Just as anyone in the Powhatan stands saw last week, as good as this Monticello rushing attack is — and it is that good — this isn’t a two-trick show that Jeff Woody has with Kyree Koonce and TJ Tillery toting the ball on the ground.
Charlottesville came ready and was able to keep the Mustangs off the board on its opening drive by stuffing the run. Unfortunately for the Black Knights, Monticello quarterback James St. Hill and receiver Josh Malm stepped up right after that to make it a two possession game before Tillery and Koonce got on track. In the end, for the fifth straight week, there was no slowing down Woody’s bunch as the Mustangs put together a 54-16 win on homecoming night.
“We rely heavily on that run game so we ran play-action fake and boot out and Malm finds himself open — he’s like 7-11, 24-7 he’s always open,” Woody said. “I felt like those timely passes came when we needed them and they were stuffing the run a bit.”
Charlottesville’s stop on fourth down out of the gates was big, but when St. Hill hit Malm from 25-yards open on a perfectly placed ball in the back of the end zone, momentum swung in Monticello’s favor. Three minutes later, St. Hill found Malm again, this time from 12 yards out and right at the goalline to make it 13-0 with 3:10 left in the first.
“We knew we needed both (the passing and rushing game) and so Coach Woody started us out through the air,” Malm said. “We came out getting it done in the air and then we were able to get it done on the ground. Everybody did a great job there.”
After that, it was Tillery and Koonce. Tillery actually set up the second Malm touchdown after his strip sack gave the Mustangs the ball back on the short field. On the next possession after Malm’s second touchdown, the senior running back took off for a 43-yard rushing strike to make it 20-0 with 49 ticks to go in the first.
“They play a fast defense but we know how to play even faster if we just play on our toes,” said Monticello offensive lineman Adam Hill. “We knew we had a great offensive line last season but we’ve had the players step up this year. They’ve taken the conditioning, the hard work up front in the off season to just start out great with this new offense.”
Charlottesville got on the board in the middle of the second quarter when Thomas Birle hit an impressive 37-yard field goal with room to spare. Five minutes later though Tillery found the endzone again on a 25-yard touchdown run to inflate the Monticello lead to 27-3. The Black Knights were able to answer with a touchdown on the other end on a short screen pass from Chris Thurston to Leon Straus who took it 54 yards to make it a 27-10 ballgame at the break. A touchdown throw to Straus got broken up with time expiring in the second quarter by Monticello’s secondary.
“We had a little bit of momentum there and could have converted again there at the half, but I think you have to give them all the credit,” said Charlottesville coach Eric Sherry. “That’s a very good football team. That’s the best Monticello football team we’ve ever played.”
With the exception of the last play of the game, the second half belonged to the Mustangs.
“We knew we’d have to tackle well and we did in the beginning,” Sherry said. “I think we got a little worn down. The tackling got a bit spotty but those are good running backs. I mean, they’re good.”
Koonce picked up the first of his two touchdowns, both in the third quarter with a 15-yard run with 7:03 to go and the second coming on an 8-yard run with 1:05 on the clock. Tillery tacked on his third score of the game on a 14-yard run with 4:12 to play and the running clock rule in effect.
“Our backs made it easy on us (in the second half) because they’re extremely well coached,” said Mustangs lineman Jordan Allen. “They’re real athletes so we didn’t have to do too much work.”
Black Knights running back Rashard Brock rounded out the scoring, and very quietly had a good night himself on the ground with a 71-yard touchdown scamper on the last play of the game.
For the fourth straight game, Monticello had a pair of 100-yard rushers with Tillery leading the way with 194 and Koonce picking up 160. St. Hill was especially efficient passing by going 7 for 9 with two touchdowns. Malm had four receptions for 84 yards.
While a number of fans brought up how important the win would be coming in, and even during the win given last year’s loss, that certainly wasn’t the feeling for the senior class.
“We put that behind us,” Malm said. “Different players, different coach, it was a new game. You can’t dwell on last year with any team. Anyone could have a new offense or defense or be the same. What we have to do is focus on this year, what anyone has now.”
Brock led the CHS attack with his 174 yards on the ground. Thurston added 89 yards. Straus had two receptions for 62 yards.
Charlottesville (2-3, 0-2 Jefferson District) will host Orange County (1-4, 1-1) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Monticello (5-0, 2-0) heads to Fluvanna County (0-5, 0-2) also on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
