T-Birds use balance to take down Tigers

On his scale of satisfaction, this one rated an 11 for North Callaway head coach Kevin O'Neal.

North Callaway senior quarterback Cole Branson threw three touchdown passes and also ran for a score, and the Thunderbirds broke out for 28 points in the second quarter to throttle the Mark Twain Tigers in a 41-18 homecoming win Friday night.

The victory was the second in a row for North Callaway, which raised its season record to 3-2 and moved to 2-1 in the Eastern Missouri Conference. The Thunderbirds accumulated 389 total yards behind a balanced attack, while the first-team defense surrendered just six points and 113 net yards before handing the game over to the reserves.

"I think some of the guys realized this week what a hard week of practice will do for you on Friday night," O'Neal said. "We were prepared tonight and all 11 guys - defensively and offensively - played well, for the most part.

"I thought we played as a team tonight, all four quarters. We challenged the kids before the game and that's what we needed to do. Our two other wins this year, we kind of played a half a game. I thought the kids came out ready to play ... and we played four quarters."

North Callaway lost a fumble inside Mark Twain's 5-yard line on its first possession of the game and then had to punt on its next series. The Thunderbirds were forced to punt early in the second quarter, but the Tigers drew a personal-foul penalty for roughing the kicker to give North Callaway a first down at its own 47.

Branson immediately delivered when sophomore wide receiver A.J. Stubblefield slipped free down the left seam and the pair connected on a 53-yard touchdown pass with 10 minutes, 57 seconds to go in the first half. Junior kicker Quintin Nichols' extra-point attempt was blocked, leaving the Thunderbirds with a 6-0 edge.

After Mark Twain (2-3, 1-2) went three-and-out on its ensuing possession, Branson went back to Stubblefield on North Callaway's second play with a 59-yard scoring strike down the Tigers' sideline at the 8:18 mark. A Branson interception on the Thunderbirds' next series set up Mark Twain's first score - a 2-yard touchdown run by senior running back Landon Berry with 5:56 remaining to make it 12-6.

North Callaway countered with a six-play, 71-yard scoring drive and Branson redeemed himself on fourth-and-goal when he pierced the heart of the Tigers' defense for a 4-yard touchdown run at the 3:51 mark. Branson then sent the Thunderbirds into halftime with a 28-6 advantage when he found freshman wide receiver Austin Edwards on a 33-yard touchdown pass with 1:20 left.

Junior George Jones - a former running back who moved to offensive guard this season - padded North Callaway's lead early in the third quarter. Jones returned to the backfield at fullback and plowed his way into the end zone from 3 yards out with 10:10 to play. It was Jones' second touchdown run in as many weeks.

Sophomore running back J.T. Higgins accounted for the Thunderbirds' final score when he ripped off a 43-yard touchdown run with 9:18 to go in the game. Higgins' score was set up on a pulverizing, highlight-reel block from Stubblefield along the North Callaway sideline.

Higgins sparked the Thunderbirds with a game-high 110 yards rushing on only nine carries as the Thunderbirds gained 183 yards as a team. Branson followed with 90 yards in just six attempts and completed 10-of-18 passes for 216 yards. Stubblefield had three catches for a game-high 110 yards receiving.

"Early on we faced a little bit of adversity," O'Neal said. "We were right there with a couple of plays, and kind of what we've been doing all year, we stepped on our own foot. What I saw differently - from weeks before - is they were ready to go back out on the next series and execute, and do the best they could."

North Callaway's defense continued its formidable play, limiting Mark Twain to 87 net yards in the first half - only 38 rushing - and the one score. The Tigers, who had one turnover, finished with 236 total yards and managed a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

"Defensively, we've been playing well all year," O'Neal said. "Tonight, what I really liked, all 11 guys were executing their job and doing it - for the most part - to perfection."

North Callaway will resume its Callaway Cup rivalry this week with state-ranked South Callaway - this time in an EMO setting - at Mokane. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 3 in Class 2, remained unbeaten at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference with a 55-6 romp at Wright City on Friday night.

"We have to continue to improve every week," O'Neal said. "I think I've seen improvement through the first five weeks. We were a little inconsistent there, kind of back and forth on a couple of games, but we've got to make sure we take care of us. That's kind of been the theme all year.

"... I think we're on the right track, we've just got to keep improving."