Second-half spark lifts Morgantown to MoHawk Bowl victory, 26-18, over College

MORGANTOWN — Regardless of being heavy favorites getting into Friday night time’s MoHawk Bowl, it was the Morgantown Mohigans who regarded just like the inferior workforce for the primary two and a half quarters.

“We didn’t play effectively, we simply performed flat,” MHS coach Sean Biser mentioned. “We didn’t have any each, no juice. I’ve no actual rationalization for it.”

An enormous play within the third quarter lastly sparked the Morgantown offense and the Mohigan protection held on late as MHS claimed its second-straight MoHawk Bowl, 26-18, over their rival College Hawks.

College (4-5) opened the sport with a 12-0 lead following a landing run by Melique Lewis and a 23-yard scoring go from Luke Hudson to John Coleman within the first quarter.

MHS (7-2) managed to attain earlier than halftime on a 23-yard go from Maddox Bowers to Andrew Phares to chop the result in 12-7 at halftime.

“We simply weren’t executing the best way we have been speculated to execute offensively,” Biser mentioned. “After which defensively, we simply couldn’t get off the sector on third down.”

The Hawks scored on their opening drive of the second half, one other quick run by Lewis, and led 18-7 halfway via the interval.

Morgantown debuted a brand new offense after halftime, going from their conventional wing-T to an easier I-formation and it paid off straight away. The Mohigans hit a 66-yard display go to Bobby Powell that arrange a two-yard rating by AJ Thomas.

“When any of us make performs, it simply brings everybody’s power ranges up and makes us all play higher,” Thomas mentioned of Powell’s acquire. “I believe that was the spark we wanted out of the half that actually pushed us to win that recreation.”

Following a defensive cease, Thomas broke off a 61-yard run to make it again into the endzone and make it a one-point MHS lead, 19-18.

“You’ve simply acquired to maintain enjoying,” Biser mentioned. “I mentioned stop worrying in regards to the rating, simply play and if it’s meant to be, then we’ll achieve success.”

After the groups traded punts, College acquired the ball within the fourth quarter with an opportunity to drive down the sector and take a late lead.

Hudson, who performed nice all night time, orchestrated an efficient drive and regarded to have the go-ahead rating, just for the play to be referred to as again because of a penalty. UHS ultimately needed to accept a area objective strive, however Coleman’s 42-yard kick sailed simply large to the correct and MHS’s lead was intact.

Thomas appeared to place the sport away when he scored on a 68-yard run to make it 26-18 Morgantown lead. It was the identical easy play his different massive acquire got here on.

“That was only a nice transfer on their half,” Kelley mentioned. “A easy, old-style soccer play and so they caught us.”

Technically, the perfect play would have been for Thomas to go down quick so the Mohigans might have run the remaining 1:44 off the clock, however Biser mentioned he’ll take the factors.

“(Assistant) Coach (Adam) King mentioned we scored too quick,” Biser mentioned. “We would have liked to take advantage of the clock a bit of extra, I agree, however once you’re large open, I’ll take the factors.”

“I actually wasn’t anticipating to interrupt open on that one,” Thomas added. “I simply noticed it was open and I simply went.”

Trailing by eight, UHS had one last likelihood to attain, however Morgantown’s protection compelled 4 straight incompletions to win the sport.

“They acquired some breaks, we acquired some breaks,” Kelley mentioned. “Everyone advised us we have been going to get killed. We had a number of possibilities to win the sport and we didn’t, after which they acquired the massive run there on the finish.

“I’m simply pleased with my youngsters. We’re each bit pretty much as good as them, if not higher,” Kelley continued. “I can’t fault something we did. If anyone thinks there’s a lot distinction between these two groups they’re loopy.”

Hudson accomplished 18 of 33 passes for 283 yards with a landing and an interception. Ethan Jackson was his favourite goal, catching a dozen passes for 167 yards. Coleman completed with 5 receptions for 114 yards and a rating.

Thomas led Morgantown with 196 dashing yards and three touchdowns. He had all however one carry for MHS within the second half.

“I simply felt like they trusted me with the ball for almost all of the sport,” he mentioned. “I thank them for that.”

Powell had 69 receiving yards and Phares had the 23-yard landing catch. Bowers accomplished 4 of 11 passes for 99 yards with a landing and interception. 

“Nice recreation, nice highschool environment, nice bands, nice cheerleaders,” Biser mentioned. “The followers have been superb. All the best way round, an ideal night time for highschool soccer.”

Field Rating
MHS 0 7 12 7 — 26
UHS 6 6 6 0 — 18

Scoring Abstract
UHS — M. Lewis run 1 (kick blocked)
UHS — Coleman go 37 from Hudson (go fail)
MHS — Phares go 23 from 16 (Stire kick)
UHS — M. Lewis run 3 (go fail)
MHS — Thomas run 3 (go fail)
MHS — Thomas run 61 (run fail)
MHS — Thomas run 68 (Stire kick)

Particular person Statistics
RUSHING — Morgantown: 31-259-3td (Nutter 9-41; Powell 5-23; Thomas 14-196-3td; Ullom 1-3). College: 32-49-2td (Jorge 21-39; M. Lewis 3-6-2td; Hudson 8-4).
PASSING — Morgantown: 4-11 99 td-int (all Bowers). College: 18-33 283 td-int (all Hudson).
RECEIVING — Morgantown: 4-99-td (Powell 2-69; Phares 1-23-td; Thomas 1-7). College: 18-283-td (Jackson 12-167; Coleman 5-114-td; Jorge 1-2).