Chris Hugo
Section618.com
CARBONDALE — The Mt. Vernon Rams are playoff eligible for the first time in nine seasons after beating the Carbondale Terriers 42-35 at Bleyer Field Friday night. Both teams threw everything they had at each other offensively and defensively, but it was special teams that ultimately won the game.
It looked as if the Rams would dominate early after Payton McMillen hooked up with Fischer Davis for an 18-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead. A second Rams’ drive ended with a 6-yard touchdown run from Anthony Lash. The Rams then recovered an onside kick to head to the second quarter up 14-0 with the ball.
Mt. Vernon senior Ethan Rivera found the end zone for the ninth time in three games on the first play of the second quarter. The 28-yard touchdown stretched the Rams’ lead to 21-0.
The Terriers got on the scoreboard on the next drive when Mozzy Graham scored from a yard out to pull Carbondale within 21-7.
Mt. Vernon came right back as McMillen and Lash connected for a 64-yard touchdown pass to put the Rams up 28-7 with just 1:35 left before half. The Terriers drove down the field and got another 1-yard scoring run from Graham to cut the deficit to 28-14 at the break.
Carbondale needed just :40 to score to open the second half as Brock Bowlby found Henry Harsy for a 45-yard touchdown to make it a one-score game, 28-21. Carbondale was able to recover it just outside the redzone. A couple of plays later, Bowlby called his own number from four yards out to tie the game at 28-28 less than 2:00 into the third.
A defensive battle quickly ensued as the teams traded stops until late in the fourth. The Rams scored on another Lash 6-yard run to take a 35-28 lead with 1:47 left. On the following drive, the Terriers quickly marched down field. Bowlby found Dee Cawthon for a 40-yard TD pass down the sideline. Ian Davis’ extra point tied the game 35-35 with :57 remaining.
Davis drilled the ensuing kickoff to the 1-yard line where Rams junior Mylan Nettles quickly found a seam up the right sideline and went 99 yards for the go ahead touchdown giving the Rams a 42-35 lead with 43.4 seconds left. Nettles’ return is a new school record, breaking Dontrell Black’s previous record of 97 yards set back in 2006.
Mt. Vernon’s defense then forced a turnover on downs to secure the win.
Lash led the Rams with three touchdowns on the night, two rushing and one receiving. Rivera rushed for 83 yards on 17 carries and added two scores. Bowlby finished 25-41 passing for 322 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Terriers. Both kickers were perfect on their extra points. Mt. Vernon’s Davis was 6-6 while Carbondale’s Davis was 5-5.
The Rams (5-1, 3-0) remain tied atop the South Seven with Centralia. Mt. Vernon will welcome Cahokia for homecoming next Friday, while the Terriers (1-5, 0-3) will travel to Althoff.