Friday Football: Basler throws six TD passes for Warriors

WARE, Mo. – Connor Basler completed 14-of-17 passes for 251 yards and six touchdowns, on Friday night, and top-ranked Class 1 Valle Catholic crushed Grandview 69-0.

Running back Tristan Huck had a 53-yard touchdown reception and gained 73 yards on just three carries. Valle Catholic (5-0) netted its 35th consecutive win and built a 55-0 halftime lead.

Cole Keeley and Nick Oberle each made two touchdown catches, and Garrett Jaegers had a team-high 71 yards on three receptions.

Defensive end Colin Okenfuss recorded 10 tackles, including his fifth sack of the season, while Kurtis Meyer and Zach Viox added eight stops apiece.

Cole Wood added a TD catch and made the game’s lone interception. Cody Stoll recovered a fumble for the Warriors.

Basler has completed 75 percent of his passes through five games with 24 touchdowns and one pick.

Sikeston 28, Farmington 21

SIKESTON – The Farmington Knights defense was unable to withstand the constant pounding of the Sikeston Bulldogs’ running game as the host team chalked up over 350 yards to win the conference battle, 28-21 on Friday.

Trailing 28-7 and facing their third loss of the season late in the fourth quarter, the Knights offense rallied on the arm of quarterback Brandt Busenbark. Busenbark hooked up with receiver Brayden Krause in the end zone for a 27 yard score with just over five minutes left in the game to cut the lead down to two scores

A subsequent onside kick failed, but the Knights’ defense held strong to force the Bulldogs to punt, but with less than two minutes remaining. It was enough time to put the outcome in jeopardy as Farmington needed only six plays to go 80 yards to make it a one-possession game.

Busenbark again went to Krause for the score from 15 yards out, and Krause tacked on his third PAT to make it 28-21 with still 1:15 to play.

Busenbark was 10-16 passing for 141 yards, with most of the yardage by Krause with six catches for 106 yards.

The Knights tried the onside again, but Sikeston was able to smother it and run out the clock.

The Bulldogs never needed to break a big-yardage play to score their four touchdowns which were all scored from less than five yards out with one touchdown being scored in each quarter. Running back Earnest Fobbs led the Bulldogs assault with 27 carries for 143 yards and three touchdowns, and Victwon Riley was next with 22 rushes for 114 yards. Sikeston threw the ball only twice with no completions.

An interception by Michael Wright at the Bulldogs’ 39 set up the Knights first touchdown. Ten plays later, Busenbark pushed in from the one, and the extra point by Krause tied the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

Farmington (2-3) will host Normandy on Friday for their Homecoming Game. Sikeston (5-0) will travel to Poplar Bluff for another conference game.

Ste. Genevieve 35, Fredericktown 7

FREDERICKTOWN – Ste. Genevieve running backs Austin Brewer and Anthony Roe each broke triple figures in rushing yards for the third straight game on Friday night.

Logan Dowdy recorded two sacks and the Dragons’ defense forced three turnovers while rolling past winless Fredericktown 35-7 on the road.

Ste. Genevieve (4-1, 2-0) controlled time of possession with three scoring drive covering double-digit plays, and will host unbeaten Central in a MAFC White Division showdown next week.

Brewer logged 125 yards on 20 carries, and put the visitors ahead 6-0 on a short dive. The 11-play series began at the Fredericktown 37 after Roe recovered a fumble.

Wyatt Lalumondier completed 4-of-9 passes overall, and extended the lead with a 63-yard strike to Gabe Greminger late in the first quarter.

Fredericktown (0-5, 0-3) reached the red zone on the ensuing drive following a 30-yard run by Matthew Williams, but a fourth-down pass by Zak Keller was intercepted by Blake Moore.

Williams returned the favor with an interception moments later, and Cody Smith connected on a 25-yard touchdown pass to senior Brennan White, bringing the Blackcats within 12-7.

Ste. Genevieve methodically countered by going 65 yards in 10 plays. Roe scored from 2 yards out and added the 2-point conversion run for a 20-7 halftime spread.

An 89-yard drive put the contest out of reach early in the third quarter, as Dalton Giesler made a leaping 24-yard touchdown catch on a 4th-and-19 play.

Brewer added a 35-yard run on a draw to complete the scoring. Roe ended with 106 yards on 12 carries, and defensive end Brad Chambers picked off Smith early in the fourth for the Dragons.

Williams totaled 68 rushing yards and White made two receptions for Fredericktown on Homecoming night. Dalton King contributed a sack.

Senior quarterback Connor Basler has 24 touchdown passes and just one interception through five games this season for undefeated Valle Catholic.