The season has changed. Mountain View believes its fortunes on the football field have too.
On a crisp fall evening at McKenzie Stadium, Mountain View beat Hudson’s Bay 34-16 in its 3A Greater St. Helens League opener.
Battle-hardened by three straight nonleague losses to 4A teams, Mountain View (2-3, 1-0) put that experience to use.
“Playing nonleague helped us,” senior lineman Isaiah Carbajal said. “We grew. We got better.”
Friday, Mountain View’s offense did what it does best — run the ball. The Thunder gained 399 yards on the ground to just 45 in the air.
Four Thunder players scored rushing touchdowns. Glen Perry was not one of them, but he led all rushers with 181 yards on 21 carries.
“When you play great opponents it shows,” Perry said. “You go out there, hit hard, do your job and you get the W.”
Nile Jones, Jack Mertens and Payton Regas all scored rushing touchdowns for Mountain View. Quarterback Andre Scheer added 119 yards of rushing and a touchdown.
“It’s not the same guy running the ball,” Carbajal said. “More people running means more yards. Fresh backs at the same speed. It’s amazing.”
Mountain View scored on its first drive of the game, covering 90 yards in 13 plays. Twelve of those plays were rushes, including Jones’ five-yard touchdown run.
Mountain View suddenly had the ball back after recovering a pooch kickoff. Four plays later, the Thunder were in the end zone again on a 17-yard run by Jack Mertens.
Hudson’s Bay (3-2, 1-1) took advantage of a Mountain View turnover to get on the board in the second quarter. Carter Morse’s pick at the Thunder 38 set the stage for a 16-yard touchdown catch by Myles Artis.
Mountain View responded on its next drive going 68 yards in nine plays. Regas’ five-yard touchdown run put Mountain View up 21-6.
Bay had a field goal just before halftime and a touchdown on its first drive of the second half.
Suddenly down just 21-16, Hudson’s Bay recovered a fumble at its own 34.
But Mountain View’s defense held. The Thunder struck on the next drive when Scheer spun out of a tackle, then rushed 34 yards for a touchdown.
That gave Mountain View a 27-16 lead and the momentum it needed to hold the Eagles at bay.
“Our whole O-Line did a good job,” Carbajal said. “It wasn’t our best game. But follow the blocks and you’re going to get good yardage.”
MOUNTAIN VIEW 34, HUDSON’S BAY 16
Hudson’s Bay 0 9 7 0 – 16
Mountain View 14 7 6 7 – 34
First quarter
MV – Nile Jones 5 run (Bryan Valdez kick)
MV – Jack Mertens 17 run (Valdez kick)
Second quarter
HB – Myles Artis 16 pass from Jordan Hickman (kick failed)
MV – Payton Regas 6 run (Valdez kick)
HB – Alfonso Barajas 30 FG
Third quarter
HB – Cadiz 1 run (Barajas kick)
MV – Andre Scheer 34 run (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
MV – Darien Chase 15 pass from Scheer (Valdez kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING – Hudson’s Bay: Marco Cadiz 14-79, Jordan Hickman 7-12, Akilotoa Kamatule 6-20. Mountain View: Andre Scheer 12-119, Glen Perry 12-181, Nile Jones 11-43, Jack Mertens 5-50; Payton Regas 2-6.
PASSING – Hudson’s Bay: Jordan Hickman: 14-31-161. Mountain View: Andre Scheer 7-13-45.
RECEIVING – Hudson’s Bay: Palaina Gasper 3-32, Kamatule 2-20; Cadiz 3-33; Carter Morse 1-22; Myles Artis 3-36; Julio Vara 2-18. Mountain View: Darien Chase 3-23, Mitchell Delmage 1-5, Michael Bolds 3-17.
