POLO, Mo. – Isaac Shahan delivered a standout performance on both sides of the football Friday night, scoring six touchdowns and recording 19 tackles as Knox County closed its regular season with a 54–20 victory over Polo at Bob Shearer Stadium. The Eagles improved to 6–2, building an early lead and using timely defensive stops and explosive offensive plays to finish off the Panthers, who fell to 4–4.

According to official statistics provided by Knox County assistant coach Kyle Ellison, Shahan rushed for 83 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries and caught six passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns. He also added two two-point conversions, accounting for 40 of the Eagles’ 54 points.

His defensive contributions were equally substantial. Shahan finished with nine solo tackles and 10 assisted tackles, including one tackle for loss, along with a forced fumble and an interception.

“He really stepped up tonight. It was probably one of his better games of the year, and he kind of had to step into quarterback here and there,” Knox County coach Bruce Vannoy said on the Beck’s Hybrids Scoreboard Show. “We’re moving him around a lot, but he took it in stride.”

Knox County struck first when Carrsen Hayes connected with Shahan for a 43-yard touchdown on third-and-long with 8:49 remaining in the opening quarter. A successful two-point pass gave the Eagles an 8–0 advantage, and Hayes later found Myles Henry for a 17-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 14–0.

Polo answered with Drew Moore’s 17-yard touchdown run and a successful two-point conversion with 34 seconds left in the quarter. Knox County needed little time to respond, as Shahan broke loose for a 47-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds remaining to give the Eagles a 20–8 lead.

Hayes and Shahan connected for another touchdown with 2:59 remaining in the second quarter, providing the only scoring of the period. Polo threatened late in the half, but a holding penalty erased an apparent touchdown, and Knox County took a 26–8 advantage into the break.

“I thought our offense looked a lot smoother than it did last week,” Vannoy said.

Shahan added an 11-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter before making a critical play on defense. With Polo driving deep into Knox County territory, he intercepted a pass near the Eagles’ 2-yard line to stop the possession.

Later in the ensuing drive, Hayes found Shahan for a long touchdown pass. The successful two-point conversion extended Knox County’s lead to 40–8 with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter, giving the Eagles a substantial cushion heading toward the final period.

Shahan scored his sixth touchdown on a 4-yard run with 7:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Freshman Jackson Ausmus completed Knox County’s scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run with 52 seconds left, then connected with Henry for the two-point conversion.

Hayes finished with four touchdown passes, while the Eagles also received a productive rushing performance from Blayce Howerton. Unofficial broadcast statistics credited Howerton with 94 yards on 11 carries and Ausmus with 19 yards on three attempts.

“If you can’t run the ball, you put yourself in a really bad situation at any level of football,” Vannoy said. “When the run game works, it makes your offense a lot smoother.”

Polo challenged Knox County with a physical rushing attack led by Walker Kelley, who was credited with an unofficial 226 yards on 27 carries. Baylor Martin added 60 yards on 14 attempts, and both scored fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns as the Panthers continued to compete down the stretch.

The Eagles countered with key defensive plays, including Shahan’s interception and a sack by Henry. Penalties interrupted several Polo possessions, while Knox County capitalized on its opportunities to maintain control.

“We tackled and effort was much better than it has been the last few weeks,” Vannoy said.

The regular-season finale also gave Knox County’s younger players another opportunity to contribute. Ausmus helped finish the victory, and Vannoy praised the development of freshmen who have taken on meaningful responsibilities.

“At this point in the season, we always tell our freshmen they’re no longer freshmen,” Vannoy said. “We ended up having a couple freshmen out there for a majority of the game, and it was good to see just the maturation they’ve had.”

Knox County finished the regular season with six victories and was expected to receive a first-round district playoff bye, according to the postgame broadcast. The Eagles head into postseason play following an eight-touchdown offensive performance and a six-touchdown night from Shahan.

(This game recap is presented based upon the coverage of the Hometown Radio Sports Network. Any statistics given should be deemed as unofficial.)