MOUNT VERNON — Danville fans were lovin’ it.
McDonald proved to be no match for the Danville Blue Devils, who wasted no time getting their 2023 playoff run underway Friday night.
The No. 2 seed exploded for three touchdowns in the first quarter to pound the McDonald Blue Devils 51-7 in their Division VII first-round football game.
Yellow Jacket Stadium, usually filled with fans in orange and black, was covered in a sea of blue Friday. Danville (11-0) used the stadium as its home field, as their usual field was considered unplayable after last week’s heavy rain.
As much as Danville loves Tough Street, the team and its fans seemed very much at home in Mount Vernon.
“These stands were full. Our fans came,” Danville head coach Matt Blum said. “We will play anywhere. We will play here. We’ll play at home. We’ll play in a parking lot. We don’t care.
“They’re willing to do whatever it takes.”
Senior quarterback Walker Weckesser was responsible for six of Danville’s seven touchdowns in the game, including three in the first quarter. He ended the night with four touchdown passes while running for two more.
Cole DeLaughder, who struggled to get much going in the muddy conditions of last week’s Devil-Dog game, thrived on Mount Vernon’s artificial turf. Delaughder rushed for 149 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown.
On paper, McDonald’s linemen were taller and larger than Danville. But, they could not match the Blue Devils’ strength. McDonald (5-6) rarely ran up the middle, choosing instead to go with misdirections and quick passes.
The strategy did not work.
Danville’s defensive line reduced the McDonald rushing attack to just two total yards. Meanwhile, the secondary sniffed out quarterback Kyle Puckett’s targets to bring down three interceptions.
“Before the game, I challenged our [defensive backs]. If you watch any of our films, that’s how teams have had success on us, by passing,” Blum said. “I thought we responded really well in that area.”
Danville’s defense shut down McDonald from the start. Nate Stephens picked off Puckett’s third pass to set up the first score – which Stephens did himself on a 40-yard pass play.
Scores by Weckesser and Wesley Payne brought the lead to 22-0 by the end of the first quarter.
McDonald’s only score came after Danville muffed a punt and McDonald recovered. The field position allowed the 15-seed to march to the end zone and score on a Zach Shobel dive with a minute to go in the first half.
On the next play, the teams lined up like Danville might just run out the clock. However, DeLaughder, like a big Mack truck, plowed through two tackles and took the ball 52 yards to the McDonald 13. Weckesser scored on the next play with a QB draw to give Danville a 28-7 halftime lead.
The second half began with another score by DeLaughder, this time from 29 yards.
Following another defensive stop, Danville’s Landon King blocked a McDonald punt, setting up another touchdown two plays later by Stephens.
Tempers flared in the second half, with eight personal foul calls on both teams. Three straight touchdowns by Danville were followed by late hits by McDonald players.
After that physical showdown, the Danville players deserve a break. They’ll get one Saturday by taking the day off.
They’ll have a week to get ready for seventh-seeded Springfield, which defeated Monroeville, 35-21. The game is scheduled to be played at Danville. That is, if the field is ready to go.
If not, it may be back to Yellow Jacket Stadium.
“They work hard. They play hard. They’re a great group to coach,” Blum said. “They really work hard. I am really proud to be their head coach.”
