Mesabi turns on heat against VCC
Photos by Mark Sauer / Mesabi Tribune
by Tom Coombe
The undermanned Vermilion Ironhawks led for a quarter and were competitive for better than a half in their season debut.
Ultimately, Mesabi’s immense advantage in depth paid off as the host Norse scored 47 unanswered points and cruised 47-7 in last Saturday’s community college football season opener at Mt. Iron.
The rival Norse suited up more than 50 players while the Vermilion roster had roughly 25, with many Ironhawks players seeing double-duty during the course of the contest.
Mesabi quarterback Jonathan Mosley threw for two touchdowns and the hosts returned a punt, interception and fumble for scores during the course of the game played in blistering, 90-degree heat.
The contest turned in the third quarter, when Antonio Hunt scooped up a Vermilion fumble and ran it back 29 yards for a score.
The Ironhawks never threatened again and Mesabi was on its way.
Vermilion drew first blood, with quarterback Yusuf Farah hooking up with Reginald Ross on a 16-yard scoring play that brought excitement to the Ironhawks’ sideline.
The scoring play was set up by a Mesabi turnover, and Vermilion’s Cameron McBride recovered a fumble and took it inside the Norse 20. The Ironhawks scored on the next play.
Vermilion’s defense hung in gamely into the second quarter, when Mesabi broke through with an 80-yard drive.
Emmanuel Scott’s 17-yard run got the Norse going and Mosley soon hooked up with receiver Nashawn Holman on a 51-yard scoring play.
Mesabi took advantage of good field position to get the go-ahead score, a short three-yard pass from Mosley to Ziaire Davis.
It was 14-7 at the half and Mesabi seized control when Farah was strip sacked, allowing Hunt to recover and run it back to make it 21-7.
A Mosley quarterback keep added further damage, and Shai Momplaisir’ interception and 27-yard runback put things away.
Mesabi would add two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
The Norse had 265 yards of net offense, but field position and turnovers helped them score the lopsided win.
Once sacks were factored in, Vermilion managed just 13 yards of net offense although Farah went eight-for-18 through the air for 78 yards.
The Ironhawks’ Jamon Sanders had four receptions for 45 yards while Reggie Ross, Brennan Bondhus, Marcuson Taylor and Josh Gutierrez all had receptions.
On defense, Vermilion’s Quintin Daniels had 11 tackles while McBride was in on 10.
Deonate Evans finished with seven stops while teammates Alex Briggs and Dylan Helman were in on six eaach.
Vermilion’s Levonte Redding had 1.5 sacks, and both Evans and Helman recorded sacks.
McBride and Jovann Watson Jr. both had fumble recoveries for Vermilion, which is off until its Sept. 16 home opener against M State-Fergus Falls.
