It is worth remembering that No. 3 Mount Vernon is a pretty good team, one that made it to the Class 3A championship game last season.
Mount Vernon reminded everyone why they might earn a trip or two to the UNI-Dome again, clobbering Independence 50-6 on Friday, Oct. 27, at Armstrong Field at the Martha Parsons Family Athletics Complex.
“We have a very good offense, and haven’t had a chance to show it much,” Mount Vernon Coach Lance Pedersen said. “We haven’t played a whole lot of football the last couple of weeks.”
The Mustangs won their final three district games by a combined score of 166 to 20.
“This just gives us some confidence going into next week,” senior receiver Evan Brase said. “To able to do that against a good Independence team means a lot.”
The degree of difficulty only increases from here. There are only eight teams remaining in 3A, and only one was unranked at the end of the regular season.
Mount Vernon will travel to No. 2 Williamsburg (9-1) on Friday, Nov. 3, for a shot at playing in the UNI-Dome.
“Hey, you are in the final eight, and everybody’s good,” Pedersen said of the impending game with the Raiders. “We’re excited we get to play again.”
The other quarterfinals games in 3A match No. 10 Webster City (8-2) at No. 1 Creston (10-0), West Delaware (7-3) at No. 4 Solon (9-1), and No. 6 Sioux City Heelan (9-1) at No. 5 Sioux Center (9-1).
Mount Vernon was in control early and often against Independence (7-3).
The “good” Mustangs won the first down battle 22 to 8, and the yardage battle 356 to 152.
Mount Vernon opened the game with a 19-play drive that consumed almost the entire first quarter … but got no points.
But after a 3-and-out by the defense, it didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard in the second quarter, with quarterback Joey Rhomberg sneaking it in from the 1.
Then, after stopping the next Independence drive at their own 40, Tyler Williams pushed through the non-traditional punt formation, blocked the kick, and Kael Riniker picked it up and carried it 15 yards into the end zone.
“It was supposed to be a return,” Williams said. “I just kind of ran in there. I seen a gap and I shot it. It felt amazing.”
Mount Vernon scored two more times in the second quarter – on a 12-yard run by Rhomberg and a 6-yard pass from Rhomberg to Brase – and led at halftime 29-0.
“That was a good football team,” Pedersen said. “But our defense and special teams put us in position to have short fields. Then offensively, we were able to go out and do some really nice things.”
Mount Vernon was able to wind the continuous clock, getting up 36-0, then 43-6, in the third quarter.
And unlike previous weeks, Pedersen stuck with most of his starters into the fourth quarter.
“We went five weeks without having a full game,” Pedersen said. “I told them we are playing three quarters for sure.
“When you have the running clock, everything just goes fast, so that second half just flew by.”
Rhomberg finished 18-of-24 passing for 217 yards. Brase caught eight for 103 yards, and Jase Jasper had five catches for 80 yards. Jackson Hird ran for 66 yards on 19 carries.
“To be able to play four quarters is something you need to be able to do in the playoffs,” Brase said. “It was good for conditioning.”
It was also the final game on the home turf. Next up is a trip to Bob Murphy Stadium and November football.
“In the back of your head, you just know, if you lose, you go home,” Brase said. “So there’s just more of a drive.”
Williams, who played for North Cedar last year, has another take.
“I was happy to just make the playoffs for once,” Williams said. “It’s just great to be here.”
Mustangs 50, Mustangs 6
TEAM STATISTICS
I              MV
First downs         8             22
Rushes-yds.         25-95     32-139
Cmp.-Att.-Int.     8-18-1   18-24-1
Passing yds.        57           217
Total yds.             152        356
Fum.-lost             0-0         0-0
Pen.-yds.             3-15       6-40
Punts-ave.           4-20.7   0-0.0
Independence 0 0 6 0 – 6
Mount Vernon 0 29 14 7 – 50
MV – Joey Rhomberg 1 run (Bennett Harp kick) 11:07
MV – Kael Riniker 15 blocked punt return (Harp kick) 8:18
MV – Rhomberg 12 run (Evan Brase pass from Miles Francois) 2:48
MV – Brase 6 pass from Rhomberg (Harp kick) :26.9
MV – Brase 28 pass from Rhomberg (Harp kick) 9:02
I – Treyton Weber 15 run (run failed) 5:32
MV – Jackson Hird 1 pass from Rhomberg (Collin Crawford kick) 2:30
MV – Cooper Hird 8 run (Crawford kick) 3:38
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing – INDEE: Treyton Weber 11-46, Brady Kurt 2-40, CJ Miller 10-18, Brady McDonald 2-(-9). MV: Jackson Hird 19-66, Joey Rhomberg 6-46, Cooper Hird 5-29, Team 2-(-2).
Passing – INDEE: EJ Miller 8-17-57-0, Christopher Meyer 0-1-0-1. MV: Joey Rhomberg 18-24-217-1.
Receiving – INDEE: Brady McDonald 3-23, Brady Kurt 2-19, Bryce Christian 1-14, Josh Beatty 1-3, Treyton Weber 1-(-2). MV: Evan Brase 8-103, Jase Jaspers 5-80, Jackson Hird 4-26, Ethan Wood 1-8.
MVFB Agate Mustangs 50, Mustangs 6 TEAM STATISTICS I MV First downs 8 22 Rushes-yds. 25-95 32-139 Cmp.-Att.-Int. 8-18-1 18-24-1 Passing yds. 57 217 Total yds. 152 356 Fum.-lost 0-0 0-0 Pen.-yds. 3-15 6-40 Punts-ave. 4-20.7 0-0.0 Independence 0 0 6 0 – 6 Mount Vernon 0 29 14 7 – 50 MV – Joey Rhomberg 1 run (Bennett Harp kick) 11:07 MV – Kael Riniker 15 blocked punt return (Harp kick) 8:18 MV – Rhomberg 12 run (Evan Brase pass from Miles Francois) 2:48 MV – Brase 6 pass from Rhomberg (Harp kick) :26.9 MV – Brase 28 pass from Rhomberg (Harp kick) 9:02 I – Treyton Weber 15 run (run failed) 5:32 MV – Jackson Hird 1 pass from Rhomberg (Collin Crawford kick) 2:30 MV – Cooper Hird 8 run (Crawford kick) 3:38 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing – INDEE: Treyton Weber 11-46, Brady Kurt 2-40, CJ Miller 10-18, Brady McDonald 2-(-9). MV: Jackson Hird 19-66, Joey Rhomberg 6-46, Cooper Hird 5-29, Team 2-(-2). Passing – INDEE: EJ Miller 8-17-57-0, Christopher Meyer 0-1-0-1. MV: Joey Rhomberg 18-24-217-1. Receiving – INDEE: Brady McDonald 3-23, Brady Kurt 2-19, Bryce Christian 1-14, Josh Beatty 1-3, Treyton Weber 1-(-2). MV: Evan Brase 8-103, Jase Jaspers 5-80, Jackson Hird 4-26, Ethan Wood 1-8. {related_content_uuid}ea6fb59a-6876-4cc7-b8b4-95cd42a7bc25{/related_content_uuid}

Gallery • 4 Photos

Lily Reckhemmer | Mustang Moon

Mount Vernon’s Evan Brase (No. 7) scrambles for a few more yards as Independence players grab at his jersey and wwork for the tacklee.