The Mountaineer running game and defense rose to the forefront Friday night as Mitchell scored 28 second-quarter points to erase a McDowell lead and overwhelm its border foe in a 49-15 blowout Friday night in Ledger.With three minutes left in the opening period, Mitchell drew first blood when Michael Styles broke through the Titans defense for a 49-yard touchdown run. The successful point after by junior Isaac Edwards put the Mountaineers out in front 7-0.
McDowell, winless in 2009 after its one victory was forfeited due to eligibility issues, finally showed life following the score and jump-started its offense. Quarterback Grant Robinson capped a drive when he scored on a one-yard sneak to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:43 to play in the first half.
On the first offensive play following the Titan kickoff, running back Shawn Jackson darted through the McDowell front line and scampered past the secondary to pay dirt. The 67-yard jaunt gave the Mountaineers the lead it would never relinquish at 14-7.
On its next series the Titans went to the air to try to gain field position, but they paid dearly as Mountaineer outside linebacker Troy Self picked off a Robinson pass and scooted 45 yards to the end zone to put Mitchell ahead 21-7 with seven minutes left before halftime.
After McDowell was held to a three-and-out, Mitchell compiled a strong scoring drive. The ground game found holes in the Titans defense and exploited them for the rest of the half and the entire second half. Self again found the end zone, this time on a one-yard quarterback sneak, to boost the Mountaineer edge to 28-7, a lead Mitchell took to the locker room at halftime.
The second half continued in much the same fashion as the first, as Mitchell chewed up huge chunks of real estate with the running of Jackson and Styles. The pair each eclipsed the 100-yard plateau in the win as the Mountaineers racked up 378 rushing yards in the win.
Troy Self scored his third touchdown of the night on a 20-yard third quarter carry to further pad the Mountaineer lead, while fellow Mitchell quarterback Justin Hughes relieved Self in the second half and got into the act, hitting Matt Vaughn for a 75-yard touchdown pass play to give Mitchell a 42-7 lead after three periods.
McDowell scored a late touchdown in the final 12 minutes on a two-yard run by Rashawn Chambers, and Mitchell closed out the scoring when Styles scored on a tote from 16 yards out to provide for the final margin.
The Mitchell defense held McDowell to 135 total yards of offense, while Jackson ran for 137 yards, Styles racked up 136 yards, and Self raced for 94 yards on the ground in the win for the home team.
Mitchell (1-1) will travel to Brevard to take on the winless Blue Devils in non-conference action this week.
