Football 2011-10-07 vs Mt. Vernon

The Josiah Miller show visited Oak Harbor last Friday night at the Wildcats took on the Mt. Vernon Bulldogs. MV came in with a 4-1 record, their only loss to 4A Mariner, 28-24.

The game started badly for the Wildcats at the opening kickoff was fumbled at the OH 27 and MV recovered. One play later the Bulldogs were in the end zone, just 16 seconds into the game.

Oak Harbor responded with a Miller 67-yard TD run on a 4-play drive that started at the OH 20. Peter Franssen kicked the PAT to tie the game 7-7 not quite 2 minutes into the game.

Mt. Vernon coughed up the ball on the first play of their next drive, Oak Harbor recovering at the MV 37. A couple of miscues later, the Wildcats were looking at a 4th & 26 at the Bulldog 35. Miller went back to punt, but instead of kicking, ran down the near sideline and into the end zone to put OH up 14-7.

The Bulldogs came right back and threw a 65-yard pass completion for a score, but the kick failed leaving OH up by one point, 14-13. That score would stand until the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started with MV on the OH 21 yard line and they scored on the first play with a pass into the end zone. It was then 20-14 for the Dogs.

The Wildcats failed to convert a 4th down attempt at midfield, then Mt. Vernon drove for another score, taking a 27-14 lead with 7:51 left in the half.

On Oak Harbor's next drive, Miller again made the big play, catching a pass from OH QB Ian Kolste and running 70-yards to close the score to 27-21. After the OH kickoff, the defense stepped up and forced MV to punt, but the Bulldog defense was also stiff, forcing a turnover on downs.

With under a minute left in the half and the ball at their own 38, Mt. Vernon went to the air, which was a mistake. Under extreme pressure by the Wildcat line, the Bulldog quarterback threw the ball up for grabs. The grabee was Miller, who caught the ball at the OH 43 and returned it 32 yard to the MV 25. Four plays later it was 1st and goal at the Bulldog 7 yard line. Kolste went back to pass and found 6-3 Mike Washington in the end zone with 3 seconds left in the half. Franssen's PAT let OH go into the locker room at the half with a one point lead, 28-27.

Mt. Vernon received the 2nd half kickoff, returned it to the 50, then ran in from 3 yards out to regain the lead 33-28 after the PAT run failed.

Again, Miller was there for the 'Cats. He finished a 5 play drive that started at the MV 36 with a 27-yard reception. The normally solid Franssen missed the PAT, but OH was back on top 34-33.

Both teams punted on their next drives, but Mt. Vernon fumbled on their first play and the ball was recovered by Dakota Sinchak at the MV 25 yard line. Two plays later it was Miller into the end zone from 3 yards out to boost the OH score to 40-33.

Now the Bulldogs, who has used their size to great advantage in the first half, were starting to tire. The Wildcat defense again forced a punt and Miller broke free up the middle for a 66-yard TD run to make it 46-33.

A 4th and 18 MV pass fell incomplete in the end zone, giving the Wildcats the ball at the OH 29 yard line with 7:38 left in the game. With the big Bulldog line panting, the OH offense went to work. Brent Ryan, who had been shut down up the middle for most of the game and took advantage of the Mt. Vernon fatigue and was able to get gains and more importantly, first downs. The 11-play, 71-yard, 5-minute drive was capped by an 11-yard run by Miller with 2:37 left in the game. OH now led 53-33.

Mt. Vernon, with a first down at their own 34, fumbled the ball on the first play and it was recovered by Dayne Herron to seal the victory for Oak Harbor and boost their record to 6-0.

Miller, who broke a school record last week with his 5 touchdowns, broke his own record Friday with 6 scores.

The 9th-ranked Wildcats travel to Shoreline Stadium next Friday to take on the 4-2 Shorecrest Scots

77 photos from the game are posted HERE.

Video clips are all of Miller this week, with one exception - Dayne Herron's fumble recovery at the end of the game. Click HERE to watch the video.