NEW MARKET – In a win that will be remembered for a long, long time at Southmont, the Mounties football team exploded out of the box to score on their first three possessions, defeat Danville 28-14 and move to 6-0 for the first time in 41 years.
“First and foremost – our kids wanted this,” Mounties coach Desson Hannum said. “Whatever I say cannot give justice to how much these guys wanted this win. The offense, the defense, the special teams. They wanted this so badly. I’m as proud as I’ve ever been.”
The offense came out and ran the ball for 372 yards, and the only pass completion went for a touchdown.
The defense held the Warriors on downs on two of their first three possessions, which the offense promptly turned into points, and then forced two late turnovers on bone-crunching hits.
The win also moves the Mounties to 4-0 in the Sagamore Conference, and with Tri-West losing, puts South alone in first place.
The Homecoming crowd had something to cheer for from the first minute to the last.
Taking the opening kickoff, the Warriors got a couple first downs, but South’s defense took the ball away on downs.
The Mounties converted a couple of long third downs, and literally ran the ball 91 yards on 12 plays, burning nearly half the first-quarter clock off.
Wyatt Woodall drug a handful of Danville defenders across the goal line from eight yards out, and the Mounties had made their presence felt.
“I told our guys we were going to find out if we were going to win in the first five minutes of the game,” Hannum said, “and not a single guy backed down. The offensive line created chunk yardage plays for us, and we kept going to it.”
After a second turnover on downs, and three plays later, Nick Scott hit EJ Brewer on a perfect fade pass for 42 yards and the second TD.
It was 14-0 Mounties.
The Warriors had to punt after their third possession, and the short field worked to the Mounties ground game advantage again.
Nine plays and 48 yards later, Woodall was in from seven yards out, and halfway through the second quarter, South was up 21-0.
The teams traded possessions for the rest of the half, but there was upset in the air, and not even some rain during Homecoming halftime festivities dampened the enthusiasm.
The Mounties got a fourth score midway through the third quarter, when Carson Chadd ran it in from 66 yards out on the first play of new possession.
It was then time to make the clock go faster.
The Warriors got a TD on a 57-yard pass play from sophomore quarterback Conner Soper to Brian Wuest.
They got a second score early in the fourth quarter on a Derin Sharp 13-yard run following a Mounties turnover.
South got some first downs, but had another turnover. The Warriors were closing in on a possible third score, when the Mounties defense shut the door.
On Danville’s last two possessions, and in South territory, Dylan Howell applied a pair of ball-loosening hits to Soper. Both fumbles were recovered by South, and the doors were opened for the students to rush the field at the end of the game.
“Like I said, it was everyone,” Hannum said. The defense came out and responded right from the start, the offense put the early points on the board. Everyone played so well. I’m just extremely pleased with such a great all-around effort. We knew it would take poise, composure and discipline. We had very few mental mistakes tonight.”
The Mounties finished with only three penalties.
The 372 rush yards and the 42 pass yards gave South 416 total yards for the night. The Warriors finished with 89 rush yards and 252 through the air for 341.
Chadd finished with 14 rush attempts and 195 yards. Woodall lugged the pigskin 30 times for 145 yards. Scott was 1-of-5 passing while Soper was 20-of-34 passing. Both quarterbacks had one TD and Soper had a pick.
“The guys are starting to understand,” Hannum said. “This is a win you’ll remember for a long time. This was a heck of a win.”
It is only the fifth time a Southmont football team has been 6-0. The last team was in 1981, along with 1971, ‘77 and ‘78.
The Warriors fall to 2-4 overall and 2-2 in the conference. They have Frankfort at home next Friday.
The Mounties head to Western Boone to take on the Stars.
