MARYVILLE, Mo. — After digging its heels in all night long, Maryville’s defense simply had to muster the strength for one final stop.

On the last meaningful play of the evening, the Spoofhounds did much more than that.

Three Maryville defenders put an exclamation point on a dominant night by gang-sacking Savannah quarterback Justin Roach and letting the on-field celebration commence. The Spoofounds earned at least a share of their second Midland Empire Conference title in three seasons with a hard-fought, 13-7 victory against the Savages on Friday night at the Hound Pound.

The victory also marked Maryville’s second-straight victory in the “71 Showdown”

traveling trophy series.

After watching his offense sputter all night long, Maryville coach Chris Holt believed his grizzled defensive unit would find a way to force the most crucial stop of the night.

“I was hoping,” Holt said. “They’ve been doing that all year. Our defense is just carrying us right now. They really are.”

Maryville (6-1, 6-0 MEC) forced a sure-handed Savannah squad into three turnovers — including two in the second quarter that turned the tide of the game.

On two consecutive Savannah plays, Maryville recorded two big turnovers — a Tanner Walter interception and an Evan Johnson fumble recovery — that kept the Spoofhounds deep in Savage

territory.

Shortly after Johnson’s fumble recovery, Derek DeMott burst into the end zone to tie the game, and Will Twaddle’s touchdown reception before the end of the half helped the team enter the half up 13-7.

But a relentless Savannah defense absolutely shut down a Maryville running game that had no problem moving the ball to this point in the year. The Spoofhounds only had 143 rushing yards — with no individual over 47 yards — and managed just one first down in the second half.

“We didn’t think it would be anything like that,” Maryville offensive lineman Clint Thomsen said. “We thought we’d still be able to run the ball, but they came out and proved us wrong tonight.”

While both teams struggled to generate momentum, Savannah’s passing attack provided the greatest ability to consistently move the chains.

Roach routinely hooked up with receivers Chandler Hanna and Blake McFadden, who combined for 11 catches and 100 yards — good enough for five first downs.

But the Savages (5-2, 3-1 MEC) couldn’t drive very deep into Spoofhounds territory in the second half. On perhaps the most encouraging drive in the second half, Savannah running back Jake Strasser tossed a half-back option pass that landed in the arms of Maryville defensive back Gavin Talmadge with 5 minutes left.

It was the team’s third and final turnover of the night.

“They didn’t beat us. We beat ourselves tonight,” Savannah coach Mark Cole said in the post-game huddle.

Cole declined comment following the game.

On the ensuing drive, Maryville went 3-and-out for the fourth time of the half to give the Savages another opportunity.

In all, the Spoofhounds managed only six first downs in the game and allowed two sacks to a relentless Savannah front line.

“Our offense has got to start helping our defense,” Holt said. “We’ve got to start getting something figured out to where we can score some points.”

The Savages received their final chance to put together a game-winning drive at their own 37-yard line with 55 seconds remaining. Following a penalty, the Savages only gained a handful of yards on a pass play before a gadget-play pass from McFadden missed Hanna downfield.

On the final play, Roach rolled out to his left and was soon dragged by down a trio of vicious Spoofhounds — including an exhausted Thomsen, one of the team’s few two-way players. It marked the third straight week Maryville has allowed only one touchdown following statement victories against Cameron and Chillicothe.

“Chillicothe was a great warm-up for this game because it helps us get into that intensity mode,” Johnson said. “It made us all that better when we played this team.”

After taking part in the sack, Thomsen raised his hands in triumph, and Maryville’s student section soon flooded onto the field to take part in the conference-clinching win. Now, only a Week 10 game against winless Bishop LeBlond stands between the 'Hounds and another flawless MEC campaign.

Maryville’s Anthony Groumoutis (47 yards on 10 rushes) led his team in rushing, though Talmadge and Derek DeMott recorded at least 40 yards apiece.