By Logan Riddick / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Monticello’s defense had another strong outing, delivering six turnovers and two fumble-recoveries-for-touchdowns as the Mustangs topped 3A West foe Turner Ashby for the fourth straight year, 51-14.
“Hey, defense wins championships,” said Monticello coach Jeff Woody of his unit that limited the visitors to 92 total yards before the final series with the game out of hand. “They’re dialed in and communicating well. They’re flying to the football and when they get there, for the most part, are fundamentally sound, making tackles and causing turnovers.”
The Knights received the opening kickoff and drove to midfield with a mix of quick passes and runs following significant pre-snap shifts and misdirection with several options in the backfield. On third and 14, though, a completed flanker screen ended with the game’s first fumble.
“We knew they were fast on defense, so we gave them different looks to kind of get them out of what they like to do,” said Turner Ashby coach Chris Snead, who stepped in as the interim head coach after Charlie Newman suffered a torn aorta and had open heart surgery last week. “I thought we did a great job of that, but it seemed like the theme of the night was turnovers. With [six] extra opportunities, eventually your defense is going to wear down.”
With senior tailback Kyree Koonce in jeans after turf toe flared up last week against FUMA, Woody came out firing. Although three incompletions led to a punt and touchback, Turner Ashby’s second fumble came on a handoff on their first snap at the 20. Junior linebacker Tony Talbert recovered for Monticello, and moments later Jeanluc Lapierre posted the game’s first points with a 31-yard field goal. After a defensive stand and short punt, the offense was back starting at the Knights’ 25. This time, the Mustangs took just five plays to put a touchdown on the board as Hummel crossed on a 1-yard keeper.
Turner Ashby responded with an 11-play, 66-yard drive, including a conversion on fourth and nine in the last seconds of the first quarter. Sophomore Seth Kiser barreled in from 7 yards out to pull the Knights within 10-7. Monticello came back and drove 49 yards, but on its eleventh play, Jeonte Banks was stopped in the backfield on fourth and four.
That moment would be the high-water mark for the Knights. On the offense’s next snap, the attempted handoff went awry; after the ball caromed off the hands, helmets, and limbs of several players of both teams, Monticello’s Syrael Breckenridge secured the recovery and raced 15 yards for the defensive score. After a quick three-and-out, Monticello cashed in on another big play when Hummel’s screen pass to Banks on third and four went 70 yards for six. The Mustangs took a 24-7 lead into halftime.
Turner Ashby’s onside kick to start the third quarter was unsuccessful, and Monticello’s offense promptly took seven plays to cover 51 yards. Two Hummel passes and a Griffin Davis run each went for 12 yards in the middle of the drive, and Davis took it in on a 6-yard rush.
Turnover number four struck the Knights midway through the third as the Mustangs’ front seven penetrated the backfield on a handoff inside the ten and forced a fumble. Sophomore Caleb Bouw executed the scoop-and-score from 6 yards out.
By Logan Riddick / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Late in the third and early fourth, Turner Ashby’s special teams provided turnovers five and six. After forcing Monticello to punt from inside its own 20, a muff by the returner brought the offense back out in Knights’ territory. Two plays later, Hummel hit Breckenridge deep down the right side for a 34-yard touchdown to trigger the running game block with a 44-7 margin. The Knights then fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return, and the Mustangs cashed in four plays later when Eddie Turner bowled in from three yards.
“We wanted to try and throw it around a little bit tonight,” said Woody as Hummel finished 13-of-26 for 185 yards, with two scores and one interception. “We looked great in some situations and we just looked off in others. All in all, it’s game three, and we’ll get better.”
Turner Ashby capped the scoring with Hunter May’s 24-yard touchdown on a fourth down carry around the left edge.
Banks finished with game-highs in carries (11), rushing yards (49), and receiving yards (70). Darian Bates added 32 yards on eight attempts, plus 28 yards on three receptions. Breckenridge and McGlothlin each caught three.
“I feel good about the three or four backs that we’ve got rotating in,” said Woody of the ground attack where seven different players carried with at least a 4.0-yard average. “Jeonte [Banks] is a plugger, like a fullback. Twenty-one (Davis) is another guy we can throw in there a lot, but he’s also starting middle linebacker, so we’ve got to alleviate the hits they all take.”
May led the Knights with 32 yards on the ground. Cody Warner and Jarrett Price each carried eight times for 30 and 26 yards, respectively. Fridley completed 14 of 24, but for just 56 yards.
Monticello (3-0) continues its September home stand next Friday with Jefferson District heavyweight Powhatan (2-1).
