Ball-control offense, opportunistic defense carry Monroe City to undefeated run through CCC

MONROE CITY, Mo. — For all of the big-play capabilities Class 1’s top-ranked team possesses, the ability to grind out a drive and control the clock could be what separates the Monroe City football team from the rest of the field.

It separated the Panthers from the rest of the Clarence Cannon Conference.

Monroe City capped a perfect regular season and an undefeated run through the CCC with Friday night’s 50-0 victory over Clark County at Lankford Field. The Panthers put together three scoring drives of 10 or more plays, while rolling up 382 yards of total offense.

The ball-control offense took hold on the opening drive as Monroe City churned out a 10-play, 73-yard drive with Waylon DeGrave scoring on a 7-yard run. An 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Reece Buhlig to DeGrave made it 22-0 at halftime.

In between those lengthy drives, DeGrave scored on a 14-yard run three plays after Jaylyn Countryman intercepted a pass.

In the second half, a seven-play, 64-yard drive made it 28-0 as Ceaton Pennewell scored on an 8-yard run. Pennewell’s second TD — a 3-yard run — came at the end of an 11-play, 69-yard drive. Countryman returned an interception 61 yards to make it 42-0.

The Panthers also had a 50-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

Pennewell finished with 136 yards on 20 carries, while DeGrave had 97 yards on 10 carries and Cameron Jones had 58 yards on nine carries.

Clark County was limited to 86 total yards — 66 yards rushing and 20 yards passing on 4 of 17 completions.