Burn Ban in Effect. All outdoor burning is prohibited in Franklin County.
The Mount Vernon Tigers secured a playoff berth with a 53-15 win over the Eustace Bulldogs at Don Meredith Stadium on Friday night.
The Tigers got off to a quick start in the first quarter when Junior Jackson Grey connected with Senior Brayden Baker for an eight-yard touchdown pass. Senior Brycen Fountain ran in the two-point try to take an 8-0 lead. Grey and Baker wasted no time in getting back in the end zone on the very next possession with a 28-yard touchdown pass. Fountain added another touchdown on a 56-yard run, and Grey hooked up with sophomore Jobe Law for the two-point try. The Bulldogs finally found some success offensively near the end of the first quarter, putting together a quick drive that resulted in a touchdown to cut the Mount Vernon lead to 22-7 at the end of the first quarter.
“Felt really good about the way we started the game. You know, defense set the tone early; offense executed clean first few possessions. You know, saw a lot of good,” said Mount Vernon athletic director and head coach Travis McClain after the game.
The Tigers began the second quarter with a drive that ended with a 35-yard touchdown run from Fountain. Mount Vernon sophomore Gunner Raley picked off a Bulldog pass and returned the ball to the 19-yard line. On the very next play, Grey hit senior Jacob Young for another touchdown. Grey and Baker connected for a third touchdown pass later in the second quarter. Grey would wrap up a spectacular half with a 16-yard touchdown pass to senior Hunter Carroll. As the teams headed to the locker room, the Tigers held a 46-7 lead.
Eustace forced a punt to start off the second half, but the Bulldog offense could not find traction and had to punt the ball from its own end zone. The Tigers' special teams unit created chaos on the punt attempt, and the ball rolled out to the seven-yard line, where Mount Vernon took over. One play later, Grey tossed a pass over the defense to sophomore Eli McGonagil. Junior Manuel Gomez added an extra point to push the lead to 53-7.
On the next possession, the Bulldogs found the end zone again and added a two-point conversion, but it would be the last points either team scored as Mount Vernon finished off the 53-15 win.
The win sets the Tigers’ record at 6-3 and 3-2 in the district and locks them into the fourth and final playoff spot in district 7. “It's big. We play in arguably the toughest district in 3A Division I in the state. And so when you're a playoff team in a district like that, you know, it speaks volumes of your kids and our coaches,” Coach McClain said. “And I'm excited for them, proud of them, and excited to have one more week of guaranteed football.”
However, the Tigers still have one more week of football before the playoffs, as they travel to Malakoff next week. “We're going to enjoy tonight, but we're going to have to have a great game plan going in, and our kids are going to have to play at a high level, consistent football to go to battle with them,” McClain said.
Malakoff is 9-0 on the season, coming off an open week in their schedule as they prepare to host Mount Vernon. “Coach Driskell's done a great job. He's been there, you know, almost 20 years. They've won a lot of football games, and he does things the right way,” McClain said.
Mount Vernon will finish their regular season in Malakoff this coming Friday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
