At the end of the day, Monticello was just happy to be out of the funk. The four quarters last week against Powhatan and the start of the first quarter against Charlottesville were put to bed thanks to the last three quarters against the Black Knights. While the Mustangs might have stuggled a bit on offense early, defensively it only had one lapse, and as a result, when the offense woke up in the second half, Monticello looked a lot more like it did just two weeks ago as it picked up a 42-6 victory.
“In the first half we toe-tipped a little bit,” said Monticello coach Jeff Woody. “I was hoping (the response to last week) would come faster, but slowly, we got ourselves lathered up, people started making plays and that becomes contagious. When that happens — ‘Uncle Mo’ — you know the momentum gets on your side and everyone wants a piece of the pie.”
With four straight punts to start the game, the time flew by with neither team making much ground. Charlottesville saw one of its top playmakers in Rashard Brock leave the game with a lower leg injury and that made things only more difficult for the Black Knights as the Mustangs, led by the play by Griffin Davis, were simply all over the run and blowing up Charlottesville’s offensive line on a regular basis.
Finally, with 9:01 to go in the second quarter, Monticello’s offense put it together, piecing a long drive and getting a 7-0 lead after Kyree Koonce burst through for a 3-yard touchdown run. Then with just a minute to go, Monticello got things going in the passing game and sophomore quarterback Daniel Hummel was able to find Seth Weaver for a 0-yard touchdown reception to make it 14-0 going into the break.
Malik Bartee provided Charlottesville with three big plays, two solid special teams returns that didn’t amount to anything on the scoreboard, but his 83-yard touchdown run to open up the third gave the Black Knights hope. But 14-6 was the closest Charlottesville ever got as Monticello answered in full force from there on out on both sides of the ball.
“It fell apart on us after that,” said Charlottesville coach Eric Sherry. “At times we have a lot of good effort running with it, but then other times when the waves started coming, we decided to go with the waves. So it was a tough night.”
After Bartee’s long run, Monticello marched down the field methodically and Hummel scored on a 1-yard keeper. Three minutes later Koonce broke loose for his best run of the day, a 27-yard touchdown to make it 28-6. It was an interesting night for the senior as the game mark the 1-year anniversary of his season ending injury in 2013.
“I was very anxious, (there were) a lot of emotions going into this game,” Koonce said. “Everyone was way more focused (this week) and we practiced how the Mustangs are supposed to practice.”
A pair of fourth quarter touchdowns from Lestant Lundy and Jeremiah Simms (the latter, a 32-yard rush with multiple cut-backs being maybe the most entertaining play of the night) put the Mustangs up 42-6 to finish up the game.
On the night, Monticello’s defense forced five turnovers and four in the second half as its defensive front dominated the line of scrimmage.
“We’ve been working on timing our blitz to get in there and wreak havoc in the kitchen,” Woody said. “Commend the defense. In practice we compete and get after it. Our offense and defense are going up against our best available. I hope that’s going to get us better.”
The Mustangs had 319 yards of offense while the defense surrendered just 147, and 83 on just the one touchdown run from Bartee. Koonce had 15 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Kicker Jeanluc Lapierre moved to within one kick of the school record of consecutive extra points made. At 26 he needs just one more to tie the record set in 2003 by Caleb Andrews.
For Charlottesville, Bartee had 80 yards on 12 touches and 75 yards on four returns on special teams.
The Black Knights (2-3) travel to Orange County (1-4) next week while the Mustangs (4-1) host Fluvanna County (1-4).
