WINNER-Jesse Hastings took matters into his own hands in Mount Vernon/Plankinton's 24-point rally over Winner on Friday.
The junior tailback/linebacker scored the go ahead two-point conversion and stuffed Winner quarterback Brady Fritz on a fourth-down play to preserve a 30-28 comeback win for the No. 3 Titans.
"He threw the team on his back and that's not to say other guys weren't doing great things as well," MVP head coach Brent Olson said. "But he had that look in his eye of just get me the ball and I am going to do this today and he did."
Hastings, who finished with 106 rushing yards and three touchdowns, kept MVP's final drive alive with his arm. Facing a fourth and five at Winner's 25-yard line, Hastings threw a halfback pass to Hunter Pranger down to the two-yard line for the Titans (6-0).
"I had a bad throw," Hastings said. "I compliment the wide receiver on catching that pass because it was all him."
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Hastings capped off the drive, which started at MVP's own two-yard line. His two-yard touchdown made it 28-28 and his two-point conversion was the difference.
However, No. 5 Winner had one last gasp effort. Winner's Trevor Peters completed a 50-yard pass to Brandon Volmer with 3:17 left down to MVP's 24-yard line. The Warriors (3-2) worked the ball down to MVP's 11-yard line and faced a fourth and seven with 1:29 left.
Hastings sacked a scrambling Fritz to secure the win and the comeback.
"We knew he was a fast guy and we knew that if he got going that we weren't going to be able to stop him," said Hastings, who had nine tackles. "I just shadowed him."
The Warriors took a 28-6 lead on the first play of the second half on a Phillip Jorgensen interception return for a touchdown.
"We were in good shape there," Winner coach Dan Aaker said. "We just didn't finish the game and credit them for a coming back."
Hastings made it 28-14 and Colton Tobin cut the deficit to 28-22 with 2:51 left in the third quarter. Neither team scored again until Hastings' two-yard touchdown run with 3:31 left.
The Titans finished with 346 total yards and 202 rushing yards. Hayden Haak had 74 passing yards and Tobin had 50 rushing yards.
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Winner had 243 total yards and 155 rushing yards. Peters had 100 rushing yards and Jorgensen had 40 rushing yards.
Mount Vernon/Plankinton hosts Chamberlain on Oct. 5. Winner plays at Chamberlain on Sept. 28.
First quarter
W: Trevor Peters 66 run (Phillip Jorgensen run)
W: Sam Kruger 7 pass from Brady Fritz (run failed)
Second quarter
MVP: Jesse Hastings (run failed)
W: Phillip Jorgensen 5 run (Fritz run)
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Third quarter
W: Jorgensen 15 interception return (run failed)
MVP: Hastings 7 run (Weston Tobin pass from Hayden Haak)
MVP: Colton Tobin 5 run (Weston Tobin run)
Fourth quarter
MVP: Hastings 2 run (Hastings run)
