Solid Mt. Vernon Mt’neers soundly defeat Patriots, 48-6

The Mt. Vernon Mt’neers delivered a decisive victory against the East Newton Patriots during their game at Don Johnston Stadium in Newtonia on Friday, Sept. 20. The Mt’neers defeated the Patriots 48-6 to gain their third win of the season.
The Mt’neers drew first blood early in the game when Braden Dodson capped off a 36-yard offensive drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge within the first minute of the start of the first quarter. Landon Popa followed up with a PAT to make the score 7-0.
The Mt’neers scored again about midway through first quarter when Gavin Johnston completed an 11-yard touchdown to Lane Konrad. Popa made another PAT to make the score 14-0 at the end of first quarter.
Near the beginning of the second quarter, the Patriots got on the board when they made a touchdown, but failed to follow up with a PAT, making the score 14-6. The Mt’neers responded shortly after with their own touchdown when Johnston completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Coy Felton. Popa made his third PAT of the night to make the score 21-6.
Near the end of the quarter, the Mt’neers fought their way to the Patriot’s six-yard line. On a third down and 6, they had an errant snap and so opted for a field goal for the fourth down. Popa successfully kicked the ball over the goal posts to make the score 24-6 at the end of the half.
The Mt’neers continued to control the ball during the second half of the game. Though they opened third quarter by kicking off to the Patriots, Jarrett Zerby covered the kick to give the Mt’neers possession and put them on offense on the Patriot’s 30-yard line. Soon after, Johnston capped off the Mt’neers offensive drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Konrad. Popa again followed up with a PAT to make the score 31-6.
The Patriots then went on offense, but their drive was cut short when Juliun Hernandez intercepted the ball in the Mt’neers’ end zone to make a touchback and put the team on offense on their own 20-yard line. The Mt’neers then went on an 80-yard offensive drive which Dodson capped off with a five-yard plunge into the end zone. Popa delivered a PAT to make the score 38-6 at the end of the third quarter.
Early in the fourth, a touchdown made by the Mt’neers was overturned due to a holding call against the team. Ultimately, Popa finished off the drive with a 34-yard field goal to make the score 41-6.
The Mt’neers scored their last touchdown near the end of the game when Preston Hardyman made a three-yard touchdown run to cap off their final offensive drive, ending the game with a Mt’neers victory.
Tom Cox, the Mt’neers head coach, said he was greatly pleased with the win.
“I feel good about this one,” he said. “I feel like they have a good football team, and we just executed really well the things that we do, and things turned out well for us.”
On Friday, Sept. 27, the Mt’neers will travel to Lamar, where they will face the Tigers. Cox said he expected that they are going be a tough opponent, but he was optimistic that the Mt’neers would be victorious.
“We’re just going to do what we do, do it to the best of our ability, try to execute like we did tonight and hope for a good outcome,” he said.