Scott City crushes Chaffee to claim Scott-Miss title

SCOTT CITY — After losing back-to-back home games leading up to homecoming weekend, the Scott City Rams saved their best for last.

By defeating Chaffee 41-14 on Friday, Oct. 18, Scott City (5-3) clinched the first-ever Scott-Miss Conference championship.

The Rams went 3-1 in the five-team division, including a win over East Prairie in Week 1, which gave them the tiebreaker.

"I'm happy for the kids, happy for our seniors," Scott City coach Brian Beaubien said. "That's something they can have for the rest of their lives, that they were a part of the first-ever Scott-Miss conference championship. So I'm really excited for them."

The game ended on a scoop and score touchdown by defensive lineman Carter Burger as time expired. Burger entered the game with five sacks on the season.

"We're trying hard to get him to be a little better technician, but his talent is through the roof. He's got great potential," Beaubien said. "He's been so talented his whole life he's never really had to rely on being really fundamental. So we're trying to get him to that point."

Scott City junior running back Rustyn Underwood rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. The junior tailback now has 1,277 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the season.

The Red Devils, who were coming off their first win of the year, took the initial lead on a rushing touchdown from Logan Horton, his seventh of the season, to lead 7-0 in the first quarter.

Underwood's first score pulled the Rams within a point of the Red Devils, 7-6, in the second quarter. A blocked PAT prevented the tie.

Scott City eventually took a 14-7 lead on a touchdown pass from Jackson Gloth to Lane Holder, his third of the season, within the final minute of the first half. Gloth finished with 129 passing yards, bringing his season total to 783 yards, eight touchdowns against three interceptions.

"I thought offensively we executed pretty well," Beaubien said. "We kind of had the balance that I wanted to have, running and throwing. I thought Gloth was really well tonight."

The Rams added to their lead in the second half with Underwood's second touchdown of the night to go up 21-7 in the third quarter.

Chaffee made it close in the fourth quarter when quarterback Leyton Hanback scored a rushing touchdown on 4th down and three to pull within seven, trailing 21-14.

All hope seemed lost after Underwood returned a kickoff 65 yards to the Chaffee 10-yard line, setting up an eight-yard rushing touchdown run by Gloth to put Scott City up 28-14.

Scott City proceeded to put the game on ice within the final two minutes after Underwood scored his third touchdown of the game.

The Rams finished the home slate of their season with a 2-3 record and will travel to Dexter to conclude the regular season next week.

Chaffee (1-7), will host Kelly next week for its final home game of the season.