Eureka Football Coach Wants ‘Knock-Down Defense’

On Friday night against Mehlville, the Eureka Wildcats surrendered more than 220 yards on the ground to a single running back. In their season-opener against Lafayette, they allowed 355 yards in the air.

“If our defense doesn’t get better, we won’t win the Suburban West,” coach Farrell Shelton said. “I’ve been at Eureka 22 years; we’ve never averaged giving up more than 20 points. We’re averaging 34.”

Although the Wildcats turned in an impressive performance offensively, beating a hard-nosed Mehlville squad, 57-33, Shelton was less impressed with his defense. Just one week ago, that defense gave up five touchdowns in a 28-35 loss to Lafayette.

“You watch these state champions,” he said. “They all have these knock-down defenses. You won’t get far giving up 34 points a game.”

By the same token, you’ll go pretty far scoring 40, Eureka’s average in its first two games. Even further if that offense includes a balance of rushing, passing and special teams.

The combination of running back Spencer Stein, quarterback Seth Pratt, receiver Aaron Schnurbusch, along with a solid offensive line and several other reliable backs, capable receivers and speedy kick returners, makes Eureka’s offense perhaps the most multi-faceted in the Suburban West.

The Wildcats’ versatility even extends to the quarterback position, where Schnurbusch will occasionally step in and toss a first down or two. Last night against Mehlville, he threw an 8-yard touchdown to Nate Echard, yet another tool in Shelton’s arsenal. And don’t forget Ryan Emmerson, who also caught a touchdown pass against Mehlville. And Andrew Stevens, who caught one against . And Matt Hentges and Zack Sutter and Dalton Zeiser.

Shelton may not feature the superstars he’s had in previous years, but he apparently has more than enough capable players to put a crooked number on the scoreboard every weekend.

“We knew that coming in,” he said. “We don’t have a game breaker. We lost our game breakers – three seniors – last year. We just have what we call a bunch of pluggers. You know, kids that are just gonna' have to work hard for us.”

Those ‘pluggers’ came through in a big way last night against a Mehlville squad (1-1) that routed Northwest in its season opener, 43-7. After three quarters of back-and-forth lead changes, the Wildcats simply out-grinded the Panthers in the last 10 minutes, scoring 21 unanswered points and evening their record at 1-1.

“Eureka is a really good team,” said Mehlville’s Chayse Brown, one of the area’s top running backs. “They’re physical, and they know how to play.”

Brown knows a bit about playing, himself. Though small in stature – 5’8”, 180 lbs. – Brown played huge last night for the Panthers, logging more than 150 rushing yards in the first half alone. Even well into the second half, he seemed to find every gap, crack and lane his blockers created.

“The offensive line did really good tonight,” Brown said. “They played physical; they even dominated for a while. But everybody gets tired.”

And that’s exactly what happened on Friday at Mehlville. The pluggers of simply out-plugged their opponents. If they can start doing that on defense as well, the Wildcats will be tough to beat this year.