Reporter: Chris Gambino
It was a picturesque afternoon in New Rochelle, New York, where the Mount Vernon Knights and New Rochelle Huguenots were greeted with an incredible pregame ceremony, headlined by a wonderful rendition of our national anthem, just moments prior to kickoff. The only thing missing was fireworks, but New Rochelle would provide them via an 85-yard kickoff return to take an immediate 6-0 lead.
The first quarter would end with the Huguenots leading 14-0, already surpassing the total conceded by the Knights defense in their last game against Suffern. Mount Vernon’s defense was also not nearly as strong in the red zone as it was against Suffern, as New Rochelle was able to convert the touchdowns with little pressure. On offense for Mount Vernon, quarterback Trystian Stewart struggled to find his wide receivers. He also came close to conceding an interception on back-to-back throws, although the connection with running back Jeremiah Morgan remained a strong one.
The second quarter began with similar fortune for New Rochelle, as two touchdowns and a two-point conversion made it a 29-0 game. The story of the quarter for the Knights would be their defense, as while allowing two touchdowns in a quarter is never quite considered reputable, they did a notable job pressuring the Huguenots’ quarterback. Over half a dozen QB pressures in the first half is a statistic worth noting when analyzing Mount Vernon’s defense. Cornerback Javon Cline also had shining moments, making great tackles on New Rochelle receivers.
It was evident that the bulk of Mount Vernon head coach Mark Murray’s halftime talk to his team would focus on offense, and his team would make major strides in the scoring department as they earned a third-quarter touchdown. This one was a rushing touchdown by none other than Jeremiah Morgan, after an impressive 60-yard kick return by Javon Cline. Scoring has not come easy for this Knights team, but moments like these remind audiences of what high school football is all about. This level of the game is about learning, growth, and most importantly resilience and responding even if your team is in a large deficit. The Knights worked for this touchdown and were able to demonstrate their offensive skills against a New Rochelle defense that was difficult to break through in the first half.
While New Rochelle would add ten points later in the third quarter, the fourth quarter would continue to display Mount Vernon’s offensive capabilities, while their defense kept the Huguenots scoreless. On the last Knights offensive drive of the game, Stewart was able to make stronger passes to his receivers, and running back Jeremiah Morgan continued to make strong rushes. This brought the Knights to the Huguenots’ 30-yard line, where running back Caylm Williams scored a rushing touchdown to make it a 39-14 game.
This would remain the final score as the clock ran out, followed by the roaring sound of firecrackers lit from the student section of the New Rochelle bleachers. While Mount Vernon players and fans left the jubilant atmosphere of New Rochelle’s campus in disappointment, the improvement by the Knights on offense throughout the game is meritorious, and certainly the story of the entire game.
The Knights will return to Memorial Field next week for a showdown against the Garnets of Rye High School.
