By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com

NORTON SHORES – Mona Shores football coach Matt Koziak sure likes what he sees when his defensive unit takes the field. It’s been that way pretty much all season long.

On Friday night, that defense picked off three passes (nearly had two more) and pitched a shutout as the Sailors blanked visiting Traverse City West 28-0 at Sailor Stadium.

What that result means is that Mona Shores (9-1) will host Byron Center (9-1) in the Division 2 district title game at 7 p.m. next Friday on its home turf. The Sailors defeated Byron Center 14-12 back on Sept. 20.

“Our defensive staff has been incredible all year,” said Koziak, who is in his 14th year at the helm of the Sailors. “Our philosophy is they don’t score until they score whether they are on the 1 or driving the field. That’s a good football team (Traverse City West), they practice, they work hard and they design plays to take advantage of our defense. Yes, they got us on a couple, but when it mattered most, our guys made plays.”

Mona Shores’ Tomarion Steward flies down field for a first down. Photo/Eric Sturr

Three of those plays were interceptions, including a 73-yard return by Coreyontae Bothwell late in the third quarter that pretty much clinched it for the Sailors. Solomon Robertson and big lineman Ja’Mari Taylor also had interceptions.

The Sailors thought they had scored in the latter stages of the opening quarter on a James Starr run, but a holding penalty moved them back from the 12 to the 22. Two plays later, Jonathan Pittman hit Micah Carefelle for an 18-yard touchdown run. The kick failed and Shores led 6-0.

The Titans moved deep into Sailor territory by the early moments of the second quarter, but Robertson stepped in front of a pass by Titan QB Owen Hendrix near the goal line.

Later in the half, TC West was the move again and reached the Sailor 28. That’s when Taylor picked off a pass with 4:13 left until the half.

Eight plays later, Micah Carefelle made a highlight-reel catch in the corner of the end zone with 15 seconds left in the half. Pittman ran in the 2-point conversion and Shores led 14-0 at the half.

Jonathan Pittman moves the Sailors down field through the air. Photo/Eric Sturr

The Titans pulled off a successful onside kick to start the second half, but again, the Sailor defense stood tall and gave the ball back to the offense.

Traverse City West did execute a fake punt near the midpoint of the third quarter, but that drive ended abruptly when Bothwell stepped in front of a pass and sprinted down the left sideline and into the end zone.

That pushed the lead to 21-0.

The Titans threatened again to get on the scoreboard by driving to the Sailor 4. But, a tackle for loss, two penalties and an incomplete pass on fourth down put the ball back in the hands of the Sailors.

A 35-yard pass completion from Pittman to Bishop Davis helped set up Tomarion Steward’s 12-yard touchdown run with 5:17 remaining in the game. On that play, Steward unofficially surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for rushing this season.

“He runs hard,” Koziak said. “He’s so determined and I’m just so proud of him. He takes care of the football and gets those tough yards that some backs can’t get. That’s what you need next week and throughout the playoffs.”

From there, the Sailor defense did what it had done all evening and kept the Titans off the scoreboard.

“Our defense just battled and got the job done,” said Koziak, who mentioned his defensive coaches – Dave Check, Bob Peterson, Jeremy Roomsburg and Kyle Brott – for getting those guys ready for battle. “They’ve done an incredible, incredible job and put in a ton of time prepping and our kids believe in it and stick with the game plan.”

Ja’Mari Taylor brings down Traverse City running back Charlie Sowers. Photo/Eric Sturr

Micah Carefelle barrels into the end zone for a Sailor touchdown reception. Photo/Eric Sturr

Micah Carefelle hauls down his second TD reception with a highlight reel catch. Photo/Eric Sturr

Solomon Robertson takes off after picking off a Titan pass near the goal line. Photo/Eric Sturr

Dominic Piggue makes an open-field tackle to stop the Traverse City drive. Photo/Eric Sturr