Noblesville's Ground Attack Overpowers Mt. Vernon in Season Opener
Noblesville's Ground Attack Overpowers Mt. Vernon in Season Opener
Noblesville, IN – The Noblesville Millers continued their dominance over the Mt. Vernon Marauders with a commanding 43-24 victory on Friday night at Noblesville High School. The win marks the Millers' fourth consecutive season-opening win against the Marauders, and once again, they put up more than 40 points, a feat they’ve achieved in each of the past three contests between the teams.
The game started with a shaky moment for the Millers as they fumbled on their opening drive, with Israel Oladipupo losing the ball and Mt. Vernon quickly recovering. The Marauders capitalized on the turnover with a quick drive, highlighted by a big run from Joliba Brogan that set them up in the red zone. Brogan capped off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, giving Mt. Vernon an early 7-0 lead with 10:11 left in the first quarter.
Noblesville responded with a methodical drive of their own. Tyler Holmes powered through the defense for a 9-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7-7 with 3:50 remaining in the first quarter. The teams ended the first quarter deadlocked, but the Millers were just getting started.
Early in the second quarter, Noblesville took control. Max Miller dashed 12 yards for a touchdown to give the Millers their first lead of the game, 14-7, with 7:28 left in the half. On the ensuing kickoff, Ryker Baer electrified the Mt. Vernon sideline with a big return to the Noblesville 35-yard line, but the Marauders couldn't convert the opportunity, eventually punting the ball away.
The Millers capitalized on the momentum shift. Sparked by a big run from Noah Shinkle, Noblesville marched 89 yards down the field. Israel Oladipupo redeemed his earlier fumble by plunging into the end zone for a touchdown and then adding a 2-point conversion to extend the lead to 22-7 with just 1:12 left in the half. Mt. Vernon managed to close the gap slightly before halftime with a 47-yard field goal from Rylan Vinard, making it 22-10 as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
Noblesville continued to dominate in the second half. Shinkle, a force all night, broke off a 22-yard run early in the third quarter before finishing the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, pushing the score to 30-10. A big pass from the Millers set up Nicholas Morris for a touchdown, extending the lead to 36-10 with 7:08 remaining in the third.
Mt. Vernon tried to rally, with Brogan returning the ball to Noblesville’s 21-yard line and finishing the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run. However, Noblesville answered right back with a 75-yard drive that ended with another short plunge from Oladipupo, making the score 43-16 as the third quarter wound down.
In the final quarter, Brogan added another touchdown for Mt. Vernon, along with a 2-point conversion pass to Davon Williams, cutting the lead to 43-24 with 5:53 left. But any hopes of a comeback were dashed on the ensuing drive when Noblesville's Cody Prater broke free for a 55-yard run down to the Marauders' 10-yard line. Showing sportsmanship, the Millers opted to kneel out the clock rather than add another score.
Five different Noblesville players found the end zone on the ground, showcasing the team's depth and versatility. With the win, the Millers set the tone for what promises to be an exciting season.
Next week, Noblesville will travel to face Homestead, while Mt. Vernon will look to bounce back on the road against Franklin Community.