For the Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — The first order of business was securing a win. The second task for the Mt. Vernon football team Friday was walking away completely healthy.
Mt. Vernon achieved both of its goals in a 56-0 opening round sectional win against Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Shelbyville. The Marauders used a 49-point first half to advance, earning the team’s fifth consecutive victory in a rematch of a Week 8 meeting with the Golden Bears, who struggled to find rhythm Friday after fumbling on their first possession.
The win for Mt. Vernon sets up a date with Greenwood next week. The Woodmen topped New Castle 35-34 in double overtime to advance. Also in Sectional 22 Friday, Mooresville beat Beech Grove 49-21 and Richmond beat Connersville 31-7.
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Marauders’ sophomore running back Rylan Cole, who did not play in the second half, finished with 133 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Mt. Vernon (7-3) head coach Mike Kirschner elected to rest most of his starters after the break, which will benefit the team next week against Greenwood (3-7), which won the sectional last season.
“All of our kids walked off the field,” said Kirschner. “Rylan has turned out to be a really good running back. We hope to keep moving forward.
“(Winning) takes time. These seniors have had three coaches in three years. We are playing well (now). That is great. It has been a nice turnaround for us. But now it is one game at a time.”
The Marauders last loss was on Sept. 14 at Delta. Mt. Vernon defeated Shelbyville 62-7 in its regular-season meeting.
On Friday, Cole scored his first touchdown on a 22-yard rush just 18 seconds into the game. He added touchdown runs of five, seven and 36 yards in the opening quarter to give his team a lopsided advantage.
Marauders’ senior quarterback Tyson Harley was 4 of 5 passing through two quarters of play. He found senior tight end Max Burhenn for a 3-yard score in the first quarter but did not play the second half, either.
Ronnie Foster recorded an interception in the end zone in the second quarter for Mt. Vernon after a long Shelbyville gain. Shelbyville senior quarterback Matt Merritt, who has been the Golden Bears’ main offensive threat most of the year, connected with junior receiver Riley Stevens down the right sideline for a 48-yard pass-and-catch. Merritt also had a 43-yard completion after halftime.
That would be about all the Shelbyville offense would muster in the loss.
After Shelbyville (1-9) junior quarterback Landon Watson went down with an injury in Week 5, the Golden Bears managed to score just 22 points the rest of the season in head coach Mike Clevenger’s first stint with the program.
“(Them not giving up) is a direct reflection of their staff,” Kirschner said. “Mike is trying to change the culture there and he will. (Matt) Merritt is a phenomenal player. They will get it taken care of; it takes time.
“I have been in that situation before with Cascade. My first year with Cascade in 1996 we went 0-9. The next year we bounced back and went 6-3. The next thing you know, good things will happen.”
