Mistakes doom Jaguars in lightning-delayed game

                The Kings Mountain Mountaineers and Forestview Jaguars were hoping to remain unbeaten to start the season off. But early on the game belonged to Kings Mountain. The Mountaineers took a 13-0 lead with two runs by Tico Crocker, one from the four-yard line and one from the nine-yard line. The Jaguars couldn’t seem to get anything going on their first two drives. One ended in a punt and the other ended in a turnover. Then the lightning came.

                After the game resumed nearly an hour later, the Jaguars were hoping to weather another storm, the storm of being down two scores in the first quarter. Well, in the second quarter, they started doing just that. Montavis Rodgers got the Jaguars on the board with a three-yard run into the end-zone. The kick was blocked though and the score remained 13-6.

                The Mountaineers, however, were relentless and would keep Forestview from coming back. Quarterback Brandon Bell hit Jake Merchant in the end-zone for an eight-yard touchdown pass. The extra point made it 20-6 Kings Mountain. The Jaguars would storm right back though. Quarterback John Crawford connected with Moe Neal for a 33-yard touchdown strike. A Rodgers run for a two-point conversion cut the lead to 20-14.

                The Jaguars defense would stiffen in the third quarter and the offense would have their chances to get the team back in it. But the Jaguars would literally drop their chances to pull ahead. Mistakes killed Forestview the rest of the game. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a roughing the passer play, both on fourth down late in the third quarter gave the Mountaineers new life. The Mountaineers went up two scores again as Brandon Bell ran one in from the one-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Bells pass to Xavier Johnson for the two-point conversion made it 28-14 Mountaineers.

                Forestview shot themselves in the foot on the ensuing kickoff as the ball bounced off a Jaguar player and was recovered by the Mountaineers and they would capitalize midway through the fourth quarter. Bell ran another in for a touchdown, this time from the two-yard line. The score was 35-14.

                The Jaguars would get another touchdown on the board with a John Crawford touchdown run from the six-yard line. Trey Heavner’s kick cut the lead to 35-21. The Jaguars attempted to put another score on the board, but their final drive ended in another turnover as the snap went past Crawford and the Mountaineers recovered and ran out the clock. That was four turnovers for the Jaguars on this night.

                “Give them credit, they played a heck of a game and had a great plan.” Forestview head coach Christ Medlin said about Kings Mountain “We just couldn’t get any rhythm early. When I thought we’d find that rhythm we just couldn’t get over that hump. We just got to regroup next week and get ready to play East Lincoln.”

                “We played well. Forestview’s got a great team but we played well. I’m proud of our team. We gave great effort and they deserve the win.” Kings Mountain head coach Greg Lloyd said.

                Kings Mountain will be on the road again as they face East Rutherford. Forestview will travel to East Lincoln.