Dyer leads Bulldogs as Mahomet-Seymour picks up 3rd win
By FRED KRONER
Junior quarterback Lucas Dyer hit a career-high for passing yards for the second week in a row as Mahomet-Seymour’s football team went on the road and secured a running clock 31 minutes into the Apollo Conference contest at Charleston.
Dyer threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns within a 3-minute and 40-second span in the first period en route to a 49-21 triumph. In his last two games, Dyer has passed for 629 yards and seven touchdowns.
“This is one of the best games I’ve seen him play,” M-S coach Jon Adkins said. “He was standing in the pocket, zipping the ball around and looking calm, cool and collected.
“The kids up front gave him time (to throw) and protection.”
M-S’ lead was 43-0 after a touchdown scamper by Cade Ashby at the 7:33 mark of the third quarter, which marked the start of the running clock.
Dyer continued to make use of multiple receivers. He connected with Braden Pagel for the game’s first two TDs, giving Pagel two consecutive two-TD games.
Pagel, Trey Peters and Raymond Long all had at least three catches and more than 80 receiving yards apiece. Long (107 yards) is the first Bulldog with two 100-yard pass-catching games this year. Pagel gained 88 yards on his catches and Peters logged 81 yards.
Gavin Hammerschmidt also had three receptions.
“That makes us hard to scout and makes us very dynamic,” Adkins said.
The Bulldogs were without rushing leader Luke Johnson, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 and was withheld from the conference opener.
Adkins hopes Johnson can return for this week’s homecoming game at Frank Dutton Field against Taylorville.
“This makes multiple times we’ve had the ‘next-man-up’ mentality,” Adkins said.
Ashby filled in for Johnson. Among the other Bulldogs who have been called upon this season on short notice are Evan Anderson, Channing Byers, Gage Decker and Hayden Hart.
“We’ve continuously had kids step up to the challenge,” Adkins said. “I’m proud of the way they have seized the opportunity.”
Besides Ashby and Pagel, the Bulldogs’ other offensive scores were by Long, Brock VanDeveer and Wade Manuel. Jackson Davis connected on 5 of 6 extra-point conversions.
After the first M-S touchdown, the Bulldogs used a fake kick, and Hammerschmidt ran in a two-point conversion to the right side, putting the score at 8-0.
The M-S defense continued its recent series of stellar performances. After yielding 432 total yards in Game 1, none of the team’s next three opponents have generated as much as 230 yards.
Though Charleston managed three TDs – one on a kickoff return after Adkins had pulled his starters – the first-team defense yielded no points and just 80 total yards, only 8 on the ground in 2 ½ quarters. Charleston finished with 226 yards of total offense.
“Another incredible performance,” Adkins said. “Charleston had one of the highest scoring offenses and one of the best rushing offenses in the Apollo.”
The Trojans’ Brett Spour had gained at least 100 yards rushing in ech of the season’s first three games, but was held to 8 yards rushing by the Bulldogs.
“They continue to progress each week,” Adkins said.
The defense also put points on the board.
Henry Wagner returned a second-half interception to the end zone. On Charleston’s next play from scrimmage, M-S’ Ethan Esker intercepted a pass and returned it for 20 yards.
The Bulldogs displayed a defensive balance.
VanDeveer and Donovan Lewis were each in on five tackles. Colby Crowley, Noah Frank and Jack Gallier all finished with four stops.
“We did a good job of getting them in three-and-out situations,” Adkins said. “I love how our stats were balanced.
“It shows we don’t have to just rely on Brock, Jack and Donovan. We have others who can get the job done.”
M-S (3-1 with a three-game winning streak) plays host to Taylorville (3-1 after a 28-6 loss last week to unbeaten Mount Zion) on Friday, (Sept. 22) in the homecoming and Hall of Fame game.
Individuals to be enshrined in the M-S Schools Foundation Hall of Fame during a pre-game ceremony are Dirk Handlin (Class of 1992), James Heinold (Class of 1989), Karl Welke (Class of 1985) and long-time drama teacher Judy Swiger, who passed away in 2020.
