By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Mount Pleasant Wins Ugly, Improves to 2-1:
There’s no style points in football. Never has been — and there never will be.
So when the final seconds bled off the field at Fairfield High School last night only one thing mattered: Mount Pleasant 21, Fairfield 6.
In a game where the field conditions were horrid, the visibility was worse and the mud was caked on the jerseys of Trojans and Panthers alike, it was the legs of senior quarterback Jack Johnson that provided all the necessary fireworks for Mount Pleasant to earn their second win in three games.
Johnson had touchdowns on the ground from 29, 21 and 22 yards — as the Panthers did just enough to hold off a feisty Trojan team.
The scoring started in the second quarter after both teams exchanged three punts each in the first quarter.
Mount Pleasant used a 17-play 79-yard drive that eclipsed just over nine minutes of the second quarter game clock to grab the first olive on Johnson’s rush, a score that held until halftime.
Out of the half, Fairfield tried a surprise onside-kick that was recovered by Mount Pleasant’s Cole Jarrett.
The recovery and ensuing excellent field position led to Johnson’s second rushing score.
The Trojans then fumbled on their first play from scrimmage in the third, gifting Mount Pleasant more great field position that was again finished off by Johnson’s wheels.
Fairfield dropped to 1-2 with the loss, while Mount Pleasant is now 2-1.
The Panthers will resume their district schedule next Friday when they welcome in Washington (3-0) for their homecoming bout.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., with air-time on KILJ-FM beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Other regional action last night:
- Sigourney-Keota 41, Louisa-Muscatine 0
- Mid-Prairie 49, Central Lee 0
- Lone Tree 42, WACO 6
- WACO falls for the second consecutive week. They’re now 1-2.
- Winfield-Mount Union 62, Twin Cedars 6
- The Wolves win their second in an impressive rout of the Sabres. Winfield-Mount Union now 2-1 this year.
- Keokuk 20, Burlington 3
- Mediapolis 41, Van Buren County 6
- Mediapolis earns their second consecutive victory to improve to 2-1.
- Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 30, West Burlington 28, OT
- The Falcons fall short of winning their second game in a row.
- #8 Washington 29, Fort Madison
- The Demons improve to 3-0 as they showdown with Mount Pleasant next week for the Panthers’ homecoming.
- #4 (8-player) Montezuma 56, New London 20
- New London falls for the first time in 2020, the Tigers are now 2-1.
- Cedar Rapids Xavier 30, Clear Creek-Amana 7
- Mount Pleasant’s week one opponent, a team they beat 28-27, has struggled out of the chute in 2020.
Iowa State Opens Against Louisiana:
The Iowa State Cyclone football team will begin their 2020 season this morning when they play host to the Rajun’ Cajuns’ of Louisiana at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.
Both teams passed their COVID-19 protocols on Friday, which allowed for Louisiana to make the travel trip to Iowa.
Kick-off is slated for 11:00 a.m., pre-game coverage on KILJ-FM and AM is set for 9:00 a.m. with the Cyclone Tailgate Show.
Drake Schedules NDSU to Begin 2022 Season:
The Drake Bulldog football team will open 2022 with North Dakota State.
The rescheduled game will be played on September 3rd, 2022 in Fargo and replaces the previously-scheduled 2020 game that was canceled.
North Dakota State is the reigning three-time NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision National Champions and have turned into a feared national power across the entire landscape of college football.