MOUNTAIN PINE -- In less than three hours Friday night, Mountain Pine went from losers of 33 straight to a team emboldened by hope.
"The streak is over, and it's not hanging over our head anymore," Red Devil head coach David Jordan said, recounting the postgame comments he delivered at midfield following a 42-24 homecoming victory over Cutter Morning Star. "We're 1-0 in conference. We're in first place. Let's start a winning streak.
"It's a black cloud hanging over you. To finally get rid of that is going to be great. It will boost everybody's spirits around here."
The new perspective was hard won, a struggle that began with a loss in the 2012 season opener and reached its low ebb last week when the Red Devils couldn't muster enough able bodies to play the second half at Mount Ida. They left at halftime, the scoreboard reading 56-0.
It looked like more of the same Friday when CMS (0-4, 0-1) went 73 yards in eight plays on its opening possession. The interior of the Red Devil defense was no match for Emilio Arteaga, who carried seven times for 66 yards. His 15-yard touchdown run on an inside trap portended another Mountain Pine loss, which seemed more likely after its offense went off after three plays.
But junior Tyson Stewart sparked the Red Devils (1-3, 1-0), intercepting a pass and traversing the width of the field before veering toward the goal line for a 56-yard touchdown return that tied the game.
"He got that pick six, and after that it just gave us the confidence we could play with them," Jordan said.
Trevor Bowden followed with a 71-yard touchdown run on Mountain Pine's next possession, and Stewart pilfered another Eagle pass for his third pick six of the year. It capped a surge of 20 unanswered points that gave the Red Devils a foothold on their first win since 2011.
Jordan moved Bowden and Stewart from the slot to the backfield, putting the Red Devils' most dynamic pieces on the leading edge of an offense that had been pass heavy through the first three games of the year.
It was an about face in philosophy born in the film room.
"We just felt like the first three games the other team was more physical than we were up front, so we were going to try and spread it and throw it," Jordan said. "After looking at film, we felt like our line was more physical than their line, and we were just going to pound it."
Bowden benefited most, taking snaps directly for 216 yards on 16 carries before a leg injury idled him midway through the fourth quarter.
He did most of his damage through the middle.
"It was straight quarterback power," Jordan said. "We block down, kick out and led the back through the hole and he follows him through there."
Bowden's straight-ahead approach was complemented by Stewart's lateral agility. He gained all 67 of his yards on the ground after halftime, scoring from 15 yards out to extend the Red Devil lead to 34-12 with 2:02 to play in the third quarter. He added a 3-yard touchdown reception from the Red Devils' conventional quarterback, sophomore Matthew Herron.
The touchdown was one of four set up by Cutter Morning Star turnovers, Mountain Pine's four takeaways giving the Eagles 25 turnovers on the season.
"That's been the story for us all year," Eagle head coach T.C. Shamel said. "We have to take care of the ball. You can't give a team who's itching for a win like they are any help. We gave them every breath they needed."
The Eagles' offensive attack was limited after Arteaga aggravated the deep thigh bruise he sustained in Week 3. He made yards at will during the first half, carrying 18 times for 102 yards, but was limited to seven second-half attempts. He finished with a team-high 143 yards.
"He took a few shots on it and had to come out in the fourth quarter," Shamel said. "He could hardly walk."
With Arteaga laid low, CMS went to the air in the second half. Quarterback Andrew Blocker completed 7-of-11 second half attempts that included fourth quarter touchdowns to Jason Lepitre and Holden Boyden.
Cutter M. Star 6 6 0 12 -- 24
Mountain Pine 0 20 14 8 -- 42
First quarter
CMS -- Emilio Arteaga 15 run (pass failed), 2:29.
Second quarter
MP -- Tyson Stewart 56 interception return (pass failed), 10:54.
MP -- Trevor Bowden 71 run (Chad Graves kick), 7:01.
MP -- Stewart 58 interception return (Graves kick), 5:29.
CMS -- Skyler Checots 14 pass from Andrew Blocker (pass failed), 1:05.
Third quarter
MP -- Bowden 41 run (Graves kick), 4:10.
MP -- Stewart 15 run (Graves kick), 2:02.
Fourth quarter
CMS -- Jason Lepitre 4 pass from Blocker (pass failed), 9:20.
MP -- Stewart 3 pass from Matt Herron (Herron run), 5:17.
CMS -- Holden Boyden 6 pass from Blocker (pass failed), 3:10.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing--Cutter Morning Star, Emilio Arteaga 28-143, Holden Boyden 2-19, Michael Kimpton 1-2, Andrew Blocker 3-(-8), Jason Lepitre 1-(-10). Mountain Pine, Trevor Bowden 16-216, Tyson Stewart 11-67, Kyle Dietz 3-36.
Passing--Cutter Morning Star, Blocker 11-22-2-118. Mountain Pine, Herron 3-10-0-28, Bowden 0-1-0-0.
Receiving--Cutter Morning Star, Boyden 4-28, Skyler Checots 2-49, Arteaga 2-12, Austin Brown 1-19, Lepitre 2-10. Mountain Pine, Stewart 2-20, Bowden 1-8.
Sports on 09/27/2015