The roller coaster season of the Mitchell High School (MHS) football team took a few more twists and turns in its second round game last Friday, Nov. 19, in Miller’s Creek against the West Wilkes Blackhawks. A pair of fourth quarter touchdown runs held up as Mitchell earned a grueling 35-29 win over West in a back-and-forth playoff thriller.
The Mountaineers drew first blood as it capped a six-play, 63-yard scoring drive with a 17-yard touchdown run by senior halfback Shawn Jackson. The Isaac Edwards point after touchdown (PAT) gave the Mountaineers an early 7-0 lead early in the first period.
On its first offensive series, West was forced to punt. The Blackhawks reached into its bag of tricks early, however, as it faked the punt on fourth down and Andrew Adams ambled 60 yards to put West on the board. Seth Absher’s PAT knotted the game at 7-7 at the 6:05 mark of the opening stanza.
Mitchell’s fortunes worsened on the ensuing kickoff as the Mountaineers fumbled the pigskin and West recovered at the Mountaineer 47-yard line. West marched to the end zone on six plays to capitalize on the gaffe, with Adams scoring for the second time in as many series as quarterback Absher connected with him for a 34-yard touchdown pass. The PAT pushed the home team ahead by a 14-7 margin.
Late in the first quarter, the Mountaineers needed to steal the momentum back from the Blackhawks, and it did so with an 11-play, 61-yard drive. Justin Hughes collected the touchdown on a seven-yard run, and the PAT by Edwards tied the game at 14 with 10:48 to play before halftime.
Shortly after the tying score, the Mountaineer defense stepped up and swung the momentum pendulum in the corner of the Mitchell club. Hughes leaped high into the air on a pass by Absher to intercept the ball and raced 50 yards to purple paydirt. The extra point boosted the Mountaineers ahead 21-14. The teams traded punts for the remainder of the first half as Mitchell led by a touchdown at intermission.
West Wilkes opened the third quarter with the first possession and made the most of the opportunity with a seven-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. Aaron Hudler caught a six-yard pass from Absher to draw the Blackhawks within a point. West again pulled out a trick play on the extra point attempt as it faked the PAT kick. The West holder pitched the football to kicker Absher, who then threw a successful two-point conversion pass to give West a 22-21 lead.
Mitchell came up empty on its first offensive series of the half and had to punt. The Mountaineer defense again dug in and held, however, as West held the football for 5:21 of clock time and ran 16 offensive plays. The drive ended unsuccessfully as the Mitchell defense foiled a fourth-down conversion pass inside the Mitchell 20-yard line.
Regaining the football, the MHS offense ground out its own 13-play, 72-yard drive that elapsed 6:24 off the clock. Jackson scored on a four-yard run to cash in on the productive possession. A successful two-point conversion pass to Hunter Rathbone put the Mountaineers back out in front of the seesaw contest at 29-22 with 7:06 to play in the contest.
Again the Mitchell defense made a huge play late in a game, as the defense stripped a West running back of the football and made the recovery inside Blackhawks territory. The offense capitalized on the turnover as Hughes scored on a one-yard plunge. The PAT failed, but Mitchell held a commanding 35-22 lead with 2:56 left on the game clock.
West refused to fold up the tent and give up, as it quickly maneuvered 63 yards in 10 plays to score on an Adams 12-yard pass reception. Absher’s extra point kick narrowed the margin to 35-29 with only 47 seconds to play.
The Blackhawks made one final onside kick attempt to regain possession, but Mitchell recovered the kick and ran out the clock to escape Miller’s Creek with a berth in the third round of the state playoffs.
Mitchell ran the football 44 times for 290 yards in the win, and threw the football just two times for the entire game. Jackson led all rushers with 158 yards on 22 carries and a pair of touchdowns, with 14 carries for 107 yards and three touchdowns from Hughes.
The Mountaineers make its second trip to Newland in three weeks this Friday, Nov. 26, when they tangle with the Avery Vikings. The Mountaineers lost a narrow 14-7 game to the Vikings in the first matchup and will look to advance to the Western Regional championship contest next week.
The Mountaineers drew first blood as it capped a six-play, 63-yard scoring drive with a 17-yard touchdown run by senior halfback Shawn Jackson. The Isaac Edwards point after touchdown (PAT) gave the Mountaineers an early 7-0 lead early in the first period.
On its first offensive series, West was forced to punt. The Blackhawks reached into its bag of tricks early, however, as it faked the punt on fourth down and Andrew Adams ambled 60 yards to put West on the board. Seth Absher’s PAT knotted the game at 7-7 at the 6:05 mark of the opening stanza.
Mitchell’s fortunes worsened on the ensuing kickoff as the Mountaineers fumbled the pigskin and West recovered at the Mountaineer 47-yard line. West marched to the end zone on six plays to capitalize on the gaffe, with Adams scoring for the second time in as many series as quarterback Absher connected with him for a 34-yard touchdown pass. The PAT pushed the home team ahead by a 14-7 margin.
Late in the first quarter, the Mountaineers needed to steal the momentum back from the Blackhawks, and it did so with an 11-play, 61-yard drive. Justin Hughes collected the touchdown on a seven-yard run, and the PAT by Edwards tied the game at 14 with 10:48 to play before halftime.
Shortly after the tying score, the Mountaineer defense stepped up and swung the momentum pendulum in the corner of the Mitchell club. Hughes leaped high into the air on a pass by Absher to intercept the ball and raced 50 yards to purple paydirt. The extra point boosted the Mountaineers ahead 21-14. The teams traded punts for the remainder of the first half as Mitchell led by a touchdown at intermission.
West Wilkes opened the third quarter with the first possession and made the most of the opportunity with a seven-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. Aaron Hudler caught a six-yard pass from Absher to draw the Blackhawks within a point. West again pulled out a trick play on the extra point attempt as it faked the PAT kick. The West holder pitched the football to kicker Absher, who then threw a successful two-point conversion pass to give West a 22-21 lead.
Mitchell came up empty on its first offensive series of the half and had to punt. The Mountaineer defense again dug in and held, however, as West held the football for 5:21 of clock time and ran 16 offensive plays. The drive ended unsuccessfully as the Mitchell defense foiled a fourth-down conversion pass inside the Mitchell 20-yard line.
Regaining the football, the MHS offense ground out its own 13-play, 72-yard drive that elapsed 6:24 off the clock. Jackson scored on a four-yard run to cash in on the productive possession. A successful two-point conversion pass to Hunter Rathbone put the Mountaineers back out in front of the seesaw contest at 29-22 with 7:06 to play in the contest.
Again the Mitchell defense made a huge play late in a game, as the defense stripped a West running back of the football and made the recovery inside Blackhawks territory. The offense capitalized on the turnover as Hughes scored on a one-yard plunge. The PAT failed, but Mitchell held a commanding 35-22 lead with 2:56 left on the game clock.
West refused to fold up the tent and give up, as it quickly maneuvered 63 yards in 10 plays to score on an Adams 12-yard pass reception. Absher’s extra point kick narrowed the margin to 35-29 with only 47 seconds to play.
The Blackhawks made one final onside kick attempt to regain possession, but Mitchell recovered the kick and ran out the clock to escape Miller’s Creek with a berth in the third round of the state playoffs.
Mitchell ran the football 44 times for 290 yards in the win, and threw the football just two times for the entire game. Jackson led all rushers with 158 yards on 22 carries and a pair of touchdowns, with 14 carries for 107 yards and three touchdowns from Hughes.
The Mountaineers make its second trip to Newland in three weeks this Friday, Nov. 26, when they tangle with the Avery Vikings. The Mountaineers lost a narrow 14-7 game to the Vikings in the first matchup and will look to advance to the Western Regional championship contest next week.
