With contributions from numerous players on offense and defense – including both experienced upperclassmen and newcomers – the Houston High School football team beat Pierce City 42-20 in the season opener Friday in Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers led by just a point at halftime, 14-13, but outscored the visiting Eagles 21-7 in the third quarter to take control of the game.
Pierce City got on the board first with a 36-yard touchdown pass from 6-3 senior quarterback Eli Genzler to sophomore receiver Landon Iman with 7:56 to go in the first quarter.
Houston responded with a sustained drive bolstered by a strong running game and scored with 3:46 left in the period on a 27-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback DJ Riley, who finished the job by diving headlong into the right side of the end zone.
The Tigers held a brief 7-6 lead after junior Dillon Shelton booted an extra point (his first of four in the contest), but the Eagles went back on top moments later on an 87-yard kickoff return by sophomore Landen Stanphill and a point-after kick by sophomore Brock Flehmer.
Midway through the second quarter, Houston’s Big Red Defense stopped the Eagles’ offense and Houston gained possession at the Pierce City 43-yard line after a fair catch on a short punt. The Tigers went to the ground again, and with 6:54 left in the period, freshman running back Tucker Venn scored the first touchdown of his high school career on a 3-yard burst. Shelton kicked another extra point and Houston was up 14-13.
On the Eagles’ ensuing possession, the Tigers received a major scare when Riley went down with an ankle injury while playing defensive back. He left the game, but returned to lead the team to the big third quarter. In the meantime, sophomore MJ Morgan took his place on defense and freshman Stryker Sloan – head coach Eric Sloan’s son – took his first-ever high school snaps at quarterback.
Morgan came up big in a hurry, hauling in an interception with 3:47 to go in the half to halt a Pierce City drive and give the Tigers the ball at their own 32-yard line. Nether team scored again before the break, as both teams were forced to punt.
Houston wasted no time in the second half. After a short kickoff, the Tigers started a series at their own 45-yard line. After only two plays, Riley tossed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Shelton with 10:51 still showing on the clock. Senior Caden Guerra ran for a 2-point conversion to make it a 22-13 game.
The Eagles hung in for the time being and closed the gap on a 61-yard touchdown bomb from Genzler to junior Luke Eaton and an extra point by Flehmer.
But Houston scored again moments later when Riley tossed a short pass to senior tight end Mason Dodson, who had a pair of defenders simultaneously bounce off of him before turned and he rambled for a 37-yard touchdown.
On the following kickoff, Shelton placed a squib kick perfectly down the right side of the field, and Stryker Sloan made a diving grab of the ball just inches inbounds at the Pierce City 30-yard line.
Coach Sloan then went into his bag of tricks and Riley threw a pass in the flat to junior receiver Kane Crawford, who lateraled the ball to Venn on the right sideline, and Venn raced all the way to the 4. Venn then ran for his second TD of the night, and the Tigers held a commanding 35-20 lead after Shelton connected on another point-after.
Houston controlled the line of scrimmage on offense and defense in the fourth quarter, and added another 7 points when Stryker Sloan scored his first-ever high school touchdown on a quarterback draw with 7:40 to go. With Sloan lined up in the shotgun, the offensive line blew open a huge hole and he took the snap and ran untouched up the middle for a 23-yard score. Shelton booted his fourth extra point and the final score was on the board.
The Tigers’ offense finished with 383 total yards in the contest – 261 on the ground and 122 through the air.
Riley racked up with 172 total yards, completing 7-of-10 passes for 122 yards and running 8 times for 50 yards.
Eight different players ran the ball for Houston. Venn began his high school career with a team-high 66 yards on 11 carries, while Guerra ran 7 times for 58 yards and McCarthy gained 54 yards on 16 tries.
Dodson led the Tigers’ receivers with 4 catches for 58 yards.
On defense, a whopping 18 players were credited with tackling for Houston. Linebackers McCarthy and Venn led the way with 7 apiece, while senior linebacker Eli Newsome recorded 6.
Last year at Pierce City, the two squads battled into overtime before Houston prevailed, 42-39.
The Tigers (1-0) hit the road next Friday (Sept. 5) for a matchup with Springfield Catholic. Last year, Houston routed the Fighting’ Irish 42-7 in Tiger Stadium.