scott City's opening play of the second half. He was unable to put any weight on his left leg as he was helped off the field. He spent the rest of the game on the bench with ice on his knee and tears in his eyes.

He was placed on a cart near midfield after the game and driven away.

Preliminary reports were that Phillips, who finished with 208 yards, had a torn ACL, but May was not making any concessions on that front.

"We'll see," May said. "We won't know until Monday how bad everything is. Travis is a tough kid. He's a great kid. Even if he is hurt, he'll be back."

The loss became a rallying cry for the Rams.

"Everyone was like we have to win this for Travis and Cody Ashcraft, who got hurt on the first play [of the game]," Estes said. "We wanted to get the win for them."

The momentum shifted further on the first play after Phillips was injured. The Rams lost possession on a fumble after a completed pass.

Portageville was stopped on the ensuing possession, and Scott City returned to its ground game, covering 57 yards on seven consecutive runs. Underwood picked up 35 yards on six carries before sophomore fullback Gordy Bradley scored his first varsity touchdown when he broke through the left side of the line and romped 22 yards.

"We put in a couple new formations that we hadn't run before just for [this game]," May said. "We felt like we had the advantage up front and we were going to try to pound at 'em and pound at 'em."

Jonathan McFall's extra point gave Scott City a 19-12 lead with 4:39 left in the third quarter.

Portageville then scored three consecutive times in an 18-0 burst. The last two touchdowns came after Scott City fumbled on the first play of their drives.

Allen scored on a pair of 1-yard runs and added a 15-yard jaunt with 9:45 left that left Scott City looking at an 11-point deficit. However, Portageville misfired on 2-point conversions after all three touchdowns, just like it did after its two touchdowns in the first half.

Bradley and Underwood then amended for each of their second-half fumbles.

Bradley capped a 43-yard drive with his second touchdown, a 2-yard run with 7:20 left.

The defense then held Portageville to set up the winning drive.

Underwood and Bradley combined for 103 yards rushing in the second half. Underwood carried 15 times for 60 yards, while Bradley had 43 yards on six attempts.

"That's high school football," May said. "When somebody goes down, somebody has to step up. Jacob is a senior and he's been doing this a long time. We have faith in him. Gordy is a good runner."

Scott City finished with 360 yards on offense.

Portageville was held to 117 yards rushing on 34 carries. Walker had three catches for 57 yards, and the Bulldogs had 94 yards passing.

The victory put Scott City in position to gain at least a share of the SEMO South Conference title when it plays conference-leading Hayti on Friday. The Rams are 3-1 in conference play.

"These kids stuck it out," May said. "Everything was going against us. We fumbled it two consecutive times and they got up two scores on us, and we gutted it out. That's what good teams do.

"And we're becoming a good team. We're not there yet, but we're getting there. I'm proud of them. I am."

Scoring Summary

Portageville 0 12 12 6 -- 30

Scott City 0 12 7 12 -- 31

Second Quarter

SC -- Travis Phillips 22 run (kick failed), 11:35

P -- Dominique Walker 82 kickoff return (run failed), 11:19

SC -- Phillips 1 run (run failed), 6:06

P -- Denzell Simmons 1 run (pass failed), 4:20

Third Quarter

SC -- Gordy Bradley 22 run (Jonathan McFall kick), 4:39

P -- Daniel Allen 1 run (run failed), 2:14

P -- Allen 1 run (run failed), :57

Fourth Quarter

P -- Allen 15 run (pass failed), 9:45

SC -- Bradley 2 run (pass failed), 7:20

SC -- Jacob Underwood 2 run (kick failed), :48

Team Statistics

First downs (Portageville-Scott City) 18 24

Rushes-yards 34-117 52-300

Passing yards 94 60

Passes 7-15-1 3-12-1

Punts 1-12 1-27

Fumbles-Lost 0-1 4-4

Penalties-Yards 7-57 7-37

Individual Statistics

RUSHING -- Portageville, Fred Moore 1-3, Allen 16-58, Simmons 14-69, Dominique Walker 1-(-5), Bryce Wallace 1-(-1), Team 1-(-7). Scott City, Phillips 29-208, McFall 2-(-11), Underwood 15-60, Bradley 6-043.

PASSING -- Portageville, Wallace 6-15-1-78, Ben Story 1-1-0-16. Scott City, McFall 3-12-1-60

RECEIVING -- Portageville, Simmons 2-29, Story 1-4, Hunter Cook 1-4, Walker 3-57. Scott City, Austin Atchley 1-33, Brett Dirnberger 2-27.