Rushing attack, special teams lead PCM football past Chariton

MONROE — A fast start propelled PCM’s football team to an easy win over Chariton on Friday during 2A District 7 action.

August Stock scored three first-half rushing touchdowns to help the Mustangs lead 35-0 at halftime and PCM went on to win 42-7.

Gavin Van Gorp hooked up with Gavin Fenton on a 16-yard pass play for the Mustangs’ only second-half touchdown.

The win locks up a top-three finish in the district for the Mustangs. They play Roland-Story for the No. 2 seed this week.

The Mustangs (4-3 overall, 3-1 in the district) scored on their opening drive after Van Gorp found Gabe Hobbs for a 20-yard touchdown.

PCM’s special teams blocked Chariton’s first three punts of the game and the Mustangs took advantage of the short fields each time. All three scoring drives covered less than 15 yards.

Stock scored all three touchdowns on the ground, reaching paydirt on runs of 2, 10 and 13 yards. Adrien Robbins also scored on a 5-yard TD run in the second.

Robbins led the offense with 86 rushing yards and the one TD on 14 carries. Stock added 60 yards and three TDs on seven carries and Kaleb DeVries rushed for 37 yards on five carries.

Van Gorp was 5-of-12 through the air for 74 yards, two touchdowns and two picks. His five completions went to five different receivers.

Hobbs caught a 20-yard TD pass, Fenton hauled in a 16-yard TD pass, Stock had one catch for 15 yards, Robbins snagged one pass for 14 yards and Griffin Olson registered one catch for nine yards.

PCM’s defense held Chariton (3-4, 1-3) to 185 total yards. The Mustangs rushed for 187 yards on 32 carries.

Finn Wilson led the defense with six tackles, Olson and Hewitt Brinegar registered five tackles each and Joel Greiner and Donovan Nickelson both finished with four tackles. Jax Mosher also recovered a fumble.