FORTVILLE — Even at an unbeaten 7-0 on the season, the top-ranked Class 4A Mt. Vernon Marauders are still learning on the go.
Tested last week against Hoosier Heritage Conference rival Pendleton Heights a week ago, the Marauders’ running game let loose against visiting New Castle on Friday night.
But, their decisive 48-6 victory didn’t come without a few mistakes.
Senior Rylan Cole rushed for 131 yards on 12 carries and three touchdowns, and Keagan La Belle broke out for 150 yards on eight rushes for a touchdown.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
Mt. Vernon quarterback Gehrig Slunaker ran for 49 yards and a score, while Ashden Gentry added 20 yards on two carries and a touchdown.
However, the Marauders also lost a trio of fumbles, including a potential fourth touchdown by Cole on first-and-10 from New Castle’s 10 midway through the first quarter.
A holding penalty on first-and-10 from New Castle’s 42 — a pitch-and-catch pass from Slunaker to Cole — erased another score.
None of the mistakes were detrimental, but they opened the Marauders’ eyes, who are on top looking down in 4A through their best start since going 5-0 in 2004.
"This last week of practice was better than the past couple of weeks, and we just have to keep it up," Cole said. "No matter who we’re playing, we have to go out and practice as hard as we can to prepare."
As the state’s team to beat, the Marauders aren’t letting the rankings deter their drive. Seeking a potential repeat sectional title and another run at semistate, and maybe more, the Marauders showed what they can do between the tackles.
Rushing for a combined 361 yards and six touchdowns on 33 carries, the running game netted 15 first downs and put Mt. Vernon (7-0, 5-0 HHC) ahead 21-0 by halftime against conference foe New Castle (3-3, 2-3 HHC).
"To be honest, it doesn’t even sound real (being No. 1). We just continue to play each week and try not to focus on that too much, just on who we’re playing," Cole said.
The Trojans stood little chance despite averaging 33.8 points per game. Quarterback William Grieser completed 20-of-48 pass attempts for 150 yards, but he was sacked seven times.
New Castle converted only 4-of-13 third-down conversion opportunities as they fell behind 35-0 after La Belle and Cole teamed to cap a 35-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by the former.
Cole’s second touchdown initiated a running clock, in accordance to the IHSAA’s mercy rule with 8 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Cole’s third touchdown was his longest at 6 yards with the two prior spanning 1 yard. La Belle had the longest run of the game at 62 yards in the first quarter that eventually gave Cole two shots at the end zone from 4 yards out.
"It really feels good. It’s the first time we’ve really been this good," Cole remarked on the running game. "The O-line did an outstanding job and really stepped it up tonight. Keagan La Belle really had a great game with some big runs."
The Marauders’ defense forced five turnover on downs and New Castle punted four times, while losing two fumbles and a late-game interception with the backups on the field.
The Marauders lost out on their third shut out of the season when Aiden Bradley busted free for a 67-yard touchdown run with 4:18 left on the clock and the game out of reach.
"We’re still fighting things. We’re still not clean. Three turnovers tonight," Kirschner said. "Very uncharacteristic of us. We’re making mental mistakes that need to be cleaned up because the time frame where you have time to fix it is going away. When you’re in the tournament you can’t get it fixed."
The Marauders host winless Shelbyville next week before concluding the regular season at Yorktown. If they win out, the Marauders will clinch the HHC title outright.
But, nothing will be handed to them.
"The scenario with being No. 1 is everyone puts a big target on you, knowing if they knock you off, that’s a big deal. These kids, unlike New Pal, who dealt with that for seven years and relished it, these kids haven’t learned how to deal with that yet," Kirschner said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Scoreline” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Mt. Vernon 48, New Castle 6
NC (3-3, 2-3 HHC);0;0;0;6;-;0
MV (7-0, 5-0 HHC);14;7;20;7;-;48
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
MV – Ashden Gentry 4 yd run (AJ Swingle kick), 10:15
MV – Rylan Cole 1 yd run (Swingle kick), 44.8
2nd Quarter
MV – Gehrig Slunaker 18 yd run (Swingle kick), 3:12
3rd Quarter
MV – Keagan La Belle 15 yd run (Swingle kick), 9:44
MV – Rylan Cole 1 yd run (Swingle kick), 8:20
MV – Cole 6 yd run (kick failed), 5:08
4th Quarter
MV – Nate Weaver 14 yd INT return (Joel Ratliff kick), 6:16
NC – Aiden Bradley 67 yd run (2pt failed), 4:18
[sc:pullout-text-end]
