By Joshua Yoder

MOUNT UNION – It may have been a little sloppy, but like the old saying goes, a win is a win. Despite the number of turnovers and penalties, Mount Union overcame them and defeated the Southern Huntingdon Rockets by the final score of 35-8 during an Inter-County Conference football game Friday night.

It took a little while but with just under five minutes remaining in the opening period, the Rockets were able to score first thanks to junior running back Eli Rice who punched in a four yard run into the endzone. But then Southern Huntingdon decided to go for two and brought senior lineman Garret Boden and used him as a running back and Boden barreled his way in for two points making it an 8-0 game.

But from there on, it became all Mount Union starting with a big time play on the defensive side of the football. And that play came from one of their seniors in Georgie Bilger who managed to pick off a screen pass and found his way in for the touchdown. Mason Swanger scored the extra point to make it a 8-7 game.

Sophomore running Nasir Collins took over from there during the second quarter as he started off with a six yard touchdown run and then a two point conversion by quarterback Maddox Hobbs to put the Trojans up by a touchdown, 15-8.

Collins struck again about three minutes later this time going four yards for the score and then a field goal by Swanger added on to the lead making it 22-8 at halftime.

On the negative side of things in the first half, the Trojans had lost three fumbles and committed four penalties for 45 yards. On the positive side however, Mount Union compiled a total of 142 yards of total offense with 70 yards coming from ground and 72 yards in the air. Defensively Mount Union held Southern Huntingdon to just 50 yards of total offense for the first half.

Things were just as tough for the Rockets during the first half as well as they had five penalties for 25 yards.

Things kept going strong for the Trojans during the third quarter of the game as Hobbs found Collins on a screen pass and Collins took care of the rest going 10 yards for the touchdown.

The final score of the game came during the fourth quarter and it was another Mount Union senior Josh Ryan who muscled his way into the endzone for the score.

The Trojans had a grand total of 273 yards of total offense for the night. Collins led the Trojans offensively going 92 yards on 19 carries scoring two rushing touchdowns. Collins got catch two pass for 24 yards collecting a receiving touchdown as well. Ryan had 17 carries for a total of 65 yards to along with his rushing touchdown.

Bilger was making plays on all three sides of the ball, defensively he collected an interception and took it to the house as well as a sack. Bilger also blocked a punt on special teams and caught three pass for 36 yards on offense.

The Mount Union defense was a brick wall against the Southern Huntingdon offense as the Rockets only managed to get four yards of total offense for the entire second half, making it 54 yards for the whole game.

With it being Senior night, Mount Union was honoring its seven seniors in Ryan, Bilger, EJ Boozel, Julian Weirich, Naiym Francis, Davin Yocum and Cody McClain. Coach Brumbaugh and the rest of the Mount Union Trojans wish them nothing but the best in their futures and thank them for everything they had brought to the program.

Southern Huntingdon falls to (1-7, 1-5) and will look to get back into the win column as the Rockets will host the Juniata Valley Hornets.

Meanwhile, Mount Union moves to (7-1, 5-1) and will be hitting the road and will face the Claysburg-Kimmel Bulldogs.

Both games will be on Friday at 7 p.m.

Best of luck to both teams!