The Vian Wolverines celebrated two things Thursday night at St. John Stadium, homecoming and extending their winning streak to five games, after they routed the Keys Cougars 63-12 in a District 2A-5 contest.
The Wolverines (6-2 overall, 5-0 in district play) broke the scoreless deadlock on a 3-yard touchdown run by Riley Ellis. Mikayah Mendoza’s extra point put Vian ahead 7-0 with 8:06 left in the first quarter.
Just 1:54 later, the Wolverines doubled their advantage on the first of two TD passes to Jacob Brannick from Masyn Wright, this one covering 46 yards with 6:12 remaining in the period. Mendoza’s PAT increased Vian’s advantage to 14-0 after a quarter.
Just 12 second into the second period, the Wright-Brannick combination struck again, this time on a 47-yard touchdown pass play. Mendoza’s extra point upped Vian’s lead to 21-0 with 11:48 left before halftime.
After the first score for the Cougars (2-6, 2-3) cut the Vian lead to 14-6 with 9:48 remaining in the first half, the Wolverines responded with the first of four rushing touchdowns by Wright. His first TD covered 32 yards, with Mendoza’s PAT upped the Vian advantage to 28-6 with 8:11 remaining before halftime.
Each of Vian’s next two possessions ended the same way as this last one — a Wright touchdown run, one from 32 yards out and the other from three yards out. Mendoza hit the extra point after each score to make it 42-6 with 6:31 left in the first half.
After the final score by Keys with 5:29 left before halftime cut the Vian lead to 42-12, Wright collected his hat trick of TD runs in the second quarter as he took it to paydirt from two yards out with 2:53 remaining in the first half. He then ran in the two-point conversion to give Vian a 50-12 lead.
Wright connected with Draighton Fletcher on a 47-yard touchdown pass with 1:12 left before halftime. Mendoza’s PAT gave Vian a 57-12 lead at the break.
Vian’s final score came with 6:55 left in the third quarter when Brannick recorded his hat trick for his third TD, this time coming on a 62-yard run. However, Mendoza missed the extra point. For the game, Wright rushed for 173 yards and four touchdowns, while passing for 162 yards and three more TDs. Brannick caught four passes for 115 yards and two touchdown receptions, while rushing for a 62-yard TD.
