NEW MARKET — Big time players step up in big games and there were several who did exactly that Friday in North Montgomery’s 28-22 thrilling double overtime win against county and conference rival Southmont.
For North Montgomery there were the following players who stepped up.
Senior Kelby Harwood scored three of the four Chargers’ touchdowns (two of which he just out jumped the Mountie defender to secure the ball in the end zone) and he also recovered two Southmont fumbles.
Junior quarterback Jack Warren threw all three touchdown passes to Harwood and then scored on the first overtime on a scramble.
Finally, there were the North Montgomery line on both sides of the ball who protected Warren all night and stopped the Mounties on four straight rushes in the second overtime.
“We preach that we want to get better every week,” North Montgomery head coach Josh Thompson said. “And there was a huge jump in our play from last week to this week. The entire team worked hard all week, stayed mentally tough and played their hearts out. I can’t be prouder of their effort tonight. It was a great total team effort.”
The Chargers came into the game having allowed an average of 47 points a game, but they were able to contain the Southmont offense most of the night. That culminated when the Chargers kept the Mounties out of the end zone in the second overtime on four rushes.
For the Mounties, it was the second heart-breaking loss in a row. Two weeks ago the Mounties lost in the final 23 seconds and now a loss in double overtime.
“It’s the little things,” Southmont coach Desson Hannum said. “Penalties, turnovers, missing key assignments, they all add up. It begins in practice. We have to step things up in practice and bring it to the field on Friday.”
The Chargers showed a different look in the first half, relying on a ground game. Following a Southmont fumble the Chargers produced an early touchdown when Warren hit Harwood on a 9-yard pass on a fourth-and-9 play.
The Mounties then managed to score the next two touchdowns, both on Avery Stadler runs. Stadler continued his impressive season as he set a season-high with 150 yards and added three scores during the game to give him eight on the season.
For the season week in a row the Mounties had a lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Chargers tied the game when Warren hit Harwood on a 65-yard pass with 8:23 to play in the game.
Neither team could score in the rest of regulation and the game went into overtime, for the fourth time in its 55-game history.
In the first OT period Southmont scored on the second play when Stadler found the end zone and added the two-point conversion. The Chargers scored on its first play when Warren scrambled and then hit Jayden Thompson on the conversion.
In the second OT, Warren found Harwood (on another fourth-and-11 play) in the corner of the end zone and he once again used his 6-foot-4 frame to out jump the defender and catch the pass and get down inbounds for the score.
The Mounties had a shot to tied or win the game but four straight runs came up just short and the Chargers walked off with the victory.
For the Game the Chargers ended with a season high 133 yards on the ground and Warren threw for 150 yards. Harwood led the Chargers with four receptions (three TDs) for 102 yards. The Mounties amassed 239 yards, 213 which were on the ground and led by Stadler’s 150 yards.
Southmont will travel to Frankfort next week, while the Chargers will have its first home game of the season against Lebanon.
