By: Gary Dove

WN Sports Writer

    The Tolsia Rebels recorded a 28-12 victory over host Mount View Friday evening at Vic Nystrom Stadium while receiving some assistance from their hosts.

     Three lost Golden Knight fumbles in the game, along with one Tolsia pass interception, took offensive opportunities away from the View, along with nine first half penalties against the hosts, to help the Rebels to a 22-6 halftime advantage.

     A “short field” is often mentioned as a help to a team not having to embark on lengthy drives to reach the end zone, and that term was on display for three of the four Tolsia touchdowns Friday evening, including two-of-three scores in the initial half.

     Assessed Rebel assistant coach Wade Cyrus, who led Tolsia due to the absence of head coach Eric M. Crum being quarantined at home after possibly being exposed to the coronavirus, “Anytime you can get a short field on offense, you have to score…We got lucky.  Most times, it seems like things like that don’t go our way.”

     The Wayne Countians recovered the first Knight lost fumble on only the third snap of the inaugural frame at the Mount View 34.

     On the initial Tolsia play from scrimmage junior Tanner Copley took the handoff and started up the middle before veering to his right and negotiating the 34 yards only 1:48 into the contest.

     John Wilson, also an eleventh grader, tacked on the extra points on a run to push the lead to 8-0.

     The Knights embarked on a seven play, 36 yard drive that was brought to fruition when Justin Haggerty got the View on the scoreboard after he took a handoff, started left and then reversed to run to the right before diving at the pile-on as he entered the end zone.

     A run attempt for the conversion failed, leaving Tolsia on top 8-6.

     The Knights made a stand early in the second, thwarting the Rebels attempt to score again by stopping the Wayne Countians at the 11 on downs.

     Unable to move against the visitors’ defense, Mount View punted from its own end zone.  A short 22 yard punt was returned 19 yards to the Golden Knight 8.

     Again on a one play series, junior Gavin Meadows burst up the middle for the TD, followed by a Jesse Muncy conversion pass to Copley for the 14-6 advantage.

     Wilson scored a final touchdown with 1:17 left before the break to cap an 8 play, 55 yard possession, the longest of the evening in plays, yards and time to put Tolsia up 22-6 at intermission.

     Both defenses toughened in the final half, leaving Mount View head coach Maurice Gravely to praise his team’s efforts, “We didn’t quit.  We played good defense in the second half and I’m proud of our kids for that.”

     In the second two dozen minutes, the Rebels could muster but a pair of first downs and Mount View could record but three, as each team scored a touchdown apiece in the fourth period.

     A lost Knight fumble midway through the fourth led to another “short field” as the Rebels went 15 yards in 3 plays, capped by a Copley 13 yard run to put the lead at 28-6.

     Mount View junior Tony Bailey capped the scoring on a 44 yard run around left end at the 2:05 mark of the final stanza.

     Continued Coach Gravely, “We had opportunities (on offense).  We just missed them.  We’ve got to get better at taking advantage of those opportunities.”

     The Knights are scheduled to entertain Westside Friday evening, but that game has been scrubbed due to the covid-19 Metrics map.

     Mount View is now 2-5.

     The Rebels, 4-2, are in the same boat, with a home game against Phelps, KY also being in question for Friday night.

AT VIC NYSTROM STADIUM

TOLSIA                          8    14     0     6     28

MOUNT VIEW             6       0     0     6     12

SCORING

First Quarter

TO:  Tanner Copley 34 yd run (John Wilson PAT run)  10:12

MV:  Justin Haggerty 6 yd run (PAT run failed)  6:43

Second Quarter

TO:  Gavin Meadows 8 yd run (Copley PAT pass from Jesse Muncy)  5:04

TO:  Wilson 3 yd run (PAT run failed)  1:17

Fourth Quarter

TO:  Copley 13 yd run (PAT run failed)  3:57

MV:  Tony Bailey 44 yd run (PAT run failed)  2:05

TEAM STATISTICS

FIRST DOWNS  TO 7  MV 9

RUSHING YARDAGE  TO 36-127 yds  MV  32-57 yds

PASSING YARDAGE  TO  29  MV  87

TOTAL YARDAGE  TO  156  MV 144

PASSING  TO  3-5, 0 Int  MV  10-22, 1 Int

FUMBLES – LOST  TO  3-1  MV 5-3

PENALTIES  TO 5-55 yds  MV 10-56 yds

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING  TO  Tanner Copley 8-62 yds, John Wilson 10-47 yds, Gavin Meadows 8-31 yds  MV  Tony Bailey 5-71 yds, Justin Haggerty 3-16 yds

PASSING  TO  Jesse Muncy 3-5, 29 yds, 0 Int  MV  Jesse Rose 10-22, 87 yds, 1 Int

PASS RECEIVING  TO  Copley 2-23 yds, MV  Jaylen Hall 2-59 yds, Haggerty 2-25 yds