Football team brings home Class 5 State Runner-up trophy
Jessica Smith, Special to The Signal
Seeing an open receiver, Senior Quarterback Ty Baker (2) passes the ball downfield in the MSHSAA Class 5 Show Me Bowl Dec. 1. Baker completed 7 of 11 passes for 114 yards and ran 19 times for 85 yards in the 28-14 loss to Vianney.
December 18, 2018
The Indians football team lost to Vianney 28-14 in the Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 5 Championship Game on Dec. 1. In the first half the Indians lead 14-0 thanks to two big pass plays. Senior quarterback Ty Baker, who threw for 114 yards in the game, felt the offense was clicking in the first half.
“First touchdown was a normal replay for me,” Baker said. “Adam Harbord kept rolling right and I kept going with him. I found him about the two or three yard line. With the second one, we went left and they had everything covered, so I thought I might as well give my guy a chance… and Richard (Wiseman) went and made a great play on it.”
The team lost four games at the beginning of the season but went on a six game winning streak to make it to the Class 5 Show-Me Bowl. Senior cornerback Gavin Monday believes the Indians improved and moved forward despite the negativity regarding the teams 3-4 record at mid season.
“There’s only been three other teams that have done this other than us,” Monday said. “What we’ve gone through this year, with how many injuries we’ve had, how many people quit, how many people that have quit when we lost against Raytown and we had a losing record. We still came out and we were still one of the best teams, if not the best team in the State of Missouri.”
The defense played lights out in the first half shutting out a potent Vianney offense. Senior starting defensive linebacker Von Young, IV had five solo tackles and two assisted tackles in the game as well as 13 all purpose yards and scored one of the Indian’s touchdowns. He thinks the loss was disappointing because they’ve been working hard for it all season.
“We started slow, but it felt good to be in the game,” Young said.
In the end, the Indians could not stop Vianney’s two running backs, Percy Mitchell and Kyren Williams. The two combined for 386 rushing yards and all four touchdowns in the second half.
The Indians finished the season 9-5 and brought home the third State Runner -up trophy in the school’s history.
