Gillentine's big night pushes Mooreville to 3-0
Sep. 8—SPRINGVILLE — Mason Gillentine is sure glad he started playing football again.
The senior had a big night Friday, rushing for 129 yards and scoring three touchdowns as Mooreville rolled past South Pontotoc 28-3.
Gillentine, a stalwart for the Troopers' baseball team, played football in middle school but gave it up until this fall.
"I figured it was my senior year, I might as well finish it up playing football, because I've always enjoyed it," he said.
The win gave Mooreville its first 3-0 start since 2010. The Troopers were 0-10 last season, which makes the feat even more impressive.
"If you try to shake winning's hand, it ain't going to shake it back, because it doesn't know who you are," coach Jimmy Young said. "So you've got to get after it every day. That's the kids' mindset and my mindset."
Mooreville got after it from the game's opening drive, covering 77 yards in five plays. Gillentine ran in from 16 yards for a 7-0 lead just 92 seconds into the game.
A poor punt snap gave the Troopers the ball back at South Pontotoc's 19. Gillentine scored three plays later on a 9-yard run.
"Gillentine, he's a big asset for us," Young said. "I was excited to get him out here to play for us. He runs the ball hard, and he's just figuring it out still."
South Pontotoc (0-3) got on the board late in the first quarter on Noah Fleming's 31-yard field goal. The Cougars found some success on the ground but committed two turnovers and couldn't sustain drives.
Coen Gregory and Nate King each made an interception for Mooreville, and lineman Brooks Vanlandingham was very active.
"He fixes a lot of things in the middle for us," Young said of Vanlandingham. "He reads the guards well and attacks the football well."
McDaniels hit Parker Harris for an 8-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter.
Extra Points
Turning Point: Gillentine caught a 16-yard TD pass from Wyatt McDaniels early in the fourth quarter to make it 28-3 and put the game out of reach.
Point Man: Gillentine carried the ball 23 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns, plus he caught three passes for 24 yards and a score.
Talking Point: "Our defense is playing fantastic. They're rallying to the football, they're getting after it. They're playing old-school football again." — Young
Notes
—South Pontotoc was held to 141 total yards.
—McDaniels was 14 of 21 for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
—Next week, Mooreville hosts Tishomingo County, while South Pontotoc visits Holly Springs.
