By Fred Kroner
Before bigger goals can be reached, smaller ones must be achieved.
Mahomet-Seymour knocked one off its list on Friday (Sept. 23) before a homecoming crowd at Frank Dutton Field.
The Bulldogs scored four touchdowns before the Apollo Conference contest was 8 minutes old and went on to crush Charleston, 55-14.
The victory made the unbeaten and third-ranked Class 5A team playoff-eligible with its fifth win of the season. Friday’s game also marked the fifth consecutive one where M-S has allowed its opponent to score 14 points.
M-S built a 48-7 lead at halftime, creating a running clock the entire second half.
Despite the penchant for reaching the end zone, the Bulldogs had a season’s low for total offense with 237 yards.
“The entire first half was played on their side of the field,” M-S coach Jon Adkins said. “Our average starting field position (in the first two quarters) was the opponents’ 36-yard line.”
Less than 2 ½ minutes after kickoff, the Bulldogs broke the shutout. Mateo Casillas forced a fumble and – for the second game in a row – Kale Schweighart recovered one.
That put the Bulldogs in position for a two-play, 12-yard scoring drive, capped by a Luke Johnson TD run.
Against the Trojans, the offense didn’t need to be showcased and, in fact, only ran 31 plays from scrimmage.
Special teams scored three of the eight Bulldog touchdowns.
Quenton Rogers (89 yards) and Valient Walsh (94 yards) each returned kickoffs for TDs and Jack Gallier had a score on a 3-yard punt return after it was blocked by Ben Wagner.
“Each and every week, we have showcased a different element,” Adkins said. “As solid as our special teams have been, this week they were dominant.
“The way they played is not a shock.”
Included in the special teams’ play was a 37-yard punt by Kyle Walmer, which forced Charleston to start a possession inside its own 10-yard line.
“We’ve worked on our ‘safe punt,’ and Kyle pinned them deep,” Adkins said. “To work on things (in a game) that we might need later is great to see.”
The Bulldogs forced three turnovers, the fumble recovery in the opening minutes along with interceptions by Braden Houchin and Brennan Houser.
“Houchin has been a leader on defense,” Adkins said. “He’s the quarterback of the secondary and puts people in their place.
“He had a big night and was rewarded with the interception.”
Johnson also ran for two TDs and Rogers hauled in two scoring strikes from quarterback Wyatt Bohm.
The other M-S score was on a Bohm-to-Adam-Dyer pass.
Bohm completed 12 of 16 passes for 195 yards and connected with six different receivers.
Besides the usual targets, Rogers, Walsh and Johnson, Dyer, Trey Peters and Carter Selk have emerged as steady receivers.
“Trey is a sophomore who continues to get better,” Adkins said. “He is blocking well and is a deep-ball threat.
“Adam is sure-handed and that’s why he’s the holder on our PATs. He had two great catches.”
Selk had a team-high four receptions. Rogers, Walsh and Peters are the only Bulldogs with catches in all five games.
Bohm eclipsed the 1,000-yard passing mark for the season and stands at 1,079 yards entering Week 6.
Johnson led all M-S rushers with 27 yards on six attempts.
Walmer connected on 7 of 8 extra-point attempts. His miss ended a streak of 28 consecutive conversions.
Tackling leaders were Wagner (six tackles) and Gallier (four tackles).
Except for special teams – where Adkins likes to keep his units intact – the M-S starters only played in the first half against the Trojans.
“I’m happy the young kids got to play an entire half,” he said. “They deserve it. They come to practice every day like the varsity starters.
“I’m happy they were rewarded with some Friday Night Lights time.”
M-S (5-0) returns to action on Friday (Sept. 30) against Quincy Notre Dame (3-2), the second of three home games in a row.
“This will be our toughest game of the (regular) season,” Adkins said. “They are big, physical and fly around. They are rolling on the right track.
“We have to be ready for a four-quarter war. This will be a great opportunity to get a good challenge to prepare us for a deep playoff run.”
Adkins’ message to the team after the homecoming victory was simple.
“I said to have a great time and enjoy the weekend,” he said, “but be ready to go on Monday.”
He said the focus leading into the Charleston game was outstanding.
“We had a great week of practice and that showed in our execution on Friday,” Adkins said.
In addition to being ranked third in Class 5A by The Associated Press, M-S is ranked 25th by Maxpreps among all football-playing schools in the state’s eight classes.
