Those “other” Mustangs are coming to Armstrong Field on Friday, Oct. 27, for a Class 3A first-round playoff game.
No. 3 Mount Vernon (8-1) hosts Independence (7-2) at 7 p.m. at the Martha Parsons Family Athletics Complex.
“We finished the season as district champions and get to host our first state tournament game on the new field,” Mount Vernon Coach Lance Pedersen said.
The Mustangs are entering the postseason on a roll, winning five straight, but with the starters having sat out for most of the second half in the last three games.
Since beating Assumption 24-7 for Homecoming on Sept. 29, Mount Vernon won the next three games by a combined margin of 166-20.
“We haven’t had a four-quarter game since Assumption,” Pedersen said. “I worry a little about game conditioning, but I still feel we are very sharp.”
Mount Vernon proved sharp Friday at Keokuk, despite leading only 7-0 after one quarter.
“Little bit of a slow start, but then we got after it,” Pedersen said. “I’m happy with the way our guys played. We did what we needed to do.”
While senior quarterback Joey Rhomberg was sharp, throwing for 153 yards, the day belonged to senior running back Jackson Hird, who ran for a season-best 184 yards on 18 carries. He also had two touchdowns.
“Jackson ran extremely hard,” Pedersen said. “Our guys up front did a good job blocking.”
Keokuk aired it out behind junior QB Brenton Hoard, including an 82-yard touchdown strike to Drew Campbell in the second quarter. Hoard finished with 209 yards passing.
The Chiefs (4-5) only had four yards rushing on 20 attempts.
“They have passed the ball a lot all year long,” Pedersen said. “Early on they were making mid-range passes, and we made a few adjustments.”
Ethan Wood had a pair of touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, and Cooper Hird added a TD run to go with 67 rushing yards, and Michael Ryan also had a TD run.
Mount Vernon led 28-7 at the half, but got the continuous clock going midway through the third quarter.
This Friday’s game matches a pair of district champions.
Independence won Class 3A District 3, despite losing to co-champion West Delaware, 29-21, in Week 8. The Mustangs also lost a non-district game to Waukon, 28-19, in Week 3.
Very little changes for Mount Vernon, back in the postseason for the second straight season (and 27th time overall). For Coach Pedersen, it is his sixth Mount Vernon team to qualify, and 14th overall.
“Nothing changes at practice. It is still one week at a time,” Pedersen said. “We’re excited to come in and prepare this week.”
More Coverage Mustangs 56, Chiefs 7 TEAM STATS MV K First downs 30 9 Rushes-yds. 30-281 20-4 Cmp.-Att.-Int. 12-25-0 15-26-1 Pass yds. 169 209 Fum.-lost 0-0 1-1 Total yds. 450 213 Pen.-yds. 7-98 9-95 Punts-ave. 0-0 5-28.6 Mount Vernon 7 21 21 7 — 56 Keokuk 0 7 0 0 – 7 MV – Joey Rhomberg 7-yard run (Bennett Harp kick) MV – Jackson Hird 11-yard run (Harp kick) K — Drew Campbell 82-yard pass from Brenton Hoard (Cooper Abfalter-Dial kick) MV – Ethan Wood 2-yard run (Harp kick) MV – Evan Brase 28-yard pass from Rhomberg (Harp kick) MV – Jackson Hird 8-yard run (Harp kick) MV – Michael Ryan 8-yard run (Harp kick) MV – Wood 16-yard pass from Kellen Haverback (Harp kick) MV – Cooper Hird 9-yard run (Collin Crawford kick) INDIVIDUAL STATS Rushing – MV: Jackson Hird 18-184, Cooper Hird 7-67, Joey Rhomberg 3-20, Michael Ryan 1-8, Ethan Wood 1-2. Keokuk: Malachai Douglas 4-6, Brenton Hoard 16-(-2). Passing – MV: Joey Rhomberg 14-23-153-0, Kellen Haverback 1-2-16-0. Keokuk: Brenton Hoard 15-26-209-1. Receiving – MV: Evan Brase 6-85, Jase Jaspers 3-25, Ethan Wood 2-35, Jackson Hird 2-14, Eric Lamb 1-8, Michael Ryan 1-2. Keokuk: Chase Eckland 7-48, Lucas Swainey 3-28, Diego Garcia 2-41, Drew Campbell 1-82, Jackson Lemaster 1-6, Malachai Douglas 1-4. Tackles – MV: Jackson Jaspers 5.5, Nova Lane 4.5, Ethan Plotz 4, Miles Francois 3.5, Jase Jaspers 3, Kellen Haverback 3, Jonah Williams 3, Michael Ryan 2, Cooper Hird 2, Jakob Haugse 2, Cole Thurn 2, Atticus Rood 2, Ben Pospisil 2, Tyler Williams 2, Kael Riniker 1.5, Ethan Wood 1.
Mustangs 56, Chiefs 7
TEAM STATS
MV K
First downs 30 9
Rushes-yds. 30-281 20-4
Cmp.-Att.-Int. 12-25-0 15-26-1
Pass yds. 169 209
Fum.-lost 0-0 1-1
Total yds. 450 213
Pen.-yds. 7-98 9-95
Punts-ave. 0-0 5-28.6
Mount Vernon 7 21 21 7 — 56
Keokuk 0 7 0 0 – 7
MV – Joey Rhomberg 7-yard run (Bennett Harp kick)
MV – Jackson Hird 11-yard run (Harp kick)
K – Drew Campbell 82-yard pass from Brenton Hoard (Cooper Abfalter-Dial kick)
MV – Ethan Wood 2-yard run (Harp kick)
MV – Evan Brase 28-yard pass from Rhomberg (Harp kick)
MV – Jackson Hird 8-yard run (Harp kick)
MV – Michael Ryan 8-yard run (Harp kick)
MV – Wood 16-yard pass from Kellen Haverback (Harp kick)
MV – Cooper Hird 9-yard run (Collin Crawford kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing – MV: Jackson Hird 18-184, Cooper Hird 7-67, Joey Rhomberg 3-20, Michael Ryan 1-8, Ethan Wood 1-2. Keokuk: Malachai Douglas 4-6, Brenton Hoard 16-(-2).
Passing – MV: Joey Rhomberg 14-23-153-0, Kellen Haverback 1-2-16-0. Keokuk: Brenton Hoard 15-26-209-1.
Receiving – MV: Evan Brase 6-85, Jase Jaspers 3-25, Ethan Wood 2-35, Jackson Hird 2-14, Eric Lamb 1-8, Michael Ryan 1-2. Keokuk: Chase Eckland 7-48, Lucas Swainey 3-28, Diego Garcia 2-41, Drew Campbell 1-82, Jackson Lemaster 1-6, Malachai Douglas 1-4.
Tackles – MV: Jackson Jaspers 5.5, Nova Lane 4.5, Ethan Plotz 4, Miles Francois 3.5, Jase Jaspers 3, Kellen Haverback 3, Jonah Williams 3, Michael Ryan 2, Cooper Hird 2, Jakob Haugse 2, Cole Thurn 2, Atticus Rood 2, Ben Pospisil 2, Tyler Williams 2, Kael Riniker 1.5, Ethan Wood 1.
Mount Vernon’s Mils Francois (No. 30) works at tackling a Keokuk player.