Scott City falls in battle of unbeatens

~ Scott City suffered a 43-12 home loss to the Blackcats.

SCOTT CITY -- Defense carried Scott City in its first three wins.

Fredericktown wasn't intimidated.

The Blackcats dominated the line of scrimmage, punching the Rams in the mouth for a 43-12 victory Friday night.

Fredericktown (4-0) rushed for 363 yards in the lopsided win with Ryan Sawyer leading the way. He carried 19 times for 214 yards and three touchdowns.

Scott City quarterback Caleb Estes took off after faking an option pass during Friday's game against Fredericktown at Scott City. (Kit Doyle)

"We just came as a team together and whipped them," Sawyer said. "It was all the linemen. They were blocking for me. They were taking me there."

The Blackcats dominated from the start, gaining 107 yards on the ground in the first quarter alone. They had five runs for more than 20 yards in the game.

"They had a trap play that tricked us a little bit," Scott City's Cody Carlyle said. "Then their offensive line just dominated our defensive line."

David Penwell also enjoyed a successful night on the ground for Fredericktown, gaining 121 yards on 12 carries with two scores. Despite the poor showing from the Rams' defense, Scott City senior Caleb Estes kept a positive attitude.

"Just because of this one game, I don't think our defense is going to be looked down upon," he said.

Scott City senior John Pinkston pressured Fredericktown quarterback (NAME) Friday night, September 21, 2007, in Scott City. (Kit Doyle)

The Blackcats opened a 21-point lead early in the second quarter after Sawyer and Penwell ran for touchdowns, and Sawyer caught a 45-yard pass for a score. Scott City's offense broke through when Estes found Craig Arnzen for a 20-yard scoring strike.

But Fredericktown added a Sawyer score before halftime and another in the third quarter to open a 35-6 lead.

Scott City went back to the air, and Estes found the end zone again. This time he slung a ball into the air and Derek Goodin came down with it for a 38-yard score.

"That was, 'I'm getting hit, oh sheesh, get rid of the ball,'" Estes said. "It's exciting after you get out of the shock mode because you don't know what happened."

Scott City struggled at times to move the ball against Fredericktown's defense. In the first half, Scott City led in time of possession, having the ball for nearly four minutes longer, but the Rams could only muster 2.7 yards per play on the ground. Scott City finished with 183 yards rushing and 120 yards through the air.

"On the passing, they were basically taking away the deep ball and not giving a whole lot of time to throw the ball, so the short game wasn't there either," Estes said. "Rushing, they were clogging up the holes, basically."

After Goodin's touchdown cut the deficit to 35-12, Penwell scored on a 58-yard run then the Blackcats added two more points when the Rams tried to punt from their end zone but the snap flew threw the back of the end zone for a safety, providing the final margin.

"It wasn't too bad two touchdowns behind," said Carlyle, who led the Rams with 98 yards rushing. "Then they started getting a bigger lead and we started, I guess, slowing down. We couldn't keep them down."

FREDERICKTOWN 43, SCOTT CITY 12

Fredericktown 14 14 7 8 -- 43

Team 0 6 0 6 -- 12

First Quarter

F -- Ryan Sawyer 13 run (Mike Crowell kick), 6:50.

F -- David Penwell 2 run (Crowell kick), 2:45.

Second Quarter

F -- Sawyer 45 pass from Nathan Wilkerson (Crowell kick), 10:57.

SC -- Craig Arnzen 20 pass from Caleb Estes (run failed), 6:22.

F -- Sawyer 27 run (Crowell kick), 0:57.

Third Quarter

F -- Sawyer 48 run (Crowell kick), 5:00.

Fourth Quarter

SC -- Derek Goodin 38 pass from Estes (pass failed), 9:11.

F -- Penwell 58 run (kick failed), 7:19.

F -- Safety, snap through end zone, 5:37.

F SC

First downs 15 17

Rushes-yards 43-363 45-183

Passing yards 98 120

Passes 7-10-0 7-10-0

Punts 0-0 3-106

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-2

Penalties-Yards 11-122 7-54

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Fredericktown, Ryan Sawyer 19-214, David Penwell 12-121, Brylan Moore 5-21, Jon O'Neal 2-3, Jacob Farmer 2-(-2), Nathan Wilkerson 1-7. Scott City, Cody Carlyle 15-98, Caleb Estes 11-21, Chris Blankenship 10-39, Trey Schlosser 9-25.

PASSING -- Fredericktown, Wilkerson 7-10-98-0. Scott City, Estes 6-9-106-0, Craig Arnzen 1-1-14-0.

RECEIVING -- Fredericktown, Penwell 4-34, Whitey Smothers 1-9, Sawyer 1-45, Mike Crowell 1-10. Scott City, Derek Goodin 3-58, Arnzen 4-41, Austin Brawley 2-21.