Mount Vernon junior Jase Jaspers is a triple threat. Against Union in Week 2, the defensive back/wide receiver scored in all three phases – offense, defense and special teams, as the third-ranked Mustangs took care of the Knights, 43-6.
“He’s just a great athlete,” Mount Vernon coach Brad Meester said. “He has a real knack for finding space. We just try to get him the ball and let him do his thing.” Jaspers got the Mustangs on the scoreboard just 55 second into the game with a 20-yard pick-6.
In the second quarter, he had an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown.
He finished his trifecta with a 17-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter.
“It feels good,” Jaspers said. ”Our coaching staff says there are three sides to a game — offense, defense. special teams. It is important to score on all of them.”
It proved to be important, too, as the offense struggled to get going in the first half. Part of that was due to five penalties that wiped out some big gains.
Junior quarterback Kellen Haverback was 4-of-10 passing for 21 yards and an interception in the first half. He was 8-of-10 for 150 yards in the second half.
“We were not our sharpest offensively,” Meester said. “We just couldn’t get into a good rhythm.
“When we came back out for the second half, we did what we needed to do.”
And the defense terrorized the Knights for most of the night.
The Mustangs held the Knights to negative 48 rushing yards. That was due to 14 tackles for loss.
“We’ve got a great group up front,” Meester said. “You’ve got to pick your poison there. When you try to double any one of them, it opens up the other ones.
“That’s a tough group. I would hate to go against them. There is no great answer for them, and they do a great job.”
Leading the way Friday was nose guard Kael Riniker, who finished with 4 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss.
“I just try to get behind the line of scrimmage as fast as I can and cause as much trouble back there as possible,” Riniker said. “Our coach calls us the fastest D-line in the state. We find the ball, and never stop moving our feet.”
Meester, a center during his career at UNI and in the NFL, said a tough nose guard can really disrupt the offense.
“If you have a nose that is really good, it wreaks havoc, and he can do that,” Meester said. “He disrupts everything. You can’t get the offense started running the ball if there are guys in the backfield. And that’s what he is doing.”
The continuous clock started midway through the third quarter. Union finally got on the scoreboard with 26 seconds left when Andrew Sadler found Justice Luke for a 15-yard strike.
Junior running back Cooper Hird finished with 72 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Haverback also had a rushing TD. Jaspers finished with seven catches for 142 yards, and tight end Ethan Wood had four grabs for 27 yards.
“We’re in a good spot (after two weeks),” Meester said. “I wish we had got the offense going quicker, but that’s the way it is every year. I think it is that way for everybody.
“I like where we’re at. This team has really bought in.”
Mount Vernon (2-0) travels to Benton Community (2-0) in Week 3. The Bobcats have beaten Vinton-Shellsburg, 48-0, and Marion, 41-13, so far this season.
“I like our chances,” Riniker said. “We all put in the work this offseason, and everyone is aggressive. We’re all working towards the same goal.”