Monroe City quickly puts stamp on district victory, sets up semifinal matchup with Clark County

MONROE CITY, Mo. — The proverbial cloud of dust has been replaced in most instances by a spray of rubber pellets, but regardless of the metaphor being used, it was apropos to the way the Monroe City football team began Friday night.

One Quincy Mayfield burst 25 seconds into the Class 2 District 7 quarterfinal left Highland in the dust.

Mayfield’s 59-yard scoring scamper kickstarted a 54-12 victory that moves the second-seeded Panthers into the district semifinals.

Monroe City (7-3) will face sixth-seeded Clark County (3-7) at Lankford Field next Friday night. Top-seeded South Shelby (8-1) and fifth-seeded Macon (3-7) square off in the other semifinal. The district championship will be played Nov. 15.

Mayfield’s tone-setting run came two plays into the game, and the Panthers pushed the lead to 14-0 when Dylan Ross scored on a 13-yard run on the next possession. After Highland’s Chris Gaus scored on a 51-yard scamper, Monroe City quarterback Wyatt DeGrave threw touchdown passes to Abram and Trey Smyser and Ross scored his second TD to extend the lead to 34-6 by halftime.

DeGrave, who completed 8 of 11 passes, tossed a 39-yard touchdown pass to Mayfield in the second half, while Ross scored his third touchdown on a 9-yard run.