Vikings prove too much for Colonials
YORK RUN – Mount Pleasant made it very clear who the class of the Keystone Conference is in its showdown for first place at Albert Gallatin on Friday night. The Vikings took control of the game early on and churned out a 32-12 victory to improve to 4-0 in the conference and 4-3 overall.
Mike Sawlsville ran for 61 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 90 yards, and Jake Hoffer rushed for 107 yards in a balanced Mount Pleasant offense.
On defense the Vikings concentrated on shutting down Colonial quarterback Nate Turner, and did so for the most part. Turner scored both of Albert Gallatin’s touchdowns in rushing for a game-high 151 yards, but almost half of that came on a 75-yard run in the game’s final minutes and Mount Pleasant limited the senior to only 39 yards through the air.
“Our guys came in here with a purpose,” Vikings coach Mark Lyons. “I thought we had a good flow, good rhythm on offense. On defense, our coaching staff did a great job of game-planning for Turner. He’s a superior athlete and we didn’t want to let him beat us.”
The Colonials (3-4, 3-2) fell out of the picture for the conference title, but can still clinch a playoff spot with a victory at Laurel Highlands next week.
“The kids know they have to bounce back,” AG coach Chuck Colborn said. “We’ve got LH next week and everyone knows that’s a big game.”
Mount Pleasant used a big play right off the bat to show it meant business against Albert Gallatin on this night.
Hoffer broke free for a 31-yard run on the Vikings first play from scrimmage, but Hoffer fumbled a pitch two plays later with Adam Morris recovering for the Colonials at the AG 45.
Mount Pleasant’s defense held and Albert Gallatin went into punt formation, but sent a direct snap to Dan Karpency instead. The fake punt never had a chance, though, as Karpency was buried at midfield and the Vikings took over on downs.
Mount Pleasant covered that distance in seven plays with Sawlsville running in from the 6 to the touchdown.
“That’s always big,” Lyons said. “When you go on the road, you want to strike first.”
The key play in the drive was Sawlsville’s 32-yard pass to Chet Welc on a third-and-11 play.
“We gave up some real big, key third-down plays, and that really hurt us,” Colborn said.
The Vikings forced a punt and then marched 65 yards in nine plays with Sawlsville scoring on 1-yard run to open the second quarter for a 14-0 lead.
Albert Gallatin got a break later in the quarter when Mount Pleasant fumbled a punt with Patrick Kopas recovering for the Colonials at the Viking 41. Albert Gallatin moved to the 17 before fumbling itself with Robbie Gumbita recovering for Mount Pleasant with 1:46 left in the half.
Sawlsville guided the Vikings downfield into position for a field goal attempt. Kaylin Chain, who was named Mount Pleasant’s homecoming queen last week, drilled the 33-yard kick with no time left on the clock to make it 17-0 at halftime. Chain also was 3-for-3 on extra-point kicks.
The Vikings went up 19-0 early in the third quarter when Albert Gallatin lined up in punt formation but had the snap sail high and out of the end zone.
Turner guided AG on a 68-yard, 13-play drive capped by his 1-yard run with 9:04 left in the game, but the Vikings answered with a 67-yard drive capped by Sawlsville’s 1-yard run to put the game away.
“They were much more physical,” Colborn said. “They won the battle up front. They took it to us from the start.”