Mavericks stampede Knights

Mavericks stampede Knights

By GARY DOVE
Bluefield Daily Telegraph


WELCH — What started as a football game turned into a stampede Friday night as the undefeated James Monroe Mavericks claimed a 53-0 win over the Mount View Golden Knights at the newly renamed Vic Nystrom Stadium.

Junior Taylor Robertson led the Maverick offense with 145 yards rushing on 16 carries for four touchdowns, all in the first half.

Seniors Chris Frazier and Ernie Tincher added 66 and 64 yards on the ground respectively, along with a TD each, as the Mavs held a 46-0 advantage at halftime.

The Knights played gracious hosts, turning the football over seven times in the game, five times on fumbles and twice on interceptions.

Fifth-year James Monroe head coach David Witt commented on his team’s rushing attack that netted 275 yards and 15 first downs in the opening half, “I thought we executed well. We came out and played physical like we wanted to do.”

The Mavericks scored on their first six possessions of the opening half, four times after fumble recoveries, and added another six points on a pass interception return.

The Monroe countians took the opening kickoff and negotiated 66 yards in only six plays from their single-wing offense, with Tincher going the final 21 yards on a misdirection play around left end with 9:25 remaining in the inaugural frame.

Logan Ray’s PAT kick gave the visitors a quick 7-0 lead.

Frazier recovered a fumble at the golden Knight 39 to set up Robertson’s initial bell-ringer, a one-yard burst with 4:40 remaining in the opening quarter.

Senior Nick Conte recovered a second fumble at the Maverick 43, and the visitors made quick work of finding the end zone when Robertson bolted 35 yards up the middle with 1:41 showing in the first. Ray again booted the conversion for a 20-0 James Monroe lead.

The Knights fumbled away the ensuing kickoff and the Mavericks started a drive of eight plays that spanned the first two periods.

Frazier capped the 26-yard drive with a 1-yard run, 1:29 into the second stanza, before Ray again added the extra point boot.

Robertson reeled off a 27-yard score at the 6:09 mark of the second period to cap an eight play, 40-yard march, staking James Monroe to a 33-0 advantage.

Once again, on the ensuing Knight series, the pigskin popped loose and the Mavs recovered at the View 33.

Robertson added his final score of the night on a 3-yard run with 4:08 showing, as Jonathan Pence’s PAT kick pushed the James Monroe lead to 40-0.

Senior Zach Mann picked off a Golden Knight pass and returned it 24 yards for yet another touchdown, with 3:16 left before the break for a 46-0 Maverick lead.

Coach Witt emptied his bench in the second half, but added a score on the initial possession of the third quarter.

Sophomore Josh Evans ran a reverse to the left for an 18-yard TD with 4:49 showing in the third.

Ray’s conversion kick ended the scoring for the evening, with the Mavericks taking a 53-0 win back to Monroe County.

Junior Marcel Cunningham had three runs of 24, 22 and 12 yards in the second half for Mount View, but the Knights could not crack the end zone.

Continued Coach Witt, “I’m real pleased with the way we played.”

The Mavericks, now 8-0 and ranked second in this week’s SSAC Class AA state rankings, will visit Bluefield Friday night to face the top-rated and similarly undefeated Beavers.

Praised Mount View head coach Leon Gravely, “James Monroe’s a powerhouse. They are a big, strong, physical team.” He continued, “We’re in a rebuilding process right now. Our guys played with a lot of heart and a lot of enthusiasm. They didn’t quit.”

The Golden Knights, now 3-4, will visit Stubenville Catholic, Ohio, next Saturday night.



at Vic Nystrom Stadium

At Mount View

James Monroe..................20 26 7 0 — 53

Mount View.........................0 0 0 0 — 0

First quarter

JM: Tincher 25 run (Ray kick) 9:25

JM: Robertson 1 run (kick failed) 4:40

JM: Robertson 35 run (Ray kick) 1:41

Second quarter

JM: Frazier 1 run (Ray kick) 10:31

JM: Robertson 27 run (kick failed) 6:09

JM: Robertson 3 run (Pence kick) 4:08

JM: Zach Mann 24 interception return (kick failed) 3:16

Third quarter

JM: Evans 18 run (Ray kick) 4:49

Team Stats:

First Downs: JM 22, MV 7. Rush: JM 383, MV 88. Passing: JM 0-1-0, MV 7-18-2; Fumbles-Lost: JM 1-0, MV 6-5. Punts-Avg: JM 2-29, MV 3-30.

Individual Stats

Rushing: JM: Robertson 16-145, Frazier 14-66, Tincher 7-64; MV: Cunningham 8-55; Cordero High 2-35.

Passing: JM: Robertson 0-1-0-0-0; MV: Parker 7-17-2-79-0

Receiving: MV: Cedric Thomas 5-27, Deonte Marshall 1-45, Phillip Spriggs 1-7