The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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September 6, 2012

Carl Junction looks to shut down big-play Patriots

By Jim Henry Globe Sports Editor

— Carl Junction’s defense will be looking to shut down the big play tonight when the Bulldogs journey to East Newton to battle the Patriots.

Kickoff is at 7 at Don Johnston Field in the matchup of 0-2 teams. It’s also the Big 8 Conference opener for Carl Junction, and the Patriots dropped their league opener 40-7 last week to Aurora.

The Bulldogs bowed 44-3 to Webb City and 41-28 to Carthage in their first two games.

Carl Junction quarterback Dustin Satterlee — in just his second varsity start — passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns last week — a 15-yarder to Matt Magee and 29-yarder to Connor Rohmiller.

But Carl Junction’s defense gave up a 68-yard touchdown run to the Tigers’ Seth Becker on the first play, and Beckner went on to score six touchdowns — three rushing and three receiving — while accumulating 281 rushing yards and 97 receiving yards.

“It’s a matter of us playing better defensively,” Carl Junction coach Jesse Wall said. “Offensively we’ve played really well. We’ve moved the ball and put points on the board last week. We controlled the line of scrimmage both games.

It comes down to us stopping big plays. If we can do that, we can win. It’s not schemes, it’s not effort. We’re not executing defensively very well.”

East Newton dropped its season opener 21-12 to perennial playoff participant Springfield Catholic.

“Against Catholic we had an opportunity to win at the end but couldn’t hang onto the football,” Patriots coach Seth Johnson said. “We played with team effort and a good attitude the whole time. We just couldn’t win the game.

“Against Aurora I was disappointed. We cam out kind of dead, and Aurora pretty much dictated offensively and defensively what we could do the whole game. Offensively we could not get much going, and defensively we struggled stopping them. They are a good team.”

Rocky Liveoak returns as the Patriots’ quarterback.

“Rocky has done an outstanding job this year,” Johnson said. “Ross Nagel leads us in rushing. He had very little experience running the football before this year. He was more of a junior varsity player, but he’s stepped into a major role and done a good job. Clint Bray and Darren Rowe and Alex Scheppert are three offensive linemen who have played well.”

Another lineman, Clayton Harrell, was injured last week and is doubtful for tonight’s game, Johnson said.

“East Newton is a young team, but they play hard,” Wall said. “Liveoak is a good athlete. They will try to get three or four yards a down, then break a big one. We need to be able to contain them offensively, and our offensive has to be able to move the ball.”

“I expect Carl Junction to line up and run the ball right at us,” Johnson said. “We have to stop their running game, but they are able to throw the ball as well. Carl Junction is a very good team. They are 0-2, but they have played outstanding competition in Webb City and Carthage.

“Our kids never quit. They play with heart ... people who watch them play will see that. We have a bunch of young kids who will run and hit. It’s a fun bunch to watch.”

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High School Sports