Playing without starting quarterback Ryan Gumbita, Mt. Pleasant had to have somebody step up in Friday's battle for third place in the Class AA Interstate Conference with visiting East Allegheny.
That somebody was Kevin Yanok.
Filling in for Gumbita, who was out with a leg injury, Yanok did not complete a pass but carried the ball 26 times for 202 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-9 victory.
"It started with our offensive line," coach Bo Ruffner said. "They knew they had to bear the burden."
On the game's first series, the Vikings (4-2, 4-1) marched 79 yards in eight plays, capping it with a 6-yard touchdown run by Yanok.
For the game, the Vikings only attempted three passes and completed none, but they more than made up for that by racking up 283 rushing yards.
"It was a physical kind of football," Ruffner said.
East Allegheny (4-2, 4-2) got back in the game in the second quarter when Shawn Adair completed a five-play drive with a 4-yard scoring run. The Wildcats missed the extra point and trailed, 7-6.
With 48 seconds left in the half, Mt. Pleasant's Dalton Bull capped a four-play series with a 10-yard touchdown run to put the Vikings up, 14-6.
East Allegheny was dominant in the third quarter, opening the half with a drive that lasted nearly 10 minutes. But deep in its territory, Mt. Pleasant's defense tightened and held the Wildcats to a Casey Holshue 26-yard field goal.
It remained a one-score contest into the fourth quarter. But just when it appeared East Allegheny had all of the momentum, Yanok made the play of the game by slicing up the middle and racing 89 yards for a touchdown.
"What can you say about Yanok?" Ruffner said. "This was his first game at quarterback, and he stepped up."
Mt. Pleasant made some big plays defensively, too: Garrett Thomas recovered a fumble, and Cody Monroe had an interception.
The Vikings face a tough test next week at Jeannette, but yesterday's win bumped them into third in the conference.
"Every conference victory is big," Ruffner said. "To get a win against a good East Allegheny team shows the work our kids put in this week."
Despite the loss, the Wildcats still sit in a playoff spot.
"We have goals of having a winning season and making the playoffs," coach Dennis Edwards said, "and we're still working on those goals."
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Mt. Pleasant versus East Allegheny
Mt. Pleasant versus East Allegheny on Friday, October 7, 2011.
