SportsNovember 12, 2023
Portageville thumps Thayer 49-8 with stunning offense and stone-cold defense
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Like a swarm of agitated rattlesnakes, Portageville unleashed a venomous wrath on Thayer in a MSHSAA Class 1, District 1 semifinal at Vic Reaves Athletic Field. Striking with relentless force en route to a resounding 49-8 victory on Friday, November 10, the Bulldogs (10-1) were in attack mode, delivering bone-crushing tackles and punishing blocks that left the Bobcats (6-5) trapped in the fangs of defeat...
By Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Like a swarm of agitated rattlesnakes, Portageville unleashed a venomous wrath on Thayer in a MSHSAA Class 1, District 1 semifinal at Vic Reaves Athletic Field.
Striking with relentless force en route to a resounding 49-8 victory on Friday, November 10, the Bulldogs (10-1) were in attack mode, delivering bone-crushing tackles and punishing blocks that left the Bobcats (6-5) trapped in the fangs of defeat.
“Physicality is our trademark,” said Portageville coach Ian Penrod. “Facing a team like Thayer, which has built a tradition of being one of the most physical, gutsy, tough, nasty and in-your-face teams in Class 1 presented a good test for our players. But beating them at their own hard-hitting game is an affirmation of our team's capabilities. It instills in our players a deep-seated belief in their ability to adapt, overcome, and triumph in any circumstance, no matter the opponent's strengths."
Thayer threatened to take the reins early, driving into the red zone on its opening drive after forcing Portageville to punt.
However, a well-timed takeaway decisively shifted the momentum after defensive tackle AJ Larry delivered a textbook tackle, jarring the ball loose from the Bobcats' ball carrier and Carson Bradley recovered the fumble, snuffing out the scoring threat.
“Our first-half performance wasn't up to our usual standards, Penrod said. “We lacked aggression and physicality, allowing Thayer to control the tempo early on. We emphasized the need to attack and not wait for things to happen. Thayer's illegal cuts in the first quarter disrupted our rhythm, but our players showed resilience and made crucial stops to regain possession. As always, our mantra remains: 'Do whatever it takes to survive and advance.’”
Portageville’s offense started to settle into a groove early in the second quarter. On the first play of their drive, Mason Adams found Bradley for a 42-yard pass that sliced through the defense, setting the stage for Jamarion Smith's 5-yard touchdown run that put Portageville on the board, 7-0, with 11:19 left until halftime.
“It was nice to finally hit paydirt,” Penrod said. “We've been consistently scoring all season, so when we don't put up big numbers, our players tend to get a bit antsy.”
The Portageville defense continued to play light-out, forcing a turnover of downs on Thayer's next possession after Bradley had a pass breakup on third down, and Adams and Huston Partin combined for a tackle for a loss on fourth down.
Adams then busted through the middle of the line of scrimmage, delivering a devastating stiff arm to a defender and breaking free for a 57-yard touchdown run to make it 13-0 with 7:21 left in the second quarter. Beau-Hunter Warren had a nice downfield block to help spring the touchdown run.
Partin's defensive heroics were undeniable, as he forced and recovered a fumble on the Bobcats' next drive. He also had an interception that was called back due to a roughing the passer penalty.
Smith crashed through the defense and raced into the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 20-0 with 7:01 left in the second quarter.
“Our kids showed incredible resilience in regaining their composure and momentum,” Penrod said. “After a shaky start, we were able to right the ship with our composure and getting our minds right to be able to move the ball down the field and get stops whenever we needed.”
Thayer salvaged a touchdown late in the first half, capitalizing on a pair of costly mistakes by the Portageville defense – a 42-yard completion and a 31-yard run – to narrow the deficit to 20-8. Devin Harrington punched in the touchdown from three yards out.
Instead of coasting into halftime with a comfortable two-possession lead, Portageville remained aggressive, methodically moving the ball down the field and refusing to rest on its laurels. The determination paid off when Smith sprinted into the end zone untouched for a 16-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-1 with just 7.9 seconds left on the clock.
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
“He was untouched on that play because most of the Thayer defenders were on their backs,” Penrod said. “So it was going to be tough for them to touch him.
“That was huge,” he continued. “If we don’t score there we might be looking at a different game with them getting the ball coming out of the half. It could have been dangerous but us extending it before the half takes some of the pressure off and let us play a little bit looser and faster in the second half.”
In a display of both athleticism and versatility, Bradley, who also serves as the team's kicker, made a game-changing tackle, halting a Thayer kickoff return for a touchdown just as the first-half buzzer sounded.
Thayer's last gasp came on the opening drive of the second half when they drove into the red zone, but Portageville snuffed out the threat with a pass breakup in the end zone by Xayvion Bogan on 4th-and-13, forcing a turnover on downs.
In a display of defensive dominance, Portageville forced another turnover on downs shortly after, when Smith delivered a thunderous hit to the quarterback as he released the pass, and Warren followed up with a pass breakup on fourth down.
"[Thayer] came out and landed the first punches,” Penrod said. “Our kids were a little bit on the ropes, but in the second half, we came out and hit the combinations we needed to put them out. It’s nice to know that even when the offense might have some hiccups, the defense will get the ball back and give us another opportunity. The guys did a great job of reading their keys, doing their jobs, and staying in the spots they needed to be. The kids being able to hammer down and anchor on defense is something special."
Portageville dealt a decisive blow to Thayer's spirit with 11:18 left in the fourth quarter, when Smith broke free for a 47-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 34-8.
This demoralized the Bobcats, and their emotions began to get the better of them.
Thayer's offense faltered, going three-and-out on its next two possessions, while Portageville continued to pile on the points. Adams connected with Aaron Dunlap for a 54-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 41-8 with 10:06 left on the clock.
The Bulldogs' offense continued to roll, with Smith adding another touchdown to his tally, this time a 5-yard run that made it 49-8 with 6:15 remaining.
Smith was an unstoppable force for Portageville, amassing 228 yards on 25 carries and scoring five touchdowns.
Adams also had a stellar performance, completing 6-of-13 passes for 132 yards with a touchdown and adding 66 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Dunlap chipped in with three catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Portageville edged Thayer in total yardage 377 to 344, but it was the Bulldogs' clutch ability to make big plays when it mattered most that propelled the team to victory.
"[Thayer] is a tough and scrappy team,” Penrod said. “They're not afraid to take on anyone, anywhere. They'll play you on gravel, on a field, or wherever you want to face them. Our kids needed that challenge. They needed to see someone who said, 'I don't care who you are,' and our kids rose to the occasion."
Portageville will travel to Marionville (11-0) on Saturday, November 18, to play for the district championship at 1 p.m.
The Comets have a high-powered offense that averages 43 points per game and is led by sophomore quarterback Bryer Guerin, who has thrown for more than 1,200 yards and 20 touchdowns. Marionville also has a strong running game, with sophomore Cash Pomeroy averaging more than 100 yards per game. The Comets also have one of the best defenses in the state this season, allowing just three points a game.
Story Tags
Advertisement
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.
Related
SportsDec. 11
Advertisement
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
