DOVER — Friday night’s game between Western Boone and Southmont was pretty much decided on the first play of the game as the Stars took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown and never looked back in a 36-6 conference victory.
“That kickoff pretty much set the tone for the game,” Southmont coach Desson Hannum said. “We had too many breakdowns and people not doing what they needed to do and they made us pay. You can’t have those kinds of breakdowns against a great team like Western Boone. They will make you pay.”
The Stars did just that as they scored on their first three possession and led 22-0 after the first quarter. After the kickoff for a touchdown, the Stars methodically marched 93 yards in 12 plays for the second score. Then Southmont fumbled on the second play of its next possession which resulted in the third Western Boone touchdown.
The Stars (7-0, 5-0) are known for a punishing ground game but in the first half it was the arm of senior quarterback Brandon Potter that did most of the damage. He completed five of his first eight passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns — all three to Marcus Fortner.
It appeared the Mounties were going to go into the half trailing 29-0 but a 4-yard interception return with 41 seconds to play in the half rounded out play and sent the Stars into the break with a 36-0 lead.
At half Hannum challenged his team.
“We all — the players, the coaching staff, everyone — knew we had not played a very good half,” he said. “We challenged them to play hard, show some grit and play a better half of football. Overall I think we did that.”
Southmont (3-4, 2-3) put together its best drive of the game to start the second half and went 10 plays and 53 yards for its lone score. Cale Chadd broke into the end zone on a three-yard pitch to culminate the drive.
The Mounties allowed just 228 yards to the Stars but managed just 144 yards on offense themselves. A big bulk of that came from the running of junior running back Avery Stadler who accounted for 86 yards on 15 carries.
The Mounties will close out the season with conference games with Lebanon and Tri-West.
“This is a mental thing right now,” Hannum said. “We have to put in the work Monday through Thursday and carry that over unto the field on Friday. It all starts on the practice field on Monday.”
