Mt. Pleasant climbs out of early hole, shocks Jeannette in opener

By: Paul Brittain
Friday, August 22, 2025 | 11:16 PM

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Visiting Jeannette stunned Mt. Pleasant with a pair of long passes that led to touchdowns early in Friday’s Week Zero game at Viking Stadium.

The Jayhawks scored on their first four possessions. But the Vikings rallied for a wild 29-23 win.

Jeannette struck first by driving out of a third-and-20 hole at its own 25-yard line when quarterback Kymone Brown completed a 43-yard pass to Jayce Powell in a crowd to the Vikings 14-yard line.

Five plays later, Brown scored from inside the one and McAllister Steele added the conversion.

On their next series, the Jayhawks again stunned the Vikings when Brown completed a 74-yard pass-and-run scoring play. Steele’s kick failed, but the Jayhawks had a quick 13-0 lead.

The Jayhawks built a 16-0 lead after driving inside the Mt. Pleasant 10, and Steele kicked a 25-yard field goal.

Brown burned the Vikings on the next possession by breaking free up the middle and going 46 yards to the end zone. Steele’s conversion kick made it 23-0.

Mt. Pleasant responded with an 80-yard drive in eight plays. Steve Predajna fueled the drive before Dane Firmstone’s 41-yard run to the 2 set up Predajna’s score.

Firmstone’s 2-point conversion pass to Richard Shawley cut the deficit to 23-8 and changed the game’s momentum.

The Jayhawks had more than 300 yards of offense to Mt. Pleasant’s 101 at halftime.

On the first possession of the second half, Mt. Pleasant’s Payton Schaum recovered a fumble at the Jayhawks 2.

After a 2-yard loss, Predajna scored from 4 yards, and the kick by Brady Brooks cut the deficit to 23-15.

Mt. Pleasant stopped the Jayhawks on downs at the Jeannette 30 on the next drive.

Firmstone completed a third-down pass to Andrew Brodak to the 6-yard line.

Three plays later, Mason Eicher scored from 3 yards. The conversion pass attempt failed, but Mt. Pleasant had cut the lead to 23-21.

There was no further scoring during the rest of a flag-filled third quarter.

Mt. Pleasant stopped Jeannette on downs by inches at the Vikings 9 early in the fourth quarter. But the hosts couldn’t gain a first down and punted.

With 3 minutes, 15 seconds left Firmstone passed 70 yards to Tristan Wtorkiewicz to the Jeannette 2-yard line. Firmstone scored two plays later for the Vikings’ first lead and Shawley’s 2-point run made it 29-23.

Anthony Pologruto’s interception for the Vikings sealed the win with 1:39 left.

Mt. Pleasant coach Jason Fazekas credited his players for not giving up after the early deficit.

“This was as good as it gets,” he said. “I give our guys credit for a terrific effort and guts. Jeannette is a good football team, and this was a big win.”

He said Firmstone “is a great leader and is a tough kid. As a running quarterback he really helps us.”

Jeannette coach Thomas Paulone blamed himself for the late stop by Mt. Pleasant on fourth down.

“I’m responsible for that,” Paulone said. “We need to be better, and we need to clean up a lot.”

He said the game was a good challenge for his team.

“We had five playoff teams from our conference last year. We need to play tough nonconference games.”

He lauded Brown’s effort, saying, “He has a Naval Academy offer. There’s a reason he is so sought after by colleges.”

Mt. Pleasant hosts Greensburg Central Catholic in a nonconference game Aug. 29.

Tags: Jeannette, Mt. Pleasant