Gallery by Chad Foreman
HICO – Friday was throwback night when No. 3 James Monroe visited Midland Trail in a Class A showdown in Fayette County.
At halftime, the 1971 and 1972 Ansted Highlanders football teams were honored for their back-to-back undefeated state championship seasons.
On the field, the Mavericks paid homage to old school James Monroe and Peterstown football.
Led by a bruising, big play ground assault from Braydie Carr and Cooper Ridgeway along with a defense that pitched its third shutout in a row, the Mavericks thrashed the Patriots, 42-0.
“If I could run (the ball) every time, that is exactly what I would do. Don’t get me wrong, I like throwing the ball too, but if we can march it down the field like we did tonight, that is what you want to do,” James Monroe head coach John Mustain said. “The line is starting to get where we want them to be the last couple of games. They are going to have too because the last three games are all going to be tough.”
Ridgeway had his normal solid night rushing performance with 148 yards on 14 carries to go along with one score. His partner in crime however, had a breakout night.
Normally utilized more sparingly and around the goal line, Carr ran wild for a career best 193 yards on 17 carries and three touchdowns.
“It’s kind of an emotional night for me. I have been waiting a long, long time to have a game like this,” Carr said. “I started my freshman year at 115 pounds, but I am 180 now and I have worked my butt off to get where I am. I am just very blessed to have a night like this.”
Carr was the catalyst on the opening drive which sparked the Mavericks machine when he raced 40 yards on the third play from scrimmage for his first score of the night.
“My eyes opened wide when I saw that gap. I am a sprinter at heart and I just hit it,” Carr said. “I haven’t had that many big runs. I usually just get goal line touchdowns and that is where they use me the most. That run hyped me up and I am sure it hyped up the entire team.”
Trail momentarily squelched the momentum by the visitors when Cody Harrell returned the ensuing kick 65 yards to put the Patriots in scoring position at the James Monroe 20 yard line.
The home team couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to answer the early score by the Mavs and never seemed to recover.
A fumbled handoff exchange on second down put Trail in a dicey third-and-10 situation. A pass across the middle was broken up by Ridgeway and Eli Allen to force a missed field goal attempt.
“It seemed like the theme of the night was that we had one kid not do their job and that would blow the play up or we would have a setback,” Midland Trail head coach Jeremy Moore said. “It is frustrating because we are so close to being a good team. I am still encouraged. If I can do a little better job coaching, then we will get over the hump.”
Trail forced a turnover on downs on the next Maverick possession, but an interception by Hayden Parker led to a 55-yard touchdown run by Ridgeway just before the end of the first quarter.
As if the two big runs weren’t enough to break the back of the home team, the crusher came with just over three minutes to play before halftime.
A sack by Jacob Proffitt put Trail in third-and-long where a pass across the middle was snatched out of the air by Allen and returned 35-yards for a 21-0 lead at the break.
“He is just one of those kids that has that knack. You can’t teach it. You can’t coach it,” Mustain said about Allen. “I am proud of these guys because this is a tough place to come and play. This game meant a lot to Trail and for us to come in and take care of business, I am very proud of these kids.”
The Mavericks weren’t done with the secondary heroics on the night. Allen grabbed his second interception of the game on Trail’s next possession before the half while Ethan Gunnoe made a nice read on a Trail pass and ran it in from 41 yards out in the final quarter.
“James Monroe is like Nicholas County, they are not going to beat themselves. You can’t give them any extra possessions because they will capitalize,” Moore said. “Us throwing pick-sixes to probably the best safety in the state is not the best idea either. We just got whooped. That is a really good football team and we just keep turning the ball over. That is our MO. Maybe I can learn how to fix it over the next few years, but I’m not sure we can fix it now.”
After going over 100 yards in the opening half, Carr added to his big night in the final 24 minutes with a four-yard scoring run, as well as a 76-yard gallop to the house.
“Tonight is the most carries and most yards I have had in my career. I just love that our coaching staff trusts me enough to give me the ball like that,” Carr said. “Usually Cooper is our go-to running back, but I have always felt like I was a weapon and I am happy they use me in that way.”
Mustain was clearly happy with his two-headed monster in the backfield Friday.
“The thing I like about both of them is they run hard. Braydie is a sprinter in track, so I know he has some speed. Cooper has some speed too, but they both hit the hole hard,” Mustain said. “Sometimes you are going to meet somebody there, but they both do a good job when they get met of twisting and turning to move it down the field.”
James Monroe (7-0) travels to Liberty (R) Friday, while Midland Trail has an off week. The Patriots are back in action when they host No. 10 Greenbrier West in two weeks.
JM: 14 7 7 14 – 42
MT: 0 0 0 0 – 0
First quarter
JM: Braydie Carr 40 run (Owen Jackson kick)
JM: Cooper Ridgeway 55 run (Jackson kick)
Second quarter
JM: Eli Allen 35 INT return (Jackson kick)
Third quarter
JM: Carr 4 run (Jackson kick)
Fourth quarter
JM: Carr 76 run (Jackson kick)
JM: Ethan Gunnoe 35 INT return (Jackson kick)
Rushing: (JM) Carr 17-193-3, Ridgeway 14-148-1, Chaz Boggs 2-3, Layton Dowdy 2 – (-9); (MT) Will McGraw 4-3, River Barnhouse 11-22, Jaden Gladwell 4 – (-23), Cody Harrell 4-19, Jaden Roop 2-19.
Passing: (JM) Dowdy 3-9-37; (MT) Gladwell 2-9-9-3, Aiden Maichle 3-5-35-1
Receiving: (JM) Ridgeway 2-28, Gunnoe 1-9; (MT) Harrell 5-44
