Mountain View strikes early, often against Prairie

For Mountain View, the punctuation is the preparation.

Fresh off ascending to No. 5 in the Associated Press 3A statewide rankings, the Thunder were favorites to win Friday at McKenzie Stadium.

Once the game began, Mountain View left no doubt. The Thunder beat Prairie 61-0 with as dominating of a performance as you’ll see this season in the 3A Greater St. Helens League.

Mountain View (5-1, 2-0) wasn’t going to risk letting anything crazy happen against Prairie (2-4, 0-2). The Thunder prepared all week like Friday was one of the season’s most important games.

“We come into every week the same,” said junior lineman Preston Collins. “We always prep for the opponent really well. We can thank our coaches for that, because they’re always looking out for us. We win it mentally before we win it physically.”

Perhaps that’s why since losing its opener 17-14 to Union, the top-ranked 4A team in the state, Mountain View hasn’t played down to anybody. The Thunder have outscored their last five opponents 280-24.

Mountain View outgained Prairie 702-54, including 527-21 in the first half. The Thunder scored touchdowns on six of eight drives in the first half, which ended 41-0.

Jack Mertens rushed for 251 yards on 15 carries, with 217 coming in the first half. He now has 818 yards on just 70 carries, an average of 11.7 yards a carry.

Garrett Moen threw for 291 yards and five touchdowns. Two of those went to Mertens, who had 310 all-purpose yards.

Moen also rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown.

“We come out on the field and bring the energy always, and it shows,” Moen said. “I have a lot of fun playing with these guys.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW 61, PRAIRIE 0

Prairie 0 0 0 0—  0

Mtn View 20 21 13 7—61

First quarter

MV — Jordan Cook 3 pass from Garrett Moen (Jude Mullette kick)

MV — Phillip Earnhardt 34 pass from Moen (kick failed)

MV — Jack Mertens 31 run (Aiden Hargrove kick)

Second quarter

MV — Bobby Shepard 1 run (Hargrove kick)

MV — Moen 12 run (Hargrove kick)

MV — Mertens 11 pass from Moen (Hargrove kick)

Third quarter

MV — Mertens 21 pass from Moen (Mullette kick)

MV — Earnhardt 68 pass from Moen (kick failed)

Fourth quarter

MV — Malikiah Batties 5 run (Mullette kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Prairie: Devante Clayton 8-8, A.J. Dixson 7-minus-6, Zack Wright 2-6, Nolan Mickenham 1-3, Isaiah Braker 1-3, Jake Clark 3-6. Mountain View: Jack Mertens 15-251, Garrett Moen 11-100, Bobby Shepard 2-12, Andrew Gulliford 1-4, Alec Cann 1-7, Malikiah Batties 3-33, Xavier Mayo 2-1, Isaiah Johnson 1-3.

PASSING — Prairie: A.J. Dixson 5-18-3-19, Zackery Brown 1-5-1-15. Mountain View: Garrett Moen 15-24-0-291.

RECEIVING — Prairie: Taylor Lawhead 2-4, Ian Davis 1-6, Nolan Mickenham 2-15, Zeke Dixson 1-15. Mountain View: Makai Anderson 4-70, Jordan Cook 1-3, Phillip Earnhardt 3-113, Jack Mertens 4-59, Michael Bolds 3-46.