By FRED KRONER
Led by its most balanced offensive attack of the football season, Mahomet-Seymour’s unbeaten Bulldogs took down state-ranked Mount Zion 35-27 on Friday (Sept. 10) in the M-S home-opener.
Mount Zion was ranked seventh in Class 4A. M-S was ranked 15th in Class 5A, but will likely move up when this week’s polls are released.
The Bulldogs generated 159 yards on the ground and 157 through the air.
The visiting Braves had the ball and moved into Bulldog territory in the game’s waning seconds with a chance to create a tie. Their drive, however, fell short of reaching the M-S 30-yard line.
“We stopped them on fourth down and then were able to kneel down for the win,” M-S coach Jon Adkins said. “It comes down to believing in one another, believing in the system and believing in what got us here.
“In big-time games, the team that prevails is not the team that tries to do something extra, but the team that relies on its training that got them to that spot.”
The win was the first for M-S over Mount Zion in four years.
“Mount Zion was a special group,” Adkins said. “It was like a chess match. They made adjustments and we made some adjustments.
“Getting over the hump was big.”
M-S’ Wyatt Bohm completed 11 of 22 passes for 157 yards. He has thrown for 721 yards in three games.
He connected with five receivers, tossing a touchdown pass to Dream Eagle, who had four catches for 46 yards.
Nolan Nierenhauser caught two passes for 41 yards.
The ground attack was spearheaded by Luke Johnson. His 112-yard, two-TD game raises his season totals to 317 yards rushing and five scores.
“Our running game stepped up to the challenge,” Adkins said.
A veteran line, featuring four seniors and four returning starters, is showing the benefits of varsity experience.
The left side of the line is anchored by 6-foot-10, 260-pound tackle Tyler Uken and the lone junior on the line, guard Mikane Didier.
“Didier started as a sophomore and is doing a fantastic job,” Adkins said. “Uken is an incredible force and he flat-out dominated Friday.
“When we run outside zone, he’s the reason we run left.”
Center Brayden Smith and right guard Will Jones are joined by the lone newcomer, right tackle George Moore, a converted linebacker.
“There’s no kid we trust more than Smith,” Adkins said. “He touches the ball on every play. He’s undersized (5-foot-11, 180 pounds), but he is such a coachable kid and is mentally tough. He will out-technique you.
“Jones has stepped up to be a leader, not just for the line, but for the team as a whole. Moore is filling a void after a kid moved away, and continues to get better.
“I can’t say enough about that group of five.”
Nathan Sievers is the Bulldogs’ line coach.
Kicker Kyle Walmer converted the extra-point placements after all five M-S touchdowns. Other rushing TDs were scored by Quenton Rogers and Mitchell Gallier.
Defensively, Mateo Casillas had a team-high eight tackles. Other Bulldog stalwarts were Ashton Heiser (five tackles), Gallier (four tackles), Nick Golden (three tackles), Logan Petro (three tackles) and Kale Schweighart (three tackles).
The defense limited Mount Zion to 241 total yards.
“They made some adjustments, but when we re-focused, we were able to make some key big-time stops,” Adkins said. “They are loaded.
“To give up 27 points against that talented of an offensive group, hats off to our kids. I couldn’t be more proud. We won’t see another group as loaded with athletes as that group is.”
M-S (3-0) returns to action on Friday (Sept. 17) at home against Lincoln (2-1). This week is homecoming and Friday’s game will also mark the induction of four new members into the M-S School Foundation Hall of Fame.
For Adkins, it is a bittersweet week.
“I love homecoming for the community, the alumni and the student body,” he said, “but I can’t stand it as a football coach.
“There are so many distractions. My job is to make sure they are focused on the job at hand.”
His task is easier because of what happened in Adkins’ first year on the job. A late-season loss – 13-6 at home – to Lincoln prevented M-S from making the postseason in 2019.
Entering this week’s game, only M-S and Lincoln have not had a loss yet in Apollo Conference play in 2021.
“As soon as last week’s game was over, I let the kids enjoy it for about two seconds and then I immediately reminded them we have a bullseye on our backs,” Adkins said. “We still have a job to do.
“We’ll be ready to go.”
