For a moment, Cabool coach Vince McCrosky sounded apologetic after his Bulldogs played the role of spoilers on a historic night in Doniphan.
"I know how tough it is for them right now," McCrosky said. "I have been on that other side forever. It's a good win for us and I'm happy for my kids."
Cabool, a long-time member of the South Central Association, broke a 21-game losing streak dating back to 2015 with a 40-6 victory in Doniphan's first varsity football game since 1979. Around 1,300 spectators filled the new Brumitt Community Stadium at Griffin Field on Friday night including a few hundred who brought their own chairs. Advanced tickets for the 750 available bleacher seats had been sold out for several days.
After starting two years ago at the freshmen and junior high levels, the Dons played seven junior varsity games last season and came away with a 4-3 record.
Friday night, the Dons suited up 37 players, none of which had ever played in a varsity game.
"The difference between Cabool and ourselves is they are a well oiled machine," said Dons head coach Jeremy Stout. "They've been playing football for a long time."
Lesson One for the Dons was facing an attacking defense that mixed in several blitzes.
"We corrected some thing we had done wrong (in last week's jamboree), but I think we got a little overwhelmed," Stout said.
"We're pretty fast and I thought that might give them some trouble," said the Cabool coach. "I was pretty concerned they might just try to run it down our throats.
Our defense played well. I think we took it away from them pretty quick."
Cabool junior running back Dalton Overby ran for 122 yards including a 72-yarder for a touchdown in the second quarter to help the Bulldogs build a 19-0 halftime lead.
Dakota Overby, a sophomore, scored a pair of third-quarter touchdowns including a 50-yard run as the Bulldogs built the lead to 40-0 entering the final quarter.
The Dons managed only 70 yards of total offense and struggled at times on special teams including a botched punt play that set up Cabool at the DHS 2 for the first score of the game.
Senior Shawn Smith took it with 10:29 left in the first half and freshman Brayden Cornelius converted the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
White's 39-yard punt pushed the Bulldogs back to their own 29 on the next possession. But Dalton Overby cut back to find an opening and covered 72 yards to put the Bulldogs ahead 13-0 with 7:23 left in the half.
Another low snap on a punt attempt resulted in a block and Cabool took over at the Dons' 14 with 2:11 left in the half.
Quarterback Will Johnson found Kaleb Sigman open across the middle from 17 yards out to push the lead to 19-0 with 1:23 left in the half.
Cabool put the game with three TDs in the final 5:30 of the third quarter including Dakota Overby's 50-yard run at 2:49 and a 53-yarder from senior Adrien Ortega with 11 seconds on the clock.
"We knew coming in that they were fast," said Stout. "They are much improved from what they were in the past."
Eight different running backs earned at least one carry for the Dons. Sophmore fullback Maguire Baucom accounted for a team-leading 42 yards on four carries to spark a fourth-quarter scoring drive for the Dons.
Four consecutive carries from Baucom moved the Dons from their own 48 to the Bulldog 10 before junior Gavin Thompson earned the historic first TD for the Dons' new era with 5:27 to play.
The Dons' other highlights came on the defensive end.
Sophomore safety Hunter Robers ended a second-quarter possession with an interception.
The Dons' defense also was successful on a pair of goal-line stands including one in the first quarter after Cabool had first-and-goal at the 4.
Senior defensive end Michael Turner stopped the Bulldogs for a 2-yard loss and senior Thomas Hawks picked up a tackle for no gain.
Cabool finished with 324 total yards with 293 coming on 37 rushing plays.
Doniphan will play at home again Friday against Thayer, another SCA member. Thayer dropped it's season opener Friday night against Hayti, 46-14.
Stout said he expects his players will be ready to focus after a busy week that included a community-wide tailgate party and considerable attention from the media.
"I am very proud of our kids. This was a big day in Doniphan and it still is because we got to play football on this field," Stout said.
"We're going to come back and play again Monday in a jayvee game and then we're going to play next Friday."