A Harrisburg first and Southern Boone's QB-WR connection: high school football takeaways from Week 3
After Week 3 in Boone County high school football, some major players are starting to separate themselves as the stars.
For example, Southern Boone's quarterback-wide receiver combination is one of the best in the county. Cameron Lee and James Lee are two of the best big-play threats out there. Rock Bridge's offense is a thing of beauty as the players begin to pick it up more and more.
More: Southern Boone, Tolton win thrillers: Boone County high school football Week 3 scores
Here are a few takeaways from what was a successful week in Boone County high school football.
About the Evans-Morris connection ...
There's something to be said for a good quarterback-receiver combination. It can be an X-factor that wins games.
In Ashland, the Eagles have exactly that.
Southern Boone quarterback Austin Evans and receiver Chase Morris have combined for six touchdowns in three games. A nice, even average of two touchdowns per game, which is on pace for 18 for the season.
Why is that connection so successful through three games? According to Eagles head coach Mark Ross, it's simply the understanding between the two.
"I would describe them as always on the same page," Ross told the Tribune in a text. "No matter what the defense throws at them they have this uncanny ability to know what the other is going to do and they both go out and make great plays."
What works well between the two is Morris' ability to create. When Evans gets him the ball, Morris can work around defenders. He's slippery, which is a trait that makes him dangerous on screens or when defenders make the unfortunate decision of playing a few yards off of him.
Evans is also a player that's bided his time well as the backup to Hayden Steelman last year. Evans has taken well to Ross' new system, which adds a passing flair to the Eagles' offense that compliments the running game.
Jacob Bowles is a tough back to bring down. It's not easy to go back and forth between dragging down a rugged running back and trying to tackle a shifty receiver.
So far, defenses have struggled to stop the Evans-Morris part of the Eagles' offense.
That trend should continue.
More: VOTE: Boone County Football Player of the Week for Week 3
Tolton, and the ability to close football games
In each of the three weeks, Father Tolton has shown how talented a team it is.
The Trailblazers have built multi-score leads on Salisbury, Putnam County and Louisiana only to watch those scores evaporate in the second half.
However, Tolton has shown it has the capability to close the door when it needs to. That needs to be consistent.
In Week 3, the Trailblazers led Louisiana 34-7 midway through the third quarter. After about 10 minutes of game time, that score was 34-31. A collapse was on the table. Tolton held on.
It's a testament to finding ways to win under pressure, but it's also a testament to how talented the 'Blazers are. These leads don't just jump out of thin air, players like quarterback Jake Ryan, receiver Cameron Lee and all-purpose star James Lee materialize them with big-time touchdowns and electric plays.
This is a far cry from the Tolton teams that were winning one or two games a season just a few years ago. A new brand of football has emerged under Michael Egnew and it's taking its next steps.
The next big step for the 'Blazers is finding a way to keep from folding big leads. In three games, Tolton has done it twice. That bodes well for the rest of the season.
Harrisburg's program-first
In the nine years of football at Harrisburg High School, the Bulldogs have built a program and become a team that holds its players to some high expectations.
Coming off a 41-8 loss to Milan, the Bulldogs needed to bounce back. Steve Hopkins' team did and did so in a historic way.
Harrisburg beat Marceline 34-8. That was the first-ever win over the Tigers in Bulldogs' program history.
"It was important as we bounced back from a poor showing the week before against Milan as we didn’t prepare well and we all were accountable to improve," Hopkins told the Tribune in a text. "As a result we had a great week of practice and felt prepared and the result showed."
More high school football: How Rock Bridge football head coach Matt Perkins is learning through a 2-1 start
Braden Wyatt made the play of the game, returning an interception 90 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
If Marceline scores there, it's an 8-6 Tigers lead at worst for the Bulldogs. Wyatt's play was potentially a 16-point swing in the early parts of the game. That speaks to where Harrisburg is as a program.
Hopkins' team has come a long way from a 1-9 record in 2018. The Bulldogs have been over .500 since, and it'll most likely stay that way as long as Hopkins is the head coach.
The preparation connected with the Bulldogs. It's an impressive outcome for a program that still making major strides.
"We’re trusting that same process going forward," Hopkins said.
Chris Kwiecinski is the sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune, overseeing University of Missouri and Boone County sports coverage. Follow him on Twitter @OchoK_ and contact him at CKwiecinsk@gannett.com or 573-815-1857.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Boone County high school football takeaways from Week 3
