Football Recap: Knights run past Potosi; Warriors contain Festus

Farmington quarterback Brett Drye throws a pass during second quarter football action against North County on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, in Farmington.

POTOSI – Farmington quarterback Brett Drye rushed for three touchdowns, and Kaesen McClain scored two more during a 52-7 road rout of Potosi on Friday night.

The Knights committed no penalties until the fourth quarter, and stifled the Trojans defensively after surrendering a 90-yard touchdown keeper on the second play from scrimmage.

Farmington (2-0) carried a 31-7 halftime lead after Drye engineered an expedient scoring drive that originated from the 20 with 1:19 remaining on the clock.

Connor Rice raced 31 yards on a crossing route to mark the third straight completion by Drye, and Ian Zohner booted a 31-yard field goal to capitalize.

Drye set up his own scoring sneak with a 25-yard keeper after Rice returned the initial kickoff of the third quarter just shy of midfield.

McClain added a 41-yard scoring burst to finish with 83 yards on seven carries. Josh McCarthy fell on the ensuing intermediate kickoff to regain possession, and Tatum Tinsley tacked on an 8-yard touchdown.

Drye was 9-of-12 passing for 86 yards, and netted 149 rushing yards on 11 carries. His 45-yard scamper made it 21-7 after McClain scored a go-ahead TD on a fourth-and-2 run from 20 yards out.

Damian Cabrera registered two sacks, and Mason Probst had another to lead the Farmington defense. Zohner deflected away a fourth-down pass, and was a perfect 7-of-7 on extra points.

Potosi (0-2) stunned the Knights when quarterback Luke Brabham faked a handoff, darted around the left tackle and sprinted from his own 10 for an instant 7-0 lead.

A solid kickoff return and personal foul penalty enabled the Knights to respond from the Potosi 30. Gabe Giulaini cashed in a tying 8-yard touchdown run, and also made three receptions.

Pressure by lineman Luke Birkner created a rushed throw over the middle that Giuliani intercepted from his knees on the next series. McClain then put the visitors in front to stay.

Landon Sprous gained 38 yards on the lone completed pass by Potosi, but tackles for loss by Cabrera and Birkner on back-to-back plays thwarted a possible momentum shift.

Brabham had 109 rushing yards on nine attempts, and J.T. Cross provided 47 yards on 12 carries for the Trojans. Ean Eaton made two stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Both teams are home for their next games. Farmington faces Jackson while Potosi takes on Central.

Valle Catholic 20, Festus 6

STE. GENEVIEVE – Alex Viox shined with two rushing touchdowns and a team-high 11 tackles on Friday night, as Valle Catholic bounced back to beat Class 4 state-ranked Festus 20-6.

Solid blocking from the offensive line guided the Warriors to a couple of sustained scoring drives in the first half. Viox capped an opening nine-play march with a 5-yard scoring run.

Festus had a potential tying score wiped out by a penalty after forcing a fumble, and would not break through until quarterback Essien Smith scored on a keeper with 10:24 remaining in the game.

The Warriors delivered an immediate and crushing response when Colin Henderson returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards to restore their two-possession lead.

Valle Catholic (1-1) featured two primary backfield threats. Alex Viox totaled 105 yards on 14 carries, and quarterback Grant Fallert picked up 47 yards on 16 attempts.

Festus (1-1) had its potent passing attack contained by the Warriors’ secondary despite finishing with a solid 299-214 advantage in total yards.

Josh Fallert made nine tackles, and Tyler Gegg produced eight in the victory. Carter Viox and Isaac Viox added seven stops each with Andre Oberle chipping in six.

Grant Fallert was 5-of-10 passing for 68 yards, and Henderson nabbed two receptions. The Warriors will host Fredericktown on Friday in the MAFC White Division opener.

Valle Catholic headed into halftime leading 13-0 after Alex Viox capped an impressive 10-play, 94-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.

St. Clair 19, North County 7

BONNE TERRE – Skyler Sanders rushed for 158 yards on just eight carries, and St. Clair churned out a methodical 19-7 victory over North County on Friday night.

Josh Hawkins found the end zone twice while producing 116 yards on 20 carries, and the St. Clair (2-0) defense maintained a shutout through three quarters.

North County (0-2) finally scored on a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Henry Allebach with 10:40 to play after Landon Carroll earned a key first down with a 12-yard catch.

But a previous red-zone chance stalled on an incomplete fourth-down pass from the St. Clair 14 after Brice Varner made a 36-yard reception along the right side.

The Bulldogs maximized their lone completed pass of the contest, a 29-yard catch by Carter Short, as Hawkins made it 19-0 on a trap run from 3 yards out.

The teams traded initial three-and-out series, but St. Clair moved ahead 12-0 on explosive touchdown runs of 71 yards by Sanders and 75 by Hawkins.

Varner paced the Raiders with three catches for 65 yards amid an otherwise shorter passing attack, and Zane Huff contributed 41 rushing yards on 10 attempts.

Allebach was 13-of-19 overall for 94 yards while finding five different receivers. Carroll flipped the field position with two punts traveling 59 and 49 yards.

Backfield tackles by Kollin Winch, Tyler Pipkin and Logan McCarthy coaxed eventual St. Clair punts.

North County will open the MAFC Red Division schedule at De Soto on Friday.

Ste. Genevieve 70, Affton 12

AFFTON, Mo. – Ste. Genevieve compiled 518 yards in total offense on Friday night, and crushed Affton 70-12 after posting six separate scoring drives in the first quarter.

Wyatt Springkamper turned each of his two receptions into long touchdowns covering 71 and 45 yards, and Jack Farlow had scoring runs of 80 and 8 yards on his only touches.

Luke Ferranto completed 6-of-7 passes for 220 yards and four touchdowns, including strikes of 39 yards to Tucker Reed and 29 to Aiden Meyer.

Justin Schweigert was the leading rusher with 107 yards on four carries, and increased the Dragons’ lead to 45-6 before the opening period concluded.

Justin Schwent and usual offensive tackle Dalton McBride added scoring runs for a 66-6 halftime margin. Wyatt Grein later found the end zone from 7 yards out.

Gabe Willett netted seven total tackles while Schwent led Ste. Genevieve (1-1) with five primary stops. Paul Taylor and Schwent each registered one sack.

A fumble recovery by Charlie Corbett marked the lone turnover in the game. Anthony Abt chipped in 36 rushing yards, and Ethan Ottens had a 27-yard receptions.

Quarterback Nino Muyco tallied 68 rushing yards and both touchdowns for Affton (0-2).

Ste. Genevieve will host Orchard Farm in week 3.