FORTVILLE — Pendleton Heights’ offense was making all the plays, but it was Mt. Vernon’s defense that made the final one.
Marauders’ lineman Jagger Meadows forced Pendleton Heights quarterback Kirby Hess to fumble at the MV 1-yard line with only 31 seconds left in the game, and fellow lineman Matt Foor recovered to secure an 18-14 Mt. Vernon win Friday against Pendleton Heights at Mt. Vernon High School.
The Arabians dropped to 3-3 on the season (2-2, Hoosier Heritage Conference). Mt. Vernon improved to 4-2 (2-2, HHC).
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
Led by Hess, the Arabians converted three big fourth-down plays on their final offensive drive, but the biggest play of all came from the Marauders defense.
Hess had completed a 17-yard pass to Tristan Ross on fourth-and-16. After Mt. Vernon was called for pass interference on a fourth-and-18 play, Hess took off on a 17-yard run on fourth-and-3.
“When you lay the ball on the carpet on the last play of the game to win it, you know…,” Pendleton Heights coach Jed Richman said. “We’ve got to learn from this. My quarterback is a warrior. I’ll ride with him every day. I love that kid to death.”
Pendleton Heights battled back from an early 9-0 deficit to take a 14-9 lead.
When it got the ball with 1:58 left until halftime and on the PH 20, the Arabians had just two first downs in nearly four quarters of play.
They were without a first down in their final half against New Palestine in their Week 5 game and had just two prior to the last series of the half.
Hess ignited the stagnant offense. He went 4-of-8 on the half-ending drive for 66 yards, then scored on a four-yard quarterback draw to cut Mt. Vernon’s lead to 9-7.
Pendleton Heights had poor field position the entire half. The Arabians started three times from their own 20, thanks to Mt. Vernon’s kickoffs. Another drive began at the PH 2. Mt. Vernon was deep into Arabians territory when a halfback pass by Rylan Cole was intercepted by Arabian linebacker Luke Bays.
Hess gave the Arabians a 14-9 lead with a 13-yard run on their first possession of the second half. It was all running plays this time on a nine-play, 75-yard drive. Hess had three double-digit runs on the series, avoiding Marauder tacklers on 16-yard and 12-yard rushes prior to the touchdown play.
He finished with 104 yards on 19 carries. He also threw for 100 yards on 7-of-23 passing. Kamden Earley had 94 yards rushing on 17 tries.
“(Pendleton Heights) is a really good football team,” Mt. Vernon coach Mike Kirschner said of getting a win over one of the conference’s top teams. “They’re a good program with good kids. They do it the right way.”
The Arabians will have to bounce back quickly from their toughest loss of the season. They will travel Friday to unbeaten Delta. The Eagles are co-HHC leaders with New Palestine. Both teams are 4-0 in league play.
“How we handle this is going to set us up for the rest of the season,” Richman added. “I’ve got a bunch of tough, gritty kids that are going to learn from this and get better, and it starts with (Hess). He has as high a character as anybody on our team. I love the kid to death, and I hope my little boy is like him when he grows up. He’s going to get better from this. He’s in (the locker room) hurting like the rest of the team.
“We worked our tails off and we lost to a good team, take nothing away from Mt. Vernon.”
