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Mountain View notches 5th straight win in 48-0 rout of Prairie

Thunder in driver's seat in Class 3A GSHL

By Micah Rice, Columbian Sports Editor

Published: October 6, 2023, 11:06pm

Mountain View Thunder

Heading into the final third of the football season, Mountain View is right where it wants to be.

The Thunder are in the driver’s seat in the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League. That’s after dominating both sides of the ball in a 48-0 triumph over Prairie at McKenzie Stadium on Friday.

After dropping their season opener to Class 1A title contender Nooksack Valley, Mountain View has rolled off five straight wins, averaging 43 points per game.

At 2-0, the Thunder are the lone undefeated team in the 3A GSHL with two league games to play.

Cash Cook threw for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Porter Drake, Akili Kamau and Aiden Nicholson each notched two touchdowns as the Mountain View’s stable of playmakers showed they can score from anywhere on the field.

“I trust all of them to make a catch, to outrun anybody,” Cook said.

When Cook was pressured, he sought his top target Nicholson, who entered Friday as the Thunder’s leading receiver despite recording just one catch over the past two weeks.

That paid off on Mountain View’s first drive when Cook, running out of room toward the sideline, lofted a pass to Nicholson. The 6-foot-3 senior caught the ball near midfield, juked multiple defenders and broke loose for an 86-yard touchdown.

“He’s supposed to be running a post there, but he saw me scrambling and adjusted,” Cook said. “I saw he had the guy beat, so I let it fly.”

Cook and Nicholson connected again on Mountain View’s second drive for a 29-yard touchdown. Cook’s first four completions all went to Nicholson, amassing 153 yards.

Mountain View’s fast offensive start was matched by its defense. The Thunder allowed just one big play in the first half, a 71-yard catch and run by Braeden Slamp. But the Thunder then forced a turnover on downs at the 8 yard line.

Take away Slamp’s long gain and the Thunder allowed just 23 yards in the first half.

Thanks to its strong push up front, Mountain View’s defense held Pierson Lameh and the Prairie rushing attack in check. The senior entered Friday as the area’s leading rusher after a school-record 333 yards one week ago against Kelso. Friday, he had 14 yards on 12 carries.

“No matter the score, just keep pushing,” said Mountain View lineman Rylan Reinebach, who had two sacks. “It was really just trying to keep on hitting.”

On his 18th birthday, Drake had another strong game. His 40-yard touchdown run in which he broke six tackles, gave Mountain View a 27-0 lead in the final minute of the first half.

Drake, who also had a 10-yard touchdown in the second half, finished with 134 yards one week after rushing for 171 yards and three touchdowns. Kamau scored on an 18-yard pass and 25-yard run.

Reinebach, who plays right tackle on offense, said the team’s playmakers get free when he and the other linemen maintain their blocks.

“Every second gives them more time,” Reinebach said. “So if we can just hold on to our guy and push them as far as we can, that opens up so many lanes.”

The Thunder can all but wrap up the league title if they win next Friday at Kelso. Cook said the work is far from finished.

“Going into our last three games we’re full of confidence,” Cook said. “Practices have been great. We’re just going to keep rolling.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW 48, PRAIRIE 0

Prairie 0 0 0 0–0

Mountain View 20 7 21 0–48

First Quarter

MV – Aiden Nicholson 86 pass from Cash Cook (run failed)

MV – Nicholson 29 pass from Cook (Owen Purvis kick)

MV – Jaden Brown 2 run (Purvis kick)

Second Quarter

MV – Porter Drake 40 run (Purvis kick)

Third Quarter

MV – Akili Kamau 18 pass from Cook (Purvis kick)

MV – Drake 10 run (Purvis kick)

MV – Macau 25 run (Purvis kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Prairie: Pierson Lameh 12-14, Braeden Slamp 3-5, Isaac Watson 2-(minus-4), Deven Vigue 2-(minus-12), Preston Hill 2-(minus-2). Mountain View : Porter Drake 12-134, Jaden Brown 5-58, Cash Cook 5-3, James Thompson 5-51, Akili Kamau 1-25, Dallas Hobbs 1-38.

PASSING – Prairie: Isaac Watson 9-18-0-108, Deven Vigue 1-2-0-(minus-4). Mountain View: Cash Cook 10-18-0-214, Cashten Liedtke 1-1-0-0.

RECEIVING – Prairie: Braeden Slamp 5-90, Alex Juhl 2-15, Pierson Lameh 1-(minus-3), Jackson Kimball 1-6, Tommie Vick 1-(minus-4). Mountain View: Aiden Nicholson 4-153, James Thompson 1-6, Ayden Cummings 1-13, Akili Kamau 3-65, Felix Cuevas 1-17, Dylan Huber 1-0.

MOUNTAIN VIEW 48, PRAIRIE 0

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