MOUNT VERNON — There were no frequent-flyer miles earned at the Hive in Mount Vernon on Friday night.
Both high school football teams engaged in brutal ground games that finally saw the Yellow Jackets topple the Johnnies 35-34 in overtime.
Mount Vernon coach Mark Weber was impressed by his team’s power attack.
“We had 33 rushes for 11.7 yards a carry, which gave us 385 yards rushing,” Weber said. “Bad things can happen when you put the ball in the air, like tips and interceptions.
“When you run the ball behind these big fellas and these tough guys, you can be successful.”
That total was helped by quarterback Mason Richards, who wove his way 66 yards for a first-quarter touchdown. Richards later sprinted for a 44-yard gain, adding to the total.
But Johnstown was impressive, too, compiling 292 yards rushing on 54 attempts.
“That is a team that had set the gold standard for running the ball,” Weber said.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 2-2 with the victory. Johnstown is 2-2 also.
Early in the first quarter, Richards took a quarterback keeper 51 yards for a touchdown, but before the touchdown horn could sound, it was called back on a penalty.
The Johnnies learned that the team that lives by the two-point conversion can, on occasion, die by the two-point conversion. The Jonnies scored first in the overtime period and went for the two points and failed.
“That defense on the goal line, that is just rugged determination,” Weber said of the goal line stand.
The coach believes that an overtime win against a quality team is helping the Jackets turn the corner.
“They have lost for so long, they need to learn how to win,” Weber said. “Tonight, they learned how to win.”
Next Friday, the Yellow Jackets travel to Heath, and the Johnnies will play host to Watkins Memorial.