Bears rebound with Gallatin shutout

Oct 01, 2012 12:00 am

Mt. Juliet 42, Gallatin 0

Mt. Juliet 14 0 14 14–42

Gallatin 0 0 0 0–0

First Quarter

Mt. Juliet–Austin Chaplin 2 run, (Ryan Jenkins kick), 9:02.

Mt. Juliet–Contrez McCathern 5 run, (Jenkins kick), 6:37.

Third Quarter

Mt. Juliet–Chaplin 30 run, (Jenkins kick), 6:52.

Mt. Juliet–McCathern 5 run, (Jenkins kick), 3:43.

Fourth Quarter

Mt. Juliet–Connor Hopkins 2 run, (Jenkins kick), 9:26.

Mt. Juliet–Peyton Haynes 52 interception return, (Jenkins kick), 7:19.

By JARED FELKINS

Director of Content

GALLATIN — Any frustrations Mt. Juliet had built up after a loss two weeks ago to Class 5A No. 1 Beech, coupled with an off week to simmer, were taken out on Gallatin in a 42-0 District 9-AAA shutout Friday night.

Mt. Juliet (5-1, 3-1) capitalized on early Gallatin (2-5, 1-3) mistakes as a bobbled snap on a punt ended the Green Wave’s opening drive and gave the Golden Bears the ball at the Gallatin 18-yard line.

Three plays later, Austin Chaplin scored from 2 yards out to give Mt. Juliet a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

“The first half, the defense was outstanding,” said Mt. Juliet coach Roger Perry. “The kicking game was good. Our offense still needs work.”

Four plays into Gallatin’s ensuing drive, the Bears’ Kyle Grace intercepted a pass at the Green Wave 30 and returned it to the 13.

Two plays later, Contrez McCathern scored from 2 yards out to extend the Bears’ lead to 14-0 midway through the first.

“They gave us short field in the first half, but we didn’t sustain any drives,” Perry said. “We got better in the second half.”

Mt. Juliet started the second stanza with three straight first-down runs in five plays to move the ball to Gallatin’s 8-yard line. But a Bears fumble ended the drive as the Green Wave took over.

“We’ve got to work on turnovers,” Perry said. “We can’t give up the ball inside the 10. We have to work on our execution.”

Following a Gallatin punt, Mt. Juliet again picked up long yardage quickly on a four-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a 30-yard touchdown run by Chaplin midway through the third.

Another Gallatin punt gave the Bears the ball at the Green Wave 38. Four plays later, McCathern picked up his second touchdown of the night on a 5-yard run late in the third to push the Mt. Juliet lead to 28-0.

Mt. Juliet’s lone punt of the game came as time expired in the third.

Following another Gallatin punt, the Bears put together a six-play, 53-yard drive that resulted in Connor Hopkins scoring from 2 yards out to extend their lead to 35-0 early in the fourth.

Four plays into Gallatin’s next possession, Peyton Haynes intercepted a Green Wave pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown.

McCathern led the Bears in rushing with 162 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Chaplin also added a pair of TDs, rushing for 112 yards on seven carries. Caleb Hopkins had 63 yards on seven carries.

Mt. Juliet will return home to host Station Camp, coached by MJHS graduate Shaun Hollinsworth, at 7 p.m. next Friday.