By Danielle King & Chris Parker
Mt. Vernon football fans have gotten used to watching the dynamic quarterback and running back duo of Gavin Johnston and Braden Dodson perform incredible feats.
“Any time we step on the field together something special is going to happen and I think everybody knows that,” Johnston said.
This year the duo, who have started together on the varsity football field since freshman year and played together since the third grade, each have etched their names atop the Mt. Vernon record books.
Johnston is now the career passing leader with 5,785 and counting breaking Garrett Hadlock’s record of 5,617. Dodson is the career rushing leader and rushing touchdown leader with 4,864 yards and 67 touchdowns and counting. He broke Bailey Moore’s rushing yard record of 4,115. Moore and Steve Sater held the touchdown record at 53.
“It is so surreal because I have been handing the ball off to him since the third grade. We have grown up in the backfield together. We know each other well on the field and off the field,” Johnston said.
“It has been really great. We have been playing since third grade,” Dodson said. “We have all been together for a long time. Gavin knows my strengths and weaknesses, and I know his strengths and weaknesses. We always bring each other up and help each other out.”
Johnston uses his strong arm and knowledge of the offense to help guide the Mountaineers.
“(Gavin Johnston’s) dad is our defensive coordinator, so (Gavin) has been around ball his whole life. He has done a great job and gotten better every year. He has a great arm. He knows our offense well. He has really done a good job leading our team,” Mt. Vernon head coach Tom Cox said.
Dodson brings a special blend of attributes to the field.
“I don’t know what to say about Braden that hasn’t already been said. He is unbelievable to me how he can make moves and his vision is great and his reaction time is very good plus he is strong. He works hard and is very humble,” Cox said.
The duo hope to inspire the next generation of Mt. Vernon football players.
“Garrett Hadlock had (the record) before me and he also wore No. 4, so he was kind of a role model for me. I told him I would keep No. 4 in the record books for him,” Johnston said. “I remember when I was younger, and Garett Hadlock was a role model to me. One of our basketball coaches sons asked me ‘how long until I am in high school?’ I said quite a while. He said ‘alright, I am going to break that record.”
Both players knew the records were possible entering the season but were much more focused on team success than the individual accolades. They have watched Mt. Vernon go from two wins their freshman years to eight wins as sophomores to 10 wins last season. The team is off to a 6-1 start this season.
“We talked the other day that it is amazing what we can accomplish if nobody cares who gets the credit,” Cox said.
Dodson fully encapsulated that mentality in the 49-18 win over Parkview on senior night this past Friday.
“In the game the other night against Parkview we got down to the goal line and he said ‘coach, can I switch spots with Hunter Conway? He really deserves to get this touchdown.’ I said sure, so (Dodson) went into the blocking mode and he opened up a hole and Hunter scored the touchdown. That is just the kind of person he is,” Cox said.
The records are now in the rearview as the Mountaineers look ahead to the stretch run of the season featuring road trips to face Class 4 No. 7 Nevada this week and Class 4 Monett in Week 9. The Mountaineers are also in a completely new district this season with a set of six other teams they have never played on the varsity level.
Gavin Johnston
Tom Cox
Braden Dodson
