MURFREESBORO – The Mount Ida Junior Lions dominated the Junior Rattlers of Murfreesboro from the opening kick off to earn a 38-6 victory last Thursday.
The Junior Lions tallied 271 yards of total offense with 254 coming on the ground.
Jacob Woodfield led the charge with 152 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries.
Jack Hoeksema had five carries for 51 yards, Caleb White had 10 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown and Payton Dorrell had two carries for 11 yards and a score.
The highlight of the offensive game plan was the use of Ramsey Gilbert as a fullback on two point conversions where he converted on two attempts.
The Mount Ida defense held the Murfreesboro Junior Rattlers to less than 50 yards with their only score coming at the end of the game.
Caleb White led the defense with six and a half tackles and an interception. Chandler Perkins had four tackles and Jack Hoeksema had three tackles and an interception. Ashton Humphries had a tackle and a blocked punt.
Jacob Woodfield, Ramsey Gilbert and Peyton Dorrell each recorded a tackle.
Murfreesboro was able to record a rare first down in their opening drive, but turned the ball over on downs at the Mount Ida 37. The Junior Lions responded with a seven play, 63 yard drive that ended with a 21 yard touchdown run by Jacob Woodfield. Ramsey Gilbert carried it in for the two point conversion to give the Junior Lions an 8-0 lead with 1:55 left in the first quarter.
Jack Hoeksema raced in to recover a loose ball on the ensuing kick off and the Junior Lions quickly marched downfield to score on a seven yard run by Hoeksema. Karter Rowton took the ball in for the two point conversion to give them a 16 point lead with 7:54 left in the first half.
A stiff defensive stance forced a punt on the Junior Rattlers follow up series and a blocked punt by Ashton Humphries gave the Junior Lions great field position at the Murfreesboro 26 yard line. Five plays later Caleb White barreled his way into the end zone to give the Junior Lions a 22-0 lead with 3:57 left in the half.
Caleb White ended Murfreesboro’s next drive when he reached over a receiver to snatch an interception from his hands. Mount Ida failed to score on that drive, but an interception by Jack Hoeksema set up a 59 yard touchdown run by Jacob Woodfield. Peyton Dorrell scored on the two point conversion to give the Junior Lions a 30-0 half time lead.
Mount Ida scored their final touchdown at the 3:38 mark of the third quarter when Dorrell lumbered in from three yards out. Ramsey Gilbert carried the two point conversion in to give the Junior Lions a 38 point lead.
Murfreesboro was able to avoid the shut out with a 10 yard touchdown run as the final buzzer sounded.
Mount Ida moves to 4-1 on the year and 3-0 in conference play.
