Raiders secure Homecoming victory
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By RYAN STONEBRAKER
MOUNT AYR – There is an old saying that take it one game at a time and the Mount Ayr football team is certainly taking that to heart as they put a three-game losing streak in the rearview mirror after winning their second game in a row last Friday.
That second game in the winning streak for the Raiders was Homecoming game 32-6 drubbing of AHSTW in Mount Ayr last Friday night. The win saw the Raiders win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
The two straight wins also are district contests and squared up the Raiders Class A district 7 record of 2-2 as well as their overall record evened up at 3-3. The Vikings fell to 2-2 and 3-3 overall with the loss. Mount Ayr has two more games in the regular season, both district games, starting Friday at Nodaway Valley.
“We have been day to day and that is our approach,” Raider coach Ryan Victor said. “We have to make sure that we start by winning Monday and working through till the game on Friday night. That is what we have been preaching all season.”
Victor gave a lot of credit to his team’s ability to control both the offensive and defensive lines in the game.
“We were able to control the line of scrimmage and when that happens we like our chances,” he said. “They did their job. It allows us to be consistent everywhere else. Our line and linebackers created pressure that really creates more opportunities to make plays. Our defensive line has really improved the last three weeks.”
Mount Ayr was the better team in the game despite the Vikings having some big wins so far this season. The Raiders had 20 first downs to the Vikings nine and nearly doubled up the Vikings in total offense yardage with 330 to 179.
The Raiders were a model of consistency in the game, scoring points in each quarter for the second time in as many weeks and for the third time this season. Mount Ayr scored first in the game on a Jackson Ruggles 3-yard run for a 6-0 with 6:01 left in the first quarter. That score stood until a second Ruggles scoring run of 35 yards with 2:11 left in the half gave the Raiders a 12-0 lead.
Mount Ayr scored early in the second half on its third rushing score of the game, this time on a Dyson Thompson 7-yard run with 9:29 left in the third quarter. A two-point conversion pass from Ruggles to Adler Reed set the score at 20-0.
AHSTW struggled to score points and hadn’t scored going into the final quarter. Mount Ayr put the game away in the fourth quarter with a pair of Tate Dugan scoring runs two and a half minutes apart in the middle part of the quarter to take a 32-0 lead. A late touchdown pass by the Vikings allowed them to avoid the shutout, but not avoid the loss as the final score stood at 32-6.
The Raiders gained 290 yards on the ground on 46 carries for a 6.3-yard per rush average. Mount Ayr scored all five of its touchdowns rushing the football in the game. Thompson led Raider rushers with 158 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. Ruggles rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries and had a pair of scores, he also passed for 40 yards on three completions and threw an interception. Reed caught two of those passes for 22 yards.
Defensively, Mount Ayr was led by lineman Rowan Sackett with eight tackles and two sacks along with three tackles for loss. Fellow linemen Logan Worthington and Bracken Collier also had sacks in the game. Ruggles added four tackles and intercepted two passes for 23 return yards. Nathan Roemer also recovered a fumble and returned it 21 yards.
The Raiders will travel to Greenfield on Friday to play Nodaway Valley in the Battle For The Rock Trophy. Mount Ayr has won 16 of the last 18 meetings with the last NV win coming in August of 2021.
The Wolverines offense is guided by sophomore Titan Foster who has passed for 531 yards on 38 completions with two touchdowns while throwing 10 interceptions. Nodaway Valley’s leading rusher is senior Titus Hamer, who was injured in week 3 at AC/GC and was lost for the season. Foster is the active leading rusher with 149 yards on 49 carries and a touchdown with 101 of those yards coming in the Wolverines 42-0 loss at Southwest Valley last week. The Wolverines have three receivers with over 100 yards and 10 or more receptions led by tight end Caleb Christensen who has 13 catches for 190 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Christensen leads in tackles with 51.5 with two sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Four different Wolverines have intercepted a pass with Keyin Steeve and Foster each with three.
According to Victor, the plan is for his team to remain focused heading into the matchup against Nodaway Valley and continue to take it one game at a time.
“We want to keep doing what we do, get better each day,” Victor said. “We don’t have the right to overlook anyone. We have to come in and practice and work hard. What you do Monday-Thursday puts you in position for Friday.
“It’s a rival battle for the rock. Just like playing a CD in terms of emotions. We just have to respect the opponent and the game.”
Mount Ayr will play at home in week 8 when Southwest Valley comes to town. If the Raiders can get past Nodaway Valley, they could be in a winner-take-all game for one of the four playoff spots in District 7.
Mount Ayr 32
AHSTW 6
Friday, October 3
At Mount Ayr
Individual Statistics:
Rushing: AHSTW – Dayton Osbahr 12-61, Drew Lee 7-39, Cash Freeman 2-13, Gatlin Gettler 2-5, Collin Harder 2-(-3). Mount Ayr – Dyson Thompson 17-158, Jackson Ruggles 12-72, Adler Reed 9-38, Tate Dugan 7-17, Drayden Thompson 1-5.
Passing: AHSTW – Dayton Osbahr 5-for-9 64 yards 1 TD, 2 INT’s. Mount Ayr – Jackson Ruggles 3-for-6 40 yards 0 TD’s, 1 INT.
Receiving: AHSTW – Collin Harder 3-57, Drew Lee 2-7. Mount Ayr – Adler Reed 2-22, Tate Dugan 1-18.
Defensive Statistics:
Tackles (S-A-T): Mount Ayr – Rowan Sackett 7-1 8, Jackdon Ruggles 3-1 4, Bracken Collier 1-2.5 3.5, Tate Dugan 2-1.5 1.5, Logan Worthington 3-0 3, Nathan Roemer 2-1 3, Drayden Thompson 1-1.5 2.5, Dyson Thompson 1-1 2, Isac Dugan 2-0 2, Trace Knapp 0-2 2, Drew Graham 1-0 1, Tate Larson 1-0 1, Evan Weehler 1-0 1, Nathan Mederos 0-0.5 0.5.
Sacks: Mount Ayr – Rowan Sackett 2, Bracken Collier 1, Drew Graham 1, Logan Worthington 1.
Tackles For Loss: Mount Ayr – Rowan Sackett 3, Logan Worthington 3, Bracken Collier 1, Drew Graham 1, Tate Dugan 1, Dyson Thompson 1, Trace Knapp 0.5, Drayden Thompson 0.5.
Fumbles: Mount Ayr – Nathan Roemer 1-21 yards.
Interceptions: Mount Ayr – Jackson Ruggles 2-23 yards.
Kicking Statistics:
Kick Returns: Mount Ayr – Adler Reed 1-48 yards.
Kick-Offs: Mount Ayr – Drew Graham 5-168, Isac Dugan 1-36.
PAT’s: Mount Ayr – Drew Graham 0-for-2.
Punts: Mount Ayr – N/A.
Punt Returns: Mount Ayr – N/A.
2-pt. Conversions: Mount Ayr – Adler Reed 1.
