JESSIEVILLE – The Mount Ida Junior Lions brought home the first win of the season for the Mount Ida football program with a hard fought 30-22 victory over the Jessieville Junior Lions.
Jacob Woodfield led the Mount Ida offense with 97 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Jack Hoeksema contributed 72 yards and a score on 10 carries. Caleb White was the workhorse in the middle of the field, carrying the ball 13 times for 58 yards and a touchdown. Payton Dorrell had two carries for 16 yards. As a team the Mount Ida Junior Lions carried the ball 41 times for 243 yards.
The first half was a slow ground and pound style of game with Jessieville eating up most of the first quarter with the opening drive. They started on their own 34 yard line and battled to within five yards of the goal line before Mount Ida stopped them on a fourth and goal.
Mount Ida took over with two minutes to go in the quarter and 95 yards of field between them and a score. They methodically marched the ball down the field, needing 17 plays to reach the end zone. Caleb White got the call on a one yard run for the first score of the game. Jacob Woodfield carried the ball in for the two point conversion to give the visiting Junior Lions an eight point lead.
Mount Ida recovered the ensuing onside kick on the Jessieville 40 yard line. They only needed seven plays to score a second time. Woodfield took the ball in from six yards out to give Mount Ida a 14-0 lead with 19 seconds left in the half.
Jessieville was the first to strike in the second half, scoring on a nine yard run with 3:40 to go in the third quarter. The two point conversion was good and Mount Ida sat on a 14-8 lead.
Jack Hoeksema was the next Mount Ida Junior Lion to score when he raced around the right side of the defense for a 31 yard touchdown run. White took the ball in on the two point conversion to give the Mount Ida Junior Lions a 22-8 lead.
Jessieville was able to cut the lead to six on a one yard run in the fourth quarter followed by a two point conversion, but Mount Ida responded with a drive that stopped one yard short of a touchdown.
Jessieville came out firing, throwing the ball downfield, but an interception by Hoeksema put a quick end to Jessieville’s hopes of a comeback. Two plays later Woodfield punched the ball in from five yards out. He carried the two point conversion across the goal line as well to give the visiting Junior Lions a 30-16 lead with 2:09 left in the game.
Jessieville responded with an 83 yard kick off return for a score to cut the lead to 30-22, but it was too little too late as the Mount Ida Junior Lions held on for the win.
Mount Ida will open the 7-2a Conference schedule Thursday night with the Lafayette County Junior Cougars coming to town. Kick off is set for 7 p.m.
Article written by Dewayne Holloway
