ELDON — Allowing over 500 yards rushing Friday night, one would think Owensville’s Dutchmen would have left Miller County with a 1-1 record.

However, Nathan Cabot’s offense kept delivering big play after big play at Mustang Memorial Park in Eldon.

Last week, it was senior Derek Brandt who caught the game-winning touchdown. 

Friday night, fellow senior Dezmyn Moore made his lone reception of the game count in the form of a 54-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brendan Decker at the 4:37 mark of the fourth quarter.

Just over two minutes later, sophomore cornerback Tanner Meyer broke up a long Eldon pass play on fourth down to give the ball back to the Dutchmen before they eventually finished off their 41-34 road victory over the host Eldon Mustangs.

“We’ll take it. I may age prematurely after too many more of these, but we’ll take the victory,” Cabot said. 

Losing the opening coin toss to start the game, Owensville had to start out on defense.

Eldon took advantage at the 6:47 mark of the first quarter on a Hunter Hees 1-yard touchdown run. Nicky Martonfi’s extra point gave the Mustangs an early 7-0 lead.

Two plays and 21 seconds later, the Dutchmen tied it at 7-7 on a Decker to Derek Brandt 57-yard TD pass with Charlie Whelan’s extra point.

Decker finished with 156 yards through the air on 5-14 passing and two touchdowns. He also ran for 61 yards on four carries.

Tied at 7-7 after one quarter, Eldon retook the lead with a touchdown at the 8:32 mark of the first half by a 14-7 score.

Owensville had another quick answer on offense.

Nearly 40 seconds after EHS scored their second touchdown, Austin Lowder answered for the Dutchmen with a 22-yard TD run.

Whelan’s kick tied it at 14-14 with 7:54 until halftime.

Almost two minutes later, a 96-yard punt return by Brandt to the Eldon 1-yard line set the OHS offense up nicely.

Decker punched it in from a yard out giving the Dutchmen their first lead of the game at 21-14 on Whelan’s third extra point.

Hees struck again for Eldon on a 3-yard TD run late in the second quarter to send the game into halftime tied at 21-21.

Getting the ball to start the second half, Owensville took full advantage of it.

Traveling 75 yards in over two minutes, Lowder found the end zone on a 3-yard touchdown run with 9:35 for the third quarter. Whelan’s kick put the Dutchmen back on top 28-21.

For the game, Lowder finished with a team-high 75 yards rushing on 14 carries and two touchdowns.

Six minutes later, Eldon tied the game at 28-28 on a 10-yard TD pass from Hees to Dallas Hardy with 3:36 for the third quarter.

Resorting to some trickery, Eldon recovered an onside kick to keep possession of the football into the fourth quarter.

Hees punched it in from a yard out with 11:08 remaining giving Eldon a 34-28 lead after their missed extra point.

Less than a minute later, Brandt scored on a 10-yard rushing touchdown for the Dutchmen with 10:26 remaining. Whelan’s first missed extra point of the season left the game tied at 34-34.

Brandt led Dutchmen receivers with three catches for 58 yards.

Getting the ball back with 6:06 left, Owensville wasted little time reclaiming the lead for good on Moore’s aforementioned TD grab.

Defensively, Brent Helmig and Trey Johnson each recorded a sack for the Dutchmen. Helmig also led OHS with a team-high 15 total tackles.

Chance Clevenger (12) and Alan Kopp (10) also reached double digits in total tackles.