TURNER – Ungainly. Aesthetically challenged. Lacking in cosmetic appeal.

OK, football is no bastion of political correctness, so let’s cut to the chase: Mountain Valley’s 19-18 Class B victory over Leavitt was ugly.

For whatever such highly qualified compliments are worth, however, Friday night’s game at Libby Field was the best bad game imaginable between two good teams. And for Mountain Valley senior captain Travis Dragoon, it was underscored by a splendid bottom line.

“It feels good,” said Dragoon, “to stand at the 50-yard line and raise the Falcon helmet on this field.”

Punctuating a night of seven interceptions, five lost fumbles, three blocked punts and 115 penalty yards was a fun, entertaining fourth quarter.

Mountain Valley’s Aaron Arsenault scored on a 20-yard run, the Falcons’ longest play from scrimmage in the game, on the first play of the period. Later, Zach Fergola raced to the end zone on a 35-yard interception return, and the Falcons turned away two Leavitt two-point conversion attempts in the final 5:14 to secure the gritty win.

Junior Korey Staires intercepted three passes, including a 66-yard return for a touchdown, and Drew Parent had a hand in two quarterback sacks for Mountain Valley, which amassed only 102 yards net offense.

“The defense picked us up. Korey kept us in the game,” said Fergola, who was 2-for-8 for 11 yards and rushed for seven more in his first varsity start at quarterback.

Leavitt racked up 286 yards, 151 through the air, and had two chances to punch it in for the potential game-winning points.

Kyle Davis’ 1-yard plunge trimmed the Hornets’ deficit to 13-12, but Dragoon, Aaron Robin and Dickie Cote converged to smother Tyler Poland’s rush for two.

Fergola picked off Dustin Gilbert’s pass deep in Leavitt territory for the Falcons’ second defensive touchdown with 1:52 to go. The Hornets answered on third-and-long when Chad Schrepper (142 all-purpose yards) found Josh Murphy over the middle with a halfback option pass for a 63-yard TD.

Once again, the Hornets went for two, but the snap was mishandled and Mountain Valley’s Tim Turner recovered.

“Our kicking game has been inconsistent, so we’ve kind of made the decision to go for two every time,” said Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway. “It was sloppy, but a very intense game. You don’t usually see that much sustained intensity in the first game of the season.”

Brandon Hinkley matched Staires with three pickoffs and blocked a punt for the Hornets. He ran back the first interception 45 yards for a TD to bring the Hornets even, 6-6, at the half.

koakes@sunjournal.com

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