Varsity football 9-25 at Mt. Vernon

Turnovers were the name of the game Friday night in Mt. Vernon as the Wildcats took on the Bulldogs.

The defense held MV to a 3-and-out their first possession, but Oak Harbor fumbled the ball on their 2nd play from scrimmage at the Bulldog 39. Again, the defense held, forcing another punt, but the ball was touched by a Wildcat player and recovered by Mt. Vernon, resulting in a first down at the Wildcat 20. Five plays later the Bulldog QB ran in for the score. The conversion failed so the score was 6-0 at the 6:28 mark in the first quarter.

Oak Harbor’s next possession resulted in a punt, and Mt. Vernon started on their own 37. They drove the ball down to the OH 27, where a 4th and 1 pass attempt fell incomplete. The Wildcats moved the ball out to the 47, but 3 straight incomplete passes forced a Wildcat punt. Mt. Vernon ran three plays, losing 4 yards, before the 1st quarter ended with Mt. Vernon leading 6-0.

Mount Vernon punted on the first play of the second quarter and the Wildcats took over on their own 25 yard line. Three plays brought the ball to the OH 48, where Donovan Hunt burst free up the middle and down to the Bulldog 3 yard line. On the next play QB Clarence LaMont danced in for the Wildcat score. Ryan Fakkema’s kick was good to give OH a 7-6 lead with 10:36 left until halftime.

The OH kickoff was returned to the 36 yard line, but on the 2nd play, Javon Payne put a hard hit on the ball carrier, knocking the ball loose, and Payne was on the spot to make the recovery. First down for Oak Harbor on the Mt. Vernon 37. Two runs by Hunt set up another LaMont TD run from 3 yards out. Fakkema’s kick was good again and the ‘Cats took a 14-6 lead with 8:26 left.

The Bulldogs went 3-and-out after the kickoff, but then an Oak Harbor pitch was fumbled and recovered by MV at the Wildcat 17. Mt. Vernon scored on a run TD, but the pass conversion was batted down, leaving Oak Harbor with a 14-12 lead and 7:20 left

With lots of time still in the first half, Oak Harbor mounted another long drive. Starting at their own 31 yard line, the ‘Cats used 13 plays to get to the MV 21, but on a 4th and 1 play, LaMont could not get that extra yard and the ball went over to the Bulldogs with 1:20 left. Mt. Vernon couldn’t get the ball moved and the half ended with Oak Harbor still leading 14-12.

The 2nd half kickoff went deep, was picked up by Oak Harbor, but the return man touched the sideline with his foot, killing any return. The Wildcats punted after 3 plays to the OH 42 yard line. Mt. Vernon completed a long pass play, but our bend-but-don’t-break defense forced the Bulldogs to try a field goal with the ball at the 10 yard line. The kick was good with 8:34 left in the 3rd quarter putting Mt. Vernon back in the lead, 15-14.

On their next possession, the turnover bug bit the Wildcats again as a LaMont pass was intercepted at the OH 45, and the Bulldogs used only three plays to score again and increase their lead to 22-14 with 5:05 left in the 3rd.

The Mount Vernon kickoff went out of bounds, so Oak Harbor started their next possession at the OH 35. A holding penalty back the boys up to their own 20, but a 3rd and 11 pass reception by Mike Washington, Jr. gave OH a first down at midfield. The drive continued to the MV 10 yard line but stalled, and Fakkema kicked a 28-yard field goal to close the gap to 22-17 with 1:31 to go in the 3rd.

The Bulldogs mounted another quick drive, going from their own 45 down to the Oak Harbor 3 yard line, when time expired in the 3rd quarter.

The first play of the final period was a MV touchdown run, boosting the Bulldog lead to 29-17. The MV kickoff again went OOB, giving OH the ball on the 35 yard line.

The Wildcats again got the ball moving. Josh Higbee got it to the 46 and LaMont ran it (with some help from a late hit penalty on the Bulldogs) to the MV 34. Runs by Hunt and LaMont moved the ball to the 27, then, facing a 4th and 9 at the MV 29, Hunt had a big catch and run down to the 7 yard line. A false start penalty on OH made it 1st and goal at the 12. The first down pass attempt fell incomplete in the end zone and the second pass attempt was intercepted in the corner of the end zone.

Wildcat defenders held MV to just a 6-yard gain before forcing a punt. Oak Harbor took over on their own 24 and 6:15 left in the game and drove out to the Mt. Vernon 40 where again, the pass was intercepted at the Bulldog 17 and returned to the 44. From there, Mt. Vernon was able to run the clock out to end the game with a 29-17 win.

A few video clips from the game are posted HERE.