ROACHDALE — Southmont football is 2-0 for the first time since 2003 and the first time ever in the Desson Hannum era.
The Mounties used a stifling defense and big play offense to down North Putnam on the road 32-7 Friday night.
“It’s great to start the season 2-0,” Hannum, who is in his 15th year at Southmont said. “North Put played hard tonight, so a lot of credit to them. I thought our kids came and played hard. We came ready to play and were on fire there to start the game.”
Southmont forced a quick three and out defensively to start the game before Nick Scott found Carson Chadd on a 53-yard touchdown pass on the Mounties’ (2-0) first offensive play of the game.
And it was all Mounties from there.
Southmont out-gained the Cougars (0-2) 282-68, including eight ball carriers totaling 195 rushing yards on 33 carries.
Scott hooked up with Aaron McMasters on a four-yard strike with 2:59 left in the second quarter, and the Mounties got the ball right back with Scott taking it in from 22 yards out to make it 19-0 Southmont at the half.
“He’s comfortable with what we are doing offensively and what we are asking of him,” Hannum said of his sophomore quarterback. “I just really feels like he has a good grasp of what we are trying to do. He had some success throwing the ball.”
Scott threw for 87 yards and two scores, and added 45 yards on the ground on seven carries.
Scott completed just five passes, but connected with five different receivers, including Chadd, McMasters, Seth Tolliver, Trip Ward, and Brady Boller. Wyatt Woodall led the rushing attack with 68 yards on nine carries, while Chadd touched the ball just three times and tallied 109 yards from scrimmage.
Hannum gives all the credit to Southmont’s defense, who came out of the gate strong — forcing three quick punts and two turnovers in the first half — while holding North Putnam to just 27 yards in the first 24 minutes.
“Defensively we played great tonight,” he said. “We brought a lot of enthusiasm, especially early on. We were getting guys to the ball, we were running and putting pressure on them, and creating turnovers. We were doing a lot of good things there and it was good to see that we were led by our defense tonight.”
The second half wasn’t as clean offensively though. Southmont committed three of its five turnovers on consecutive drives and lost the ball on downs on a fourth possession.
Chadd added a 44-yard touchdown run and Kellan Kaelin a 2-yard score in the fourth quarter.
North Putnam scored its first touchdown of the season when quarterback Gunner Burress rushed it in from three yards out with 6:18 to play. The senior led the Cougars with 50 yards on 20 carries.
North Putnam opens Western Indiana Conference play by hosting South Putnam next Friday, while Southmont’s next opponent is to be determined.
