MOUNT VERNON — The way first-year Mount Vernon coach Mark Weber sees it, there is a process to winning.
HIs Yellow Jackets took a step forward in that process Friday, despite a 27-21 loss to Watkins Memorial on Homecoming Night at Yellow Jacket Stadium.
Mount Vernon (2-5, 1-1 Licking County League Buckeye Division) had a potential game-winning 31-yard field goal blocked on the final play of regulation and a touchdown nullified by penalty in overtime.
Watkins (1-6, 1-1) sealed the victory when running back Brayden Waldren bulled his way into the end zone on first-and-goal from the 3-yard line.
“We had a kick to win it with one second. I don’t know what happened … but typically we make those,” Weber said. “I asked them, ‘When have you been in that situation, to kick it to win?’ They said, ‘Never.’
“The moment was huge and we’ve got to keep getting in these moments to win these moments.”
It didn’t look like overtime would be necessary as Watkins opened a 21-6 halftime lead.
Junior quarterback Drew Samsal, a Division II All-Ohio third-teamer last year, ran for an 8-yard touchdown on the Warriors first possession, then hooked up with wideout Jaeden Ricketts on a see-it-to-believe-it 14-yard scoring strike midway through the second quarter to make it 14-3.
Samsal, who missed time early in the season with an injury, scrambled in and out of trouble before finding Ricketts.
“He’s a pretty good football player. He has good football intelligence and a good skill set,” Watkins coach Darren Waters said of Samsel. “He does a nice job of extending plays and distributing the ball.”
Mount Vernon cut the lead to 14-6 on the second of Gabe Montoya’s two first-half field goals, but the Warriors answered. Samsel again found Ricketts, an Ohio State recruit, on a 69-yard catch-and-run with just five seconds remaining in the first half.
“That play to end the first half was the difference,” Weber said. “That’s where (a pass interference penalty) would have been good. If we would have just tackled him, it would have been 15 yards. They would have got another play, but they wouldn’t have got a touchdown.
“We’ve got to learn.”
The Jackets came out swinging in the second half.
On their first play from scrimmage, wildcat quarterback Mason Richards found a seam in the Watkins defense and went 67 yards to the Warriors’ 13 yard line. Jake Richards, Mount Vernon’s regular quarterback, capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run to make it 21-13 with 8:54 to play in the third quarter.
On Watkins’ next possession, Mount Vernon’s Darrin Monahan picked off a Samsal pass and returned it to the Warriors’ 37 yard line.
The Yellow Jackets cashed in when Richards faked a run and threw a 6-yard TD pass to tight end Anthony Roenker. Taylor hooked up with Hunter Looney on a two-point conversion pass to tie the score at 21-21 with 4:22 remaining in the third.
It would stay that way until overtime.
Watkins won the coin flip and opted to go on defense. Mount Vernon was faced with a third-and-eight from the 18 when Taylor again hooked up with Looney, who wrestled the ball away from a defender in the end zone for what appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown.
The score was taken off the board, however, when the Jackets were flagged for an illegal shift. Taylor was sacked on third down and his fourth-down pass to running back Mavrik Gregory came up well short.
That set the stage for Samsel, who hit John Apel on a 17-yard swing pass on first down to the 3-yard line. On the very next play, Waldren plowed into the end zone for the game-winner.
“It was a team win. Our defense made plays when we needed them to at the end of regulation and in overtime and the offense was able to close out the deal,” Waters said. “I feel like we’re getting better every week. We’ve got great kids and I’m happy they get to enjoy tonight, but tomorrow it’s back to work.”
Mount Vernon had it’s two-game winning streak snapped. Still, the Yellow Jackets are pointed in the right direction.
“In the past, if we get down everyone’s head is hanging,” said Taylor, Mount Vernon’s senior QB. “We’re pushing the other team and we’re really fighting to the end.”
Mount Vernon Homecoming
