With limited offensive production Friday night at NCMC rival Marshall, the Mexico Bulldogs had no margin for error as they reached the midway point of the regular season.
But a misplayed punt return early in the opening period led to a 6-0 lead for previously winless Owls just 4 minutes into the contest and Marshall rode a 14-0 first-quarter lead to a 22-0 homecoming win.
“Without Kurt Loyd (injured ankle), we didn’t do much of anything. We had tough sledding all night,” MHS coach Devin Brown said after his varsity squad dropped its second game in a row for the first time this season.
By the time the Owls posted their final touchdown midway through the third period, Mexico knew not to be deceived by Marshall’s 0-4/0-1 record prior to kickoff. The Owls wound up with a 358-74 edge in yards total offense, carrying the ball 59 times for 320 yards.
“We couldn’t score and that let them dictate the pace of the game,” the MHS coach noted. “It was probably one of the better games their offensive line has played.”
Matt Jacobs rushed for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns, while quarterback Marty Kays scored once and ran for 113 yards.
“They just ran the ball down our throat,” Brown summed up. Marshall’s edge in time of possession was 30:26-17:34.
The Bulldogs (2-3/1-3) take a break from NCMC play  to visit Warrenton on Friday for the last of 3 straight road games before an Oct. 10 homecoming contest of their own against league rival Hannibal.
Scoring: Matt Jacobs (MAR) 3 run, 8:04/1Q (kick fail); Marty Kays (MAR) 1 run, 2:15/1Q (Matt Buford run); Jacobs 3 run, 6:30/3Q (Kays run).
Team statistics: First downs, MAR 18, MEX 2. Rushing, MAR 59-320, MEX 21-28. Passing, MAR 2-6-0-38, MEX 6-9-1-46. Fumbles, MAR 0-0, MEX 3-2. Penalties, MAR 7-79, MEX 1-5.
Mexico leaders: Rushing, Thompson 8-11, Melvin 6-4, Bracht 4-5. Passing, Melvin 6-9-1-46. Receiving: Howard 2-11, Bracht 1-15, Thompson 1-10.

MHS SOFTBALL: The Lady Bulldogs dropped both their games Saturday in the Centralia Invitational, bowing 3-1 to North Callaway in 8 innings and 6-3 to Cairo in regulation.
In the opener, Liz Crews hit a solo homer over the left-center field fence in the sixth to make it a tie game and send it into an extra inning. NorCal posted a run in the sixth and 2 more in the eighth.
Courtney Fischer fanned 8 and walked 2 for Mexico. Delaney McNeil and Miranda Wells each had 2 hits for the Lady Bulldogs, while Callie Bracht, Kayla Winterbower and Vanessa Hays added 1 apiece.
“This was the second time we played North Callaway this season,” MHS coach Christina Gerber said. “We are a completely different team now than we were then. We’re hitting the ball and making good decisions on the field.”
Cairo scored 2 runs in the first, 1 in the third, 1 in the fifth and 2 in the seventh. Fischer threw 5 innings for Mexico, fanning 5, and Heather Elder pitched 2.
Fischer led off the fourth with a double and courtesy runner Paislee House scored on a passed ball after McNeil singled her to third.
Danielle Ingrum led off the Mexico fifth with a walk, Hays singled and Ingrum also scored on a passed ball. Bracht then drew a walk and stole second and, on the overthrow, Hays scored the other run for the 3-13 Lady Bulldogs.
Hays had another hit later in the game and Miranda Wells also singled.
“We tried to make a comeback; for a while, it was a one-run game,” the MHS coach noted. “We are getting much better about staying in games, physically and mentally. We had a good run at this game.”