Mount Vernon started its path through Class 3A District 4 on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Martha Parsons Activities Complex.
Godzilla, meet Tokyo.
The Mustangs stomped on Mount Pleasant 59-0.
“Coming off a close loss, I was super proud of the kids,” Mount Vernon coach Brad Meester said. “Sometimes it is tough to rebound; you can get down in the dumps. And it was homecoming week. Which I love, but a lot of stuff goes on that is not normal and the routine gets out of whack.
“But we had some of our best practices. They got after it.”
Mount Vernon (4-1) led 24-0 after the first quarter and 38-0 by halftime. That meant a continuous clock in the second half. And the second-team kept the shutout and added 21 more points.
“That was another great part of the win,” Meester said. “We talked at half about how nothing changes. The twos should step in and do the same things.”
Kellen Haverback was efficient at quarterback, throwing for 107 yards and three touchdowns – two to Jase Jaspers and one to Watson Krob – and also ran for two scores.
“Kellen responded really well,” Meester said. “He wanted to get better after the Solon game and his work ethic is unbelievable.”
Senior Cooper Hird had 75 rushing yards on just eight carries, plus a TD.
And Jaspers had a punt return go for around 60 yards that was ruled out at the one.
“He scored,” Meester said. “His ability to jump cut, make people miss, you don’t see that very often. And the return team did a good job of setting it up for him.”
The defense dominated, coming up with 10 tackles for loss against Mount Pleasant (2-3). Joe Briesemeister had 3.5 TFL, and Jaspers and Nova Lane each had two District 4 play continues with a trip to Assumption (1-4) this Friday, Oct. 4, and includes home games against Fort Madison (0-5) and Keokuk (2-3) and an interesting trip to Washington (4-1) on Oct. 18 that may decide the District 4 crown.
“Our biggest opponent is ourselves, and getting better every week,” Meester said. “We want to be playing our best football when the postseason comes.”