MOUNT VERNON -- Well, it's over.
Mount Vernon's five-game winning streak against Paul Pewitt's Brahmas came to a screeching halt, 14-0, here Friday night as the Battlin' Bulls defense limited the home team to just three first downs and 26 yards rushing. Mount Vernon came up with even less through the air, completing three of 10 for 26 yards.
On the other hand, senior Kenny Boyd ran for 167 of the Bulls' 281 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns. Boyd broke Pewitt's first play of the game for an 87-yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead after Tramond Hawkins made the PAT.
Paul Pewitt, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, improved to 4-0 on the year, while Mount Vernon is winless in four tries.
But the story inside the story was the play of both defenses. Pewitt was nearly immovable thanks to the efforts of tackles Delwynn Johnson, Andy Townsend and Otis Cobbins, nosdeguard Anthony Stanley and ends James Gilmore and Jarome Cobbins.
Linebacker Hercules Tarver stepped up and played one of the best games of his career as he took much of the heat off the Brahmas secondary as he took up the slack for fellow senior Jimmy Wilkerson, who missed the game because of a ham-string injury.
Defensive backs Kedrick Wright, Desmond Jones, Stephen Sperry and Kris Munn also went the extra mile in defending against Mount Vernon's long pass attempts.
The game was not without inspired play by the swarming Mount Vernon defense. Playing before a homecoming crowd, the Purple Tigers spotted the Bulls the early 7-0 advantage but made it hold up until halftime and held the Pewitt defense to just three first-half first downs.
Led by linebackers Brian McAllister and Martin McCormick coupled with good line play from Clay Herrmann, Derek Watson and Paul Edge and support from secondary members Bryan White and Chuck Johnson, the Purple Tigers made things tough for Pewitt's runners after the initial TD.
After his 87-yard TD, Boyd carried the next six times for just 10 yards and passed the 100-yard mark on his eighth carry. Sophomore back Desmond Jones found the going tough, and starting quarterback Sperry found himself surrounded by the purple jerseys throughout the half.
Jones had 35 yards on 12 carries, while Delwynn Johnson had 19 yards on three totes as a fullback.
As the second half began, Bulls head coach Ronnie Bickham went to junior quarterback Kris Munn to spark the Pewitt offense. The lanky underclassman started Pewitt at the 16 and got three yards to the first down, then Boyd ran for eight yards. After no gain on third down, Johnson was good for four yards and a first down at the 31.
Jones gain a yard, then was stuffed for a loss by White and company. On third down, Munn passed to Boyd out of the backfield for 11 yards and another first.
Jones garnered 11 yards and then bulled his way for another six to the Mount Vernon 33. At that point, Boyd got on his horse again and outran the Purple Tigers to the end zone.
After Hawkins toed the PAT, Pewitt had the lead at 14-0.
The drive took more than six minutes off the third quarter clock, and was followed by another Munn-led effort that killed another four minutes to end the quarter.
With six minutes to go in the game, Townsend punctuated the Bulls dominance of the game when he recovered a fumbled punt by White.
The Bulls recovered two Mount Vernon fumbles, while the Purple Tigers had two takeaways on an interception and fumble recovery.
Mount Vernon was its usual disciplined self, losing just 25 yards on three penalties.
Punter Aaron Little punted seven times for a 36-yard average, including a 61-yarder.
Tarver, filling in for Wilkerson as the Bulls punter, had a 30-yard average on four tires.
Pewitt hosts Linden-Kildare next week and Mount Vernon visits North Lamar. Linden-Kildare beat North Lamar in double overtime, 26-20, Friday night.
