GURDON – The Freshmen Class took advantage of their final junior football game by defeating the Gurdon Junior Go Devils 34-0 to wrap up the 2019 season with an 8-1 record and the 7-2A Junior High Conference Title.
The Junior Lions jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the first quarter. Karter Rowton led the Junior Lions 56 yards in four plays in the opening drive. Jacob Woodfield carried them across the midfield stripe on a six yard run, followed by a 26 yard run by Jack Hoeksema. Two plays later Caleb White broke loose for a 21 yard touchdown run to give Mount Ida the lead. Hoeksema carried the ball in for the 2-point conversion to give Mount Ida an 8-0 lead with 6:30 left in the opening stanza.
Payton Dorrell recovered the ensuing kick off at midfield. The Junior Lions marched 50 yards in five plays to score on a 13 yard run by Dorrell. Woodfield carried the ball in for the 2-point conversion to give the Junior Lions a 16 point lead with 4:07 left in the quarter.
The longest drive of the quarter started on the Mount Ida 33 yard line, but the Junior Lions only needed three plays to find the end zone. Woodfield carried Mount Ida into Gurdon territory on an 18 yard run on a second and five from the Lion 38. White finished the drive with a 44 yard touchdown run down the Mount Ida sideline. The 2-point conversion fell short and the Junior Lions held a 22-0 lead with 36 seconds left in the first quarter.
Gurdon was able to move the ball into Mount Ida territory in their first drive of the second quarter, but their drive ended with a Mount Ida touchdown thanks to a 60 yard interception return by Hoeksema. The 2-point conversion failed and Mount Ida held a 28-0 lead which they took into the half.
The Junior Go Devils opened the second half with a lengthy drive into Mount Ida territory, but it ended on a turn over of downs at the Mount Ida 39 yard line.
Dorrell scored the final touchdown from 35 yards out with 1:18 left in the third quarter.
Both teams turned to their second string for the fourth quarter with Mount Ida holding on for the shut out.
Caleb White led the Junior Lions with 112 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Payton Dorrell scored twice and rushed for 58 yards on four carries.
Jack Hoeksema had three carries for 75 yards, Jacob Woodfield had 35 yards on five carries, Jayden Gwinn had a four yard carry and Dylan Ditgen had two carries.
As a team, Mount Ida rushed for 284 yards on 25 carries.
The Mount Ida defense held Gurdon to 63 yards on 26 carries.
Mount Ida finishes the season with an 8-1 overall record and a flawless 7-0 conference record. The finish the 2019 season as 7-2A Conference champions. They will shift to the 5-2A Conference next year.
