Union’s Pitts breaks FG record in 60-13 win over Mountain View

Union kicker Sonny Pitts wants to be a record-breaker. For the second week in a row, Pitts was exactly that. The junior connected on a school-record 47-yard field goal to end the first half during the Titans’ 60-13 walloping of rival Mountain View on Friday at McKenzie Stadium.

“There’s that little bit of doubt in me every time I kick it,” Pitts said. “But when it came off my foot, I knew it was going to be great.”

The kick beats the record he set last week when he hit a 45-yarder in a 17-9 victory over Camas. The previous record was a 38-yard field goal, Pitts says. That distance was too paltry for Pitts, who had his eyes set on bettering it since last year.

After a strong sophomore campaign, Pitts went to work. The only way he was going to get into the school record books was through training and practice. The extended offseason paved the way for Pitts to get stronger.

Now, he lets his leg do the talking for him.

“It’s something I enjoy and really like to do,” Pitts said. “Just seeing me improve and seeing where I am now, it just keeps me going.”

Pitts was plenty busy Friday aside from his lengthy boot, which narrowly cleared the crossbar to put Union up 32-13 at halftime. He made all seven of his extra-point attempts and kicked the ball off nine times as the Titans’ offense refused to be stopped in the 4A/3A Greater St. Helens League game.

Alex Gehrmann threw for 200 yards on 28 attempts, including two touchdown passes apiece to Tobias Merriweather (5 and 12 yards) and Jake Bowen (12 and 4 yards). Merriweather, a Division I wide receiver recruit with offers from every Pac-12 school, finished with 82 yards on seven catches for the Titans (2-0).

Tyson Fuehrer scored on a pair of 1-yard runs and Troy Helenihi threw two touchdown passes — a 14-yarder to Ayden Iverson and a 40-yarder to Korey Bozovich.

Mountain View (1-1) looked strong early with a 14-play, 80-yard drive capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Riley McCarthy to Kevin Chen. Zach Gable also added a 3-yard scoring run to tie the game at 13-13 in the second quarter.

But four interceptions and a safety doomed the Thunder. McCarthy finished with 146 yards passing on 23 attempts. He had 64 yards on 20 rushing attempts as well.

Bowen finished with two interceptions for Union, and Aidan Olson and Liam Boyce each added one.

As for Pitts? Well, he hopes to hit a 50-yarder by season’s end.

Said Pitts: “You’ll definitely be seeing it.”

UNION 60, MOUNTAIN VIEW 13

Mtn.View 6 7 0 0—13

Union 6 26 14 14—60

First quarter

U — Tobias Merriweather 5 pass from Alex Gehrmann (pass fail)

MV — Kevin Chen 18 pass from Riley McCarthy (kick block)

Second quarter

U — Merriweather 12 pass from Gehrmann (Sonny Pitts kick)

MV — Zach Gable 3 run (Jude Mullette kick)

U — Jake Bowen 12 pass from Gehrmann (Pitts kick)

U — Bowen 4 pass from Gehrmann (Pitts kick)

U — Safety (Ball snapped out of end zone)

U — Pitts 47 FG

Third quarter

U — Tyson Fuehrer 1 run (Pitts kick)

U — Fuehrer 1 run (Pitts kick)

Fourth quarter

U — Ayden Iverson 14 pass from Troy Helenihi (Pitts kick)

U — Korey Bozovich 40 pass from Helenihi (Pitts kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — MV: Riley McCarthy 20-64, Mitch Johnson 1-(minus-3), Zach Gable 5-18, Porter Drake 2-6, JJ Thompson 2-13, Valike Tamakloe 1-5, Mekhi Parker 1-5; U: Aidan Olson 5-47, Tobias Merriweather 1-17, Jaydon Jones 4-16, Tyson Fuehrer 5-24, Troy Helenihi 2-12, Jake Jones 1-2.

PASSING — MV: Riley McCarthy 15-23-4-146, Mitch Johnson 1-1-0-9; U: Alex Gehrmann 18-28-0-200, Tyson Fuehrer 1-2-0-9, Troy Helenihi 3-4-0-62.

RECEIVING — MV: Davis Delmage 4-23, Nick Johnson 5-40, Kevin Chen 3-46, Zach Gable 3-37, Porter Drake 1-9; U: Korey Bozovich 1-40, Jake Bowen 3-32, Aidan Olson 2-13, Tobias Merriweather 7-82, Liam Boyce 1-9, Jaydon Jones 3-47, Alex Wood 1-(minus-1), Jake Page 1-12, Ayden Iverson 1-10, Cole Rebman 2-27.