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Building momentumPhoto Credit: Jeff Stead/PrepsKC

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Complete Box Score and Stats

At the beginning of the season, Grain Valley had an issue with turnovers.

The Eagles committed three turnovers in the preseason jamboree and had five more in a season-opening loss to Fort Osage.

Lately, Grain Valley (4-2, 2-0 in the Suburban White) has reversed its fortunes in regard to turnovers. It forced three turnovers and committed just one in a big 24-21 win over Blue Springs South last week.

This week, the Eagles did even better, forcing four turnovers and committing zero in a 44-0 blowout of Belton (2-3, 1-1) Friday on the road.

“Our defense forced some turnovers, and we had a great scheme coming in,” Grain Valley head coach David Allie said. “We ran the ball effectively, too. When your defense is humming and you run the ball like that, good things happen.”

Grain Valley took advantage of Belton starting quarterback Gio Mack being out of the game with an injury. Not only did its defense force four turnovers, it held Belton to only 163 yards of total offense and 3.9 yards per play.

The first big turnover came at the 11:46 mark of the second period. Pirates quarterback Lane Cross floated a pass over the middle that was intercepted by Grain Valley safety Gabe Storment as he returned one 62 yards for his first career pick six.

“It felt good, all I saw was the end zone,” Storment said. “I knew I had it. We were in Cover 1 and I pretty much just sat there, backpedaled four steps and got it. I left their receiver open for a little bit because I knew I could go back and make the play.”

Later in the second, with 8:18 remaining, Elliott intercepted a pass after Cross tried to hit a receiver on a quick slant and returned it to the Belton 6. That set up DJ Harris, who missed the last two games with a bone bruise on his ankle, for a 4-yard touchdown run in which he broke two tackles.

“It felt good being back in overall,” Harris said. “At first, (the injury) was a high ankle sprain, but then I got it needled and got it looked at. We ended up figuring out it was a pretty bad bone bruise. I ended up taking it easy.” 

Belton running back Javon Minor and quarterback Ethan Yinger both fumbled in Belton territory as the ball was recovered by Grain Valley linebacker Brody Baker and defensive end Jake Allen, respectively.

After Baker’s recovery at the Pirate 22, senior running back Christian Lanear cashed in with an 8-yard TD run. On YInger’s fumble, Eagles wide receiver Noah Olah scored on a sweep toss from 3 yards out to make it 41-0 with 3:07 left in the second.

“We knew when they were going to run a buck sweep and we knew when they were going to run a counter,” Allen said. “Their guards would sit back when they pulled, so we got light calls. Our linebackers knew where to go and when to do it.”

After a botched punt by Belton with 5 seconds left, Austin Schmitt made a 33-yard field goal as time expired. Grain Valley’s other scores came on its first drive when quarterback Caleb Larson scored on a 9-yard run on a rollout to the left during the first quarter and a 17-yard TD run from junior running back Ty Williams on a run to the right.

Minor led the Belton offense with 113 yards on 18 carries.