NEW MARKET — Western Boone showed why they’re still a premier team in the Sagamore Conference on Friday when the Stars made the trip to Southmont for a key SAC showdown with the Mounties. WeBo’s defense which has been on their key calling cards all season long, played arguably its best game of the season in what ended up being a 29-6 victory for the Stars.
Western Boone (5-2, 3-2 SAC) forced four Southmont turnovers and methodically controlled the game with its running game while mixing in a few tricks up their sleeve. Brandon Potter got the scoring started for the Stars on a one yard QB sneak to make it 6-0 after the extra point was blocked with 2:32 in the opening quarter. Mason Tomes got the Star offense right back on the field with a interception of Southmont QB Nolan Boyer on a pass that was deflected up in the air. One play later it was 14-0 Stars after Marcus Fortner scored on a 44-yard end around run.
“We just had so many great efforts tonight,” Western Boone coach Justin Pelley said of the win. “We had Cannon Brunes who is our leader go out in the first quarter. Jacob Smith stepped right in and played awesome. Korden Bush left in the second quarter and he’s our starting center. Luke Adkins stepped up to fill Cannon’s spot at middle linebacker and did a great job. All of those guys stepped up when we needed them to and it was a complete team win.”
Southmont came in averaging 277 yards per game on the ground, the Stars held them to just 37 for the night. Wyatt Woodall had 10 rushes for 38 yards while Boyer was 9-19 for 146 yards. 99 of those yards came on the only score of the game for the Mounties when a tremendous punt by the Stars had the Mounties at their one yard line. Boyer threw it up to Kyler McCandless who came down with the catch, shrugged off his defender and turned on the jets for the score. That made the game 16-6 with 7:49 left in the third quarter. South would be called for a taunting penalty on the TD pass and instead of trying the two point try from the 3, it was backed up to the 18.
Mountie coach Desson Hannum noted after the loss how his team has to play sound football if they want to beat the juggernauts that stand in their way in the final weeks.
“First and foremost our defense played one heck of a game tonight getting stops left and right when we needed them,” he said. “They played well enough for us to win the football game. Coach (Mitch Dehne) had a great game plan for the guys and they executed it pretty well. WeBo didn’t get out of character for the most part. We knew there was going to be one or two of those trick plays but they were efficient all night. To be down 16-0 at halftime and get multiple stops deep inside our territory, that’s where we wanted to be is have a chance going into the locker room. We gave them five extra possessions tonight and until we take care of the football we’re going to find ourselves in situations like this.”
The other trick play that really was a energizer for the Stars and a de-flater for the Mounties was with 2:29 left in the third, Phillip Talbott executed a nice fake punt on 4th and 3 from the Mountie 37 and took it all the way for a score.
Pelley noted how since the two teams are so similar, his team had to do something out of the ordinary.
“When you play a team like Southmont who knows how to stop what you like to do since they run it themselves, you have to have big chunk plays and wrinkles to try and counter that,” Pelley said. “Our kids don’t back down from adversity and they were faced with some tonight. They stick together when the going gets tough. We had so many unsung heroes tonight that deserve all the credit in the world.”
Southmont with loss falls to 4-3 (2-3 SAC) with the loss.
WeBo will be back on the road next Friday when they travel for another tough SAC contest against Danville. Southmont will also be on the road when they travel to take on Lebanon.
Western Boone 29, Southmont 6
Score By Quarter
WB 6 10 7 6 - 29
SM 0 0 6 0 - 6
Team Stats
WBSM
Total Yds 278 183
Rushing Yds 197 37
Passing Yds 81 146
Turnovers 0 4
First Downs 14 5
Penalties 6-60 2-9
Individual Stats
Rushing: Western Boone (Jacob Smith 17-83 TD, Marcus Fortner 1-44 TD, Phillip Talbott 2-41 TD, Cannon Brunes 7-13, Luke Jackson 3-7, Mason Tomes 2-11, Kylde McKeighan 1-1 Brandon Potter 8 - (-2) TD; Southmont Wyatt Woodall 10-38, Dylan Howell 2-5, Cale Chadd 2-(-3), Nolan Boyer 6-(-3)
Receiving: Western Boone Carter Marcum 1-41, Marcus Fortner 2-30, Phillip Talbott 1-10; Southmont Kyler McCandless 3-110 TD, Dylan Howell 3-18, Wyatt Woodall 2-14, Cale Chadd 1-4
Passing: Western Boone Brandon Potter 4-10 81; Southmont Nolan Boyer 9-19 146 TD 3INT
