Joey Rhomberg airs it out as Mount Vernon stays undefeated

CENTER POINT — The Mustangs just keep cruising.

Class 3A fourth-ranked Mount Vernon (4-0) kept the pedal to the metal and its undefeated season intact Friday night at Rogers Field, defeating the Stormin’ Pointers, 42-6, in a District 4 opener.

Junior quarterback Joey Rhomberg, 3A’s leader in completed passes, navigated the Mustangs’ offense, completing 19 of 28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns.

Rhomberg and the Mustangs got off to a bit of a slow start.

With 1:56 left in the first, Center Point Urbana’s Drake VanGorder stripped Rhomberg at Mount Vernon’s 20 and carried it to the 3. On the next play, Jacob Estevez punched it in to give the Stormin’ Pointers (2-2) an early 6-0 lead.

“Not a single person on our sideline panicked,” Mount Vernon Coach Lance Pedersen said. “They all came together. That told me the character we had on this football team. There’s no panic on our sideline.”

From there, the Mustangs outscored CPU 42-0.

Rhomberg’s first TD throw went to Austin Deeb from 10 yards out with 9:48 to go in the second.

Just before half, Rhomberg again found Deeb, this time for a 26-yard score to give Mount Vernon a 14-6 lead at half.

“Watching film on them, they were playing Cover-3,” Rhomberg said. “Respectfully so, they covered Brady Erickson and double-teamed him and that was kind of a different look for us.

“That just meant kids like Austin Deeb and Jensen Meeker and Evan Brase, they all stepped up and did a nice job for us.”

Rhomberg eventually found Erickson with 2:21 to go in the third quarter for an 8-yard touchdown.

“On paper (Cade) Stimmel and Brady and are probably our most dangerous weapons,” Rhomberg said. “But I mean, we’ve got a response for it. We have great weapons and utilized them tonight.”

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Rhomberg connected with Jensen Meeker, who side-stepped one defender before sprinting in for a 56-yard TD.

“My O-Line’s great, my receivers are great,” Rhomberg said. “I mean it’s Week 4 and I haven’t been sacked yet.”

Clark Younggreen and Jackson Hird each punched in fourth-quarter touchdowns to round out the scoring.

“At halftime, we just made a few small adjustments,” Pedersen said. “I was very proud of my coaching staff. We came out and played a great second half.”

Defensively, the Mustangs were stout, allowing CPU just 88 yards of total offense.

Mount Vernon came into Friday’s contest tied for the 3A lead in sacks and tackles for loss.

“Our defense continues to play very well,” Pedersen said. “Our guys are physical and assignment sound.”

Friday’s win is Mount Vernon’s third consecutive against the Stormin’ Pointers.

Next Friday, Mount Vernon will host Benton Community. CPU will travel to West Delaware.