MRH Defeats Visiting Caruthersville to Advance to Semis

football once again won a game that had the Blue Devils fans on the edge of their seats.

MRH (11-2) was down 13-0 early, but rallied to finish with a 36-29 Class 2 state quarterfinal win over Caruthersville (11-2).

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Combined, there were eight fumbles, and MRH accounted for five of those. It was an MRH fumble on the second possession that led to the Tigers’ first score, when Elbie Fonda ran 40 yards to score less than halfway into the quarter.

Fonda had 31 touchdowns on the year, and at first it looked like he was going to have his way with the Devils. He scored again from scrimmage, then ran a kickoff all the way back for his third touchdown of the game, all in the first quarter. The Tigers led 21-7.

But the Devils didn’t give up.

“We just had to keep our heads up and get everybody together,” junior quarterback Kahlid Hagens said. “It was a big game for us, a big game for them. Just had to calm everybody down.”

MRH then drove 65 yards in eight plays, ending with a Wes Williams 2-yard run to make it 14-21.

The Devils held the Tigers on their next drive. A Hagens pass to sophomore Cortland Brooks tied it at 21 with 6:28 left in the half, then runs by freshman and Hagens led to a Hagens keeper to put the Devils up 28-21.

MRH again held the Tigers, stopping them on their own 13 to end the half.

Keely had 105 yards on 16 carries. Hagens rushed for 133 yards on 13 carries.

“All year, our defense has been our team,” said assistant coach Sterling Finney, who's working as head coach in . “We all know defense wins championships.”

MRH held the Tigers six times in the second half. Caruthersville scored once in the half and went for a 2-point conversion but failed, putting them on top 29-28 early in the fourth quarter.

Keely returned the kickoff to the Tigers’ 39, and finished the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run. Hagens hurdled the Tigers’ Fonda to score the 2-point conversion attempt, and put the Devils on top 36-29. That was the final score.

In addition to the fumbles, MRH allowed two safeties to be scored on the Devils, but they fought through it all.

“Perseverance, and fighting through some of the mistakes, and it’s going to be that in a football game,” Finney said.

“One too many turnovers,” Caruthersville coach Nathan Morgan said. “At the end of the day, we didn’t capitalize on their mistakes, and they got us on ours.”

MRH is scheduled to play at Lamar (14-1) next Saturday in the Class 2 state semifinals.