FOREMAN – Mount Ida and Foreman wore the field out as they rolled to a combined 848 yards of rushing as the Lions held on for a 34-33 victory.
The Lions had three backs with over 100 yards in the victory with Cade Helms leading the charge with 21 carries for 164 yards and 1 touchdown. Gage Dyer averaged just over 11 yards per carry with 11 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Jonathan Legrange was the workhorse of the team with 25 carries for 116 yards and two TDs. Cade Jackson had four carries for 12 yards and Bridger Farmer had 1 carry for two yards.
Tucker Hall led the Gators with 25 carries for 204 yards and a score. He was also 3-5 for 77 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the air.
Mount Ida opened the game with a seven play drive that started on their 28. They quickly moved the ball inside Gator territory before fumbling the ball on the 47.
Fumbles were prevalent early on with both teams combining for seven fumbles in the game.
Foreman made it three plays before putting the ball on the ground for the first time. Cade Helms recovered the fumble to give the Lions the ball on their own 38 yard line.
The Lions found themselves in a fourth and five situation on their own 43, but a pass from Tyler Allenbrand to Bridger Farmer on a fake punt gave them new life.
Mount Ida fought their way to within the shadow of the goal line before being stopped a foot short of the first score of the night.
Foreman battled their way to the 14 yard line before the ball came loose again with Gunner Gilbert falling on it for Mount Ida.
Two plays later it looked like Helms crossed into the end zone from 12 yards out, but the ball come loose and Foreman ended up with the ball on their own five yard line.
The Gators took the ball 95 yards in six plays for the first score of the night on a 26 yard run by Kyren Beatty. Sam Gamble hit the PAT to give the Gators a 7-0 lead with 11:51 to go in the half.
Mount Ida responded with a nine play 79 yard drive that ended with a 38 yard TD run by Gage Dyer. Tyler Allenbrand’s PAT was good to tie the game with 8L39 to go in the second quarter.
Foreman responded with a five play drive that was capped off with a 24 yard run by Tucker Hall for a touchdown. Gamble’s PAT was good to give them a 14-7 lead with 6L38 to go in the quarter.
Mount Ida turned the ball over again thanks to a fumble, but they were able to give themselves one more chance to tie things up before halftime after forcing a Gator punt.
The Lions took over on their own 19 with 2:37 to go in the half. With wristbands on they marched the distance to score with 25 seconds left in the half on a 15 yard run by Dyer. Allenbrand’s PAT was good to tie things up.
The Lions opened the second half with a great defensive stop that ended with Foreman facing a fourth and 10 from their own 37. An errant snap over Hall’s head on a punt attempt gave the Lions the ball on the Gator 13 yard line.
Four plays later Helms waltzed in from nine yards out to give the Lions their first lead of the night. Allenbrand hit the PAT to give the Lions a 21-14 lead.
Foreman pulled to within one on a four yard run by Corey Lovewell and Gamble’s PAT tied things up with 3:36 to go in the third quarter.
Mount Ida needed nine plays to travel 56 yards for the go ahead score. Legrange scored from eight yards out as time ran out in the third quarter. Allenbrand’s PAT was good to give the Lions a 28-21 lead.
Foreman pulled within one on a 27 yard pass with 8:28 to go in the fourth. Foreman decided to go for two and the lead after an offside call against Mount Ida moved the ball inside the two. Hall rolled out to his right, but was tackled shy of the goal line.
Mount Ida responded with a 10 play drive that resulted in a four yard touchdown run by Legrange. Confusion on the PAT costs the Lions a valuable point, but they held a 24-27 lead with 4:36 to go in the game.
Undaunted, Foreman marched 39 yards in 12 plays to pull within one once again, this time on an 11 yard pass to Gamble. Foreman went for the lead with another two point conversion attempt, but the Lions stopped C.J. Green just short of the goal line.
Foreman had one more chance after recovering an on side kick, but Bridger Farmer came down with a Gator pass to give the Lions the one point win.
The victory pushes the Lions’ record to 7-0 and 4-0 in conference play. The Mount Ida Lions sit alone atop the 7-2A Conference standings as they prepare to host Dierks this Friday night with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
