Mount Si traveled to Newport last week to take on the 4 win-3

loss Knights. They were hoping to improve the win column on a tough season

in a tough league but came away battered, on the losing end of a 31-0

final score.

Initially, it looked as though the `Cats were going to hold the

well-known wishbone of Newport, but time was not good to Mount Si as

Tripper Johnson and company pounded away with a balanced ground and air attack.

Mount Si started the game, with Tyler Osborn taking the initial

kickoff. The drive moved quickly down the field, but on a short pass from

Jon Odom to Austin Bachelder, the ball came loose and Newport

recovered. The Knights capitalized quickly when, on third and two, Johnson

broke through the line and poured on the speed, scoring at the 7:37 mark of

the first quarter. With the extra point, the score was Knights 7, Mount Si

nothing.

The Wildcats’ second drive notched two first downs, the first on

a reception by Brett Bergstrom on the Wildcat 34 and the second on a

David Cole run up the middle. But, after two incomplete passes and a short run,

the Wildcats’ Thompson was forced to punt.

Newport faced a similar situation on their next drive as Dylan

Seubert and Cole put the pressure on defensively. The Knights subsequently

were forced to punt and the kicked ball rolled to the 1-yard line of Mount Si.

Thompson started at quarterback and, working from his own end

zone, orchestrated a drive. Runs by Junior Ben Veyna and Cole moved the

ball to the 36 in Newport territory. From there, the Knight defense went

into overdrive, shutting down any more significant gains for the `Cats.

On fourth and five and deep in Knight territory, Thompson rolled out

looking for a receiver. Not finding one, he headed for the first down marker

but fell short. With 8:17 left in the second quarter, Newport took the ball.

The Knights’ quarterback, Brett MacDonald, quickly went to work

after getting an initial first down on a Johnson run. On third down he

found his mark in Gerald Estill, who rambled to the Wildcat 19-yard line. He

again found Estill on third and 12 for the last touchdown of the first half. With

the extra point, the score was Knights 14, Mount Si nothing.

Mount Si would try one more time to move downfield, but after the

drive was stunted, they found themselves punting. Tim Holen took position

as punter for the injured Thompson, but the snap sailed over his head. His

efforts to boot the ball were blocked, and Newport recovered at the Mount Si

11. Fortunately, the Wildcat defense held the Knights tight, and the field

goal attempt was no good. The teams headed to the locker room at

halftime with the Knights holding a 14-point lead.

Newport took the second half kick, returning it to their own 35. Two

plays later, defensive back Veyna found himself crossed up with his assigned

receiver, Estill, heading for the end zone with a long reception in his hands.

The point after gave Newport the lead, 21-0.

Newport would score again, late in the third when Johnson booted a

33-yard field goal. Their final score would come at the 7:33 mark of the

fourth quarter on a short run, making the final score 31-0.

The win moved Newport into a tie with Mercer Island at five wins

and three losses. Mount Si is now knotted with Liberty at two and six, with

one game left to go in the season.