Chris Hugo
Section618.com
MT. VERNON — Dan Mings’ return to the Mt. Vernon sideline was a triumphant one, as the Rams dominated Taylorville 40-0 for the program’s first season-opening win since 2006.
Considering the Rams’ recent history, the result might have been unexpected to many. Mt. Vernon had only won once in 24 games the past three seasons, and was just 9-60 including four winless seasons since the school’s last playoff appearance in 2013.
None of that mattered Friday night.
The Rams seemed unfazed by playing for their third coaching staff in four years, the learning curve of a new offense and defense, or even playing in front of a packed home crowd at Ken Hunt Stadium
Mt. Vernon jumped out to an early advantage when Ethan Rivera ran the first play from scrimmage to the house for a 47-yard score. Fischer Davis chipped in the PAT for a 7-0 lead just 20 seconds into the game.
Davis wasn’t done.
Mings brought back a little trickery in his return to the King City, drawing up an onside kick, that Davis recovered himself. That set up a 45-yard touchdown drive capped off by quarterback Peyton McMillan’s 2-yard sneak at the 8:35 mark giving the Rams a 13-0 lead.
The Rams’ defense finally took the field after the following kickoff and limited Taylorville to negative yardage. The Tornadoes thought they had successfully pinned the Rams back to their own 10-yard line until Anthony Lash, Jr., ran a pitch 85-yards for another TD on just the second play of the drive. A Davis fake field goal led to a 2-point conversion catch in the front of the endzone by Jacari Virden giving Mt. Vernon a 21-0 lead.
Another drive by the Tornadoes stalled quickly, and the subsequent punt gave the ball back to the Rams at the Taylorville 30 with about 2:40 left. After a false start by Mt. Vernon pushed the Rams back to the 35, Navontae Nesbit promptly ran a counter into the end zone extending the lead to 27-0 after a missed PAT at the 2:27 mark.
The second quarter saw both teams eat a little more time off of the clock, but it was the Rams who would find the endzone twice more. Rivera would strike again with a 52-yard run leading to another touchdown with 8:52 left in the 2nd.
This time the Rams’ hard-hitting defense got some more time on the field and withstood a Tornado drive that ended on the Mt. Vernon 14 after a 4th and 3 play led to an overthrown pass into the endzone. Immediately following the turnover on downs, Nesbit ran 86 yards for his second score of the night. Davis would nail the PAT to give the Rams a 40-0 lead with just 2:23 left in the half.
Mt. Vernon unofficially ran for 501 yards on 32 carries with Nesbit tallying 159 yards, Lash 153, and Rivera 107. In all, nine different Rams carried the ball, including an impressive 70-yard run from Jayden Morales in the second half.
Mt. Vernon will go for a 2-0 start next Friday when the Rams will host Mascoutah. Taylorville, 0-1 for the first time since 2013, will welcome Elgin (St. Howard) next Saturday.