Evergreen just won’t wilt in upset of Mountain View

What a win.

The Evergreen Plainsmen know what such a victory as Friday’s 40-35 triumph over Mountain View can do for a team that hadn’t defeated its rival since 2007 and hasn’t been in a position to compete for a league championship since that season.

The scene at McKenzie Stadium was emotional, and a program changer, too.

“I’ve never had this amount of joy in my life,” said Tae Marks, who had the go-ahead touchdown with 1:36 remaining following a blocked punt and recovery that set up the game-winning score.

Evergreen scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and shut out the Thunder the final 12 minutes after surrendering 35 points through three quarters.

Derrick Webb scored four rushing touchdowns, forced a fumble and recovered it, and had two interceptions for the Plainsmen. The latter interception sealed the win when Mountain View drove to the Evergreen 24 inside 30 seconds remaining.

In the midst of a 20-point comeback in Friday’s 3A Greater St. Helens League game were two fourth-down conversions by Evergreen and a successful onside kick recovery by Jonathan Smith when his team trailed 35-28.

Marks, a senior, made two of the game’s biggest plays, and called them the two biggest plays he’s made in football.

The 23-yard touchdown pass from Carter Monda was the third fourth-quarter score by Evergreen and the possession came off Marks’ play on special teams that previous drive.

Mountain View was set to punt on fourth-and-7 with 3:02 remaining, leading 35-34. Marks blocked Riley McCarthy’s punt, then chased the ball down and recovered it at the 7-yard line. Four plays later, Monda found Marks for the go-ahead score with 1:36 to play.

Evergreen trailed 35-20 late in the third quarter when McCarthy (215 yards rushing) accounted for all three Thunder touchdowns in the quarter.

That was enough for resiliency to take over, Marks said.

“Evergreen is always that team to give up and let it go,” he said. “We got tired of being that team. We know we’re better than almost all the team we play. We had to find it in ourselves to dig deep and get the win.”

For Mountain View, it’s the team’s first loss in league play going back to its final Class 4A season in 2015. The premiere program of the 3A GSHL the past three seasons, Mountain View hadn’t lost a league game in three-plus season — 17 games — entering Friday.

But Friday’s result changes things up in the 3A GSHL standings. Evergreen, Prairie, Kelso and Mountain View all have one league loss entering the final two weeks of the regular-season. Only three teams make the playoffs.

Said Webb: “We learned how to keep fighting and not get down on ourselves.”

Key players

n Derrick Webb — Evergreen’s senior running back had rushing touchdowns of 14, 14, 1 and 1 yards. Evergreen scored on its first two opening drives, including Webb’s first 14-yard score, using four plays and 11 plays, respectively, to gain a 12-0 lead. Key plays on both drives was a 56-yard reception by Zyell Griffin and back-to-back rushing plays by offensive tackle David Grant (6-5, 275).

n Tae Marks — The Plainsmen’s senior receiver and defensive back, in addition to blocked punt and recovery, had the game-winning touchdown reception. He had two catches for 28 yards.

n Riley McCarthy — The junior quarterback accounted for five touchdowns — three rushing, two passing — including accounting for every Mountain View offensive play in the third quarter. McCarthy finished with a game-high 215 rushing yards.

n Carter Monda — The first-year high school quarterback had 218 yards passing on 15 of 27 completions and the game-winning touchdown pass for Evergreen.

EVERGREEN 40, MOUNTAIN VIEW 35

Mtn. View 0 14 21 0—35

Evergreen 12 0 8 20—40

First quarter

E — Derrick Webb 14 run (kick failed)

E — Tyvauntae Deloney 1 run (run failed)

Second quarter

MV — Riley McCarthy 2 run (Jude Mullette kick)

MV — Malikiah Batties 31 pass from McCarthy (Mullette kick)

Third quarter

MV — McCarthy 11 run (Mullette kick)

E — Webb 1 run (Carter Monda run)

MV — McCarthy 64 run (Mullette kick)

MV — Batties 26 pass from McCarthy (Mullette kick)

Fourth quarter

E — Webb 14 run (Marks pass from Monda)

E — Webb 1 run (kick failed)

E — Tae Marks 23 pass from Monda (run failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Mountain View: Zack Gamble 14-64, Riley McCarthy 22-215, Va Ili 1-2; Evergreen: Tyvauntae Deloney 17-65, David Grant 2-3, Zyell Griffin 4-15, Derrick Webb 13-66,

PASSING — Mountain View: Riley McCarthy 5-13-2-95; Evergreen: Carter Monda 15-27-0-218

RECEIVING — Mountain View: Malikiah Batties 2-57, Davis Delmage 2-32, Royce Copley 1-6. Evergreen: Jaylen Fite 6-79, Zyell Griffin 5-95, Camren Smith 2-16, Tae Marks 2-28.