NWOAL FOOTBALL … Colton Robertson extends to catch a pass from Evergreen signal caller Bryce Bolger. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Jesse Davis
SWANTON (October 13, 2023) – A cavalcade of errors wasn’t enough to stop the Evergreen Vikings from defeating the Swanton Bulldogs in a sometimes controversial game on Friday.
The Vikings stumbled early, with sophomore quarterback Bryce Bolger fumbling and recovering on the second play of the game.
A set and a half of downs later, they were forced to punt after only moving the ball 11 yards. Swanton didn’t fare any better after only managing eight yards before punting right back.
Evergreen was able to pick up some steam on their second drive with a run from junior Max Mossing – who would end up picking up the bulk of the game’s yardage for the Vikings – and one from Bolger.
Throughout the drive, Mossing would pick up nearly 40 yards, leading to an eventual field goal kick by freshman Alex Mossing to give them the early lead 3-0.
Swanton’s second drive, while similarly kept to two downs ending with a punt, began with Evergreen’s first penalty for offsides.
After the punt, an underthrown pass from Bolger to Max Mossing, which was able to be picked up by Bulldog junior Kaiden Bryan and run more than 61 yards for a Swanton touchdown. A successful extra point put the Bulldogs up 7-3.
A three-and-out from the Vikings was extended when on the punt return, Swanton senior Brennon Mersing called for a fair catch then dropped the ball, which was recovered by Evergreen.
However, a pair of penalties on the play – an illegal motion by Evergreen and a personal foul on a Swanton player – reset the fourth down.
On the second try, a Bolger pass attempt failed, leading to a turnover on downs at their own 47-yard line.
The Bulldogs were unable to capitalize on the play, catching a flag on a false start before Wilson fumbled the ball due to a massive hit, with the ball recovered by Evergreen.
A personal foul on Swanton after the play set the Vikings up inside the red zone, and Max Mossing ran it in on the first try to take the lead back, 10-7.
A pair of successful runs gaining a first down from Bulldog junior Drake Harris seemed to set them up for a good drive, but another false start led to three-and-out with Swanton forced to kick it away again.
The Vikings overcame a holding penalty to pick up a first down after a seven-yard pass to junior Colton Robertson, but excessive celebration by one of his teammates brought an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, pushing them back to the 49-yard line for first and 25.
With less than 40 seconds remaining in the half, the Vikings made it to within three yards of a first down in two plays and held the clock at bay with a pair of time outs, but two incomplete plays turned the ball over on downs. A three-yard run from Bulldog junior Trenton Eitniear closed out the half.
Swanton finally regained momentum in the beginning of the second half despite an early fumble they managed to recover.
Handoffs to Eitniear and freshly crowned Homecoming King Jonah Rico brought positive yardage and a pair of first downs before a punt on fourth and 13 was dropped by Robertson and recovered by Bulldog junior Walker Klingler on the Viking 25.
Another flag on Evergreen – this time for a facemask grab – put Swanton in striking distance. The Bulldogs then overcame their own holding penalty to eventually set up a two-yard run by Eitniear to retake the lead, 14-10.
The lead was short-lived, with Evergreen marching back down the field in just six plays before overcoming their own illegal procedure penalty with a 42-yard pass to freshman Nolan Hudik in just over two minutes of play to bring the score to 17-14.
The Vikings took immediate advantage of their newfound momentum with a squib kick that bounced off a Bulldog player who attempted to catch the ball, which was recovered by Evergreen at the 40-yard line.
Four plays and less than one minute of play later, Max Mossing ran in another touchdown, putting the Vikings up 23-14 after a missed extra point attempt. A personal foul against the Bulldogs on the touchdown play was assessed on the following kickoff.
Penalties continued to abound in the Swanton drive, with the Vikings taking a flag for jumping offsides and a personal foul.
Evergreen senior Grant Richardson managed a vicious sack against Wilson before the Vikings picked up yet another penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Eitniear led the team down the field during the drive, stacking up 43 yards across seven plays before a penalty against the Vikings for pass interference set him up for another 3-yard run, this one for a touchdown, bringing the Vikings’ lead down to just two points at 23-21.
The Vikings were able to line up five consecutive first-down plays including three from Max Mossing, but then continued to see yellow, picking up penalties for a false start and holding.
Despite being left at fourth and 18 on the 30-yard line, a subsequent pass allowed senior Riley Dunbar to find the end zone, bringing the score to 30-21 with just over three minutes left in the game.
The Bulldogs made a valiant rally, using two timeouts and a spike to manage the clock and making it all the way to the red zone with a 36-yard pass to sophomore Connor Mitchey, but Viking junior Layne Vance picked off a pass at the 3-yard line on the following play to effectively end the game, with Evergreen able to run out the remaining time.
UP NEXT: October 20 – Evergreen (3-6, 1-5 NWOAL) at Delta (3-6, 1-5 NWOAL) 7pm; Swanton (0-9, 0-6 NWOAL) at Patrick Henry (7-2, 4-2 NWOAL) 7pm.
EHS SHS
First Downs 20 16
Rushing Yards 33-183 41-95
Passing Yards 166 75
Passing 11-19-0 8-14-1
Total Yards 349 170
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-2
Penalties 12-106 4-27
EVERGREEN 3 7 13 7 – 30
SWANTON 0 7 7 7 – 21
E – A. Mossing 29-yard field goal
S – Bryan 61-yard fumble return (kick good)
E – M. Mossing 8-yard run (A. Mossing)
S – Eitniear 2-yard run (kick good)
E – Hudik 42-yard pass from Bolger (A. Mossing kick)
E – M. Mossing 13-yard run (kick failed)
S – Eitniear 3-yard run (kick good)
E – Dunbar 30-yard pass from Bolger (A. Mossing kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Evergreen – M. Mossing 20-147; Swanton – Eitniear 26-77 PASSING: Evergreen – Bolger 10-18-0-166; Swanton – Wilson 8-14-1-75; RECEIVING: Evergreen – Robertson 5-69, Dunbar 3-51; Swanton – Mitchey 2-44
Jesse can be reached at jesse@thevillagereporter.com
