Home Mineral Springs Sports Lions need big second half to defeat Hornets

Lions need big second half to defeat Hornets

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MOUNT IDA – The Mount Ida Lions and the Mineral Springs Hornets opened conference play with the Lions pulling away late to defeat the Hornets 49-18.
The Hornets gave the Lions all they wanted in the first half with Mount Ida scratching out a 14-6 lead.
Mount Ida opened the game as expected with a hard hitting ground game. Jonathan Legrange and Cade Helms took turns pushing their way down field with a sprinkle of Bridger Farmer added for a little variety. Legrange capped off the 14 play drive with a six yard touchdown run. Tyler Allenbrand’s PAT was good giving the Lions the early seven point lead with 6:55 to go in the opening quarter.
Mineral started their first drive in the spread. A pass to Fred Robinson moved them into Lion territory on the 45 yard line. The Hornets marched down field to the Lion nine before a fumble pushed them back to the 18. Mineral was unable to regain the momentum and turned the ball over on downs.
The two teams swapped possessions before the Lions were able to find the end zone for the second time.
The Lions started the drive on their own 22. They held to the ground game and was able to move the ball 78 yards in 11 plays with Lagrange finding the end zone once again, this time from one yard out for the score. Allenbrand hit the PAT to give the Lions a 14-0 lead with 6:20 to go in the half.
Dashawn Compton had the Hornet faithful to their feet after taking the ensuing kickoff to the Lion 45 yard line. Octavian Ceasar broke through the defensive line for a 26 yard gain, but a pair of incomplete passes doomed the drive for the Hornets.
Mount Ida took control of the ball with 81 yards between them and a 20 point lead. Problems with the snap forced the Lions to punt the ball away with two minutes left in the half. Raheem Brown fielded the punt and returned it to the Lion 41.
Four plays later Ceasar connected with Peyton Haddan for a 15 yard touchdown reception. The two point conversion attempt failed and the Hornets had cut the Lion lead to eight with 51 seconds left in the half.
Mount Ida moved the ball to the Hornet 24 but ended the half with a missed 41 yard field goal attempt.
Mineral Springs opened the second half with the ball on their own 46. Ceasar connected with Camron Walker over the middle to move the Hornets into Lion territory on the 46. Fortunes turned against Mineral Springs on the next play when a loose ball was recovered by Brody Davis for Mount Ida on the Mineral Springs 49.
Mount Ida took control of the ball with a new intensity, needing only four plays to score. Cade Helms started the drive with a 39 yard carry, stopped short of a touchdown by Raheem Brown. Lagrange and Farmer inched the ball to the one and Helms finished the drive off with the touchdown. Allenbrand easily hit the PAT to give the Lions a 21-6 lead with 9:48 to go in the third.
Mineral was undaunted by the Lion drive, responding with a five play drive that ended with a 13 yard pass to Camron Walker for the score. The two point conversion attempt failed and the Hornets had cut the Lion lead to nine with 7:26 to go in the third.
Mount Ida settled into a rhythm on their next drive which started on their own 27 yard line. The trio of Helms, Lagrange and Farmer moved the ball down field in a 11 play drive that ended with a 13 yard touchdown run by Bridger Farmer. Allenbrand’s PAT was good and the Lions held a 28-12 lead with 3:01 to go in the third.
The Mount Ida score seemed to stoke a fire under the Hornets who responded with a two play drive that resulted in a 54 yard reception for a touchdown to Fred Robinson with 2:10 left in the quarter. The two point conversion failed and the Hornets had cut the Lion lead to 28-18.
Unfortunately for the Hornets it would be the last points they put on the board as Mount Ida ended the game with 21 unanswered points.
Mount Ida continued to get better offensively with Legrange scoring on a four yard run with 19 seconds left in the third. Allenbrand’s PAT was good to lift the Mount Ida lead to 35-18. The score capped a six play drive.
Caleb Woodfield would recover a fumble for the Lions to end the Hornet’s ensuing drive on the Mineral Springs 38 with 10:54 to go in the game.
Helms was responsible for the next Lion points thanks to a three yard run with 9:24 to go in the game. Allenbrand hit his sixth PAT of the night to lift the Lion lead to 42-18.
The final score of the night came with 6:47 left in the game. Mount Ida took possession on their own 35 yard line and moved the ball to the Hornet 21 before turning the game over to their second team offense. Tyler Hamilton carried the ball to the 15 and Bryson Huff moved them inside the 10 on the eight yard line. Hamilton finished the drive with an eight yard scoring run. After a couple offside penalties called against the Hornets Oscar Pinedo hit the PAT for the final score of the night.
The Lions had an impressive 478 yards on 67 carries.
Cade Helms had 21 carries for 200 yards and two TDs, followed by Jonathan Legrange who had 26 carries for 131 yards and three touchdowns. Bridger Farmer had seven carries for 44 yards and a score, and Tyler Hamilton had three carries for 24 yards and a touchdown. Gage Dyer had two carries for 41 yards, Bryson Huff had four carries for 33 yards, Dawson Huff had one carry for seven yards and Cade Jackson had three carries for -2 yards.
The Hornets rushed for 91 yards on 20 carries and was 13-19 for 200 yards and three touchdowns in the air.
Octavian Ceasar led the Hornet ground game with 41 yards on nine carries, followed by Tahji Beal with two carries for 35 yards. Dashawn Compton had five carries for 13 yards and Camron Walker had two carries for a yard. Rickey Walker and Peyton Haddan each had a carry.
Raheem Brown led the team with three catches for 76 yards, followed by Fred Robinson with two catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. Camron Walker had five catches for 41 yards for a touchdown, Peyton Haddan had a catch for 15 yards and a score and Dashawn Compton had two catches for seven yards.
Mount Ida moves to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in conference play. Mineral Springs drops to 1-3 on the season and 0-1 in conference play.
Mount Ida will travel to Murfreesboro Friday night with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Mineral Springs was scheduled to play Mountain Pine, but the game has been forfeited by Mountain Pine due to a lack of players.

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