MHS playmakers got here alive in second half to make distinction in Mohawk Bowl

MORGANTOWN — They are saying large time gamers make large time performs, in large time video games.

That assertion utilized to the Morgantown Mohigans in a 26-18 victory over the College Hawks within the 2023 Mohawk Bowl Friday evening as seniors AJ Thomas and Bobby Powell mixed for 295 complete yards and three touchdowns (all by Thomas) to steer their staff to a second-consecutive Mohawk Bowl victory.

“We got here into the sport with no power to start out,” Thomas mentioned. “Our motto earlier than each recreation is to start out quick, generally it doesn’t go your method. At halftime we mentioned what went incorrect and what we wanted to alter with the intention to flip the sport round.”

After trailing at halftime 12-7 and permitting a UHS landing within the opening drive of the third quarter, the Mohigans discovered themselves down 18-7 with their backs in opposition to the wall.

Enter Thomas and Powell.

On the following offensive drive for MHS, Powell caught a display move an broke free for a 66 yard achieve to the UHS seven yard line. Thomas punched dwelling from seven yards out to chop the deficit to 18-13.

“That positively was the spark for us,” Thomas mentioned of the large achieve by his teammate, Powell. “We would have liked somebody to step up and get us going an Bobby is a type of guys for us.”

After a powerful defensive stand, the Mohigans discovered themselves again on offense and took solely two performs to seek out the top zone once more as Thomas broke free for an additional future, this one a landing for 61 yards to place his staff forward by one level, 19-18.

He wasn’t performed both, as Thomas sealed the sport with one other landing run, this one for 68 yards with 1:44 left within the recreation.

“The man was hungry, so we needed to feed him,” MHS head coach Sean Biser mentioned after Thomas had all however certainly one of MHS’s speeding makes an attempt within the second half. “We tried to get the ball to Bobby early and he struggled a bit so we needed to begin going with whoever had the recent hand. AJ acquired the ball in some house and he did an awesome job to seek out some room and make performs.”

Thomas completed with 196 yards on 14 carries and three touchdowns on the evening serving to the Mohigans enhance to 7-2 and solidify a spot within the playoffs. He has 13 complete touchdowns on simply 57 carries this yr.

Powell had two catches for 69 yards, together with the 66-yard display move.

UHS head coach John Kelley acknowledged the hassle of Thomas after the sport.

“You’ll be able to’t cease all of them,” Kelley mentioned. “We stopped Powell, we stopped Caleb Nutter, we stopped Andrew Phares, however Thomas acquired rolling and gave them an enormous enhance.”

UHS receiving duo John Coleman and Ethan Jackson, mixed for 17 catches for 281 yards and one landing to steer the Hawks offense.

“Our lineman stepped up tremendously within the second half,” Thomas mentioned. “Their blocking on the line up entrance and down the sector opened the sector for me and I owe all of it to them. We’re pleased to have the win tonight and need to maintain rolling into subsequent week after which into the playoffs.”

The Mohigans will conclude their common season subsequent week at dwelling in opposition to Linsly at 7:00p.m.

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