NAPLES — Opposing defenses know what’s coming, but that doesn’t make it easier to stop the Mt. Ararat football team’s rushing attack.
Nick Doughty, Avery O’Connor and Aidan Ramsay each rushed for over 100 yards and multiple touchdowns Friday in a 58-22 road win over Lake Region. Doughty led the way with 19 carries for 199 yards and three first-half touchdowns.
“We’ve got some guys that are really stepping up and playing big this year for us,” Mt. Ararat coach Frank True said. “… Mixing up those runs at the same time with different personnel, it’s tough to figure it out which one we’re running. All the credit to the kids and the way they’re preparing.”
The victory moves Mt. Ararat to 4-1 and to the top of the eight-man Large School South standings. Lake Region is 3-2 after dropping its second game in a row.
The victory also marked a milestone for True, who got his 50th career win.
O’Connor (23 rushes, 160 yards, 2 TDs) capped Mt. Ararat’s opening drive with a 19-yard touchdown, but the Eagles were slowed momentarily when Doughty fumbled the ball away on the first play of their second drive.
The senior quickly made up for the mistake with a 34-yard score early in the second quarter, giving his team a 16-0 lead.
Matthew Mansulla (80 rushing yards, 80 receiving yards, three total TDs) brought Lake Region back to a one-possession game on the following drive with a 10-yard run to the front left pylon. For the rest of the first half, though, it was all Mt. Ararat. The Eagles scored 22 points in the final 8:52 of the second quarter.
Doughty broke free for 46-yard score, once again going untouched down the right side of the field. He also punched in a 4-yard TD with 34.5 seconds left. Pocket pressure and a pass deflection by Adrian Reyes resulted in Abel Lajoie’s diving interception that gave the ball back to Mt. Ararat at the Lake Region 25 with 16.6 seconds to score. Quarterback Will Davis uncorked a ball toward the end zone for Ramsay, who despite good coverage from Jayden Cote, tracked in the bobbled ball and caught it off Cote’s back while Ramsay was on his knees.
In the fourth quarter, Ramsay jumped a route for an interception at cornerback. He also broke off for 44- and 24-yard rushing touchdowns, but his TD reception was his favorite play of the game.
“Last year, I was strictly defense, and to make a difference on the offense, it makes me feel more in control, (I) help my team out more,” Ramsay said. “Makes me feel awesome, actually. Can’t feel any better than that.”
Ramsay’s workload increased because Doughty struggled with leg cramps in the second half. He played one series on defense and took two carries in the third quarter before exiting the game for good. It’s a problem the senior captain has dealt with all season.
“I’m pulling out all the stops,” Doughty said while holding a Ziploc bag full of water bottles and Heinz yellow mustard. “Yeah, and (the mustard) got all over my (jersey), looking a little gross. Everyone was saying, ‘Hey, you look nasty.’ It’s like, I want to be nasty, you know? I’m a fullback, I wear 33, I have no drip, that’s kind of my MO, you know? It was in vain today, but I’m doing my best. If you got any suggestions, let me know.”
Both Ramsay and Doughty credited the offensive line for creating wide running lanes and controlling the line of scrimmage, as did Lake Region coach Mike Meehan.
The Lakers had to make a change under center in the third quarter after Jaiden Meehan (6 of 19 passing, 72 yards, INT, 45 rushing yards) was injured on a keeper. Braydan Wilson (6 of 11, 73 yards, TD, two INTs) started strong, as his first two drives resulted in Mansulla scores. But the Lakers’ deficit was too much to overcome.
“Our boys showed extreme resiliency,” Mike Meehan said. “When you get to a point where you’re losing by a couple scores, you have a choice. Do you give up, throw in the towel, or do you keep fighting? We knew we needed to slow the game down a little bit. We knew we needed some plays to go our way. Things started to look like that a little bit in the third quarter, and then, you know, we had a couple of mistakes, and things kind of just stayed the way they were before going into half.”