Running on empty – Greenville Daily News

Posted: September 3, 2017 at 12:44 am


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Montabella senior fullback Luke Burns ran for 234 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns in the Mustangs 22-20 win at Vestaburg Thursday. Montabella finished with 375 rushing yards total. (Daily News | Ryan Schlehuber)

VESTABURG Both teams wanted it, but it was Luke Burns and the Montabella running game that had enough in the tank to squeak out a 22-20 win over Vestaburg Thursday.

The senior fullback bulled his way into the end zone twice in the fourth quarter, the last one from two yards out with 2:04 to play in the game to take the lead for good, to help his Mustangs (1-1 overall) come from behind to win.

This was amazing. This was hard work paying off because I just really wanted to beat them, said Burns, who finished with 234 rushing yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns. We played as a team and we came together and worked as a team. This is a great rivalry.

Vestaburg quarterback Seth Stratton runs for yards as Montabellas Ethan Crawford (20) runs him down in the third quarter.

Teammate David Shattuck added 101 yards rushing on 10 carries, including a 57-yard touchdown scamper that opened up the scoring for the Mustangs in the first quarter (two-point conversion was good).

Overall, Montabella racked up 375 rushing yards on the Wolverines (0-2).

We just got gassed at the end, Vestaburg head coach Dan Ryckman said. This was a tough one to lose. They played their hearts out, but weve played two teams now that are bigger in size but we hung in there. We just didnt make enough plays at the end.

Vestaburgs offense was stalled by the Mustangs defense the entire first half, as the Wolverines went into halftime down 8-0, however, Vestaburgs Trenton Ketner intercepted Montabella quarterback Jordan Balhorns pass at Vestaburgs 30-yard line on Montabellas opening drive of the second half, which sparked the Wolverines sideline.

Vestaburg Seth Stratton got the ball down to the 1-yard line with a pass to Kegan Crooks and junior running back Dalton Denman punched it into the end zone one play later to get the Wolverines on the board.

Vestaburg receiver Kegan Crooks catches a pass during the first half of Thursdays game.

After recovering an onside kick, Stratton and company charged down the field and finished another scoring drive with a four-yard pass to senior Noah Johnston to take the lead 14-8 in the third quarter.

Vestaburg struck again in the fourth quarter when Stratton ran 37 yards into the end zone to put Vestaburg up 20-8 with 8:28 to go.

But Burns wasnt finished yet, capping a Montabella drive with a 17-yard touchdown run with 6:44 left in the game to pull within six of Vestaburg.

We had to get motivated again and shut them down. We couldnt let them just walk all over us, Burns said. We had to hang with them and it meant we needed to get motivated again.

Montabella recovered an onside kick on the ensuing kick-off, getting the ball back at the 49-yard line with 6:12 to go. Thats when the Mustangs meticulous running game made its final push, with Burns leading the way.

Hes a horse, Balhorn said of Burns. The unfortunate thing is we ask so much out of that young man, and we have other running backs who are talented, too, but they knew he was getting the ball and they still couldnt stop him. Hes got a mental attitude and edge that hes not going to go down easy, and it worked well for him.

Junior Marshall Wright sealed Montabellas win with his interception on Vestaburgs last drive with 1:21 to go.

Stratton finished 5-for-17 passing for 101 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He rushed for 61 yards on eight carries.

Dalton Denman rushed for 41 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown for Vestaburg and Noah Johnston finished with five receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. Ketner led the defense with 10 tackles and one interception, followed by Johnston with 10 tackles.

For Montabellas defense, senior Wyatt Sackett led the team with eight tackles and a sack, while Jordan Balhorn finished with seven tackles and one pass break-up.

Montabella will host Carson City-Crystal while Vestaburg travels to Coleman next Friday.

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Running on empty - Greenville Daily News

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