Dragon Quest Chapter One: Three-Peat

For the third time in as many years, the Mid-Buchanan Dragons are District Champions.

Last Friday, the number one ranked team in the Missouri Class 1 division, defeated long time rival East Buchanan 35-0 to become the 2020 Missouri Class 1 District 8 Champions.

“This is very exciting for our program,” said Mid-Buchanan head coach Aaron Fritz. “Before these last three years there was only one other district title in school history. Winning this one continues to show how hard everyone has worked and how everyone has bought into doing what is best for the team.”

Even though the players, coaches and fans were excited during the post game presentation of the District Championship, all involved with Mid-Buchanan football realized this was just the first step to the ultimate goal of winning a State Championship.

“As coaches after the game we talked about how this feels so much different than getting that first one, but it’s still very exciting,” Fritz said. “Winning is hard in any sport, at any level, so it’s always important to enjoy any wins that we are fortunate enough to get, but we know there is still lots of work to be done.”

The Mid-Buchanan Dragons are the 2020 Missouri Class 1 District 8 Champions. Picture slideshow.

Much like the first time these two rivals met earlier this season, this contest was a defensive struggle early on.

Neither offense was able to get on the scoreboard in the first quarter as both defensive units held the early advantage.

It was in the second quarter where Mid-Buchanan found their rhythm.

After struggling to expose the outside, the offense adapted and found success attacking the middle of the East Buchanan defense with their version of the read option.

Multiple times, seniors Javan Noyes and TJ Runyan broke off big runs in the middle of the field.

The first score of the contest came on fourth and goal from the East Buchanan nine yard line when Noyes found junior Rawlins Brant in the flat for a touchdown pass giving Mid-Buchanan a 7-0 lead.

Noyes extended the Mid-Buchanan lead to 14-0 with a four yard touchdown run with less than a minute left in the first half.

The opening drive of the third quarter ended exactly like the first half did when Noyes scored his second rushing touchdown, this time of the one yard variety.

The knockout blow came on the Dragons next possession, when TJ Runyan outraced the East Buchanan defense 74 yards for a touchdown.

“We had amazing blocking up front, Creed Webster and John Robinson cleared the way for me and made that wide open for my touchdown run,” said Runyan after the game. “We’re feeling pretty pumped up and ready to go for next week.”

TJ Runyan finished the game with 217 yards on 23 carries with one knockout blow of a touchdown run.

Capping off the Dragons scoring for the night was Javan Noyes with a seven-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter.

Noyes, a four year starter at quarterback, finished the game with 280 yards of offense and scored four touchdowns.

Runyan, had himself a ball game as well, carrying the ball 23 times for 217 yards with one score.

While Mid-Buchanan's offense was impressive once again, their defense had a championship swagger against their rivals from Gower

East Buchanan was only able to produce 123 yards of offense, highlighted by negative yards in the running game.

Surprising as it sounds, this was Mid-Buchanan's first shutout of the season and it couldn't have come at a better time than when a District Championship was on the line.

“Our defense was pretty dang solid all night. I thought we had a great game plan going into the game and our kids really bought into it and executed very well,” Fritz said. “We had really prepared to stop their run game as we expected East Buchanan to try and slow things down and control the clock. I feel like we did a tremendous job against their run game, and our guys up front and in the box were great all night at making plays for us.”

Setting the tone for the defense were seniors Lane Ellison and Butch Walters, both finishing with five tackles apiece. Ellison also forced and recovered a fumble and Walters had two sacks.

In total, Mid-Buchanan had six sacks against against the Bulldogs. Contributing two of those was sophomore Wade Stanton, while Creed Webster and junior Cage Burns each had one.

Sophomore Wade Stanton with one of his two sacks last Friday during the Missouri Class 1 District 8 Championship.

Now the 2020 Class 1 District 8 Champions turn their focus to the quarterfinals this Saturday, November 21 where another KCI Conference foe, Hamilton, awaits them.

Earlier this season the Dragons defeated the Hornets 63-6 and this will be the third year in a row the two have met twice in a season.

In 2018, during Mid-Buchanan's path to the Semifinals, the two met in the quarterfinals with Mid-Buchanan emerging victorious, 41-21.

Last season the Dragons won their second consecutive District Championship by defeating the Hornets 20-14 and Coach Fritz expects another tightly contested playoff game come Saturday afternoon.

“Just like playing East Buch twice a year, it’s starting to become that way with Hamilton as well. Playing a team twice is always difficult and this game will once again be a difficult one,” Fritz said. “Hamilton has greatly improved since we played them the first time and they haven’t lost a game since week six. They have a great coaching staff led by Coach Obert and those guys know how to win in the postseason. We know we are going to have to be at our best in order to give ourselves a chance to win.”

The game starts at 1:00 pm this Saturday in Hamilton and the winner advances to play the winner of Adrian and Marceline in the Class 1 Semifinals.

Mid-Buchanan Dragon slide show