Daily Reporter staff reports
NEW CASTLE — Mt. Vernon had its biggest offensive output of the season and won its second game in a row with a 61-20 victory Friday at New Castle.
The Marauders took control early and led 19-0 at the end of the first quarter and 40-6 at halftime.
Running back Rylan Cole got the Marauders off to a good start. He scored the team’s first two touchdowns. He had a five-yard TD run and followed it with a 24-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Gehrig Slunaker.
In the second half, with New Castle cutting the margin to 47-20, Cole had the longest scoring play of the game. On a fourth-and-two situation, Cole went 72 yards to give the Marauders a 54-20 lead with 5:12 remaining. Lazavier Heard added the final Mt. Vernon touchdown on a short run, set up by a Mt. Vernon fumble recovery.
Slunaker was part of three first-half scores. He scored on a 5-yard run and added another touchdown pass in the second quarter to Cam Cole.
The Marauders won big in spite of being called for 17 penalties for 160 yards.
Mt. Vernon is 5-2 on the season and 3-2 in the HHC. New Castle drops to 2-5 overall and 1-4 in the conference.
The 61 points are the most for a Mt. Vernon team since a 62-7 win last season on Oct. 5 against Shelbyville.
The Marauders will go to Shelbyville (0-7, 0-5) next Friday for a 7:30 p.m. HHC contest.
