By Shawn Roney The Examiner
Posted: October 1, 2011 - 2:26 AM

To Fort Osage football coach Ryan Schartz, quarterback Steven McBee and running back Jaleel Gordon, Friday night’s 41-7 road win over Belton wasn’t the commanding win the final score would suggest.

“They’re (Pirates) starting to play well, so I’m going to give them credit,” Schartz said after the Suburban Middle Seven victory. “But in the same breath, I think we stubbed our toe a little bit tonight. (We) killed some drives.”

And Fort Osage’s 11 penalties for 80 yards bothered Schartz.

“The penalties are embarrassing,” he said. “It’s not something we coach. We need to get it corrected.”

Schartz, McBee and Gordon agreed the Indians (5-1 overall, 3-0) started off flat.

“I don’t know what it was,” said Gordon, who rushed for a touchdown and 71 yards on 16 carries. “Maybe the long bus ride.”

McBee, who rushed for four touchdowns and 139 yards on 22 carries and threw for 84 yards, could sense the lack of intensity beforehand.

“We were just kind of low-key,” he said. “Next week, we need to come back out a little better.”

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