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By Matt Turer — @MattTurer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Mount Vernon, MO. — Over three decades later, the memories are still fresh for Tom Cox.
The long-time Mt. Vernon coach was there the last time the Mountaineers advanced to a state title game. That was 1982. Since then, he’s retired and returned. Now, in 2017, the Mountaineers are back.
Mt. Vernon’s suddenly stifling defense forced four turnovers and held Lutheran South to 127 yards, Sammy Robinson rushed for 160 yards and the Mountaineers (10-4) defeated the Lancers (9-4) 16-0 on a cold, blustery Saturday in the Class 3 state semifinals.
“It’s amazing to me that there are so many parallels to that ‘82 team,” Cox said. “We had four losses that year and came in and played Valle Catholic. We were so excited to just get there. That was almost our endgame. We’ve preached to these guys all week that we’re not satisfied with being there. We know we’ll have our hands full with Maryville (next Saturday).”
THE GAME TURNED WHEN
Mt. Vernon kept Lutheran South pinned deep in its own territory throughout the first half. After the Mountaineers offense failed to score on 4th and goal from the one, the defense allowed just two yards before Andrew Montemayor blocked the Lancers punt in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 lead. Mt. Vernon had blocked the punt on the previous play as well, but it was blown dead after a false start. That encouraged the Mountaineers to be aggressive on special teams, resulting in a second blocked punt, this time by Will Boswell, in the second quarter.
“Our special teams coach, Kelley Beckner, thought we could get it,” Cox said. “With the wind situation, there were so many variables today, we thought this was a great opportunity to go for it, and we got it and it was huge.”
Mt. Vernon didn’t allow Lutheran South beyond midfield until a roughing the passer penalty early in the second quarter. The Lancers drove inside Mt. Vernon’s 30, but sacks on back-to-back plays by Tristan Dennis/Luke McKinzie and then Sammy Robinson ended that drive.
The blocked punts were coupled with a pair of first-half interceptions by Chance Fenton and Jagen Prescott. Fenton’s went 10 yards for a touchdown after jumping a Vito Orlando pass deep in Lancer territory.
Orlando came in with 30 touchdowns and over 2,000 yards but was held to 5-25 passing for 37 yards, three interceptions and a lost fumble.
Lutheran South came in averaging 41 points. Last week, Mt. Vernon held an Eldon team averaging over 50 points per game to just six.
“The key has been our defense, as you saw today,” Cox said. “They’ve just played so well, and offensively we haven’t turned it over. That’s been the key through this whole run for us. Defensively we’ve swarmed the ball, offensively we’ve taken care of it.”
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PLAYER OF THE GAME
Sammy Robinson was excellent with 160 yards on 31 carries on a day when the run game needed to be effective with winds gusting over 30 miles per hour at times, but the Mountaineers special teams was the difference. Not only did the unit block two punts, but Ty Boswell pinned Lutheran South inside its 15-yard line three times in the second half and had punts of 54 and 52 yards. One of those punts came on 3rd and 27 and rolled all the way to the eight.
TOP PLAY
Chance Fenton’s interception touchdown in the second quarter put Mt. Vernon up 16-0 and felt like an early dagger despite the two-score game. The Mountaineers defense was pressuring Lutheran South on every dropback, stuffing the run inside and not allowing the Lancers to run off the ends. That trend continued throughout with the Lancers averaging just 1.9 yards per play.
“Flawless performance defensively,” Ty Boswell said.
“We could tell from the beginning [that we had them],” Robinson said. “Once we got that first possession on defense we knew we could stop them and execute like we did all week (in practice).”
Ty Boswell scored the game’s only offensive touchdown on a four-yard scamper up the middle in the first quarter.
THE TURNAROUND
Mt. Vernon entered the postseason 5-4 and was the 5-seed in district play before rattling off this run to the Class 3 state title game.
“It feels good,” Will Boswell said. “I was beginning to wonder there. I thought some of us were starting to quit. But we just switched gears and took off.”
The Mountaineers have outscored their last two opponents 40-6.
“It’s just been a team effort,” Cox said. “That’s the thing about these guys. Since Week 9 we have really played well together in all three aspects of the game.”
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
Defending state runner-up Maryville (12-2) awaits Mt. Vernon in Columbia next Saturday at 11 a.m. in the Class 3 state championship.
“It feels awesome,” Ty Boswell said. “It’s every kid’s dream when they’re little and all the way through middle school and high school to get this chance. It’s the biggest game of my life.”
Maryville beat Blair Oaks 49-20 on Saturday. The Spoofhounds lost to Monett in last year’s state championship game.
“It means a lot,” Will Boswell said. “This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I loved coming to watch Mountaineer games when I was little. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.”
This will mark the second consecutive season that two Big 8 teams will compete for state titles after Lamar beat Lutheran North 7-6 on Saturday.
“We’re proud of the Big 8,” Cox said. “This brand of football down here has just been darn good for a long time. It’s physical, but yet it’s innovative. Guys do things that are very sound, and it’s tough to outcoach anybody in the Big 8. We knew we had pressure on us to kind of uphold the Big 8, and we certainly tried to do that today.”
SCORING
Lutheran South 0-0-0-0 — 0
Mt. Vernon 9-7-0-0 — 16
FIRST QUARTER
MT. VERNON SAFETY — 5:05 — Andrew Montemayor 0 Yd Blocked Punt (Safety) — Mt. Vernon 2, Lutheran South 0 (3 plays, 2 yards, 1:18)
MT. VERNON TD — 2:24 — Ty Boswell 4 Yd Run (Jayden Buttram Kick) — Mt. Vernon 9, Lutheran South 0 (8 plays, 56 yards, 2:33)
SECOND QUARTER
MT. VERNON TD — Chance Fenton 10 Yd Interception Return (Jayden Buttram Kick) — Mt. Vernon 16, Lutheran South 0 (3 plays, -1 yards, 0:47)
