MOUNT VERNON — Opening night was a success for Knox County’s high school football teams.
Fredericktown, Danville and Centerburg all came away with Week 1 victories while Mount Vernon and East Knox both played well enough to win in close losses.
Here’s a look at this week’s marquee matchups:
Newark at Mount Vernon
The Wildcats opened the season with a 31-21 win over Licking Heights, scoring the game’s final 10 points to break a 21-21 tie. Quarterback Bodie Smith completed 19-of-30 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start. Receiver Drayson Peterson caught seven passes for 149 yards and two TDs.
The Yellow Jackets scored 21 straight points in the span of less than seven minutes to grab a 27-24 lead, but allowed a late touchdown in last week’s 31-27 loss at Marion Harding.
Quarterback Jake Taylor ran for a pair of scores and threw for another. He completed 11-of-22 passes for 234 yards, 166 coming in the second half as the Jackets erased a 24-6 deficit. Running back Dakota Stafford rushed for 79 yards.
Centerburg at Ontario
The Trojans opened the season with a 21-6 win over Utica thanks in part to a sticky-fingered secondary that picked off three passes. Trevin Harris returned one of the interceptions 46 yards for a touchdown.
Quarterback Blane Ball overcame a pair of first-half interceptions of his own. The junior tossed a 23-yard TD to Isaiah Sule to give Centerburg a 7-6 lead. Mile Marshall added a 25-yard scoring run.
Ontario scored 31 unanswered points in a come-from-behind 31-14 win over Lexington. Ohio State-bound quarterback Bodpegn Miller rushed for 96 yards and tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Noah Poole. Running back Mason Vantilburg rushed for 105 yards and a pair of TDs on 17 carries. Linebacker Landon Sowards made 14 tackles, while fellow linebacker Alan O’Blisk registered a sack.
Danville at Utica
The Blue Devils opened with a resounding 50-21 win over Worthington Christian as Aidan Burke rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 39 yard TD pass from Jacob Hackman. Hackman rushed for 81 yards and two TDs.
Linebacker Blake Colopy made 14 tackles, while fellow linebacker Joshua Byers was in on 13 stops. Burke, Carson Proper and Levi Furay each had an interception.
Utica played well defensively in a 21-6 loss to Centerburg, allowing just a pair of scores as one of Centerburg’s touchdowns came on a pick-six.
Gavin Tussey hauled in a 43-yard touchdown pass from Hayden Piper for Utica’s only score. Piper completed 13-of-26 passes for 151 yards.