Friday Night Football: Mossbrucker's magnificent night leads 4A No. 14 Mooresville over 4A Lebanon, 30-20

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

LEBANON â�?��?? â�?��?It was a team effort â�?��?? we donâ�?��?�t rely on just one guy.â�?�

Those were the words Mooresville coach Mark Bless addressed his Class 4A No. 14 Pioneers with Aug. 25 following their 30-20 victory at 4A No. 18 Lebanon. This just in: If the 12th-year mentor ever changes his mind, heâ�?��?�s got the one guy to do it.

The player in question is 6-foot do-everything quarterback Trent Mossbrucker. Hereâ�?��?�s the hit list of daggers that he unleashed upon the unsuspecting host Tigers:

211 yards passing
Three touchdown passes
One improvised quarterback sneak up the middle for a 29-yard touchdown that sealed the game
Six kickoffs, five of which went for touchdowns
A career-best 49-yard field goal
A gorgeous pass on a 4^th-and-21 fake punt that went for 36 yards and reversed Lebanonâ�?��?�s first-half momentum

Did we mention that Mossbrucker plays safety, too? Rumors that he sold popcorn at halftime while leading the marching band and signing autographs for shocked-and-awed Lebanon fans, unfortunately, went unsubstantiated.

Mooresville (2-0) needed every bit of Mossbruckerâ�?��?�s heroics to foil a Lebanon rushing attack that rolled to 312 yards on the ground. The key â�?��?? aside from the human highlight reel â�?��?? was a 2-to-1 advantage in time of possession.

â�?��?They have an explosive offense with some size up front, so we wanted to keep them off the field,â�?� Bless said.

Mission accomplished. After spotting the hosts a 14-3 lead with four minutes go before the half, Mooresville rolled up 30 unanswered points to take a commanding 30-14 lead after Mossbruckerâ�?��?�s jaunt up the middle with 9:28 remaining in the game.

Still, Lebanon was able to cut the lead back to 10 in just five plays, taking a mere 2:10 off the clock before 5â�?��?�9â�?� senior running back Eli Smith (14 carries, 148 yards, three rushing touchdowns) scored on an eight-yard run. But the Tigers chose not to try an onside kick, and by the time Mooresville had converted 3^rd-and-1 and 4^th-and-1 opportunities into first downs before finally turning the ball over on downs, it was too late.

â�?��?We got outplayed at home last year (in a 24-23 overtime loss to Lebanon),â�?� said Bless. â�?��?We wanted to play field position, and our offensive line did a good job.â�?�

MORE TO COME â�?�¦

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