Cassville blanks Aurora 42-0 in home opener
During the opening game of Cassville's 2019-2020 season, the school welcomed back football alumni from the 1981-85 seasons. The alumni were recognized for their various accomplishments. Pictured above, from left to right, in the front row: Paul Preddy, Michael LeCompte and Jon Horner. Back row: Daniel Pueppke and Mike Schlichtman.
September 4, 2019
Lee Stubblefield
42-0
The Cassville Wildcats opened the 2019 season on Friday night with a 42-0 victory, dominating conference foe Aurora in their home opener. Senior quarterback Cassville's Deven Bates threw for a pair of touchdowns to DJ White and added a 63-yard touchdown run. Bowen Preddy added two scoring runs of 18 and 91 yards.
The Cassville defense forced five Aurora punts and maintained the shutout even though the Houn Dawgs drove inside the 25-yard line on two long possessions.
A special teams score provided the icing on the victory cake as the Wildcats celebrated a successful season opening.
Cassville has been busy in the long offseason. Not just the team but also the support staff. Wildcat Stadium has a stunning new look. The antiquated and inadequate concession stand and bathrooms are gone, replaced by a spacious new facility.
The new video scoreboard adds a professional feel to game production. Even the grass field had a country club look, prompting Cassville athletic director Doug Martin to pose the rhetorical question, “Who needs turf when you can grow grass like this?”
Graduation took a huge toll on last year’s roster, and there were a lot of questions to be answered when the Wildcats took the field against Aurora on Friday night. The Cassville coaches, players and fans could not have been more satisfied as the clock ran down on the shutout victory.
But, like my lawyer brother likes to say, “There are two sides to every story, and sometimes there are more than two sides.”
For every stellar play Cassville recorded, Aurora struggled just to stay on the field. The Houn Dawgs had only 32 players listed on their roster, as a once powerful program now struggles to find its identity. Cassville’s biggest problem against Aurora was its own offensive excellence. The black and gold defense was winded before halftime thanks to the whirlwind scoring of the offense.
The 36-0 halftime score led to a running clock and an early exit.
Special teams shocker
Who could have known this game would be over after the very first play?
After a great week of practice and preparation, Cassville’s special teams coach Josh Schmitt predicted his squad would score on the opening kickoff. But then, Aurora won the coin toss and elected to receive.
Oh ye of little faith
Aurora’s Brendon Hall gathered in Bowen Preddy’s deep kickoff and charged uip the field. Cassville’s Farrell Okel laid a crushing tackle on Hall as he crossed the 25-yard line. The ball popped out, and Brett Cooper snagged it in midair and raced down the left hash to score with 11:51 on the clock.
Bates rolled around right end for a two-point conversion as Cassville grabbed an 8-0 lead on the improbable scoring play.
Thunder and lightning
While the Cassville defense held Aurora at bay, the offense scored on the next four possessions.
Preddy stormed in from 11 yards out.
Bates drilled an 18-yard slant to DJ White for a 22-0 first quarter lead.
Then, on a beautifully designed play at Aurora’s 30-yard line, White lined up at tight end on the left side and created a mismatch with the Aurora linebackers. He broke free immediately, and Bates delivered a strike for another Cassville touchdown and a 30-0 lead.
The Aurora offense, led by senior quarterback Jay Lee, drove the field, reaching the Cassville 22-yard line. But a costly holding penalty forced the Dawgs to punt, and the Wildcats took over at their own 9-yard line with 3:51 left in the half.
Bowen Preddy’s 91-yard sprint on a one-play drive after the Aurora punt brought back memories of Joseph Gouvion’s 85-yard scoring run when the Wildcats defeated Bowling Green in the 2009 state championship game.
Cassville led 36-0 at halftime, scoring on every possession except for a kneel down to end the half.
Then, Bates broke loose for a 63-yard scoring dash to open the third quarter, surprising the Aurora secondary with his wheels as Cassville jumped out to the 42-0 final score.
Deven Bates was the star of this game. He had waited for this moment and he WANTED this moment. Bates completed all four of his passes for an even 100 yards and two scores in a passing offense that grows more sophisticated every year under offensive coordinator Clay Weldy. He ran for a long touchdown. He calmly executed the offensive plan and never seemed rushed or bothered.
Cassville controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. The defense grew stronger throughout the game, solving Lee’s scrambling pattern and recording a number of second half sacks.
Cassville now takes its 1-0 record on the road to face the Springfield Catholic Fighting Irish on Friday night. Catholic came
from behind to beat a good Seneca team in week one, 41-26.
Big 8 scores:
Cassville 42, Aurora 0
Lamar 38, Rogersville 19
Mt. Vernon 22, Monett 21
Reeds Spring 61, Nevada 6
Marshfield 31, McDonald County 14
Hollister 23, East Newton 16.
Lee Stubblefield
42-0
The Cassville Wildcats opened the 2019 season on Friday night with a 42-0 victory, dominating conference foe Aurora in their home opener. Senior quarterback Cassville's Deven Bates threw for a pair of touchdowns to DJ White and added a 63-yard touchdown run. Bowen Preddy added two scoring runs of 18 and 91 yards.
The Cassville defense forced five Aurora punts and maintained the shutout even though the Houn Dawgs drove inside the 25-yard line on two long possessions.
A special teams score provided the icing on the victory cake as the Wildcats celebrated a successful season opening.
Cassville has been busy in the long offseason. Not just the team but also the support staff. Wildcat Stadium has a stunning new look. The antiquated and inadequate concession stand and bathrooms are gone, replaced by a spacious new facility.
The new video scoreboard adds a professional feel to game production. Even the grass field had a country club look, prompting Cassville athletic director Doug Martin to pose the rhetorical question, “Who needs turf when you can grow grass like this?”
Graduation took a huge toll on last year’s roster, and there were a lot of questions to be answered when the Wildcats took the field against Aurora on Friday night. The Cassville coaches, players and fans could not have been more satisfied as the clock ran down on the shutout victory.
But, like my lawyer brother likes to say, “There are two sides to every story, and sometimes there are more than two sides.”
For every stellar play Cassville recorded, Aurora struggled just to stay on the field. The Houn Dawgs had only 32 players listed on their roster, as a once powerful program now struggles to find its identity. Cassville’s biggest problem against Aurora was its own offensive excellence. The black and gold defense was winded before halftime thanks to the whirlwind scoring of the offense.
The 36-0 halftime score led to a running clock and an early exit.
Special teams shocker
Who could have known this game would be over after the very first play?
After a great week of practice and preparation, Cassville’s special teams coach Josh Schmitt predicted his squad would score on the opening kickoff. But then, Aurora won the coin toss and elected to receive.
Oh ye of little faith
Aurora’s Brendon Hall gathered in Bowen Preddy’s deep kickoff and charged uip the field. Cassville’s Farrell Okel laid a crushing tackle on Hall as he crossed the 25-yard line. The ball popped out, and Brett Cooper snagged it in midair and raced down the left hash to score with 11:51 on the clock.
Bates rolled around right end for a two-point conversion as Cassville grabbed an 8-0 lead on the improbable scoring play.
Thunder and lightning
While the Cassville defense held Aurora at bay, the offense scored on the next four possessions.
Preddy stormed in from 11 yards out.
Bates drilled an 18-yard slant to DJ White for a 22-0 first quarter lead.
Then, on a beautifully designed play at Aurora’s 30-yard line, White lined up at tight end on the left side and created a mismatch with the Aurora linebackers. He broke free immediately, and Bates delivered a strike for another Cassville touchdown and a 30-0 lead.
The Aurora offense, led by senior quarterback Jay Lee, drove the field, reaching the Cassville 22-yard line. But a costly holding penalty forced the Dawgs to punt, and the Wildcats took over at their own 9-yard line with 3:51 left in the half.
Bowen Preddy’s 91-yard sprint on a one-play drive after the Aurora punt brought back memories of Joseph Gouvion’s 85-yard scoring run when the Wildcats defeated Bowling Green in the 2009 state championship game.
Cassville led 36-0 at halftime, scoring on every possession except for a kneel down to end the half.
Then, Bates broke loose for a 63-yard scoring dash to open the third quarter, surprising the Aurora secondary with his wheels as Cassville jumped out to the 42-0 final score.
Deven Bates was the star of this game. He had waited for this moment and he WANTED this moment. Bates completed all four of his passes for an even 100 yards and two scores in a passing offense that grows more sophisticated every year under offensive coordinator Clay Weldy. He ran for a long touchdown. He calmly executed the offensive plan and never seemed rushed or bothered.
Cassville controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. The defense grew stronger throughout the game, solving Lee’s scrambling pattern and recording a number of second half sacks.
Cassville now takes its 1-0 record on the road to face the Springfield Catholic Fighting Irish on Friday night. Catholic came
from behind to beat a good Seneca team in week one, 41-26.
Big 8 scores:
Cassville 42, Aurora 0
Lamar 38, Rogersville 19
Mt. Vernon 22, Monett 21
Reeds Spring 61, Nevada 6
Marshfield 31, McDonald County 14
Hollister 23, East Newton 16.
Coming in hot, senior DJ White dodged through Aurora's defensive line all the way to the end-zone
During Cassville's home opener, the Aurora Houn' Dogs were met by the brick wall of Cassville's
The Wildcats line up for their first defense against the Aurora Houn' Dogs.
Senior DJ White breaks away from the Aurora defense on his way to score one of Cassville's many touchdowns of the night.