UNIONVILLE, Mo. – Putnam County put the finishing touches on a conference championship Friday night, scoring 29 first-quarter points and shutting out Milan 49–0 in the regular-season finale at Putnam County High School. The victory capped an unbeaten run through the Grand River Conference and gave the Midgets another reason to celebrate on Senior Night and Pink Out Night.
Corbin Campbell-Johnson rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries, while Rayden Chapman scored three times to help Putnam County build a 43–0 halftime lead. The Midgets improved to 7–2 with their seventh consecutive victory after opening the season with back-to-back losses.
“We keep getting better each and every week,” Putnam County head coach Adam Huse said on the Beck’s Hybrids Scoreboard Show. “That’s kinda how we break it down, is looking at small things each week to try to get better at.”
Putnam County’s defense set the tone by forcing a punt on Milan’s opening possession. Campbell-Johnson immediately turned that stop into points, breaking loose for a touchdown on the Midgets’ first offensive snap. Matthew McMillen added the two-point conversion for an 8–0 advantage with 9:43 remaining in the opening quarter.
Another defensive stop gave Putnam County the ball back, and Chapman finished the ensuing possession with a 12-yard touchdown run. He also carried in the two-point conversion, extending the lead to 16–0 with 7:07 left in the quarter.
The Midgets quickly capitalized on another opportunity when Milan lost a fumble on its next possession. Campbell-Johnson raced 39 yards for his second touchdown, pushing the advantage to 22–0 just 23 seconds after Chapman’s score.
Sawyer Morgan added a 5-yard touchdown run with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and Matthew Blanchard’s extra point made it 29–0. Putnam County’s early success reflected the physical identity Huse said his team has worked to establish throughout the season.
“I don’t think we were very physical the first few weeks, and that’s one of the things that we hang our hat on and really pride ourselves in, is being a very physical football team,” Huse said. “I think it started up front with those guys, and it’s kinda carried over across the board with the entire team.”
Morgan and Chapman connected for both second-quarter touchdowns. The first came on a 27-yard pass with 3:51 remaining before halftime, with Blanchard’s kick extending the lead to 36–0.
Milan put together a promising drive behind freshman quarterback Jordan Bahena, moving to the Putnam County 16-yard line. The Midgets held on fourth down, however, preserving the shutout and giving their offense another possession before the break.
Putnam County took advantage, with Morgan finding Chapman for a 25-yard touchdown with just 13 seconds remaining. Blanchard added the extra point to send the Midgets into halftime ahead 43–0.
Morgan finished 9-of-13 passing for 124 yards and two touchdowns, adding a rushing score. Chapman caught two passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns to go with his 12-yard rushing touchdown.
With a running clock in the second half, Putnam County gave its younger players extended opportunities. Gus Crellin rushed for 56 yards on six carries, while Zane Chapman added 25 yards on six attempts. Freshman Jaxon Klinginsmith finished an extended drive with an 8-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, completing the scoring.
Charley Dickerson contributed 27 rushing yards on three carries, and Seth Hannink added 26 yards on four attempts. Jacob Jones caught a 28-yard pass, Blanchard finished with two receptions for 21 yards, and Degen Wood added a 9-yard reception. Campbell-Johnson also caught two passes for 10 yards.
Milan continued working to get on the scoreboard, recovering a muffed punt late in the fourth quarter. Bahena eventually connected with Gunner Sims on a pass into the end zone, but a block-in-the-back penalty erased the touchdown, and the Wildcats did not get another snap before time expired.
Bahena led Milan with 44 rushing yards on 12 carries and completed two passes for 12 yards. Graeson Proffitt had an 11-yard reception, and Melvin Cruz caught a pass for one yard.
Despite the championship-clinching result, Huse identified consistency and penalties as areas to address before the postseason. He noted that Putnam County had additional touchdowns erased by flags.
“We gotta be more consistent,” Huse said. “You can’t do those things against really good teams and still be successful.”
Putnam County now heads into the postseason with seven straight wins, a conference championship and a first-round district bye. The Midgets are scheduled to host a district semifinal Nov. 6, with their opponent to be determined.
“There’s no game that we’re gonna play along the way that is bigger than what we can handle,” Huse said.
Photo courtesy for this story provided by Haley Watt
(This game recap is presented based upon the coverage of the Hometown Radio Sports Network. Any statistics given should be deemed as unofficial.)
Click here to listen to the broadcast of this game.
