Mountain View spreads offensive wealth around in win over Kentlake

The Mountain View Thunder didn’t need a 46-2 win over Kentlake to already make Friday night feel victorious.

But the game itself — a 44-point victory over the 3A Falcons of Kent — only boosted that winning feeling. 

Friday night had all the makings of a true high school football atmosphere missing from last spring’s condensed season as part of a doubleheader of games at McKenzie Stadium — from a packed grandstand to the band that played from start to finish. 

Yes, the true Friday Night Lights fall experience. 

“Friday Night Lights is a special thing, because there’s nothing else that brings a community more together than Friday Night Lights,” said Thunder senior tackle and defensive end Gavin James-Dues. “And that’s something we’ve missed for awhile, and I’ve missed for awhile. The hype that gets you going — playing with your fans behind you and all of your friends watching you — it’s not the same when they’re not there and it felt really good to have them out there.”

The Thunder (1-0) led from start to finish against a short-handed Falcons (0-1) team that only brought down 28 players to Vancouver. Mountain View’s defense kept Kentlake out of the end zone while scoring 40 unanswered points. Seven different players scored touchdowns for the Thunder, who face 4A Union (0-1) next week. 

KEY MOMENTS

Thunder defense holds strong: Mountain View kept Kentlake out of the end zone, but not off the scoreboard. A holding penalty on a would-be long run by Mountain View’s Valike Tamakloe pinned the Thunder back inside the 5-yard line on Mountain View’s second offensive series. On the next play, DaeDae Dunmore tackled a scrambling Mitch Johnson in the end zone for a safety. 

Points galore, players galore: Only after Kentlake’s safety made it a 6-2 score in the second quarter did Mountain View rattle off 40 unanswered points. Mountain View scored seven touchdowns by seven different players — four rushing scores and three passing. Its shortest scoring drive? One play for 39 yards. Its longest? A 13-play, 72-yard drive to open the game that took 6-plus minutes off the clock.

KEY PLAYERS

Akili Kamau, Mountain View: The sophomore normally is a starting receiver, but got the nod at tailback Friday because of injuries to Thunder personnel. He rushed 10 times for 56 yards and a score, including five carries on the team’s opening scoring drive. 

Aiden Nicholson, Mountain View: The Thunder sophomore tight end and defensive end may key contributions on defense with a sack and four tackles for loss. He also had a 39-yard touchdown catch. 

Mitch Johnson, Mountain View: Mountain View’s first-year starting quarterback connected with receivers on his first five attempts, and three of his final five completions went for touchdowns of 39, 64 and 29 yards. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW 46, KENTLAKE 2

KL 0 2 0 0 – 2

MV 6 13 14 13 – 46

First quarter

MV — Valike Tamakloe 1 run (kick failed)

Second quarter

KL — Safety (QB tackled in end zone)

MV — Akili Kamau 10 run (Eli Warne kick)

MV — Kyle Chen 39 pass from Mitch Johnson (kick failed)

Third quarter

MV — Jacob Martin 64 pass from Johnson (Warne kick)

MV — Aiden Nicholson 29 pass from Johnson (Warne kick)

Fourth quarter

MV — Walker Richardson 7 run (Warne kick)

MV — Dallas Hobbs 30 run (kick failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Kentlake: Alan Braaflat 15-98, Will Hardy 13-52, Xavier Yearby 1-4, DaeDae Dunmore 1-7, No. 26 2-6; Mountain View: Akili Kamau 10-56, Mitch Johnson 3-27, JJ Thompson 5-73, Valike Tamakloe 4-34, Mekhi Parker 1-5, Dallas Hobbs 1-30, Owen Purvis 1-8.

PASSING — Kentlake: Alan Braaflat 3-19-0-35; Mountain View — Mitch Johnson 10-12-0-202; Cash Cook 0-0-0-0.

RECEIVING: Kentlake: Xavier Yearby 3-35; Mountain View: Jacob Martin 4-79; Kyle Chen 1-39; Aiden Nicholson 3-52, JJ Thompson 1-27, Akili Kamau 1-5.