Oilers first teamin a decade to blank Dow
If there was ever a game that Mt. Pleasant High wanted to win beyond all others in 2020, it was the matchup with rival Midland Dow.
And, Saturday night at a cold and windy Community Memorial Stadium, the Oilers came through with flying colors in posting an impressive 21- 0 victory.
It really wasn’t even that close as the home teamdominated in raising its record to 4-1, 3-1 in the Saginaw Valley — the same records the Chargers now have.
Mt. Pleasant outgained the visitors by 303 yards to 148, but still frittered away a bunch of additional touchdowns and potential scoring drives as has been its Achilles Heel.
“We’ve been prepping for this game all season,” said Oiler mentor Jason Mcintyre. “We lost a game there last year that we felt we shouldn’t have lost. Our kids prepared hard for this game and it showed.
“I’m super happy for our program and the team but it’s still frustrating for a coach to have mistakes prevent us from other scoring opportunites.”
The last time Dow was shut out was in 2010, a 24- 0 loss to Fenton. Since then it had scored in 99-straight games. Till Saturday, that is.
The real heroes of the game were the Oiler defense and the
lines on both sides of the ball.
“We controlled both lines of scrimmage,” Mcintyre said. “And, our defense was phenomenal.”
Leading the way on the stop side of the ball was 6- 4, 250-pound senior Josh Schell who spent most of the evening in the Charger backfield harassing 6-5 sophomore quarterback Jack Bakus.
“Oncewe started to pull away and we knew Dow had to pass, it was an all- out rush to get the quarterback,” he said. “Dow is always a competitive game and we were ready for this one. We might bemaking some mistakes on offense butwe’re taking steps in the right direction and we’ll see where it takes us.”
After both teams had turnover in a scoreless first period, Mt. Pleasant scored on it first
two possessions of the second on runs of six and one yards by hard- charging junior Kory Davis. Two conversions by senior Andrewfunnell made it 14- 0 at the half. An interception, a key penalty and a fumble prevented the Oilers from scoring in the third period.
However, a 77-yard, eight-play drive in the fourth put the game away for the Oilers. With a dominating run game, Mt. Pleasant had completed just one pass until the final drive when junior QB Ryan Mcintyre teammed with senior Owen Kole on a 53yard pass play. On the ensuring fourth down, junior Da-vee Abinojar made a sensational onehanded catch of a pass from Mcintyre that took the ball to the one. Senior Griffinbrookens bulled in from the one and Fun
nell’s extra point capped the scoring.
“That was the first pass Owen Kole has caught all year and he did a great job on the screen play, and Abinojar’s catch was amazing,” Mcintyre said.
Theoilers rushed for 228 yards while holding Dow to just 33.
“That shows the great job our lines did,” Mcintyre said.
Mt. Pleasant’s running
attack is nowbeing handled by a committee of four. Davis gained 62 yards, senior Mark Goenner 56, Mcintyre 52 and Abinojar 40.
Mcintyre finihed the game with 85 yards passing on 3- of- 6 completions.
Bakus connected on 13of-23 passes with one being intercepted by Oiler senior Anton Ricumstrict.
Next up for Mt. Pleasant is a Friday night road game at Saginaw Heritage, another big game for the Oilers.
“Awin in that onewould put us in a good position for the playoffs,” Mcintyre said.