‘Big 3’ helps Muskegon pull away from Mona Shores in OK-Green football showdown

MUSKEGON – Muskegon was scoring on the ground and Mona Shores was answering every time through the air, and something had to give.

After Shores quarterback Jonathan Pittman scored midway through the third quarter to tie the game, 21-21, it was the Big Reds that put it in overdrive with three rushing touchdowns to pull away for a 42-21 win in front of 7,000 fans at Sailor Stadium.

“Our offense knew what we had to do and that was come out and score every time,” said Muskegon junior offensive tackle N-Kye Wynn who, along with his buddies up front, took control in the fourth quarter.

“They were sticking with us, but we answered and finally pulled away.”

M’Khi Guy takes the ball up the middle. Photo/Eric Sturr

Muskegon’s senior “Big 3” of quarterback M’Khi Guy (18 rushes for 263 yards and two TDs), slotback Destin Piggee (9-123) and running back Jakob Price (10-29, with three touchdowns) ran through and around the Sailors’ defense all night long.

Muskegon, 2-2 and 2-0 in the O-K Green, finished with a dominating 417-88 edge in rushing yards.

Mona Shores, 2-2 and 1-1 in the O-K Green, countered with a highly effective passing attack.

Junior quarterback Jonathan Pittman (6-2, 221) was sharp from the beginning – a 69-yard pass to Micah Carefelle on a hitch-and-go on the Sailors’ first play from scrimmage – and finished 12-of-20 for 231 yards and two touchdowns.

Jaeger Johnson, a 5-10, 165-pound junior, had both of those TD receptions in the first half, on a 10-yard slant pass and then a 19-yard circus catch in the corner of the end zone.

The Sailors trailed just 21-14 at halftime, then when they chewed up half of the third quarter and scored after another big pass play to Hayden Terpstra to set up Pittman’s plunge, it looked like a game that was going down to the wire.

But that’s when the Big Reds found another gear, leaving the hosts in the dust.?

Mona Shores’ Jaeger Johnson hauls in the TD pass from Jonathan Pittman to get the Sailors on the board. Photo/Eric Sturr

“Hat’s off to them, we have a young secondary and they came out and took their shots,” said 13th-year Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield, who improved his record to 10-3 against Shores. “In the second half, we went away from man-to-man and played more zone, which worked better. The effort was always there, we just needed better execution.”

Muskegon also dialed up a steady diet of blitzes, forcing quick throws and scrambles from Pittman.

Darekeo Speech led Muskegon’s defense with 13 tackles, Chris Jones and Adrian Rankin made six stops and Recarder Kitchen, Stanley Cunningham and De’Carion Taylor all had five tackles.

Guy, who actually opened the scoring with a nifty 24-yard scoring pass to Brant Brooks, scored on a 2-yard run late in the third quarter for the go-ahead score, then added a 43-yard burst in the fourth quarter. Price, who had first-half TD runs of 1 yard and 13 yards, completed the scoring with a 2-yard plunge midway through the fourth quarter.

The victory was especially satisfying for Wynn and the rest of Muskegon’s offensive front – led by giant senior guards Miguel Botello and Karl Brooks, senior center Isaiah Williams and junior tackles Jim Harris and Wynn.

Wynn said the back-to-back home losses to Rockford and Warren DeLaSalle to open the season, in which the offensive line was unable to create any running room, lit a fire under the fivesome.

“We were humbled in those first two games,” said Wynn, a second-year starter at right tackle. “But since then, we’ve been playing with an edge. We are going to keep that edge the rest of the season. That’s the Big Reds way.”

Johnson finished with four catches for 75 yards and the two TDs to lead the Sailors. Carefelle had two catches for 75 yards and Terpstra added three grabs for 57 yards.

On defense, Andrew Baker added to his team-leading tackle total with 10 stops. Ja’Mari Taylor made seven tackles and Solomon Robertson and Amari Richardson each added six stops.

Muskegon has now won three straight over Shores and eight of the last nine. The two schools could meet again in the playoffs, as Muskegon has moved up to join Shores (and Reeths-Puffer) in Division 2.

Muskegon plays at Reeths-Puffer next week, while Shores is at Holland.

Muskegon’s Destin Piggee follows his lead blocker Jakob Price to pick up a first down. Photo/Eric Sturr

Muskegon’s Brant Brooks comes down with the touchdown catch over defender Jaeger Johnson. Photo/Eric Sturr

Micah Carefelle turns the reception into a 70 yard gain. Photo/Eric Sturr

Mona Shores’ Micah Carefelle dives to wrap up Muskegon’s Destin Piggee. Photo/Eric Sturr

Jaeger Johnson makes the touchdown catch off the defensive deflection. Photo/Eric Sturr

Brant Brooks puts a crunch to Hayden Terpstra on the kick return. Photo/Eric Sturr

Muskegon’s M’Khi Guy accepts the Player of the Game award. Photo/Eric Sturr

Head Coach Shane Fairfield is presented with the Rivarly Series Champion trophy. Photo/Eric Sturr

Prior to the game Muskegon’s Jakob Price and Mona Shores’ Luke Emmons receive the Marines Rivalry Scholar Athlete award. Photo/Eric Sturr