Record-breaking season for Mount Vernon football

MOUNT VERNON - Mount Vernon heads into its quarterfinal football showdown with Williamsburg tonight on the heels of a record-breaking season.

Mount Vernon overpowered Williamsburg, 56-21, for the district title on Oct. 21 and if that isn't an accomplishment enough, the Mustangs became the fourth school in state history to exceed 700 total yards of offense in the game.

'We worked hard since last year to find an edge on our competition,” Coach Lance Pedersen said of his 2016 Mustangs. 'I am very fortunate to work with an amazing group of young men and coaches. We are very excited to be district champions.

'This is the first time since 2003 that a team from Mount Vernon has accomplished this.”

On Sept. 30, while playing Anamosa, senior Jack Cochrane scored the night's first touchdown, which broke the school's record in total points scored in a career. The win was Pedersen's 100th career win.

'Winning 100 games in a 13-year time frame means I was blessed with some very good athletes and coaches who worked very hard and played the game of football well,” Pedersen said. 'I enjoyed all of the wins we have had but more importantly have cherished the positive relationships with all of these young men.”

Last Friday, Mount Vernon swept Centerville in the first round of playoffs, 48-7. They will face Williamsburg tonight at Cornell's Ash Park with the winner moving on to the UNI-Dome.