Kelly exact revenge on NMCC in district tournament

Kelly’s Skyler Still (3) signals for a first down during a 34-12 win at New Madrid County in the opening round of the MSHSAA Class 2, District 1 Tournament on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024.

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NEW MADRID, Mo. — A month ago, Kelly was humbled by New Madrid County Central, but this past Friday, the Hawks (5-5, 1-3 SEMO Central) exacted revenge, delivering a knockout blow to the Eagles (4-6, 2-2 SEMO Central) with a 36-12 victory.

“We faced some adversity, and we played through that and didn’t lose focus,” said Kelly coach Lance Powers. “It was another solid team win. We just came out and played from the start. NMCC is a solid program, so we knew we needed to play fast and physically from the start.”

The Eagles initially took flight with a 56-yard touchdown pass from Nolan Mungle to Jayden Williams, securing an early 6-0 lead in the first quarter.

Kelly’s Grant Burleson (20) scores during a 34-12 win at New Madrid County Central in the opening round of the MSHSAA Class 2, District 1 Tournament on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024.

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However, the Hawks quickly regrouped, and Ryder Krauss powered through with a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, flipping the score to 8-6.

The momentum continued to swing in Kelly’s favor as Skyler Still connected with Krauss on a 20-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 16-6.

NMCC attempted to claw back with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Mungle to Erik Tillmon, narrowing the gap to 16-12. Yet, Kelly responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Still to Grant Burleson, widening the margin to 22-12 before halftime.

In the second half, Kelly’s offensive machine continued to hum. Seth Shackles added a 5-yard touchdown run, and Still capped off the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run, sealing the 36-12 victory.

Still’s performance was instrumental, completing 12 of 22 pass attempts for 209 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Justin Waters led Kelly’s rushing attack with 86 yards on 17 attempts, while Krauss contributed 45 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown. Krauss also showcased his versatility with three receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Burleson emerged as the leading receiver, hauling in eight receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown.

On the NMCC side, Charlie Resonno was a standout, rushing for 137 yards on 21 carries. Mungle finished the game with 148 passing yards and two touchdowns, completing 8 of 13 attempts.

Kelly is on the road at Valle Catholic (8-1) next Friday in the semifinal round.