{"id":3489,"date":"2020-09-26T22:42:22","date_gmt":"2020-09-27T03:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/?p=3489"},"modified":"2020-09-26T22:42:22","modified_gmt":"2020-09-27T03:42:22","slug":"tigers-return-from-covid-pause-results-in-saturday-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/2020\/09\/26\/tigers-return-from-covid-pause-results-in-saturday-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Tigers’ return from COVID pause results in Saturday loss"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Maurice Patton<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MT. PLEASANT \u2013<\/strong> Given that Mt. Pleasant\u2019s football team had gone two full weeks without any physical contact, and that nearly one-third the Tigers\u2019 roster was unavailable for Saturday\u2019s matchup with visiting McEwen, coach Bronson Bradley wasn\u2019t totally taken aback by the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Warriors scored on each of their first five possessions and limited Mt. Pleasant to 21 offensive yards in the opening half of an eventual 39-16 victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was almost like a spring scrimmage: Put it together and see what you\u2019ve got,\u201d Bradley said. \u201cThey punched us in the mouth, and we literally weren\u2019t ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tigers, winless in four outings, had a walkthrough three hours before Saturday\u2019s 4 p.m. kickoff. It was basically their first team gathering since their 56-20 loss at Region 5-1A rival Fayetteville on Sept. 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t practice for 10 days. Then we had 12 kids Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,\u201d said Bradley, whose squad had their Sept. 18 league game against Cornersville as well as a Friday trip to Wayne County canceled because of their COVID pause. \u201cWe had limited, non-contact practice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It showed Saturday, as McEwen (3-0) scored 33 points on just 24 offensive plays and Mt. Pleasant was virtually powerless to stop the onslaught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Veteran Mt. Pleasant coach Bronson Bradley and the Tigers, in their first contest since Sept. 11, had few answers for McEwen’s running game in Saturday’s 39-16 loss. (File photo by Ric Beu \/ SM-Tn Sports)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not frustrated with the players, with the team,\u201d senior linebacker\/fullback Ethan Beasley said. \u201cBut we lose focus, really fast. Something happens, any adversity, and we get down. We can\u2019t learn to dig ourselves out of that hole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a growing year, a lot of new guys. But I couldn\u2019t be frustrated with any of my brothers. We\u2019ve just got to learn to deal with adversity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tigers were without their top two quarterbacks \u2013 starter Te\u2019Varius Strayhorn and backup Elijah Dowell \u2013 as well as linemen Dontavius Ellison, Ryan Gray, Dylon Cooper and Micheal Wright, tight end\/defensive end Tyler Berry, safety Jeffrey Williams and kicker Jackson Collier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what you need, playing a team like that,\u201d Bradley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trailing 33-0 at intermission, Mt. Pleasant regrouped and put together a 13-play, 65-yard drive that took 8:46 off the clock and resulted in a 21-yard Keevon Cooper touchdown run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe came in and said, \u2018we just got our tails kicked; let\u2019s go back out and fight some’,\u201d Bradley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McEwen scored on the ensuing possession, taking a 39-8 lead into the final period, before the hosts got a 45-yard run for a fourth-quarter score from Ladontay Patton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe tried to go with a one-two punch with our little guys, Zavier Davidson and Keevon, and our big kids, Ethan and \u2018Predator\u2019 (Jerimiah Dobbins),\u201d Bradley said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t really get it going until the second half.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mt. Pleasant finished the game with 206 offensive yards. McEwen, meanwhile, rolled up 368 yards \u2013 all on the ground, as brothers Joseph and Tommy Wills teamed for 265 rushing yards and five touchdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWatching them on film, we felt like they were a pretty good team,\u201d Joseph Wills said. \u201cWe were nervous during the game. But when we got up 14-0, I knew if we kept it going how we were going, we had this game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the Tigers, the 0-4 start marks the most losses in a single season for the senior class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been 7-3, 7-3, 8-2 (during the regular season),\u201d Bradley said. \u201cThey like to win. They\u2019re used to winning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor Ethan, for those kids, we wanted a game (this weekend). Without it, we\u2019d have gone three weeks without a game. It\u2019s a good idea to get a game when you can get it this year, and it was pretty cool to play on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe got a game on Wednesday, we put a game plan together on Thursday and practiced Saturday. I thought our staff did a pretty good job putting that together. At least the live action will give us a chance to plan for Huntland.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mt. Pleasant resumes region play Friday against visiting Huntland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McEwen 39, Mt. Pleasant 16
at Mt. Pleasant Memorial Stadium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ME 27 6 6 0 \u2013 39
MP 0 0 8 8 \u2013 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scoring Summary
First Quarter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ME \u2013<\/strong> Joseph Wills 43 run (10:15), kick failed
ME \u2013<\/strong> Tommy Wills 48 run (8:03), Garett Clark kick
ME \u2013<\/strong> T. Wills 4 run (3:13), run failed
ME \u2013<\/strong> J. Wills 1 run (0:29), Johnathan Hatley run<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second Quarter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ME \u2013<\/strong> Garett Clark 26 run (5:02), kick failed<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third Quarter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MP \u2013<\/strong> Keevon Cooper 21 run (3:14), Cooper run
ME \u2013 <\/strong>J. Wills 3 run (0:00), kick blocked<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fourth Quarter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MP \u2013<\/strong> Ladontay Patton 45 run (2:54), Demarkus Brown pass from Zavier Davidson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team Statistics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ME MP
First downs 17 8
Rushes-yards 45-368 36-173
Passing yards 0 33
Comps-Atts-Ints 0-0-0 1-6-3
Penalties-yards 5-40 3-30
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individual Statistics
Rushing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

McEwen \u2013<\/strong> Johnathan Hatley 6-10, Jake Artz 5-15, Joseph Wills 10-101, Garett Clark 5-72, Tommy Wills 18-164, Ty Dreaden 1-17
Mt. Pleasant \u2013 <\/strong>Keevon Cooper 12-78, Ladontay Patton 4-60, Jerimiah Dobbins 9-4, Ethan Beasley 4-16, Zavier Davidson 6-13<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Passing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mt. Pleasant \u2013<\/strong> Zavier Davidson 1-4-2, 33, Keevon Cooper 0-1-1, 0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receiving<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mt. Pleasant \u2013<\/strong> Demarkus Brown 1-33<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tigers score twice in second half, fall 39-16 to visiting McEwen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":184945300,"featured_media":2085,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Tigers score twice in second half, fall 39-16 to visiting McEwen","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[111488],"tags":[35890,111488,330352],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/sm-tnsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/img_0121.jpg?fit=4512%2C3008&ssl=1","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbWF0s-Uh","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2356,"url":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/2020\/09\/12\/fayetteville-runs-by-mt-pleasant-in-region-play\/","url_meta":{"origin":3489,"position":0},"title":"Fayetteville runs by Mt. 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